whose then shal thy goods bee that thou hast prouided It is wisedome therefore for man to prouide for God then God will prouide for him Therefore good brother I beseech you in the bowels of Iesus Christ repent and correct your selfe betime reforme your manners and behauiour by the rule of Gods Law that you may auoid the curse thereof and bee preserued and saued that when Iesus Christ shall come to his Iudgement from the highest heauens in power and Maiesty accompanied with his holy Angels and Saints you may meete him with a ioyfull heart and obtaine the crowne of glory and victory which is the reward of Gods children and so reigne with that righteous Iudge in perpetuall peace continuall comfort and endlesse ioy which God grant to you and mee and all that loue his comming Amen And that wee may the better performe the Premises let vs in all our actions set these foure things before our eyes that is the Day of Death the Day of Doome that Condemnation of the wicked and the Saluation of the godly To the wicked and damned sort death is miserable Gods Iudgements terrible and their paine intolerable To the godly and such as shal be saued death is pleasant iudgement comfortable and their ioy perpetuall therefore it is better betime to repent reforme our selues with the godly then to driue off from day to day with the wicked which neither by Gods mercy nor iudgement will bee drawne to amendment but neglect all meanes and occasions and there is no better time nor fitter occasion to prepare our selues to our end then when we feele Gods heauy hand laid vpon vs by any kinde of crosse sicknesse or other visitation for therby God giueth vs friendly warning to make our selues in a readinesse and to giue ouer the world and happy man is hee whosoeuer hee bee which forsaketh sinne before sinne forsake him and that giueth ouer the world before the world giue him ouer for when wee haue discharged our selues of this world and this world shall be discharged of vs then we haue the greatest account of all to reckon for Therefore my deare brother that fearest God and beleeuest in him while thou art now chastised with sicknes and paine and perceiuest death to approach bestur your selfe betime follow Christ at foote prostrate your selfe before him fall downe flat on the earth deny your selfe acknowledge your sin trust in him neuer giue ouer cry and call aloud Miserere mei Domine miserere mei i. Haue mercy on me O Lord haue mercy on mee Cry with the Cananite O sonne of Dauid haue Mat. 15. 22 mercy on me and at length he will looke back take pitty vpon you forgiue you your sinnes and receiue you to his mercy Let the innocent Lamb of God be an example vnto you herein for Christ himselfe in his extreme agony when his sweat was like drops of bloud trick ling downe to the ground yet hee prayed earnestly to haue his Fathers Will fulfilled So must you do that is now weake and feeble in body bee feruent in spirit renounce the wicked world with all the vanities therein tread them vnder your feete Sursum cor Lift vp Col. 3. 1 2 your heart to God meditate vpon heauenly things for it is high time Behold the Sonne of GOD your mercifull Redeemer that sweat water and bloud for your sinnes behold him sitting on the right hand of his Father making intercession for you ioyne your selfe to him pray vnto God feruently in his name and say as he himselfe did in the anguish of his Spirit heere on earth Father into thy Luk. 23. 46 hands I commend my Spirit Thou hast redeemed mee O Lord God of truth Lord haue mercy vpon me and forgiue me my sins Sweet Iesu receiue my soule into thy Kingdome c. I beseech you gentle Brother thinke vpon my words in my absence and continue in this minde hauing a firme faith in Christ Iesus euen to your end And withall take in good part this my friendly admonition Let it worke in your heart true repentance to saluation and if you doubt any thing touching your beliefe life or Religion or any other priuate causes that may in some sort trouble your conscience I pray you let mee resolue you and I will doe my endeuour to satisfie you therein so far forth as may tend to your saluation and comfort which I heartily wish in Christ Iesus And so for this time I leaue you committing you to the tuition of him that is able to saue you The fourth duety of the Pastor THe fourth duety of the Pastour is to comfort the sick in all their distresse danger and feare with sentences examples and perswasions out of the Word of God especially toward their end We feare chiefely two things 1 Death in this life 2. Damnation after death I purpose not to speake much of eyther for if I did I should but make the volume of this book to large and so cause the Printer to waste paper to his further charges and my greater paines and yet say nothing but that which is set downe already by those that are better learned then my self and haue troden the way before mee Therefore hauing partly touched the same in my Questions I wil only adde these few lines following touching both for example sake It is an old rule in Physick Take away the cause and the effect is taken away with it Vnderstand therefore good Brother that the causes why men so much feare death be many according to the multitude of men and their manners The first cause is for that by death they lose many commodities and pleasures which in their life time they did long enioy and haue great delight therein as wife children parents friends lands liuings possessions sumptuous houses buildings worldly honours offices dignities All these and such like be call-backs and dayly coueted while life lasteth and yet dreadfull death dispatcheth vs of all these delights euen at a blow this is the feare of worldlings Secondly we feare death because of weakenesse diseases and bitter torments which are the forerunners warners and messengers of death This is the feare of the flesh The third cause why men feare death is incredulity or lack of faith in Christ This is the feare of conscience and proceedeth of ignorance or lack of knowledge in the Scriptures whereof our faith is grounded The fourth cause why we feare death is the danger of eternall damnation both of body and soule in hell fire This is the inward feare of the spirit But to bee short one comfortable blast of Gods spirit will extinguish and driue all these terrours quite away from vs euen as the winde doth driue away the thick clowds or mists which do separate vs from the light and sight of the Sunne First therefore for the losse of the world and all the drosse therein it is indeede no losse but gaine to those that by death enioy the company of
it out But these words euerlasting perpetuall and neuer these and such like pierce the heart dismay the mind and cut the throat of a sinner they crucifie the guiltie Conscience and at one blow they kill downe right where they hit How thinke you are not you of the same minde Answ Indeede I must needs confesse they bee words of great weight intolerable and heauie to beare especially to a Conscience clogged with sin and words not once but often to bee deepely considered of euen of the best of vs all for the best are too bad and of our selues wee are all sinners and deserue such reward for our hyre as these words doe threaten but they take effect onely in the Reprobate desperate and impenitent sinners such as neither feare Gods Iustice nor feele his Mercie neither any operation of his Holy Spirit But are for their contempt obstinacie and impenitent hearts giuen ouer of God into a Reprobate sense whose eyes are blinded whose eares are stopped and whose hearts are hardened that they disdaine and reiect the Word of God and all motions of his Spirit wherby they should attaine to a full measure of faith in Christ Iesus who came into 1. Tim. 1. 15. the world to saue sinners For we are sure That whosoeuer Ioh 3. 15. beleeueth in him shall not perish but haue life euer lasting For the soules of the righteous Wisd 3. 1. are in the hand of GOD and no torment shall touch them but they Ioh. 5. 24. shall passe from death to life and their spirits shall returne to the Lord which gaue them Whose hands of mercie are wide open to receiue them For although it bee said It is a Heb. 10. 31 fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God Yet that is to bee vnderstood before repentance not after for God reiecteth not penitent sinners but if we repent and turne to God he will turne to vs As hee hath promised Turne vnto Esa 45. 22. me and ye shall be saued So that there is now no condemnation to those that are in Christ Iesus but wee may boldly triumph and say Death is swallowed vp 1. Cor. 15. 54 55 into victory O death where is thy sting O hell where is thy victory Quest 13. You haue well answered and like a Diuine you said euen now you were not Booke-learned but you may be God be thanked for your direct answering by the Word I cannot but maruell how you can recite so many places of Scripture and to so good purpose being not learned Surely it seemeth you carry not your Bible vnder your arme for fashion sake or to please men as many doe in these dayes but to please God and pleasure both your selfe others Therefore you haue taken a good course in this life for the life to come And you haue chosen the better part with Mary and that which shall neuer be taken away Luk. 10. 42 from you the most part in these dayes take part with Martha and are too carefull for the things of this world but seldome or neuer looke for the life to come and therefore it is to bee doubted they will come short of the reward and crowne of glorie But I will leaue them to themselues and to the equity of Gods Iustice and with your good liking proceed forward with you in a question or two Quest 14 Do you beleeue and acknowledge Iesus Christ the Sonne of the liuing God to haue dyed and suffered his Passion for your sinnes and that he did rise againe for your iustification and ascended into heauen to prepare the way for you and all true beleeuers Answ I doe assuredly beleeue all that to be true or else I must thinke my selfe accursed and in most miserable case calling to minde my rude race and my sinfull life led euen from my Cradle Quest 15. Doe you also beleeue that you can be saued by no other meanes but by the merit of Christ his Passion by the sheading of his innocent bloud who suffered once for all and that the oblation of himselfe vpon the Crosse is a sufficient sacrifice for the sins of the whole world Answ I doe beleeue that Christ his Passion is a full satisfaction for my transgression and his precious bloud a perfect purgation for my sinnes Neither is Act. 4. 12. there saluation in any other for among men there is giuen none other name vnder heauen wherby we must be saued But onely the sweet name of Iesus my Sauiour Quest 16. And doe you for this his inestimable benefit and all other his manifold graces giue him hearty thankes And will you daily most dutifully endeuour your selfe so to doe so long as the breath shal remaine in your body Answ I doe and by Gods grace I will frō time to time so long as life lasteth doe my best to shew my selfe thankefull as I am indeed most bounden For I am fully perswaded his Fatherly goodnes towards me is so great being a sinfull wretch and vnworthy to gather vp the crummes vnder his table that I can neuer giue him condigne thankes for the multitude of his mercies and diuine graces bestowed vpon me both touching my bodie and soule but God of his infinite goodnes pardon that which is lacking in my selfe and fulfill it in his deare Sonne Iesus Christ my Redeemer Quest 17. You must therfore desire at the hands of God of whom we receiue the bread wee eate the ground we tread vpon and the light we behold that he would with the eyes of his mercie and compassion looke vpon you increase your faith lighten your vnderstanding strengthen your bodie grant you patience in this your sicknes and mooue your minde to all thankfulnes and dutifull obedience towards his Maiestie so that come life come death you may bee perswaded in your minde and beleeue stedfastly in your heart that you are the Lords Answ My earnest request vnto my heauenly Father is to grant all such good gifts as you haue named And I pray God euen with all my heart giue me grace so to beleeue and so to do all the daies and houres of my life And that I may the better doe according to your friendly counsell and performe some part of my dutie towards God and the world I pray you good Sir both priuately when you are absent pray to God for me and ioyne with mee in prayer now before your departing that it may please God my heauenly Father whose rod of castigation I willingly suffer to dispose of mee in this his visitation as may make most for his glorie and mine owne saluation in Christ Iesus my Sauiour These and such like questions may the carefull Pastor propound to the Sicke person according as occasion shall bee offered alwayes helping his infirmitie if hee faile in answering but he must beware that he doe not reason further then the capacitie of the sicke will admit that so hee may rather winne by fauour then
thou reioycest more at the finding of one lost sheepe which hath long gone astray then ouer ninety and nine iust persons which neede no repentance Thou art ready to meet and embrace with the armes of thy mercy the Prodigall Sonne when he turneth homewards towards thee repenting his former folly and humbly crauing thy mercy Therefore there is nothing better for man then continually to consider thy great loue and fidelitie towards him and contrariwise his owne infidelitie and ingratitude towards thee for the Diuel is so enuious towards thy seruants that hee omitteth no time in tempting them yea euen then when they are about to repent and bewaile their sins he causeth them to doubt of their saluation to wauer in faith and cloggeth their consciences with the curse of the Law and equitie of Gods iustice in punishing their sinne that thereby they might neuer be at quietnes or rest in themselues but straight fall into the dungeon of desperation It is thou onely O Lord that canst heale their diseases ease their burthen cure their wounds and refresh their hungry spirits Wherfore if at any time the Diuell mooue vs to doubt or despaire of Gods goodnes and grace yet let vs not faint in faith or be hollow-hearted but rather bee bold in the bowels of Iesus Christ and with a sure confidence approch vnto the Mercy-Seat of God the Father who accepteth the satisfaction of his Son and alloweth the same to be a full ransome for all our sinnes and by this meanes we may finde fauour at the hands of our heauenly Father Many examples wee haue to perswade vs herein The Woman of Canaan cryed and her Daughter was cured The Centurion beleeued and his Seruant was made whole The Father prayed and his Sonne was clenfed of the foule spirit The Apostles cryed out Helpe Lord for wee perish and straightway they were deliuered Christ perceiued but the Faith of the people and he said to the sicke of the Palsie Be of good cheere my sonne thy sinnes are forgiuen thee The Mother and her companions doe but weepe and her sonne is raised from death to life Martha and Mary did but mourne and Lazarus was reuiued Mary the sinner sheadeth teares and hee said vnto her Thy sinnes be forgiuen thee A poore blinde man cryed out O Son of Dauid haue mercy on me and he receiued his sight The Thiefe hanging on the Crosse said but onely Lord remember me and Christ answered This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise O singular Faith of sinners what man hath at any time cried Iesu haue mercy on mee but forthwith hee hath found fauour obtained grace A sure faith procureth any thing at Gods hands but he that mistrusteth the Physician hindreth his owne health Our Sauiour Christ hath opened vnto vs the gate of his goodnes therefore let not vs runne headlong to the dungeon of desperation the dunghill of the Diuell Hee hath stretched out his hand to vs therefore let not vs turne away our face from him He hath opened vnto vs the Kingdome of Heauen therefore let not vs haste to destruction nor creepe to the lake of vnhappinesse but let vs by these examples of Gods graces to others acknowledge the mercies of God to bee many and maruellous towards man For whose cause doth the Sun shine by day the Moone and the Starres by night but for man For whose sake doth the Lord water the earth with deaw drops and showres of raine but for man Why blowe the Windes Why runne the Riuers Why spread the Springs Why budde the Trees Why growe the fruits of the earth And why increase the fishes of the seas but for the vse of man He is King and Lord of all creatures vnder the cope of heauen There is nothing that God hath not made subiect to man onely hee would that man should bee obedient vnto him Yet many times our mercifull God sendeth vs aduersitie eyther to cleere vs of our transgressions or to feare vs from sinne or to minister occasion of well-doing Thus was Abraham tryed So was Iob proued with many miseries Thus is euery one which liueth godly in Christ Iesus tryed in this world with sundry afflictions as the gold in the fire for whom the Lord loueth those he chasteneth Therefore wee beseech thee O Lord assist vs by thy might and mercy that we may patiently beare all trouble neede pouertie sicknes slander hatred imprisonment griefe and anguish of minde temptations of our deadly Enemy losse of lands and worldly wealth and all other calamities and discommodities Looke not on vs or our sins O Lord but behold thy Little one which was borne for vs He was wounded for our offences and by his stripes wee are healed Hee gaue his body to be beaten his cheekes to be striken for vs finners He turned not away his face from them that scorned him spit vpon him Looke O Lord vpon all the parts of his body from the crowne of his head to the sole of his foote and no paine shall bee found like vnto his paine Behold O blessed Lord the holy head of thy deare Sonne crowned with sharp Thornes the bloud running downe on his goodly visage Behold his tender body how it is scourged his naked brest is stricken beaten his bloudy side is thrust thorow with a speare his heart panteth his sinewes bee stretched forth his christall eyes dazell and lose their sight his princely face is wan and pale his pleasant tongue is enflamed with paine his inward parts waxe dry and starke his armes both blue and blacke his bones sore his comely legges be feeble and weake and the streames of bloud gush out of his side downe to the ground O Lord of mercy and God of comfort let all these sufferings of thine only and deare beloued Son pacifie thy wrath and be a sufficient recompence for all our misdemeanour towards thy Maiesty defend vs outwardly by thy might and cheere vs inwardly by thy holy Spirit that we may both in body soule glorifie thy Name feare thy might and loue thy mercy and hereafter walke in thy wayes so long as the breath is in our bodies And after that receiue vs body and soule into the heauenly Kingdome for the tender Death and Passion of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour power and praise world without end Amen An effectuall Prayer for those which be Lunatike or possessed with any euill Spirit O Most mighty mercifull God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ the Prince of power and the God of all comfort and consolation our strong Rocke our sure refuge and defence against the damnable and dangerous assaults of our enemies both bodily and ghostly which hast commanded vs in our greatest perils and necessities to flye vnto thee for safety and boldly to call vpon thee for our deliuery which also by thy diuine power and vnsearchable wisedome hast made heauen and earth
accord came down from the seate of his Maiesty in the highest heauens into the vile and stinking bowels of the earth where he for my sake and all his elect did not abhorre to take flesh of the pure Virgin Mary and became man and in the same flesh suffered most bitter paine and torment being condemned by an earthly iudge to the most shamefull death of the Crosse and so was buried and descended into Hell rising againe for our iustification and ascending into heauen for our glorification and to open vs the gate of saluation which before was barred and fast shut vp against vs. And my beliefe is that as before hee came as a Lambe in humilitie and mercie to seeke and saue sinners So hee shall come againe as a Lyon in the end of the world in great glory Maiesty Mat. 25. 31 accompanied with Angels and heauenly Souldiers as a righteous Iudge of the quicke and dead separating the Sheep from the Goates adiudging the one as hirelings of Hell and the other as inheritors of Heauen And this among many others is a singular comfort to me to know assuredly that no other shall bee my iudge but he that is the Sauiour of my soule and suffered for my sinnes So that in all my perplexitie perill and danger I set this Iesus a Sauiour before mine eyes as a shield a buckler and sure wall between me and my spirituall soe the Diuel and all his tyranny assuring my selfe by this confidence that neither he by his cruelty nor all the Armie of hell can euer hurt or harme me or any of Gods Elect. Thirdly I beleeue in God the holy Ghost the third Person in Trinitie who by his grace louingly preserueth and sanctifieth mee and all the Elect people of God who dayly gouerneth and directeth mee in all my wayes and godly actions who sealeth vp my saluation by the stedfast hope that I haue in Christ Iesus assuring me inwardly that all his benefits are mine and by that meanes maketh me apply the same to the comfort of my soule who also mortifieth sinne in me who openeth and expoundeth vnto mee the diuine mysteries of God and moueth me to leade a godly life This is that blessed wind which bloweth where it listeth euen the Spirit of God which of carnall maketh vs spirituall of cruell meeke of malicious charitable of couetous liberall of dissolute temperate of foolish wise of earthly heauenly of the bondslaues of Satan the deare sonnes of GOD whereby wee may boldly cry Abba Father I beleeue that this holy Ghost is the earnest penny here on earth of my saluation in heauen and that hee will neuer forsake mee no not in the houre of death and my greatest danger but that hee will comfort me continually in all woe and temptations so that although I bee tryed by the touchstone of affliction grieued with extreme paine of bodie or torinented with inward vexation of minde yet I shall not be ouercome neither shall my crosse be greater then I shal be able to beare and endure For I know assuredly that this holy Ghost wil mercifully preserue me both in body and soule vnto the comming of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ to iudgment at the dreadfull day of doome and there present me holy and without blame before his Throne of grace although of my selfe vnworthy yet this sweet Comforter Rom. 8. 15 16. doth of his especiall grace beare witnes with my spirit and conscience and that in most comfortable manner that I am of the number of those which shall be saued and that I shall stand in the last day on the right hand of Christ and heare that cheerefull sentence to my great ioy and comfort Come ye blessed of my Father Mat. 25. 34 possesse the Kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world You haue beene long Pilgrims on earth but now you shal bee Citizens in heauen you haue mourned a long time but now you shall laugh for euer I will wipe away all teares from your eyes Enter at last now that the heate of the day is past into your Masters ioy All these three persons before rehearsed I beleeue to bee one God in essence whose seate is in the heauens aboue and whose footstoole is the earth beneath Vnto whom all the Powers Angels and Saints in heauen are subiect and doe their dayly seruice in setting forth his praises casting downe their crownes at his foote and ascribing all honour and glory to the crowned King that sitteth vpon the Throne and reigneth for euermore and also to the Lambe his beloued sonne and our Sauiour God grant that wee may doe him like seruice here on earth Fourthly and finally I doe beleeue the holy Catholike Church which is Gods Elect people or the Congregation of the faithfull and is called the Kingdome of Christ Iesus Of this Kingdome Christ Apoc. 21. onely is Prince of this body Christ onely is Head and of this Spouse Christ onely is the Bridegroome This Church is called the Temple of the Holy Ghost a spirituall House a holy Nation a Royall Priesthood the Citizens of Heauen the Pillar of Truth the Arke of Noah the Cōmunion of Saints Agreeing at this day in all points of Scripture Faith and Religion with the Primitiue Church of God Firmely holding and boldly confessing one God one Faith one Baptisme one Lord and Sauiour of all Iesus Christ being the sheepe of Gods pasture to whom belongeth one fould and one Shepheard which here on earth is called the militant Church and in Heauen the triumphant Church of God Out of which Arke all perish and out of which Church there is no saluation but whosoeuer is not found therein he is without all doubt damned Of this Catholike Church of God I beleeue and am fully resolued that I am a member and that GOD hath a care of me and will preserue mee safe vntill I haue the fruition of his heauenly Ierusalem This Church is knit together and vnited by faith through the operation of the Holy Ghost as members of one bodie This Church hath the pure Word of God truely and sincerely preached and the Sacraments duely and faithfully administred among them These sheep heare the voice of the true Shepheard Christ Iesus and hee knoweth them and Ioh. 10. 3. they follow him and hee will giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish neither shall any plucke them out of his hand nay the gates of Mat. 16. 18 hell shall not preuaile nor ouercome this Church They which bee of this Church shall haue remission of their sinnes continuall peace and ioy They shall shine and glister as the Stars of Heauen they shall bee clad with white garments and follow the Lambe whithersoeuer he goeth they shall haue golden crownes clapped on their heads and shall see God face to face and haue fellowship with his Saints who continually sing praifes to the eternall King which was and is and is to come
me O Lord a fit sacrifice for thy selfe by punishing my fleshly body and pardoning my sinfull soule Grant mee perfect remembrance of the houre of my death last gaspe that I may thankefully take this thy fatherly visitation and willingly beare my crosse after thy deare Son Iesus Christ my Sauiour O Lord prepare me for the good houre which thou hast appointed for the deliuerie of my soule out of this wretched world settle my thoughts and fixe my faith on the life to come that I neuer shrinke from thee and thy sauing health what paine or torment soeuer thou inflictest vpon mee here on earth yet deare Father let heauen be my reward in the end Finally so dispose of me good Lord as may be most meete for thy glory and mine own saluation in Christ Iesus my mercifull Redeemer and Sauiour to whom with thee and the holy Ghost be all honour power and praise world without end Amen A Prayer to be said in the pangs of Death O Infinite Deitie and vnmeasurable goodnes O blessed and glorious Trinitie O perfect loue and charitie haue mercy on mee and open the bowels of compassion vpon mee a wretched sinner wrapped in woe and ouerwhelmed with anguish of soule and vexation of spirit Into thy hands O Lord I wholly commit and resigne my selfe make haste O Lord to deliuer mee for it is high time My flesh trembleth my bones are brused mine eyes wax dimme my strength faileth my heart panteth and my sorrow and paine euery way increaseth O mercifull Creator shew mercy to thy creature In thee O Lord alone is all my trust In my misery and smart I haue no other to make my mone vnto but onely to thee O thou preseruer of men Therefore forsake me not vtterly but stand by me and with comfort relieue me in this my extremitie and last combate Stretch out thine arme O Lord and hold thy hands of pitie ouer me that lyeth here in woe and misery O Iesu O sweet Iesu mercie O Sonne of Dauid haue mercie vpon me O Father of Heauen help me O holy Spirit of God confirme comfort me O God the Father God the Sonne and God the Holy Ghost three persons and one God haue mercie vpon me O Iesus my sweet Sauiour receiue my silly soule into thy holy hands Place it O LORD for thy mercie sake with thine owne selfe in thy heauenly Kingdome among thine holy Angels and Saints O my good God and my heauenly Father pitie my case ease my paine comfort my soule and be mercifull vnto me Lord shew the light of thy louing countenance vpon mee And in the houre of my death strengthen my faith So that my body returning to the earth from whence it came my soule may ascend to thee which gaue it and at the day of doome generall iudgement when they shall both meete againe they may rise to life euerlasting thorow our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Amen Short Petitions collected for the Sicke Partly out of other Authors BEhold O gracious Father the body of thy deare Sonne all to rent and torne and remember I most humbly beseech thee of how small base substance I am Behold O good God the grieuous paine Passion of Christ my Redeemer and forgiue the sinnes of me thine vnworthy and vnprofitable Seruant which am therby redeemed O Lord looke downe from Heauen incline thine eares vnto my prayers confort my sobbing soule cheere my carefull conscience increase my faith forgiue me my sinnes and haue mercy vpon me through Iesus Christ my Sauiour Amen O Lord I beseech thee mercifully heare my prayers and spare mee which doe confesse my sinnes to thee that I whose conscience by sin is accused by thy mercifull pardon may be absolued through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen O GOD the Father which made mee blesse mee O God the Sonne which redeemed me preserue mee O God the holy Ghost which sanctifieth me confirme and strengthen me The blessing defence and sauing health of the Almighty God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost preserue mee from all euill and bring mee to euerlasting life through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Glory be to thee O Father my Maker Glory be to thee O Sonne my Redeemer and glory bee to thee O holy Ghost my Comforter from age to age from posteritie to posteritie both here and in the world to come and let all people say Amen The peace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the power of his Passion the prayers of his Elect the Communion of Saints the sword of the Spirit and the shield of Faith bee betwixt mee and all mine enemies bodily and ghostly publike and priuate visible and inuisible both now and in the very houre of my death Amen O Lord into thy hands I commend my Spirit Thou hast redeemed mee O Lord thou God of Truth Lord Iesu at thy pleasure and at the time which may be acceptable vnto thee receiue my spirit into thy heauenly Kingdome Amen The third Dutie of the Sicke THe third and last duty of the sicke person is to be patient in his sicknes or any other aduersitie willingly to beare the burthen of Christs Crosse so to follow him for the better performance wherof I haue thought good to annex to the premisses this short Treatise of Patience wherein I will obserue this order First I will perswade by Precepts to suffer aduersitie and all kinde of calamitie Secondly I wil produce out of the Scriptures some speciall and particular examples which may prouoke vs both to suffer affliction and to be patient therein Thirdly I will shew some Reasons to allure vs thereunto 1. Precepts perswading FIrst it is an old saying Patience in aduersitie is a goodly vertue and truely so it is and Patience is a rare vertue and so it may well bee because it is so seldome seene and neuer so seldome as in these our dayes wherein wee haue many motions to euill but few or none to that which is good We offer wrong we will take none Wee giue shrewde words to others wee can brooke none towards our selues Wee haue Eagles eyes to espy a mote in our Brothers eye but like blinde buzzards wee see none at all in our owne We complaine of euery griefe in our selues bee it neuer so little wee pitie none in others bee it neuer so great And therefore we had need both of Precepts to perswade and Examples to prouoke but I feare neither the one nor the other will preuaile or take place in vs. And why Mens hearts are steeped in bitter gall their hands are cruell their feete swift to shead bloud their braine busie to inuent mischiefe And to speake the truth without flattery Loue is lost Charitie is cold Faith is not to be found Pietie maketh mone being pinched by aduersitie and patience is gone beeing forced by extremity Wel what is to bee done in this wofull case Wee must comfort our selues with sentences and examples which are written for our
our prayers with cleannesse of heart vprightnes of action and in the vnity of thy true Church and Catholike Faith that so they may ascend into thy sight as a sweet sacrifice of incense for our health help and other things necessarie for our bodies and soules for the true mortification of our flesh and the right direction of our whole life that hereafter it may bee pleasing and acceptable vnto thee and so by faith in Iesus Christ bring vs to euerlasting blisse And we offer the same for the health and help of all other persons that thy blessed will is to haue prayed for within the Church and without in speciall and in generall And for whom and whatsoeuer else thy wisedome knoweth necessary and our frailetie cannot aske that may be most conuenient for vs to receiue and best becommeth thee to giue That it may please thee of thy gracious goodnes to grant vnto vs true and vnfained repentance for our former sinfull life patience in all our temptations and tribulations ghostly and bodily protection and defence against our enemies visible and inuisible constancie and perseuerance in all vertue goodnes help and reliefe in all our needs and necessities succour and comfort in all our woe and distresse ease and deliuerie out of all our troubles calamities afflictions that we are in or may any way happen vnto vs. O most tender God deare Father we beseech thee also of thy mercy and forgiuenes of sinnes for our selues and all others and mitigation of thy iustice towards vs now and in the houre of our death and last iudgement particular and generall Open vnto vs O Lord we most humbly beseech thee the plentifull streame and fountaine of the bloud of CHRIST IESVS which for our sake and for our saluation issued most aboundantly out of his grieuous wounds hanging on the Crosse Drowne vs in them hide vs in them wash vs in them write print them deepely in our hearts that all our sinnes may bee so bathed in his bloud buried in his death and hid in his wounds that they neuer more be seene to our confusion in this world or to our condemnation in the world to come But put them al into his most dearly beloued wounds and cast them into the bottomelesse depth of his mercie and merits We call and cry dayly vpon thee for thy fatherly assistance that we may conquer al our enemies Heare vs therefore O Lord in that mercie which hath no measure and looke not vpon vs with the eyes of Iustice neither draw against vs the sword of iudgement for then wee are vtterly lost and perish for euer But subdue all power of Satan and sinne in vs and giue vs strength to resist patience to endure and constancie to perseuer And if men assault or tempt vs to any euill good Lord giue vs wisedom to discern them feare to follow them and zeale to defie them And rule thou euer as Lord and King ouer vs and ouer all that wee haue ouer body and soule ouer heart and minde ouer worke and word for Iesus Christ his sake we heartily craue it euen in fauour at thy Fatherly hands And furthermore wee commend vnto thee O Lord in these our Prayers the whole Catholike Church Renue in it wee beseech thee puritie and sinceritie of life and conuersation from the which in these euill and latter dayes it is vtterly declined and wanting in all sorts of persons as well Ecclesiasticall as Ciuill And grant vnto euery member therof from the highest to the lowest from the Prince vnto the People that they may correct and amend in themselues that which is amisse Nourish and keep among them vnitie peace mutuall charitie to loue thee aboue all and their neighbours as themselues Make their hearts so meeke and gentle good Lord by thy working power that they may gladly and vnfainedly freely and frankely heartily and wholly forgiue all men that haue hated or hurted them by word or by deede Such as doe erre and goe astray in the path of Perdition call back and bring againe into the way of Saluation and vnderstanding Extinguish all Sects Schismes Innouations Diuisions Opinions Heresies wherby and wherewithall thy Church in these euill and latter dayes hath beene wonderfully molested and troubled and as it were euen rent and shaken in pieces and conuert all those to the knowledge of thy true ancient Catholike Apostolike holy and Christian Faith which as yet goe astray and wander out of the right way O Lord of thy gracious goodnes fetch them home as sheep of thy pasture to thine owne Fold and Family preserue and keepe them euer safe in the lap and vnitie of thy Catholike Church And grant vnto them true vnderstanding to know thee diligence to seeke thee wisedome to finde thee conuersation to please thee and euermore faithfully to serue thee vnto their liues end Comfort and lift vp O Lord all those that are troubled vexed in minde or in body and teach them to see their owne happinesse through tentations and troubles and that the readiest way to Heauen is euen to goe thither by Hell and that euery paine heere is as it were a preuention of the paines of Hell and euery ease in paine a foretaste of the ease and ioyes of Heauen And finally grant that wee may all with quiet mindes and good conscience patiently passe the time of this our painfull pilgrimage heere on earth peaceably spend and end our dayes in thy seruice and so at the last come to thy heauenly Kingdome life euerlasting thorough Iesus Christ the Author of life In whose holy name wee are bold to lift vp our hearts hands and voices praying vnto thee as hee hath taught vs saying Our Father which c. All glory and praise bee onely giuen vnto God A Prayer for Morning MOst gracious God and deare Father we yeeld vnto thee from the bottome of our hearts most humble thankes in that it hath pleased thee not onely to defend and preserue vs this night from all our enemies both ghostly and bodily but also of thy fatherly pitie to giue vnto these our earthly and languishing bodies such sufficient sleepe and rest as hath satisfied the earnest desire of our weake and feeble nature And as thou of thy mercy hast safely brought vs to the beginning of this present day and shewed vs the light thereof so we humbly beseech thee O God grant that our soules may bee spiritually lightened with the brightnes of thy Word and sacred mysteries whereby we may walk in the steps of Christianitie and leade a life agreeable to our vocation in Christ Iesus our Lord. Assist vs also with thy grace and holy Spirit O God that wee may neuer shrinke from thee for any earthly torments but diligently apply our selues to the performance of thy will and giue our selues wholly therevnto hauing a strong and stedfast faith in the truth of thy promises Indue vs with wisedome from aboue that we may dayly
THE SAFEGARD OF THE SOVLE DECLARING SVNDRY SOVERAIGNE salues tending to the comfort and saluation of the same Very necessarie to bee learned and obserued of all men and at all times but chiefely in the extremitie of Sicknes and grieuous pangs of DEATH Composed by Lawrence Bankes Preacher of the Word of God and Parson of Staunton in the County of Glocester IOB 14. 14. All the dayes of mine appointed time will I waite till my changing shall come LONDON Printed by G. P. for Iohn Clarke and are to bee sold vnder S. Peters Church in Cornhill 1619. TO THE CHRISTIAN AND GENTLE REAder and specially to my owne Parishioners of Drowfeild and Staunton of whom I haue had Charge and to whom I wish saluation and safety of soule in Christ Iesus GOod Christian Reader I haue led my life aboue fortie yeeres in two seuerall places to wit in Drowfeild in the Countie of Darby of which Church I was Vicar fifteene yeeres and at this present in Staunton in the Countie of Glocester wherein I doe now liue and haue beene resident these twenty and seuen yeres In the former place my Charge was great and wide and beeing occasioned oftentimes as dutie required to visit the Sicke there and in some other places neere adioyning whereof some were Lunatike and troubled in their passions and extremities Others I found fearfull of Death and Damnation and therfore to haue need of ghostly counsell and cōfort in their molestations and perplexities and finding not much matter of that Subiect in the visitation of the Sicke contained in the Booke of Common Prayer to comfort and bridle their outragious humours and maladies I bethought my selfe it were expedient for mee to inuent and deuise by Gods assistance some necessarie helpe both for mine owne vse and for more full discharge of my dutie in such cases And therefore not daring to presume of my selfe either to pray or perswade of the sodaine in such fearefull and lamentable accidents I presently deuised to my simple skill to inuent and dispose partly of my selfe and partly by collection out of other Authors such matter and obserue such method therein as might be to the better performance of my dutie towards God the quieting of the afflicted soule the comfort of my deare flock and also some helpe to such of mine owne Calling as were at that time as ignorant as my selfe And hereupon I tooke mee to my pen and paper and so did set down this plaine and simple Treatise in writing which for the most part thereof hath lyen by mee many yeeres seruing onely mine owne turne in time of neede and as occasion was offered And albeit I had thought neuer to haue published or committed it to the Presse in my life time yet now being old and not so well able to performe mine Office in the Pulpit and otherwise as I haue beene in times past by reason that my sight and memory with other powers of nature fayle mee I thought good to auoid idlenesse to reuiew and present this small volume to you my fore said flockes and to offer you a little taste of my first fruits and so to leaue behinde mee in writing some pledge taken of my loue towards you whereby you may the better remember mee when the mould hath couered my body and the Magots and Wormes consumed my fraile flesh And if any others besides you shall be quickned and strengthened thereby in their greatest griefes last combates I shall in heart bee most glad and thinke my paines the better bestowed And therefore haue beene bold to offer this my myte to God your charitable acceptation allowance Humbly crauing pardon if in any point I haue giuen occasion of offence or mislike in omitting any part of my duty therein either towards God and your selues or in committing any offence unto others that are more learned iudicial them my selfe who willingly acknowledge mine owne want and infirmity in these my last and declining yeeres and therefore submit my selfe to the censure of those which are of riper wit and profounder knowledge for I speake not to them but to the vnlearned and simple sort like my selfe Wherefore as I haue plainly set it forth only for the instruction and comforts of the ignorant and afflicted So I beseech thee gentle Reader to permit it to passe with out thy curious carping pardoning therein any fault or defect wherein I haue failed and friendly accepting my good meaning towards the afflicted Soule and troubled Conscience for whose sake I haue published it to the view of the world which I framed first onely for the vse of mine own flock whose safegard and saluation I tender in my heart so commit them and the Reader to Christ Iesus Your Pastor in times past and your well-willer euer euen vntill death L. B. THE SAFEGARD OF THE SOVLE Declaring sundry soueraigne salues tending to the comfort and saluation of the same very necessarie to bee regarded of all men especially in the time of their Visitation and grieuous pangs of Death A Preparatiue for the Sicke BEfore I search the sinewes of the soules safetie or enter in to the Bowels of this Booke I haue thought good in stead of a Preface to set down a Preparatiue or premeditation to the minde of Man to mooue him to be carefull and vigilant for the safety of his soule euen then when hee feeleth himselfe at rest in health perfect remembrance before the weight of Christ Crosse bee laid vpon him and before hee bee visited either in bodie or minde First it is meet for euery man be he neuer so bigge and look he neuer so high to perswade himselfe that he hath two dayly Seruitors or Secretaries attending vpon him from which he can neuer be freed during the date of his dayes vntil his life be ended and his doome take place The one is without thee and is named Death the ender of thy life and finisher of worldly care This Seruitor is alwayes attending behinde thee at thy backe and followeth thee at the heeles euen as the shadow doth follow the body The other is within thee and is called Conscience the very key that openeth and vnfoldeth the secrets of thy soule and inwardly bewrayeth all thy thoughts words and workes These two are destinate to all men and cannot be auoided First Death cannot bee escaped for he is alwayes at thine elbow yea peraduenture he is then neerest thee in thy bosome hacking at thy heart when thou thinkest least of him for in the middest of life we be in death We are no sooner borne but Mors est in limine Death is at the threshold And yet many one thinketh himselfe to be in health and safety euen then when he beareth Death in his heart and hell in his Conscience It is good therefore for euery man to bee in a readinesse euery moment lest Death cite him on the sodaine and so hee be taken tardie in his sinnes For this Messenger hath
not any respect either of person people or place Hee regardeth no more the Princes Palace then the poore mans Cotage a blunt Messenger and therefore goeth bluntly and boldly to worke with vs his condition is come he earely come he late he will giue neither day nor houre but speedily and readily he wil dispatch his errant and serue such a Sub poena vpon vs that hee wil haue our personall appearance before the eternall Iudge without surety bayle or mayne-prize He will not be bribed of the Rich he will not be intreated of the Poore hee weigheth not friendship he careth not for rewards he will pardon no person be he neuer so mighty he feareth no mans face look he neuer so lofty there is but a word and a blowe with him he killeth downe right where he hitteth Let vs therefore keepe our selues continually in that estate wherein we desire to die for although this Messenger come and tell vs not when hee will fetch vs whether in our nonage middle age olde age or dotage yet notwithstanding our mercifull and good God by diuers meanes doth warne and summon vs before by other Messengers Gods summoners before Death are foure First his preachers exhort vs. Secondly his plagues doe threaten vs. Thirdly old age admonisheth vs. Fourthly Sicknes calleth vs. Finally death arresteth vs and taketh vs with him And then the earth wherof we are made deuoureth vs Magots breed vpon vs corruption rotteth vs and the Wormes eate vs. This is the life and end of all flesh good and bad The body then putrifyeth and consumeth to dust But the Spirit returneth to Eccl. 12. 7. the Lord which gaue it Now when Death is about to doe his office which is to separate the Soule and the Body of Man Then our second Seruitor or Secretarie although it haue been mute all our life time and as it were a clasped Booke that is alwaies shut and too seldome opened yet towards our end it speaketh and cryeth yea it both barketh and biteth for after death hath warned and summoned vs by sharpe taste of Sicknes to set our house in order and to prepare our selues to appeare before the celestiall Iudge Then our Conscience which is a continuall beholder of all our thoughts words and workes as a cleere light or Lanthorne bewrayeth all our former life and conuersation it is the very Register of God and booke 〈◊〉 Record which discloseth all our counsels and reuealeth the inward secrets of our hearts for there is nothing hid that Mar. 4. 22. shal not be opened neither is there a secret but that it shal come to light Can there be any thing hid from the Highest Do nor his eyes pierce our hearts Is not he the searcher of Secrets and Discerner of spirits Yes verily he that will not now beleeue it must one day both finde it and feele it The thickest Trees in Paradise could not hide our first Parents Adam and Eue from the presence of God They both appeare at the first call euen naked as they were their Figge-leaues will not serue their turne their vaine excuses will doe them no good the more they goe about to cloke their sinne the more liuely it appeareth yea their owne Conscience accuseth them and causeth them to make confession of their fact will they nill they Wee cannot then hide our sinnes because which way soeuer wee goe our conscience accompanieth vs it is our Porter carring with it whatsoeuer we haue done be it good or bad it iudgeth all our words and workes and pronounceth inward sentence of vs all it is a Worme alwayes byting and neuer dying it is a fire alwayes burning and neuer quenching for immediately after the committing of sinne the Conscience of the sinner is his Accuser his Witnes his Iudge and his Hangman Therefore when thine owne Conscience bewrayeth thee and prouoketh a feeling of sinne thinke then with thy selfe God speaketh vnto thee for that inward feeling of thy sinne is as it were the peculiar and prerogatiue Court of God whereby he exerciseth his iurisdiction Beware therefore lest thou beeing guilty doest harden thy heart for that is all one as to kick against God and resist the motion of his holy Spirit when we reiect such cogitations as are prouocations and summoners vnto Repentance when God therefore by his holy Spirit knocketh at the doore of thine heart and moueth any such motion either to embrace this Vertue or auoid that Vice thou hadst best open vnto him at first call and let him in for if hee call thee now thou canst not tell whether hee will call againe or no and if he open thee the gate of his Grace to day and will thee friendly to enter in thou canst not tell whether euer hee will open it againe or neuer Thy contempt and vnthankfulnesse may mooue him in his wrath to shut the doore vpon thee for euer and then thou wilt repent but all too late Remember Christs words When the good man Luk. 13. 25 of the house is risen and hath shut to the doore and yee beginne to stand without and to knocke at the doore saying Lord Lord open to vs and he shall answere and say vnto you I know you not whence yee are Depart from me all 27 yee workers of iniquitie There shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth when yee shall see Abraham and Isaac and Iacob and all the Prophets in the Kingdome of God and your selues thrust out at doores These are words of weight and able to pierce a stony heart most fearfull to impenitent sinners whē they shal behold a farre off with the rich surfetting Glutton the happy estate of the godly in Heauen in Abrahams bosome and themselues to bee thrust out into vtter darknes and so to take their leaue and last farewell of God his Angels and all the ioyes of Heauen for euer neuer to meet againe nor once to behold the faire beauty of the Lord or of his Saints the deepe consideration hereof is able to shake the Conscience to burst the heart of a sinner and end his dayes if any feeling of Gods Spirit bee in him It is good therefore to haue the testimonie of a cleere Conscience accompanying thee euen to thy graue that when thou shalt appeare before Christ his Throne of iust iudgement it may be a witnesse with thee of thy wealth and not to thy woe a defender of thy purity and not an Accuser of thine iniquitie a iustifier of thy Righteousnes and not a condemner of thy Wickednes Pray to God betime that it may be thy Helper as it was to Paul and not thy 2. Cor. 1. 12. Hangman as it was to Iudas It is not to bee spoken what a sure and singular Treasure a good Conscience will be at that day it shall stand stedfast by thy side as thy dearest friend when all the world shall be set on a flaming fire aboue thee beneath thee and on euery side thee when the elements
shall melt with heate when the vngodly shall bee at their wits end when mens hearts shall faile them when the Sea and waters shal rore when heauen and earth shall perish when all thy goods and gold shal be turned to drosse and Copper when all thy Lands and riches forsake thee yea when all thy friends and kinsfolke faile thee as they did Iob in his greatest extremitie Therefore let this present Preparatiue be a sufficient caueat for thee to be carefull and circumspect for the comfort of thy Conscience and safety of thy soule And so I will proceede to the visitation of the Sicke Wherein First we must note that commonly God doth visit before man and so by Gods Visitation occasion is giuen to man brotherly and charitably o visit one another for their comfort God doth visit vs diuers waies 1. Sometime by losse of worldly wealth Goods Lands Offices Dignities c. especially when we are too proud of them or abuse them then he pulleth downe one and setteth vp another 2. Sometime by persecutions or manifold troubles of our deadly foes as priuate Grudges open Warres Slanders Suites in Law c. 3. Sometime God doth visit vs by punishing our bodies with sicknes lamenes blindnes ach penury famine or other calamities whereby wee feele intolerable paine and torment all this is not vnworthily but deseruedly 4. Sometime in Minde by taking away our senses wit reason memory and vnderstanding or by taking from vs our dearest and neerest friends as our Parents Husband Wife Children Brethren Sisters c. which vnder God are our greatest comfort in this world and by this meanes wee are vexed in Minde our soules are sad and we wonderfully troubled and so had neede of some comfortable counsell to cure vs in this case In Gods Visitation consider three things In body 1. The Sicknes 2. The Physician 3. The Medicine In minde 1. Our Sicknes is sinne 2. Our Physician is God 3. Our Medicine is repentance restitution almes-deeds prayer and patience The first Dutie of the Pastor THE first Office or Dutie of the Minister is fatherly and yet familiarly to conferre and reason with the Sick person For as the Physicion of the body most perfectly perceiueth the state of his Patient by questioning with him by seeing his state and feeling his Pulses euen so the Physicion of the soule if he vnderstand the mind and affection of the Sicke person hee may the better apply his exhortation to The Summe of this Booke The Medicine or curing of our Diseases pertaineth to two sorts of Persons 1. The one is the Minister or Pastor who ought willingly to visit The duty of the Minister when he visiteth consisteth chiefely in foure things First in questioning with the Sick person whereby he may feele how hee is inclined and affectioned toward God and so apply a fit plaister to his sore Secondly in faithful and zealous Prayer for the partie visited both publike and priuate Thirdly in godly counsell in admonishing the Sicke by his wise discretion according as he seeth occasion Fourthly in comforting the pensiue person or sobbing soule whose Conscience is loden with the remembrance of sinne and whose body is tormented with griefe of sicknes 2. The other is the Person visited who ought to giue diligent eare vnto the Minister The dutie of the sicke Person consisteth in three things First in the confession of his Faith and protestation of the same before the Minister and others standing by that they may be witnesses with him of his Christian and godly end Secondly in faithfull and hearty Prayer vnto God either to recouer his health or else a happy deliuerance out of his paine Thirdly in bearing his sicknes patiently without grudging or murmuring against God who sendeth it for our amendment 1. In the first part of this Booke I will speake of the Pastor and his Office in visiting 2. In the second the dutie of the People visited the comfort of his Conscience and amendment of life Questions be of two sorts 1. Some be temporall 2. Others spirituall Examples of Temporall Questions Quest 1. NOW good Brother God blesse you How is it with you How doe you c. Answ Well Sir I thank God but I take no rest by reason of the extremitie of my paine in this my sicknes and lacke of sleepe my memory and vnderstanding I praise God for it is yet perfect and good but my body is sore visited and tormented God of his mercy in time when it shal please him asswage it and in the meane season grant mee patience to beare it Quest 2. You say well truely and as becommeth a good Christian and I am glad to heare such godly words proceed from you as taste so sweetly of the Spirit of God for they signifie how well you are affectioned minded to Godward And therefore assure your selfe that with the Omnipotent Physician there is no disease or pain incurable As God doth send it for your good no doubt So hee can asswage or take it quite away at his pleasure wee are in the Lords hand as the clay in the Potters to doe with vs whatsoeuer his pleasure is for sicknes is the louing rod of our heauenly Father wherewithall he doth chastice our sinnes that we may the better know our owne frailety and our dutie towards his Maiestie therefore you are to thinke that this bodily griefe of Sicknes after a time of tryall shall turne to your greater ioy and comfort Tell me truely are you not thus perswaded Answ Yes verily I haue alwayes beene of that minde I thanke my heauenly Father for it and I pray God continue mee in the same to my liues end for I wish not to liue longer then I may acknowledge my Maker to bee both an omnipotent Lord and my mercifull God Quest 3. I pray God preserue you and keep you in that mind to your liues end Sir I vnderstand and partly I know of my selfe that you are a man whom God hath blessed with aboundance of worldly substance But because lands and goods are oftentimes the cause of much strife and vnquietnes by reason of the inordinate couetousnes and greedy desire of man it were good to set your house in order now before your departure like a good housholder which when he goeth from home any whither he setteth all his things in order among his Family and people telleth them his will what is to bee done and so commending them to God taketh his leaue and biddeth them farewell vntill his returne So you beeing now taking your iourney towards Heauen a farre Country bid adew to the world and take your leaue thereat willingly and orderly as a good Christian ought to doe That is dispose your Temporall goods as may be most to Gods glorie the commoditie and comfort of your Wife and Children and others your friends to whom you wish well and to your own saluation and discharge before God at whose hands you haue receiued them and to
whom you must giue an account for them So that this being done your reckoning is the sooner made your Conscience discharged and the world satisfied neither need you to be further troubled with worldly matters if God lay his hand more heauily vpon you but onely thinke of heauenly things Tell me therefore haue you made your Will Answ I haue made none yet but I purpose to doe hereafter if I feele my selfe farre wrong Quest 4. O good Brother you must thinke that you are already far wrong and farre from right and reason too if you deferre the disposing of your temporall things vntill the last gaspe when peraduenture both your speech and memorie shall faile you now you may and will not then you would perhaps cannot many haue so done and repented too late euen then when it had bin more fit to haue minded heauenly things onely Therefore I beseech you take the good time and occasion which God presently offereth if hee giue you life and memory this day or this weeke you know not whether you shall haue it the next weeke or no if you put the good time off which GOD hath giuen you and deferre your businesse till this day or that day or vntill this friend come or that kinsman be present then peraduenture your friends shall come too late and you your selfe be cut short of your purpose Therefore beware in the Name of God betime for you know not whether God wil giue you the like occasion againe or no you may purpose but God will dispose both you and your wealth as he will when you are once gone your riches are none of yours but the worlds and are at the disposition of other men who by corruptiō may deale vnfaithfully and so contrarie to your will your substance which you haue swea◠for may come to those that neither need them nor did euer deserue well at your hands in your life time too many at this day know this to bee true by experience and haue lamented their state all too late when they could not remedie it Therefore neuer put that thing in doubt which may be out of doubt Answ Lord Lord see how forgetfull men bee of their dutie in time of their Sicknes I beseech you Sir beare with my weaknesse I confesse I was out of the way in this point but you haue brought me vnto it and to a further consideration of my state I must needs say your counsell is good and comfortable and therefore I were a very vnreasonable person if I should not be ordered by you to mine owne good Wherefore I purpose now God willing to do as you haue said with your better aduice and others of my friends And therefore I pray you take paines to set my minde downe in writing and so that matter beeing dispatched I will then commend my selfe both bodie and soule vnto God the giuer of all goodnes and the Author of life Heere the Minister may perswade the Testator to impart some portion of his substance to the Poore to Schooles exhibition of Schollers Churches Colledges Bridges High-wayes and other publike commodities as shal seeme to him most expedient for the time the place the abilitie and state of the person for hereupon in times past haue proceeded such workes of Charitie and large liberalitie towards the Church and godly vses which now is pilled and little regarded Quest 5. Here good Brother you are furthermore deepely to consider and ponder with your selfe how you haue come by your wealth directly or vndirectly lawfully or vnlawfully if honestly and according to your Vocation or Art you are the more to reioyce in Conscience your account before God is sooner made if not but that you haue gotten them by fraude deceit lying forging flattering swearing forswearing of your selfe briberie polling and pilling of the poore crueltie Vsury Extortion or Oppression gaming cheating and the like as too many doe at this day Then you are the more deepely charged before the Iudgement seat of God and the testimonie of your own Conscience and you must endeuour your selfe to make satisfaction so neere as you may for that ancient rule of the Father is true Non remittitur peccatum nisi restituatur ablatum That is the sinne is not pardoned except restitution bee made as Zacheus did who heard not that sweet sentence of Christ This day is Saluation Luk. 19. 8. come to this house before he had made restitution Tell me therefore good Brother are you willing to recompence euery one whom you haue wronged or deceiued and to restore your euill gotten goods with iust Zacheus to the vttermost of your power and validitie of your wealth Answ God forbid else for it is meet and right that all men should so doe but I know not any whom I haue in such sort defrauded if any man finde himselfe iniured by me I am willing euen with all my heart to satisfie him to the vttermost farthing And therefore my desire is that notice be giuen thereof to the whole Congregation in the Church this next Sunday with my hearty request that they would commend mee to God in their faithful Prayers And if any debt be due either to bee payed by mee to them or by them to mee whereof we haue no specialtie that they would come to me because I am now Gods Prisoner and am not able to repaire to them And I pray you good Sir publish my minde herein and aduertise mee in all other things which you thinke necessarie for the saluation of my Soule and my full discharge before God and the world Quest 6. You haue well done good Brother and haue shewed your selfe a faithfull Steward of Gods blessings in disposing your selfe and your substance so well towards God and the world for here you found them and here you must leaue them Furthermore seeing all things here on earth are but fickle as Offices Dignities Wife Children Friends Goods Gold and Possessions are you not willing to forsake these worldly vanities and transitorie trash and to change the same for heauenly ioy and felicitie Answ Yes verily for I neuer made them my God neither did I euer repose any confidence in them but vsed them for the time knowing alwayes that they were not mine but lent me to vse for a season and the time beeing now expired I willingly resigne and surrender the same to the world and where I had them there I leaue them committing my selfe to the Mercy-Seat of God and rendring him most heartie thankes for the vse and commoditie I haue reaped thereby in my life time and for all other his benefits his name be praised for euer who is the preseruer of men and louer of soules and his holy will and pleasure bee fulfilled in mee euery way whether it bee in life or death God grant it may be to his glory and then I haue my hearts desire Quest 7. Your words are comfortable to mee and the hearers and you haue hitherto playd
the part of a good Christian in renouncing the vanities of this wicked world and cōmitting your selfe wholly both body and soule to Gods carefull tuition whose armes of mercie no doubt are now spred wide open readie to embrace you But because you answere so directly I will be bold to put moe questions vnto you Doe you from the bottom of your heart ask forgiuenes of all those whom you haue offended in this world by thought word or deede and are you in heart sorrie for the same Answ I am heartily sorrie for my offences both towards God and Man I must needs confesse I haue not once but often offended both and therefore I humbly craue pardon of both whom I haue often abused and I must desire you to signifie so much to the Congregation among other remembrances of mee Quest. 8. Doe you your selfe for Christs sake vnfainedly and from the bottome of your heart forgiue all those that by any means haue iniured and offended you either in speeches thought or actions Answ I willingly and freely forgiue al the world euen as I looke to bee forgiuen my selfe at the hands of my heauenly Father whom many times and sundry waies I haue offended Or otherwise I know I could neuer with a good conscience repeat that Petition of the Lords Prayer Forgiue vs our trespasses as Math. 6. 12 wee forgiue them that trespasse against vs. And furthermore our Sauiour Christ saith If you doe not forgiue men their Math. 6. 15 trespasses no more will your heauenly Father forgiue you your trespasses c. And therefore I know assuredly if I had a stout and stonie stomake and not a fleshy and tender heart apt and prone to forgiue I could not die in loue and charitie with the world and then not in Gods fauour For as Saint Iohn saith If 1. Ioh. 4. 11 God haue so loued vs wee ought also to loue one another Which we cannot doe except we forgiue one another and that dayly for in many things we offend all Iam. 3. 2. and who knoweth how oft he offendeth And therefore it remaineth seeing the case so standeth that if wee will be beloued wee must loue if wee will bee forgiuen we must forgiue if we will be blessed wee must blesse and not curse and if we will haue mercie we must shew mercy God grant vs his mercie and giue vs grace so to do and so to liue that wee may make a godly and quiet end and so die the death of the righteous Quest 9. I pray God both now and euer shew the light of his countenance vpon you and continue this good which hee hath begunne in you euen to the end for most Christianly and like a good seruant of God you haue taken your leaue of the world in disposing your selfe and yours towards God and Man And I find you so furnished and fit for God that you may boldly assure your selfe of his fauour loue towards you if you continue in so good and godly a minde to the end And truely I am glad and so are all your wel-willers here present this day to heare and see in you so good fruits of a Christian whose end is commonly according to his life If any other thing be in your mind that you would haue done touching worldly matters I pray you aduertise me thereof and I will doe my diligence to haue your minde and will fulfilled therein so farre forth as is requisite Answ Sir I am at a point with the world and all worldly affaires and I haue no more to say or to deale with such matters but leaue them and their appurtenances to those that come after And I renounce here before you and the rest all worldly wealth pleasures goods lands and liuings I yeeld and surrender them vp to the longest liuer and now resigne my selfe wholly to God that made mee and saued mee And my heartie desire is now to dwell with the Lord in the Land of the liuing My faith is there fixed and I hope assuredly to attaine vnto it by the bloud of the Innocent Lambe of God Iesus Christ my Redeemer Quest 10. The Lord increase your faith and God grant you your hearts desire and that Land which you long for you are in the high-way towards it God keepe you in it for if you liue and die as you haue professed assure your selfe the gate is open alreadie and you are longed and looked for it was prepared for such as you are from the beginning and that you may be the better perswaded hereof I will put forth vnto you a few spirituall questions which being answered as before you shal sufficiently satisfie me and all that heare you this day that you are the Child of God and an Inheritour of his heauenly Kingdome and so we will proceed to Prayers But I feare I am too tedious and troublesome vnto you Answ No good Sir thinke not so hardly of me I beseech you though I be wearie of sicknes yet I am not wearie of well-doing and of good counsell I had neuer more neede of it neither can it come in a better time and I take great pleasure therein being now past the pleasure of the world therefore I pray you in Gods name say on for my earnest desire is to be prepared and made readie for the good houre that God hath appointed for my deliuerance out of this wretched world and I looke euery moment for the comming of the Bridegroome I am ready with my Lamp burning and my trust is he is ready to let me in Examples of Spirituall Questions Quest 1. GOd be thanked for your good remembrance and for your stedfast beliefe and I pray God continue it euen to the end But now I will by your patience apply the rest of my speech onely to the safety of your Soule Doe you not acknowledge your selfe to bee a sinner and grieuously to haue offended God in not liuing so well and vprightly in this world as you ought to haue done Answ I must needs acknowledge and confesse that I am a grieuous sinner and that I haue oftentimes and many waies disobeyed and broken the Law and will of God both in my thoughts words works Quest 2. How doe you know the same Answ By the Law of God For the Law hath said Doe this and I haue not done it Doe not that and yet I haue done it and in this sort I haue sinned both by omitting that which was good and by committing that which was bad Quest 3. What danger haue you incurred by this meanes and what hath your negligence and disobedience herein deserued at Gods hands Answ Of my selfe I must needs say that I haue thereby deserued at Gods hands eternall death and damnation a curse and not a blessing and so I am taught by the word it selfe For it is written Cursed is Gal. 3. 10. euery man that continueth not in all things which are written in the Booke of the
lose by rigour For like as too great noise hurteth the eare too much meate hurteth the body too much raine hurteth the ground euen so weake wits and fearefull consciences may soone bee surcharged and oppressed with ouer-hard questions especially when the minde is disquieted with troubles and the body grieued with sicknesse The second Dutie of the Pastor THe second Dutie of the Pastor is to vse faithfull and hearty prayer for the sick For as he is the mouth of God vnto the people euen so hee is the mouth of the people vnto God by his zealous sute and by powring out pure prayers vnto his Maiestie in their behalfe Therefore Saint Iames saith Is any Iam. 5. 14. man sicke among you Let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray for him and anoint him with oyle in the Name of the Lord and the Prayer of Faith shall saue the sicke and the Lord shall raise him vp and if he haue committed sinnes they shall bee forgiuen him I will not take vpon me simply to prescribe any man a forme of Prayer but as the Spirit of God shall mooue him and according as time and occasion shall serue so let him with â— groning Spirit frame his prayers vnto him that is able to helpe and can saue both bodie and soule Neuerthelesse I haue thought good to set down a forme of some for the further instruction of the vnlearned But before Prayer I think it not amisse to reade any one of these three selected Psalmes as preparatiues to Prayer which I haue collected receiued at Dauids own mouth most meete for that purpose The first Psalme OVt of the deepe haue Psal 130. I called vnto thee O Lord Lord heare my voice O let thine eares consider well the voice of my complaint If thou O Lord straitly markest iniquities O Lord who shall stand or who shall be able to abide it For sure and certaine it Psal 1. is that the vngodly shall not bee able to stand in iudgement neither the sinners in the Congregation of the righteous O Lord rebuke me not Psal 6. therefore in thine indignation neither chasten me in thy displeasure Haue mercie vpon mee O Lord for I am weake O Lord heale mee for my bones are vexed My soule also is sore troubled but Lord how long wilt thou punish me Turne thee O Lord and deliuer my soule O saue mee for thy mercies sake For in death no man remembreth thee and who shall giue thee thankes in the pit I am wearie of my groning euery night wash I my bed and water my couch with my teares My God my God looke Psal 22. vpon mee why hast thou forsaken mee and art so farre from my health and from the words of my complaint O my God I crie in the day time but thou hearest not and in the night season also I take no rest But thou art hee that tooke me out of my mothers wombe thou wast my hope when I hanged yet vpon my mothers brests I haue beene left vnto thee euer sithence I was borne thou art my God euen from my mothers wombe O go not from me then for trouble is hard at hand and there is none to helpe me I am powred out like water all my bones are out of ioynt my heart also in the middest of my bodie is euen like melting Wax My strength is dried vp like a pot-sheard and my tongue cleaueth to my gummes Turne thee therefore Psal 25. vnto mee O Lord and haue mercie vpon me for I am desolate and in misery The sorrowes of my heart are inlarged O bring thou me out of al my troubles Looke vpon mine aduersitie and miserie and forgiue me all my sinne How long wilt thou forget Psal 13. me O Lord for euer How long wilt thou hide thy face from me How long shall I seeke counsel in my soule and be so vexed in my heart The paines of hell came Psal 18. about mee the snares of death ouertooke me But in my trouble will I call vpon the Lord and complaine vnto my God So shall hee heare my voice out of his holy Temple and my complaint shal come before him it shall enter euen into his eares O Lord let it be thy pleasure Psal 40. to deliuer mee Make haste O Lord to help me For innumerable troubles are come about mee my sinnes haue taken such hold vpon mee that I am not able to looke vp yea they are more in number then the haires of my head and my heart hath failed mee For thine arrowes sticke Psal 38. fast in mee and thy hand presseth mee sore There is no health in my flesh because of thy displeasure neither is there any rest in my bones by reason of my sinne For my wickednesses are gone ouer my head and are like a sore burthen too heauie for me to beare I am feeble sore smitten I haue rored for the verie disquietnesse of my heart Lord thou knowest all my desire and my groning is not hid from thee My heart panteth my strength hath failed mee and the sight of mine eyes is gone from mee Take thy plague away Psal 39. from mee O Lord I am euen consumed by the meanes of thy heauy hand For when thou with rebukes doest chasten man for sinne thou makest his beautie to consume away like as it were a moth sretting a garment euery man therefore is but vanitie O spare mee a little O Lord that I may recouer my strength before I goe hence be no more seene O tarry thou the Lords Psal 27. leisure be strong he shal comfort thine heart put thou thy trust in the Lord. Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the c. The second Psalme O Lord God of my saluation Psal 88. I haue cryed day and night before thee O let my prayer enter into thy presence incline thine eare vnto my calling For my soule is full of trouble and my life draweth nigh vnto hell Vp therefore O Lord Psal 44. why sleepest thou Awake and be not absent from vs for euer Wherefore hidest thou thy face and forgettest our misery and affliction Rise vp for our succour and redeeme vs for thy mercies sake My soule is athirst for Psal 42. God yea euen for the liuing God when shall I come to appeare before the presence of God O remember not the sins Psal 25. and offences of my youth but according to thy mercie thinke vpon mee O Lord for thy goodnes For thy name sake O Psal 69. Lord bee mercifull vnto my sinne for it is great Hide not thy face from thy seruant for I am in trouble oh haste thee and heare mee Thy rebuke hath broken my heart I am full of heauinesse I looked for some to haue pitie on mee but there was no man neither found I any to comfort mee Therefore I will cry vnto Psal 77. God with
my voice and hee shall hearken vnto me When I am in heauines I will thinke vpon God when my heart is vexed I wil complaine Will the Lord absent himselfe for euer and will he bee no more intreated Is his mercy cleane gone for euer and his promise come vtterly to an end for euermore Hath God forgotten to be gracious and will hee shut vp his louing kindnes in displeasure Heare me O Lord hide Psal 102. not thy face from me in the time of my trouble Incline thine eares vnto mee when I call O heare mee and that right soone For my dayes are consumed away like smoke and my bones are burnt vp as it were a fire-brand My heart is smitten down and withered like grasse so that I forget to eate my bread For the voice of my groning my bones will scarce cleaue to my flesh But they that sow in Psal 126. teares shall reape in ioy Hee that now goeth on his way weeping and beareth forth good seed shall doubtlesse come againe with ioy and bring his sheaues with him For the Lord is full of Psal 103. compassion and mercy long suffering and of great goodnes Hee will not alwayes be childing neither keepeth he his anger for euer Hee hath not dealt with vs after our sinnes nor rewarded vs according to our wickednes For looke how high the heauen is in comparison of the earth so great is his mercy also toward them that feare him Looke how wide also the East is from the West so farre hath hee set our sinnes from vs. Yea like as a father pitieth his own children euen so is the Lord mercifull vnto them that feare him For he knoweth whereof wee be made hee remembreth that we are but dust The dayes of man are but as grasse he flourisheth as a flower of the field For as soone as the winde goeth ouer it it is gone and the place thereof shall know it no more But the mercifull goodnes of the Lord endureth for euer euer vpon them that feare him and his righteousnesse vpon childrens children Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the c. The third Psalme BLessed is he that considereth Psal 41. the poore and needy the Lord shall deliuer him in the time of trouble The Lord comfort him when hee lyeth sicke vpon his bed make thou all his bed in his sicknes I said Lord be mercifull vnto mee heale my soule for I haue sinned against thee O hide not thou thy face Psal 27. from me nor cast thy seruant away in displeasure Thou hast beene my succour leaue me not neither forsake me O God of my saluation Heare me therefore O Psal 69. God in the multitude of thy mercy euen in the truth of thy saluation In thee O Lord haue I Psal 31. put my trust let me neuer be put to confusion deliuer me in thy righteousnes Bow downe thine eare to me make haste to deliuer me And be thou my strong Rocke and the house of defence that thou mayst saue me Into thy hands I cōmend my spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord thou God of truth I will be glad and reioyce in thy mercy for thou hast considered my trouble and hast knowne my soule in aduersitie And therefore like as the Psal 42. Hart desireth the water-brookes so longeth my soule after thee O God Haue mercy vpon mee Psal 51. therefore O God after thy great goodnes according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences Wash mee throughly from my wickednes and clense me from my sinne For I acknowledge my faults and my sinne is euer before me Turne thy face O Lord from my sinnes and put out all my misdeeds Make me a cleane heart O God and renue a right spirit within mee Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me O remember not our old Psal 79. sinnes but haue mercy vpon vs and that soone for wee are come to great miserie Heare my prayer O Psal 143. Lord and consider my desire Hearken vnto mee for thy truth and righteousnes sake And enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified I stretch forth my hands vnto thee my soule gaspeth vnto thee as a thirstie land Heare me O Lord and that soone for my spirit waxeth faint hide not thy face from me lest I bee like vnto them that goe downe into the pit O remember how short Psal 89. my time is wherefore hast thou made all men for nought For what man is he that liueth and shall not see death and shall he deliuer his owne soule from hell Lord what is man that Psal 14. 4. thou hast such respect vnto him or the sonne of man that thou so regardest him Man is like a thing of nought his time passeth away like a shadow For when thou art angry Psal 90. all our dayes are gone we bring our yeeres to an end as it were a tale that is told The dayes of our age are threescore yeeres and ten and though men bee so strong that they come to fourescore yeeres yet is their strength then but labour and sorrow so soone passeth it away and we are gone Teach vs therefore O Lord to number our daies that wee may apply our hearts vnto wisedome Lord let me know mine Psal 39. end and the number of my dayes that I may be certified how long I haue to liue Behold thou hast made my dayes as it were a span long and mine age is euen as nothing in respect of thee and verily euery man liuing is altogether vanity For man walketh in a vaine shadow and disquieteth himselfe in vaine hee heapeth vp riches and cannot tell who shall gather them And now Lord what is my hope Truely my hope is euen in thee One thing haue I desired Psal 27. of the Lord which I will require euen that I may dwell in the House of the Lord all the dayes of my life to behold the faire beauty of the Lord and to visit his holy Temple For I should vtterly haue fainted but that I beleeue verily to see the goodnes of the Lord in the Land of the liuing Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the c. When the Minister or any other good Christian that visiteth the Sicke hath read one of these Psalmes Then let him with all dutifull reuerence pray and say as hereafter followeth Let vs pray Lord haue mercy vpon vs. Christ haue mercy vpon vs. Lord haue mercy vpon vs. Our Father which art in heauen c. The mighty God of Iacob bee our defence both now and in the houre of Death And let vs not bee ouercome by any euill temptation O Lord saue this thy Sicke seruant Which putteth his full trust in thee Send him help O Lord from thy holy place And euer more most mightily defend him Let
humbly beseech thee to deale with vs in mercy stay thy hand and bid thine Angell cease from punishing Looke with a cheerefull countenance vpon thy people Blesse vs O heauenly Father within and without Be thou our guard thy Word our guide thy Spirit our comfort and thy Sonne our Sauiour Stay by vs continually hold vs vp by thy right hand strongly and direct vs by thy counsell wisely So shall we be inwardly comforted though the world conspire Satan rore the wicked rise vp against vs yea though the earth bee moued the pillars of heauen shake the Sea rage plagues fall all creatures frowne Yet shall not wee eyther feare tremble or bee dismayed with any boisterous blast of aduersitie so long as we trust in thee leane to thee serue thee and rest vpon thee as our strong Rocke for thou art mighty in the heate of iudgement and yet mercifull in the middest of miseries Haue pitie therefore vpon vs most miserable sinners mitigate thy fury asswage our pain release our smart and pardon our passed faults Wee confesse O deare Father that wee of our selues are the cause of our owne woe and prouokers of this thy plague and grieuous punishmēt which is fallen vpon vs most worthily Yea our owne detestable deeds committed against thy sacred will our obstinate pride in time of plenty our securitie in time of health our vnthankefulnes towards thy goodnes in time of prosperitie our contempt of thy Word dayly read and preached vnto vs did threaten long before this thy rodde and scourge of sicknes or some greater iudgement Our continuall transgressions as our Idlenes Wantonnesse Whoredome Drunkennesse Gaming Swearing Swilling Slandering Stealing Fighting Quarrelling Polling Pilling Vsurie Extortion and Oppression of the poore our Bribery Couetousnes Defrauding of the Widdow and Fatherlesse with a huge heape moe of such like vices haue beene the causes of this our miserie and smart which now wee feele to our torment and griefe and haue mooued thee the holy One of Israel to powre out the fearefull cup of thy wrath and vengeance vpon vs which thy iustice doth craue and wee dayly deserue Neuerthelesse deare Father of mercie though wee haue through our sinnes shewed our selues enemies vnto thee and vessels of thy wrath and vnworthy to pray vnto thee with our lying lips and polluted mouthes much lesse to obtain our suites at thy hands Yet most mercifull Father we beseech thee be fauourable vnto vs in shewing thy mercy vnto vs that are miserable For if thou O Lord doest strictly marke what is done amisse among men and wilt retaine our iniquitie O Lord who shall then be able to abide it or to stand in thy sight Verily no flesh no not the iustest man that liueth this day vpon the face of the earth Therefore O Lord wee returne to thee with our hearts and come home with the Prodigall Sonne although late at night repenting the rude race wee haue runned and being heartily sorrie for the lewd life we haue led we prostrate our selues and fall downe flat to the ground before the Throne of thy Grace beseeching thee as our tender and pitifull Father to embrace vs with the armes of mercy and compassion to turne away thy face from our lothsome sinnes and blot out of thy remembrance our former offences Reuiue O Lord our sorrowfull penitent spirits after the time of our try all comfort our carefull and contrite hearts for giue vs our trespasses Turne to vs in thy mercy which returne to thee from sinne direct our wayes hereafter in the workes of thy commandements increase our Faith and make these thy iudgements and grieuous plagues which thou hast worthily inflicted vpon vs for our wickednes be a caueat and warning blow vnto vs hereafter that wee neuer fall againe to our former folly nor heape vpon our owne heads thy wrath and vengeance lest a worse thing happen vnto vs but that this our chasticement may worke in our mindes true and vnfained repentance So that when thy heauenly hand shall slake from the execution of thy iust iudgement when thy wrath is appeased and wee safely deliuered acquitted and discharged of this misery wherein we are now wrapped we may indeed amend that which is amisse in vs tread Satan vnder our feet contemne the world mortifie the lusts of the flesh crucifie the whole body of sinne and as new-borne Babes shew our selues hereafter more thankefull for thy benefits powred vpon vs in most plentifull manner as for our health wealth tranquillitie and libertie the preaching of thy Gospell the true knowledge of thy will reuealed in thy Word the outward peace of our bodies and the inward comfort of our soules All which graces with many moe wee haue enioyed a long time in more ample manner then any other People or Nation vnder heauen O Lord wee humbly beseech thee continue thy good blessings towards vs thine vnworthy vnthankefull seruants grant that thy holy Name may be so glorified hereafter in all our thoughts words and workes during this transitorie life that in the end when thou hast wrought thy will with vs we may raigne with thee and al the holy company of heauen in the life euerlasting Grant also deare Father relaxation and release of thy plagues and punishments vnto this thine afflicted towne of and to all other countries townes houses and people which be in the like calamity and distresse for the loue and precious Passion of Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour in whose blessed name wee bow the knees both of our soules and bodies and humbly prostrate our selues heere before the Throne of thy glorious Maiesty praying vnto thee as he hath taught vs and saying Our Father which art in Heauen c. The third Dutie of the Pastor THe third thing pertaining to a good Pastor is his godly counsell or admonition as for example Good Brother you must now in this time of Gods visitation call to minde your former life The more vicious and faultie you haue beene the deeper you ought to sigh and grone in spirit for your offences and whereinsoeuer you haue displeased God consider that amendment of life to come and repentance for your sinnes past is the way and meanes to become friends with him and to be at peace in your owne conscience But this repentance may not bee in mouth outwardly but inwardly in simplicitie of heart continually detesting that which is euill and ardently louing that which is good and acceptable to God And so though vnworthy of your selfe you may be accepted of God by faith in his beloued Sonne with whom the Father is well pleased but with vs and our vnrighteousnes he cannot bee but highly displeased it is good therefore to acknowledge and confesse your sinne to God and to submit your selfe to his Maiestie by true conuersion and sorrow of heart with an inward griefe and lothing of those sinnes which before you tooke pleasure in and crauing of mercy and pardon at his hands whom you haue
so often offended So did Dauid the King so did the poore Publican knocke at the doore of his heart and being pressed and ouerwhelmed with sorrow he cryed Lord be mercifull vnto me a Luk. 18. 13. sinner So we spare vs O Lord spare thy people And this must be done in time euen now presently For now is that acceptable time 2. Cor. 6. 2. Now is the Day of saluation Now is the Day of hearing Christ lamented the state of Ierusalem because shee knew not the times of her visitation Therfore good brother apply this plaister to your sore you are now visited of God by sicknesse it is now your time to call your sins to remembrance defer it not but watch for your saluation offered they say warned men may liue Ierusalem warnes you sicknes warnes you your gray head warnes you your friends warne you I warne you and God warnes you in his Word to repent to renounce this world to watch for your deliuery to look for your redemption and to haue your conuersation in heauen from whence Phil. 3. 20. you looke for a Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ The fiue foolish Virgins would not watch but slept and slumbred and therefore had heauen gates shut vp against them The dores were opened but they were not ready with their Lamps burning but were taken napping in their security and sinne Therefore they may now knock and thumpe and cry and call as loud as they can and yet they shall neuer be heard it is but lip-labour all is in vaine The time was but it neuer shall be againe Mercy was offered which being refused Iustice must take place Such examples are set downe for our instruction and happy is that man which can take heede by other mens harmes If Gods iudgement cannot feare vs to forsake sinne yet his mercy should moue vs and leade vs by the hand to warch and be carefull for our saluation for God pitieth vs his Angels fauour vs his benefits prouoke vs yea all his creatures Sunne Moone and Starres Heauen earth do admonish vs and should prouoke vs to beware to watch and ward for our saluation They cry continually Repent and amend The shortnes of our time may moue vs hereunto Wee see by dayly experience to day a man to morrow none he that liueth the longest his race is soone finished ended and that made Iob to say Man hath but a short time to Iob 14. 1. liue and in that time he is subiect to many miseries as pouerty slaunders persecutions blindnesse lamenesse oldnesse coldnesse trouble and sicknesse All these molestations and thousands mo warne vs by course to beware that wee runne right Let vs therefore good Brother tuck vp our garments and prepare our selues for the life to come for the time of our departing is at hand That little time that remaineth let vs bestow it in the seruice of God and not of the deuill Let vs not walke with the wicked in the wide way that leadeth to damnation but rather keepe company with the seruants of God and walke in the narrow way with them though it be painefull and cumbersome for a while yet it is comfortable in the end when wee shall haue our recompence with the righteous then shall death bee welcome to vs which now is shunned of the most then the Day of Iudgement shall lighten our hearts when it shall load the conscience of the impenitent sinner we may then with comfort lift vp our heads and heartes when the vngodly may hang them downe and be ashamed to looke either God or man in the face I would to God all men would remember this day of reckoning and reward then if loue of saluation could not make vs do well yet feare of damnation would somewhat bridle and stay vs from doing euill It would mooue the rich to pitty the poore the Vsurer and Extortioner to restore their euill gotten goods with iust Zacheus the Land-lord not to cut his Tenants throat by making him and al he hath his bondslaues for those wicked worldings which will not now bee drawne to repentance by hearing shall then bee tormented both body and soule by feeling when they shall bee taken tardie in their sinnes apprehended accused indited and arraigned at the Barre of Gods Tribunall Iudgement Seat where the vngodly shall not bee able to stand much lesse to answere their crime when Gods sword is drawne ready to strike and take vengeance at that day no intreaty will take place nor prayer bee heard either of men or Angels in their behalfe for all the creatures of God shall refuse to doe them seruice at their death because they refused to do God seruice in their life and for that occasion they shall heare see all things cry vengeance vpon them nothing in heauen or earth to minister comfort but rather cause of griefe and horror let this geere enter into your braine betime good brother and let it pearce your heart now in your life time for after death you shall haue no time to repent and turne to God neither is there then any mercy to be hoped for at his hands but a fearefull looking for the sentence of Gods iust iudgement Goe Math. 25. 41. yee cursed into euerlasting fire c. Then they may yell houle and cry and yet neuer finde grace after Gods curse hath once taken place All their mirth shall then bee turned to mourning their honour to shame their pleasure to paine their wealth to woe and their delicate fare on earth to the bitter torments of hell where they shall remaine for euer in darkenesse and perpetuall paine This shall be the portion of the vngodly whereas contrariwise the righteous shal be shrouded vnder the wings of Gods mercy and safely preserued from those tortures by the bloud of the Lambe the Angels shall gard them the Saints shall imbrace them the heauens receiue them and the pleasures of the Celestiall Paradise shall replenish them with vnspeakable ioy continuall comfort therefore let vs prepare our selues for that Day of reward perhaps it is neerer then wee are aware let vs haue continually in our mindes the ioyes of heauen and the paines of hell let the one mooue vs to loue God the other to feare him lest wee be damned with the wicked Let vs turne to the Lord betime Let vs promise perform for many promise in their woe that which they soone forget whē they wax wanton They are then secure they dreame of a dry Summer as the rich Cormorant did which forgetting God and wallowing in worldly wealth cast away all care of doing his duty and said Soule thou Luk. 12. 19 hast much goods laid vp for many yeeres liue at ease eate drinke and take thy pastime Oh iolly Gentleman this fellow is now in his ruffe but behold a cooling card the Lord answered againe and that speedily and readlly O foole this night will they setch away thy soule from thee
God his Angels in heauen where they shall be immortall and incorruptible freed from all carnall desires and diseases of the body and deliuered from all sorrow and trouble of minde no losse therefore to the godly that haue gained Christ but to the wicked worldlings that haue lost their riches and pleasures here in stead therof possesse perpetuall paines elsewhere to them it shall bee said Looke how much pleasure they haue had and giue them so much torment Secondly touching the feare of sicknesse the more paine wee suffer heere the more like wee are to our Master Christ the greater shall bee our reward in heauen In the meane time let vs be of good comfort for he that smiteth healeth and hee that sendeth trouble sendeth strength Thirdly against incredulity or distrust wee must desire of God to increase our faith that wee may beleeue the Scriptures and take pleasure therein for ignorance will not excuse vs now that the candle is lighted and not hid vnder a bushell but openly reueiled to the wide world and that to the comfort and saluation of euery one that beleeueth for the knowledge of Gods Law and the Gospell are necessary to our saluation the reasons be diuers The one doth feare vs. The other doth comfort vs. The Law vttereth sinne The Gospell forgiueth it The Law maketh weake The Gospell maketh strong The Law killeth The Gospell quickeneth The Law throweth down to hell The Gospel lifteth vp to heauen Fourthly against the feare of damnation when Satan layeth the Law hard to our charge threatning thereby death and damnation Let vs answere him with the Gospell which bringeth life and saluation Let vs haue a grounded and stedfast faith fixed in Christ Iesus our Sauiour who hath vanquished and destroyed all our deadly enemies as the flesh the world damnation punishment dangers sin death deuill and hell Be at vtter defiance with them all say boldly with the Apostle S. Paul It is Rom. 8. 33. God that iustifieth who then can condemne and againe God shall shortly tread downe Rō 16. 20. Satan vnder your feete c. If you beleeue this and apply it right to your soule you may then cheerefully dye and on your dying day sing and say that merry note to your great comfort and ioy viz. I desire to bee Phil. 1. 23. loosed and to be with Christ This was the marke that the blessed Apostle Saint Paul did ayme at all his life long and therefore reioycing in heart hee saith towards the end of his course I am now ready to be offered 2 Tim. 4. 6 and the time of my departure is at hand I haue fought a good battell I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith from henceforth there remaineth for me a crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord a iust Iudge shall giue me at that day not onely vnto mee but to all those that loue his comming This made Stephen that faithfull witnesse of his Master Christ seeing the glory of God constantly to call vpon him and say in his greatest torment of body Lord Act 7. 59. Iesu receiue my spirit These men and many mo such like haue willingly yeelded their necks to the block their bodies to torment their soules to God and boldly to depart out of the miseries of this world embracing the counsell of the wise man who saith Feare Eccl. 4. 1 3 not the iudgment of death remēber them that haue bin before thee and that come after this is the ordinance of the Lord ouer all flesh And why wouldest thou be against the pleasure of the most Highest whether it be tenne or an hundreth or a thousand yeeres there is no defence for life against the graue No striuing against the streame no resisting against death But alas what meaneth this There is nothing that men so often behold as death and nothing that men so soone forget as death As men ought not to bee carelesse of their finall end so they ought not to feare death especially if they haue liued in the feare of God for seeing all must dye wherefore should the godly be afraid of Bugges what a foole is he that will feare his owne shadow what good will it doe vs either to complaine or lament for that thing which by no meanes wee can escape Tell me if thou canst with all thy skill what man is he aliue that breatheth vpon the earth that shall liue vntill hee bee an hundreth yeeres old or what one canst thou name for thy life with whom thou hast beene acquainted an hundreth yeeres sithens crack me this Nut reade me this Riddle Et eris mihi magnus Apollo that is I wil account thee as a God for thy skill Seeing then that our life is both short and vncertaine and that these things are generall to all and not to thee or to me alone Why should we not in good fellowship taste of the same sawce and drinke of the same cup one after another and that without feare or grudging as all our predecessors haue done Let vs yeeld our pampred bodies to the earth and our sinfull soules to the tryall of iustice for so haue the godly alwayes done they account the world to be but a Race a Vale of miseries and a paineful Pilgrimage and therefore they couet to haue the course of this life finished they waite continually for the good houre looking after death for a ioyfull resurrection And of this hope they haue the sweete and comfortable Testimony of Gods Spirit within them as a gage or pledge of their saluation which will neuer forsake them vntill it haue presented them before the Maiesty of God as heires and coheires with Iesus Christ of his heauenly Kingdome purchased for vs with his owne bloud wherein our soules and filthy bodies are sprinkled and thorowly washed What a comfort is this to a Christian heart What neede a man thus minded to feare death after this life any more then the laboring man after he hath toyled sore al the day long neede to feare sleepe and his quiet rest at night No no hee may rather with a cheerefull conscience wish for death because as Christ saith He shall passe frō death Ion. 5. 24. to life Let vs therefore good Christian Brother so liue with Christ that we may dye in him and let vs so glorifie him in this life by our godly conuersation that wee may bee glorified of him in the life to come to our comfort and saluation The best remedy to auoid this friuolous feare of death is to repent our former sinnes and hereafter to apply our selues to liue in his true seruice and feare So that first wee may finish our life heere and dye well Secondly that wee may receiue at Gods hands in the resurrection of the iust a comfortable and mercifull iudgement Thirdly that we may auoid the horrible paines of hell which are intolerable Fourthly and finally that we may be partakers of the
life euerlasting and vnspeakeable ioyes of heauen which God vouchsafe to grant vnto vs for his Christs sake our Redeemer and mercifull Sauiour Amen Consolation against damnation IT is most certaine good Brother that when wee lye sick in the pangs of death then presently our sinnes committed against the holy Will and Commandement of God doe present themselues vnto vs rushing in vpon vs with great violence Then wee can behold nothing but Gods Iudgement aboue vs hell beneath vs damnation before vs and our sins within vs then there is nothing but feare trembling and horror on euery side vs. All our enemies are now gathered together to assault vs with sorrow and heauines now we had need of a strong faith and a good courage in this case for no doubt our old enemy Satan will now play his part in tempting of vs hee will with boldnesse present vnto vs all the sinnes wee haue committed all our life time hee will heape together whole VVain-loads of our trespasses in great abundance to the end to dash vs out of countenance with God and to make vs doubt of Gods mercy and so to fall to desperation heere now wee stand in more need of godly counsell and comfort then euer we did in all our life time wee are now put to our plunge and forced to seeke shifts for Satan will then presse silly soules with feare and perplexity that they cannot tell how to winde themselues out of his clawes he will make of euery mole-hill a mountaine of a Flye an Elephant and of euery light sinne a deepe wound in our conscience which breedeth such hurly-burly within vs that we can be at no rest with our selues when it it is day we wish for night and when it is night we would haue it day our meat doth vs no good our sleepe is vnsound our heart cannot bee merry sorrow ouerwhelmeth vs all comfort forsaketh vs there is no ioy nor pleasure in the world that can delight vs. And thus the Deuil which before allured vs vnto sin writeth vp all in his booke and in the time of danger or towards our death when hee commeth to accuse hee will bring the whole reconing and then turne all our former pleasure into present paine then the pearcing sting and wofull worme of our conscience pricketh and biteth vs in such fearefull sort that many men haue beene forced euen openly with trembling flesh and sorrowfull soules to cry out of their sins now thē being broght to this wofull case what is to be done The next way is to seeke for remedy when wee lack our bodily health and are pained with sicknesse we straightway post yea we runne and we ride with all speede vnto a Physician we let for no labour we spare no cost to procure medicines and remedies for our earthly bodies why doe wee not then with like diligence seek out remedies against the noysome diseases and infections of the soule being much more grieuous and more dangerous then these of the body Now therefore deare Brother to apply these words to the comfort of your carefull conscience and wearisome body being afflicted inwardly and pained outwardly Are you desirous of saluation would you willingly dye in Gods fauour would you bee receyued into his heauenly Tabernacle do you desire to bee blessed with old Iacob And do you couet to be a Citizen of the heauenly Ierusalem then giue eare and take good heed vnto such cōfortable counsell as by Gods gift and grace I shall minister vnto you First prostrate your selfe before the diuine Maiesty of God Let your sinne be a griefe vnto you but let it not grieue you to confesse it for of all other things our sinnes doe bite the soarest and pearce our soules the deepest because they are aggrauated with all the threatnings of Gods vengeance which maketh vs loth to haue them searched or knowne to the world or any way touched by the Word we had rather haue them plaistred with sweete promises and bathed in the mercies of God whereas it is more safe to haue them pricked and made manifest by the rigour of the Law although it bring both shame and blame Therefore my good Brother if you bee ashamed of your selfe and of your sinne as all men may be yet for all that be neither abashed or ashamed to acknowledge it and craue pardon If you see no worthinesse in your self but the world accusing you without and your owne conscience within yet despaire not vtterly but lift vp your eyes to heauen and there behold Iesus Christ your Sauiour sitting on the right hand of God as a Mediatour making intercession for you to his heauenly Father he was a Sauiour on earth so he remaineth Heb. 13. 8. in heauen Iesus Christ yesterday and to day the same also is for euer Yesterday he called to sinners said Come vnto me Mat. 11. 28. all yee that are weary and laden I wil ease you And to day hee cryeth and calleth in like maner and will do to the worlds end Yesterday he said I came not to call the Mat. 9. 12 iust but sinners to repentance And to day hee saith the same Yesterday he forgaue Mat. 18. 27 ten thousand Talents to one debter his arme is not shortned to day he is the same God he was Yesterday he forgaue the prodigall sonne his sinne in leading a lasciuious and lewde life and to day he doth the like to many moe Yesterday hee forgaue Peter his periury Paul his blasphemy the sonnes of Zebede their pride Mary Magdalene her whooredome As hee was a mercifull Christ yesterday so he is to day and will bee to morrow Yesterday hee came to saue sinners and to day he comes to saue to morrow he will come and for euer hee will not reiect them if they repent Therefore Satan what canst thou say or alledge against mee or how darest thou presume to charge me or any one of Gods Elect If God will saue thou canst not condemne If Christ will shew mercy I defie thy cruelty It may bee thou wilt obiect against mee and say These are particular examples and they became holy men afterward This maketh nothing for you but against you you are no such man neither are you to expect such mercy But I say vnto thy teeth Satan Thou art and hast beene a lyar from the beginning Gods VVord and his promise are stablished in Heauen And this one sentence is sufficient to comfort me and conuince thee Iesus Christ yesterday to day and the same also for euer Alwayes one and the same he cannot deny himselfe he is mercy it selfe by nature mercifull by office mercifull in his life mercifull in his death mercifull Hee is no changeling I may change the world may change but he is immutable and cannot change He still continueth alwayes alike mighty alwayes alike liberall alwayes alike mercifull A Sauiour yesterday a Sauiour to day a Sauiour to morrow so to the worlds end
And I beleeue that they which continue in this Church on earth shall after the Resurrection general Iudgement obtaine euerlasting life and rest from their labors which life and perpetuall peace God grant mee and all his children And from this Church I pray God I neuer at any time swarue or decline either in faith doctrine life or Religion but that I may dye liue therin And I humbly beseech God euen w th al my heart to kindle increase this Faith in me that this hope being stedfastly fixed in my heart I may towards mine end cry and call with the Saints of God and with a good Apoc. 22. 20. conscience Come Lord Iesu come quickly and hasten thy Kingdome that wee may raigne with thee in perpetuall ioy in the life euerlasting Amen The protestation of the Sicke I A wretched sinner redeemed with the precious bloud of my Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ do protest here before you all that with a free and franke heart I doe pardon and forgiue all people which by any manner of meanes haue spoken thought or wrought mee iniury either in word writing or deed whatsoeuer Desiring that as I know assuredly in my heart and conscience that I am reconciled to God So in like manner I may bee reconciled to the world And therefore I most heartily pray as wel all you that bee heere present before me as others that be absent to forgiue mee wherein soeuer I haue offended you being most willing to part out of this world in the fauour of God and good men I protest and acknowledge that I haue beene a grieuous and horrible sinner all my dayes both in thought word and deede And that I haue not liued so vpright and holy before my Lord God and the world as I ought to haue done I acknowledge my offences to be mo in number then the Starres of Heauen or the sands in the Sea for my negligence in not doing that which is good and my dayly transgressions in committing the things which are euill are infinite I acknowledge that all my life hath been such as looking my selfe now at last in the glasse of my conscience I find daily confusion and my minde and body so blemished with spots of vncleannes and filthinesse that I may be ashamed to looke God in the face or once to lift vp mine eyes towards Heauen Therefore I fall downe to the earth with the poore Publican and with lowly spirit and humble minde I aske mercie and forgiuenes of my Lord God being sorry in my heart that euer I offended this my deare Father and beeing fully purposed with my selfe if God restore my former health neuer so grieuously to offend him againe but to auoid Vice embrace Vertue yea to hate and abhorre the sinne which before I loued and wholly to conforme my selfe to the will of God in his Word I doe protest that albeit 3 I haue thus grieuously and many wayes offended God yet I doe not despayre nor distrust the louing mercy of my sweet Sauiour and Redeemer Iesus Christ But I hope by the merit of his death and Passion and not mine own merits which are nothing but a loathsome life to be partaker of the heauenly inheritance I protest furthermore that I do beleeue that this holy Passion of Iesus Christ is a sure Rocke Refuge and defence wherevnto I may boldly trust and stay my selfe And therefore in all aduersitie and trouble I set the same against my inuisible enemies as a strong Tower bulwarke or spirituall harnesse wherewithall the faithfull Souldiour and Seruant of Christ ought to bee armed Assuring my selfe that the punishment of all my sinnes is thereby fully discharged the ransome paid and the obligation whereby I was tyed to the Law cancelled and that the vertue of this Passion of Christ pertaineth not onely to others but also to me I protest before the omnipotent God and before all his holy Angels and Saints that I couet desire to end my life in that faith which becommeth a true Christian and the Child of God That is I beleeue all the Canonicall Scriptures mentioned in the Old and New Testament and set downe by the holy Prophets of God and the Apostles of his Sonne Christ as the Pen-men and writers but instinct and prompted by the holy Ghost the finger of God as the Author and Inditer which haue been from time to time and in all ages receiued and beleeued of the true Catholike Church and Congregation of Iesus Christ So that if through the tentation or suggestion of the Diuell or being oppressed with the violence or smart of sicknesse I should thinke speake or doe any thing contrarie to this my confession and protestation made I doe now beforehand vtterly debarre and reuoke the same and doe witnesse and confesse before God and you that by no means I will willingly consent or yeeld my selfe in the knowledge and vnderstanding of my heart to any such thoughts words or workes Finally I protest that I reioyce in Spirit for the sweet mercy and merits which I feele inwardly to bee offered mee by the death of Christ Iesus And I doe giue most hearty thankes vnto God the Father my Creator for his graces offerd vnto me in his deare Sonne my Sauiour by whose vnspeakeable goodnes I trust I shall dye the Seruant of God and into whose holy hands and tuition I commend my body and soule both now and in the houre of my death Amen The second dutie of the sicke Person THe second thing that is requisite in a sicke person is faithfull heartie Prayer to God either for his speedy deliuerance out of all woe and wretchednesse or else for constancie in his conflict and patience in his paine A godly metion or Meditatation before Prayer In which we craue for Grace Faith and Patience O Lord I am very sick my body is weake my strength faileth me my sinnewes shrink my hands and my feete waxe feeble mine eyes dazell and lose their sight all things are vnsauourie to me my flesh putrifyeth my breath stinketh my heart panteth and my life draweth to an end I perceiue there is but one way with me The Lord bee mercifull vnto mee and bee my guide in this my last iourney goe I must death is at doore with his dart readie to strike hee stealeth neerer and neerer towards mee he is euen now at my bed-side ready to worke his feate I cannot preuent him neither can I auoid or flye from him Therefore O Lord I make haste to runne to thee for succour which art the true Physician both of bodie and soule Heale mee O Lord and I shal be whole preserue mee and I shall be safe vnder thy protection for thou beeing my defence and shield I need not to feare the force of any foe But who am I O mercifull God that beggeth so boldly at the doore of thy mercy I am a sinner and in sinne I was begotten of my Father and
conceiued of my Mother I confesse my wretchednesse and my vncleannesse is too manifest both to thee and the world it troubleth my minde and woundeth my guilty conscience woe is mee therefore Yet spare me O Lord I humbly beseech thee destroy me not in thine anger but chastice me in lenitie And albeit I am a grieuous sinner yet I perswade my self I am thy sonne and that thou canst not but haue a fatherly care ouer me for my elder Brothers sake Christ Iesus thy beloued Wherefore arise and help me O Lord arise I say and cast me not away for euer forgiue mee all my sinnes and raise thy poore Seruant out of the dunghill that being released by thee from paine griefe and also deliuered from eternall death I may pray vnto thee faithfully during my life and after death obtaine of thee euerlasting life which thou hast prepared for me by the death and Passion of thy deare Sonne Iesus Christ my Lord and Sauiour in whom thou art well pleased and by whose stripes I am cured and trust to be saued whose holy name bee blessed and praised now and for euer Amen A fruitfull Prayer for the assistance of God in the extremitie of sicknes O Deare Father of Heauen and Gouernour of the wide world and the worker of our wealth whose goodnes is vnspeakeable and vvhose wifedome is incomparable whose mercy reacheth vnto the Clouds and vnto whose power all creatures are subiect Thou God of the quicke and the dead which hast placed me heere on earth as a pilgrime or tenant at will to remoue at thy pleasure and hast appointed mee and all men liuing our bounds which we cannot passe Haue respect vnto the worke of thy hands bow downe thine eyes of compassion O Lord visit and comfort the pensiue soule of thy poore prisoner Open thy gracious eares and heare my petition thou which art the Sauiour of my soule grant mee pardon of my sinne and patience in my paine that I neuer blaspheme thy holy name but suffer this thy scourge and punishment meekely as becommeth a good Christian and seruant of God So that in this conflict of sicknes when my flesh consumeth away my limmes waxe lame my sight faileth my heart fainteth and all my sences become nummed yea when life death struggle and warre within me for superioritie and I lye linked in woe in the paine and pangs of death receiuing no food taking no rest but being past all recouerie of health to the iudgement of man Then looke vpon me with the eyes of mercy O thou glory of Sion Thou Comfort of Israel and beauty of Ierusalem Then let thy strength help my weakenesse and thy mercy cure my misery Then deliuer poore Ioseph thy Seruant out of Prison Defend thy deare darling from the deuouring Dog Stop the mouth and weaken the force of the roring Lyon and all his diuelish practises that they neuer preuaile against me O Lord haue mercy vpon me establish my heart that I neuer faint in this my last and bitter death Remember O Lord what metall I am made of that I am but sraile flesh and filthy earth Let it bee thy pleasure therefore O gracious God to forgiue me my sinnes to remit and vtterly blot out of thy reckoning Booke the tenne thousand Talents which I owe thee I acknowledge the debt cancell therefore the Obligation for seeing I am not able to pay the debt I must needs craue a generall pardon or else perish for euer Spare mee therefore deare Father and comfort the soule of thy Seruant which repenteth his former folly and humbleth himselfe here before thy Maiestie O Lord let not the terrour of Hell the feare of death the vexation of minde the bitter torment of sicknes the losse of life or worldly wealth withdraw my soule from thee But as thou diddest create it and breathe it into my body Euen so vouchsafe of thy great goodnes to preserue it during life and after death receiue it with the soules of the righteous into thine owne hands and custody and place it in perpetuall felicitie So that at the generall Iudgement and the glorious Resurrection of all flesh I may both body and soule rise to life euerlasting and praise thee continually with the Angels Saints in Heauen through Iesus Christ our Sauiour to whom with thee and the holy Ghost be all honour and glory world without end Amen A pithy profitable Prayer when wee are in danger of death wherein we commit our selues to God renounce the world craue pardon for our sinnes and forgiue our enemies O Lord my good and gracious God the Creator of Heauen and earth King of Kings and Lord of Lords which hast made me of nothing to thine owne likenes and redeemed me with thine owne bloud whom I a wretched sinner am vnworthy to name to call vpon or once to thinke in my heart Here I prostrate and submit my selfe before thy diuine Maiestie and acknowledge my grieuous sinnes which I haue committed against thee in thought word and deede humbly crauing pardon thereof at thy fatherly hands And I doe also for mine owne part most willingly forgiue all men that haue offended mee euen as I looke to bee forgiuen of thee my louing and mercifull God whose wrath iust iudgement I haue too often and that deseruedly prouoked against me But neuerthelesse howsoeuer I haue liued hitherto in my fraile flesh and in this body of sinne yet I trust that thou of thy gracious goodnesse wilt grant me a happy end for I vtterly renounce the world and the vanities thereof which all my life time hitherto I haue too much coueted and delighted in onely I am now carefull for my soule that it may be saued and my earnest desire is that I may dwell with the Lord in the land of the liuing which I trust to obtaine by the bloud of the innocent Lambe of God Iesus Christ and so to be partaker of the heauenly ioyes and Communion of Saints in the triumphant Church of God In the meane time vvhilest I remain in this earthly Tabernacle I beseech thee O Lord to increase my faith comfort my silly soule lighten my vnderstanding strengthen my feeble body and grant me patience in my paine that my faith neuer faile And I willingly surrender my body and soule to thy carefull disposition and as willingly leaue my goods to the world where I had them Rendring to thee most hearty thanks for the vse I haue had of them hitherto and for all other thy greater benefits and spirituall blessings as my Election Creation Saluation Sanctification Preseruation and hope of Glorification in thy heauenly habitation O Lord thy holy Name bee praised therefore and thy blessed will be fulfilled in me euery way whether it bee by life or by death let it be to thy glory and then I haue my hearts desire for I am in thy hands as the Clay is in the Potters therefore doe with me as best pleaseth thee Make
Christ we shall also reigne with him Art thou desirous to liue for euer and to reigne with Christ in eternall glory Then arme thy selfe with patience to suffer aduersitie heere on earth that thou maist haue place in Heauen Take counsell of Saint Paul who saith Let vs by Heb. 12. 1 2. patience runne in the race which is set before vs looking to Iesus the Captaine and finisher of our Faith which for the ioy that was set before him suffered the Crosse contemned the shame and sitteth on the right hand of the Throne of God Behold heere a reward after the race a crowne after the conflict The consideration whereof moued all the Martyrs and holy men of GOD to beare Christs Crosse were it neuer so grieuous and heauy for the time to suffer mocks stripes bands rackings famine imprisonments and death and so must we doe the whole course of our life heere on earth sheweth the same Troubles try our patience and tame the flesh lest wee should bee condemned with the wicked world and therefore wee begin our life with teares before we be able to speake we leade it in sorrow care and we part from it with great griefe or otherwise wee should put too much confidence in our quiet estate as Dauid testifieth I Psal 30. 6. said in my prosperitie I shall neuer bee mooued And therefore lest wee should bee too proud in our prosperitie the Lord oftentimes bridleth our appetites by losses and crosses and so sheweth his loue by afflicting vs for our good As for example if for Gods cause or his Truth we be shriuen of all our riches heere on earth our portion shall bee the greater in Heauen If wee bee thrust out of our houses or offices we shall bee receiued into the Family of God If we be contemned among men wee shall be highly esteemed with God If we be cast downe in the world our seates shal be the higher in Gods Kingdome If we be murthered and so lose our life this shall bee a meanes to bring vs to eternall life For if there were no griefe in pouertie no torment in sicknes no sorrow in slander nor horrour in death what tryall could there be of Gods people None at all Therefore in our greatest extremitie let vs say Fiat voluntas Domini that is The wil of the Lord be fulfilled in mee come life come death come sicknes come health come prosperitie or aduersitie And let that man neuer boast himselfe to be an Abel whom the malice of Cain hath not afflicted Nor a Iacob whom an Esau hath not hated nor a faithfull Mardocheus whom a spitefull Haman hath not slandered nor a Paul whom a Nero hath not persecuted nor a Christian whom a Iudas hath not betrayed Where the good are there must of necessitie be some bad to try them The Wheate is tryed by the Fanne the Iron by the file and the gold by the fire euen so is a Christian knowne by affliction and being so tryed he cannot lose his reward It is great in heauen and not for gotten on earth For we see dayly that ioy followeth sorrow life death glory miserty and prosperitie pouertie Patient Iob had his substance doubled The holy Patriarks Prophets and Martyrs of Christ which suffered sundry sorrowes heere on earth are now crowned Kings in Heauen And so shall we if we runne their race for many runne but it is the wrong way that leadeth to destruction But wee must so runne that wee 1. Cor. 9. 24. may obtaine and in the end get the wager The Merchant resuseth no perill by Sea the Husbandman no labour by Land the Captaine no wound in warres and they doe it for a temporall reward How much more ought wee patiently to indure any losse of goods torment of body or griefe of minde for euerlasting life and heauenly ioy The Wise man considering this affirmeth that the day of death is better Eccl. 7 3. then the day of birth Saint Paul was of the same minde when he said I desire Phil. 1. 23. to be loosed to be with Christ which is best of al for then shall Christ our Sauiour wipe away all teares Apoc. 4. 21 from our eyes and sorrow from our hearts We shall neede to suffer no more our troubles are at an end Neither shall there bee any more death neither griefe neither crying neither paine Our paines here haue endured but a time the pleasures there shall be perpetuall What is he therefore in the vniuersall world but would willingly hazard life and liuing yea and yeeld his soule to God his body to the blocke and his flesh to the fire for such celestiall ioyes as are prepared for those that fight Gods battell heere on earth Therefore my deare Brethren to conclude Let vs runne our race and passe our painefull pilgrimage in this transitorie world so godly and patiently by the example of the Prophets of Christ and his Apostles that in the end of the course when death shall shut vp the eyes of our bodies we may with a firme faith and good conscience say with Saint Paul I have fought a 2. Tim. 4. good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the Faith For henceforth there is laid vp for me a crowne of righteousnes which the Lord a righteous Iudge shall giue me at that day and not to me onely but to all them that loue his appearing Then in the end of our race we shall haue rest and ioy yea perfect complete and full ioy Ioy aboue vs ioy beneath vs ioy before vs ioy behinde vs ioy on our right hand ioy on our left hand ioy within vs ioy without vs and ioy on euery side vs. Vnto the which ioy he vouchsafe to bring vs which dearely hath bought it for vs not with siluer and gold for it cost a great price but with the sheading of his precious bloud euen Iesus Christ the righteous vnto whom with the Father and the holy Ghost three persons and one euerlasting iust and mercifull God be all honour power and glory both now and euer Amen A generall and fruitfull Prayer for all Christians to bee reuerently said at all times Morning Euening Night or Day O God our Maker thou most mighty and holy IEHOVAH in thy name and to thine honour and glory we begin continue and end these our Prayers And we offer this our dutifull seruice vnto thy diuine Maiestie as to our Soueraigne Lord and mighty Creator of Heauen and Earth and of all things therein contained O sweet Lord Iesus Christ wee offer vnto thee our selues body and soule and all the powers parts thereof within vs and without for by right they are all thine because thou hast dearely bought and paid for the same with the peerelesse price of thy precious bloud And wee most humbly beseech thee O holy Ghost our Comforter to giue vs grace and strength to doe thy will in all things and to offer these