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
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
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
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
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
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
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
infallible tokens of Gods loue Let no man therefore cast downe his heart in sicknes or any other affliction for hee that smiteth healeth he that sendeth trouble giueth strength and against euery extremitie God hath prepared a remedy that fearefull man should not distrust Gods carefull prouidence but haue his soule settled in him that can both bind and loose saue destroy that can send health after sicknes life after death and ioy after paine Sicknes sores afflictions aduersities vexation and troubles all these are no nouelties to the godly Our forefathers the Patriarkes and Prophets had good experience hereof and wee must taste of the same sawce if wee meane to enioy the same reward with them in Heauen For all that will liue godly in 2. Tim. 3. 12. Christ Iesus must suffer persecution So likewise Saint Iames aduiseth vs saying Be patient therefore my Brethren Iam. 5. 7. vnto the comming of the Lord. Behold the Husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth and hath long patience for it vntill he receiue the former and the later raine Be ye also 8 patient and settle your hearts for the comming of the Lord draweth neere Take my Brethren the Prophets for an ensample of suffering aduersitie and of long patience which haue spoken in the Name of the Lord c. Two Examples prouoking VVOrks are of more worth thē words and the life of any person especially of a Preacher is more regarded then his Doctrine the reason is because mē are more moued by Examples which they see with their eyes then by naked and bare Precepts which they heare with their eares For wee count words bee they neuer so good but a lip-labour or as a blast of winde that entreth in at the one eare and passeth out at the other When the old Crab said to the yong daughter goe forward for the nature of the Crab is to goe backward The yong answered againe I prae sequar that is Goe you before you are my elder and I will follow after As the old Cock crowes the yong learnes and all the world is bent to follow the examples of their elders or betters Therefore we cōmonly say Such a Master such a Man Such a Father such a Sonne Such a Mother sach a Daughter A good Iack makes a good Gill a good Husband a good wife a good Father a good Sonne a good Mother a good Daughter A vicious Father cannot make a vertuous Son a sluttish Mother can neuer make a cleanly Daughter a rude Mistresse shall hardly make a mannerly Maid neither can a negligent or ignorant Schoolemaster make a diligent or learned Scholler I will not deny but words may somtimes perswade a man to beare the burthen of aduersitie and to be patient therein but examples of others doe more moue vs. We reade in prophane Histories of diuers which for their constancy in their profession and for their patience in affliction haue willingly suffered many torments Some haue beene burned by Arrians Some stripped naked to the shame of the world Some hewed in pieces and cast to Hogges But my purpose is not to name or recite any out of prophane Authors We haue Christians good store God bee thanked that haue in their life time both learned and borne the burthen of Christs Crosse which haue begunne with Christs crosse from the A. B. C. continued vnder it all their life long and ended with it at their death Among infinite examples I will rehearse but some speciall persons whereof I haue warrant in the Word First I will begin with old Abraham the father of the faithfull When Abraham that good old man was commanded by Gods owne mouth to offer vp his onely Sonne Isaac his greatest ioy vnder God in this world for so sayth the Text Take thine onely Son Gen. 22. 2. whom thou louest and therefore his present death must needs be the fathers griefe It is a wonder to see how faithfully and patiently he went about that woful worke Hee riseth vp early saddled his Asse and went to the place appointed hee doth neither stagger nor study at the matter neither doth he murmure or grudge against God saying Is this Gods promise that said hee would blesse all Nations in my seede Hath he giuen me a sonne past expectation in my old dayes and shall I now go cut his throate with mine owne hands I would to God I had neuer begotten him How can God fulfill his promise to mee No no wee must debarre all Howes and Cans if we haue to deale with him with whom nothing is vnpossible Neither must we match mans reason with Gods wisedome And therefore Abraham makes no doubt but regarding Gods will maketh haste with his sonne to the place appointed without stay or delay And there he binds his obedient sonne hand and foote stretching forth his owne hand with the knife to cut his throate But that good God who is alwayes at hand in our extremities sent forth his Angell to restraine that bloudy fact who called vnto him from heauen saying Abraham Abraham 11 Stay thy hand lay not thine hand vpon the Child for any worlds good For now 12 I know that thou fearest God And therefore hee cryed vnto him the second time from Heauen and said By my selfe I haue sworne 15 saith the Lord I wil multiply thy seede as the Starres of Heauen and as the sand which is vpon the Sea shore c. Let old Abraham therefore for his faith and patience be set in the forefront to leade the way Well who shall bee ◠next Surely some of his seede but they are innumerable as the Starres of Heauen and therefore I must skip a great number or else weary my selfe in writing and you in reading or hearing Oh remember now another old Abraham or at leastwise one of his seede whose pietie and patience neither man nor the Diuell could moue do what they could And who is that I pray you Wee will follow him by Gods grace if wee may but know his name It is iust Iob one that feared Iob 1. 1. God and eschewed euill Whose mouth is able to vtter the suffering and patience of Iob the mirrour of meekenes who hath the name at this day and shall haue to the end of the world of patient Iob Neither hath he his name for nought for he well deserueth it who being suddenly cast downe from the highest top of earthly felicitie to the very dust and bottome of calamity when God had taken away his Oxen and Asses a great part of his wealth when he had burnt vp his Sheepe and Seruants with celestiall fire when he had taken away his Camels by the Chaldeans and his children by sodaine death when the Messengers came hastily with these heauy newes and that thicke and threefold one in the necke of another so that this godly man could not haue any time to breathe himselfe in God heaping losse vpon losse and sorrow
vpon sorrow and that in fearfull manner Notwithstanding all these calamities What doth this Man of God What bee his words or what answere giueth he to the Messengers in this his misery Doth he despayre of Gods goodnes Doth hee grudge at his losses Doth he fret and fume in himselfe Doth he chide the Messengers for bringing so bad tidings Doth hee rage or blaspheme God No no Iob did nothing spake nothing imagined nothing vnfitting or vnseemely a patient and perfect person In all this Iob 1. 22. did not Iob sinne neither doth he charge God foolishly as the wicked doe But hee humbled himselfe fell downe to the earth and worshipped And then hee cryed and said The Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken it Blessed be the Name of the Lord. Thus this innocent and iust man is content to sucke vp his owne sorrow in silence confessing God to be gracious albeit he had laid his heauy hand vpon him and his for after all losses and crosses Iob himselfe was smitten with sore Byles from the sole of his foote vnto his crowne Hee sate in sorrow vpon the dunghill his Wife also Iob 2. 7 rebuking him who 8 should haue relieued him Neuerthelesse Iob regarded 9 not her words but remaineth righteous and saith Thou speakest like a foolish woman What Shall we receiue good at the hand of God and not receiue euill As though he should say Shall wee taste of the sweet and not of the sowre Shall wee alwayes bee merry and neuer sorrie alwayes laugh and neuer weepe Should wee alwayes liue in health and neuer bee sicke Alwayes haue plenty and neuer feele penury Then should we be like Angels in heauen free from all aduersities and not like men on earth subiect to many miseries Behold heere a plaine picture of patience take him for an ensample of suffering aduersitie and of long patience His suffering was intolerable his patience vnspeakable and except Christs incomparable Let no man therefore excuse himselfe and say I cannot be quiet I cannot forgiue I cannot be patient The iniury offered is so great Such slanderous words hard dealing is able to prouoke any man to impatiencie if he were a Saint Soft a little good Brother stay thy selfe Remember iust Iob let him bee an ensample to thee I pray thee had not hee an occasion of impatiencie Yes truely and of vtter blasphemie had not Gods grace preuented mans strength Iob had the whole world Sun Moone and Starres against him heauen and earth against him For first and formost God himself seemed for a season to forsake him and to haue no care of him The Diuell in the meane season neuer ceased to tempt him and that in sundry sorts His Wife that lay in his bosome and should haue bound vp his head and comforted him shee disdained him and vpbraided him euen with his good deeds Shee counselled him to renounce God and to blaspheme him euen to his face What should I speake more of this man Within him he had heauinesse of heart without him his kindred and friends discouraging him on euery side him signes of sorrow His Goods were spoiled his Cattell destroyed his Children sodainely killed his owne body pitifully plagued and no whole part of him from top to toe free from filthy sores and Byles which way so euer hee turned him hee could finde no rest but wallowed in woe and lay in extreme misery Not on soft Downe but on the stinking dunghill tossing and tumbling his loathsome and blistered body in the ashes scrawling and scraping his scuruy and scabbed skin with potsheards O miserable man O meeke minde O wofull wight O rufull and pitifull sight And O spiteful Serpent what hast thou done whom hast thou stinged and so dolefully wounded Doest thou know whom Couldest thou finde no other to spit thy spitefull poyson against but iust Iob and honest man an vpright man both in the sight of God and man the singular Seruant of God and the patientest man that euer the earth did beare O cruell and cursed Wife where is thy naturall affection towards so louing and godly a Husband And O vnnaturall Cousins fained friends where is your comfort and compassion towards your poore afflicted Kinsman But O iust Iob O constant creature O perfect picture of long patience In all this did not Iob sinne with his lips but manfully brideled his affections committing himselfe and his crosse to him that sent it and suffered it And so ought wee to doe in all extremities miseries be it of body or minde losse of goods losse of friends losse of lands or losse of life which is so deare and sweet to some that I feare they neuer looke for any other life they are so wedded to the world and the vanitie thereof as it may easily appeare by their impatiencie if God deale with them as he did with his Seruant Iob that is if hee doe but once touch their goods or bodies neuer so little VVe reade also of godly Tobias notwithstanding Tob. 1. 3. his innocent life his truth almes-deeds iustice and friendly goodwill in burying the dead with perill of his owne life Yet for all that he was led captiue to Niniue where hee was sought to bee slaine and had all his goods confiscate and spoiled So that in heauinesse of heart and sorrow of soule hee was forced to weepe Yet for Tob. 2. 7. all this he continued constant in his goodnes made graues buried the dead if not by day yet by night patiently suffering the mockes and taunts of his spitefull neighbours and nothing fearing death in so good a cause but meekely abode the reproches of his owne Wife who cast him in the teeth saying Where are thine almes and thy righteousnes This moued Tobias no Tob. 3. 1. deale but hee praised God and gaue himselfe to Prayer confessed his sinnes and most worthily in all these assaults acknowledgeth Gods iustice his mercy and truth There bee infinite others Men Women Old and Yong of all sorts and of all ages and degrees which being simple and silly sheepe and yet the faithfull seruants of GOD haue had their bloud sought and suckt whose milde mindes the wicked haue vexed whose godly conuersation they haue falsely slandered whose liues they long lay in wait for and whose bodies in the end they haue most maliciously murthered racked and tormented and that without all mercy and measure As Abel Esau Ieremie c. But I will not trouble the gentle Reader nor weary the attentiue Hearer with many mo examples I will therefore passe ouer the Old Testament and come to the New and there among many set downe one or two for our further instruction And here I may not forget neither omit the pietie and patience of Saint Stephen whose example of suffering may bee a glasse to looke our selues in This holy man and Martyr of God when he should bee slaine of the Iewes and cruelly stoned to death what doth he Doth
on our children The more that Pilate seemed to fauour him the more they seeke meanes to murder him To be short they haue their desire they preuaile in their suite The Sonne of Man is deliuered vp into the hands of sinners the Sheep to the Wolfe the Lambe to the Lyon the wicked worke their will with him there is no way but one with them suffer he must die he must and he is content to submit himselfe with all modestie that may be It is no asking any reason or cause wherefore Vnreasonable men can yeeld no reason of any thing they doe but that which is tyrannicall Sic volo sic iubeo c. that is So we will and so we command let will in place of reason stand If hee Ioh. 18. 30. were not an euill doer wee would not haue deliuered him vnto thee Well well behold the end of this dealing In the meane season they take him they blindfold him they bob him and box him about the eares they spet in his face they wagge their heads they make mowes and iest at him they make themselues sport with him tossing him to and fro as it were a Tennis ball All these reproches he patiently abideth he runneth not from them he offreth no strokes he giueth them not one foule word At last when his enemies had euen wearied themselues in their wickednes they proceede forward they cause him to carrie his owne crosse on his weake and feeble body to be hanged on After sentence of condemnation he is brought to the place of execution He is crowned with Thorne which was himself the Crowned King of the Heauen which came to crush the sharpe and bitter thornes of our sinnes and crowneth Martyrs with eternall Glory Hee is fast bound hand and foote which freeth others from their fetters He is pearced heart and head which healeth the sinnes of the people and saueth their soules from destruction I would aske one question of thee gentle Reader What could these villanous Iewes sworne enemies of our Sauiour Christ Iesus haue done more against him if hee had beene the vilest creature vpon the earth the arrantest thiefe in the world or the greatest diuell in Hell I admonish thee therefore good Brother apply Christs suffering to thy soule and follow his patience Now what saith Christ to this geare or what dooth Hee to his Tormentors Doth hee goe roundly to worke with them or doth he handle them in their kinde that is Doth he cause the earth to open her mouth and swallow them vp aliue as vnworthy men to liue any longer therein Or doth hee command fire from Heauen to destroy them as they well deserued Or doth hee of himselfe condemne them presently to hell fire as he could if he would No verily no such matter hee suffereth them thus farre forth He blesseth and yet curseth not he seeketh still to saue and not to destroy O mercifull Christ O Prince of Peace and patterne of patience VVhat man is hee this day that beareth breath in his body if he be flesh and bloud that is able to suffer such torment without offering any stroke or one froward word Christ doth neither which might and could haue done both but he came to suffer and not to smite for his death gaue life to his enemies yea they that shed the bloud of Christ were saued by the bloud of Christ Such was his loue such was his patience that he suffered all these things for our sake His Righteousnes couered our filthinesse his labour lightned our loade his shame was our ioy and his damnation was our Saluation But O stiffenecked Iewes O cruell Crucifiers O corrupt Iudge O wicked world that wrought this woe vpon him that suffered for thy sinne Is this thy thankefulnesse for so great a benefit Is this thy reward for the worke of Saluation Tell mee one thing but tell me truely Hast thou any reason to wound him that healed thee to binde him that loosed thee to condemne him that saued thee to deride him that redeemed thee and to hang him that helped thee Let Heauen let Earth let Hell it selfe cry out against this crueltie O wicked Nation O proud Citie Ierusalem and O innocent Christ his death declared his innocencie The earth trembled thereat the Elements were troubled the Starres were abashed yea all the powers of Heauen were moued the Moone gaue no light the Sunne shined not but darknes closed vp the light of the day lest the Sunne should bee forced to behold the bloudy and cruell fact of the Iewes The Temple rent in twaine the stones claue in sunder the Graues opened and the dead bodies did rise insomuch that the beholders of his Passion and some of those which consented to his death and wished that his bloud might light vpon them and their children are now so wounded in heart and pricked in conscience that they now change their minde sing a new song and confesse indeed hee was the Sonne of God They now become blanke which before were so bold They now accuse themselues which before condemned Christ They now wish him aline againe with a wring by the eare which before crucified him They now lament which before laughed They now mourne which before mocked They now knocke their brests full of heauines with teares in their eyes water on their cheekes and sorrow in their hearts which before shaked their heads spet in his face called him wretch and cryed fie vpon him I will say no more eyther of Christ either of any Prophet before him or Martyr that shall come after as of late there haue been many but conclude all that haue beene are or shall bee in one round Ring seemely Circle and sure Seale viz. Qui patitur vincit that is That man whatsoeuer he be that suffereth aduersitie patiently in the end hee ouercommeth and getteth the victory Three Reasons alluring THe precepts going before and the examples propounded may of themselues seeme reasonable to perswade most men if they be not void of reason to suffer aduersitie and to be patient For the Lord himselfe is patient Psal 145. 8 and mercifull slow to anger and of great goodnes Hee beareth with our sinnes and patiently expecteth our amendment And therefore wee must beare one with another The Husband must beare with his Wife as with the weaker vessell the Master with his seruants and the Creditor must haue patience with his Debter c. But the greatest reason to mooue a man to suffer aduersitie and to bee patient therein is the reward after suffering for being made like to Christ by suffering we shall in the end bee made partakers with him in glory Who after his patient suffering was so exalted of his Father that hee hath giuen him a name Phil 2. 9 10. aboue euery name that at the name of Iesus should euery knee bow both of things in heauen and things in earth and things vnder the carth If therefore we suffer Rom. 8. 17. with
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
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