even that peace of God which passeth all that I do understand and will fullfill all that I can desire Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart to this peace that thou mayest at once deliver me from all my troubles for his sake who hath shed his precious blood to purchase this peace for me Jesus Christ the only righteous Amen 45. Lord give unto me an earnest repentance to cleanse and purge my soul from dead works that thou mayest give unto me a true and lively faith to settle and establish my soul in the light of life That acknowledging and bewailing mine own demerits and unrighteousness I may by the Merits and Righteousness of my blessed Redeemer obtain remission of all my sins whereof I now stand guilty before thy Judgement-seat and the assurance of that remission sealed unto my conscience by the testimony of thy holy Spirit that I may not be terrified with the thought of death being delivered from the terrours of Judgement and having that righteousness interposed in answer for me which cannot but answer all the accusations of the Devils and all the attestations and convictions of mine own conscience O my blessed Advocate do thou come to plead for me and then come Lord Jesus come quickly Amen 46. Lord make me daily more and more to see the manifold miseries of my pilgrimage whereby I am a stranger to eternity and a so journer with vanity burdened and clogged with a heavy weight of flesh and a far heavyer weight of sin That I may heartily pray to be delivered from all those burdens and miseries and not be afraid least thou shouldst hear my prayer but that my soul providing to return into her own Countrey may accordingly have longings and earnest desires after the Land of Promise and after the heavenly Jerusalem and after thee my God who there livest and reignest world without end Amen 47. Lord make me patiently to undergo this punishment of my body but earnestly to long for the deliverance of my soul Make me thankful for that small ease and refreshment thou givest me on earth but much more for the eternal rest thou hast provided for me in heaven grant that though I have affliction in the world yet I may have peace in thee and may rejoyce in that peace for thou hast overcome the world grant that though I am weak in my body yet I may be strong in my soul for thou art the strength of souls grant that though I find pain and anguish in my flesh yet I may find joy and comfort in my spirit for thou art the God of spirits grant that I may not look on thy hand scourging me with an evil eye whiles I believe that the thoughts which thou thinkest towards me are thoughts of peace and not of evil and that though thou givest me a sad beginning yet thou wilt give me an expected end Jer. 29. 11. 48. I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him and I may well bear it patiently nay rather take it thankfully since it is his great goodness to punish temporally that he may spare eternally For he will at last plead my cause and execute Judgement for me he will at length bring me forth to light out of this dismal darkness and I shall behold his righteousness and he will not behold mine unrighteousness Then shall I say with great joy Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquities and passeth by transgressions and retaineth not his anger for ever because he delighteth in Mercy Therefore he will turn again he will have compassion upon me he will subdue mine iniquities before he suffer death to subdue me and he will cast all my sins into the depth of the Sea before he will cast me into the deep of the earth Mich. 7. v. 9 18 19. 49. Art thou not from everlasting O Lord my God mine holy One and I but only of yesterday and for a moment I shall not die whiles thou art my Resurrection and my Life O Lord thou hast ordained these pains and sicknesses for Judgement and O mighty God thou hast established them for correction O Lord let them prove so to me as Judgements to advise me and as Chastisements to amend me for thou art of purer eyes then to behold evil and therefore sure of purer hands then to embrace it and thou canst not look on iniquity therefore sure wilt not encourage it O then let this thy visitation so purge away all evil and iniquity from me that thou mayest both encourage my soul in my life and embrace it at my death Hab. 1. 50. O thou the high and lofty one that inhabitest eternity whose Name is Holy thou that dwellest in the high and lofty place but with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite one be pleased to look upon the great humiliations of my body and the unfeigned contritions of my soul That thou mayst dwell with me and I may be revived in the spirit whiles I am daily put to death in the flesh And do not contend for ever neither be thou alwaies wrath least my spirit should fail before thee and the soul which thou hast made for the iniquity of my conversation thou wast wrath and smotest me but for the abundance of thine own mercies heal me and restore comforts to me and to my mourners and give unto me true joy and peace in Jesus Christ our Lord Isaiah 57. 15 c. 51. O Lord I have been long cloathed with filthy garmens even by the corruptions and pollutions of the flesh And Satan is standing at my right hand ready to tempt me here and to accuse and torment me hereafter But O Lord I beseech thee to say unto Satan The Lord rebuke thee O Satan even the Lord that hath chosen his servant rebuke thee And take away the filthy garments from me and say unto me behold I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee and I will cloath thee with change of rayment even with the wedding-garment the righteousness of that immaculate Lamb the Lord Jesus Christ so shall I appear before thee with comfort stand before thee with confidence and remain before thee with joy for evermore Zach. 3. 52. O Lord thou hast left me a Promise of entering into thy Rest O let me not come short of it and not enter into it But since I have a great high-Priest that is passed into the heavens Jesus the Son of God an high-Priest touched with the feeling of my infirmities let me through him come boldly to the Throne of grace that I may obtain Mercy and find Grace to help in time of need Heb. 4. 53. O Lord my strength and my fortress and my refuge in the day of affliction I desire to come unto thee from the ends of the earth where I have inherited lyes and vanity and things wherein there is
thee yet again and thou shalt see greater Abominations then These Thou canst not turn to look upon or rather into thy self but thou wilt still find out some new Abominations and if thou find none it is because thou thy self art the Abomination of Desolation so Abominable as reserved to Destruction or because thou art all Abomination and therefore thinkest nothing Abominable as that Breath which is moâ—… corrupt and unsavory can least discern 〈◊〉 own corruption and Unsavoriness whiâ—… is therefore the greater because the leâ—… discerned But let us a little view this vâ—…sion more particularly and in it our owâ—… hearts we may here observe the wickednesâ—… of Israel both towards God and towardâ—… Mans towards God by Idolatry 1. Iâ—… worshipping of Baal here called thâ—… Image of Jealousie ver 3. 5. becausâ—… it made God jealous and we know Idolatry is forbidden with this reason Foâ—… the Lord thy God is a jealous Godâ—… 2. In offering Incense to creeping thingâ—… ver 10. 3. In weeping for Tammuzâ—… ver 14. 4. In worshipping the Sunâ—… ver 16. Towards men by cruelty ver 17. For they have filled the Land witâ—… violence And is not all this Idolatry the sin oâ—… thine own heart is not all this Cruelty the sin of thine own hand First for the Idolatry the sin that thou thinkest thy self least guilty of when Thou followest thine own Phansie in serving God Thou worshippiâ—… Baal Nomen Idoli quia illud colentium Dominus That 's now thine Idol nay indeed thy Lord and Master and hath gotten Dominion over thee nor is there any Image more dangerously worshipped then â—…hine own Imagination God is a jealous God in all Idolatry but in none so much as when thou makeft thy self thine own Idol Again when for vile and base respects or sordid advantages thou transgressest the Duties of Piety Justice or Charity Thou then offerest Incense to Creeping things â—…ay thy self art creeping on Earth when â—…hou shouldest be ascending into heaven 〈◊〉 When thou bemoanest thy temporall Losses with too much pensiveness of Thought as being much more grieved for the wasting of thy treasure then of thy conscience Thou then weepest for Tammuz for he was among the Aegyptians as Ceres among the Romans The God of the Harvest And lastly when thou dost basely temporize for thine own ends Having mens persons in admiration because of advantage Jude 16. Thou maist properly be said to Turn thy face towards the East and to worship the Rising Sun Thus will thine own heart if thou look into it accuse thee of Israels Idolatry and in the next place thou must hold up thy Guilty hand at the Bar and be arraigned for his cruelty For if Saint Augustines Rule be true Quâ—… non Pavisti occidisti whom thou hast 〈◊〉 fed thou hast starved whom thou haâ—… not filled with meat thou hast filleâ—… with violence whom thou hast not Relieved thou hast Destroyed we need nâ—… send thee among the outragious Plundereâ—… to take thy share in this accusation They have filled the land with Violence For iâ—… that thou hast not helped those who havâ—… been wronged thou hast helped to wronâ—… them in that thou hast not fed the hungry thou hast starved them in that thou 〈◊〉 not taken in the stranger into thine housâ—… thou hast thrust him out of his own 〈◊〉 that thou hast not cloathed the naked thoâ—… hast stripped him Thus shalt thou be aâ—… raigned and condemned at the last day noâ—… only for thy Commissions but also foâ—… thy Omissions Mat. 25. 41 42. But anâ—… if also for thine Omissions then certainly and much more for thy Commissions For making others hungry and thirsty anâ—… poor and sick and naked Thus if thou shaâ—… look impartially into thine own Bosom thou wilt there find this Vision thou wiâ—… there see all these wicked abominations bâ—… turn thee yet again and thou shalt see greateâ—… Abominations then these which are indeed the effects of these not only dismal repreâ—…tations of thine own sins but also a â—…e dismal representation of Gods judgeâ—…nt Thou hast been guilty of sins unâ—…rthy of a man and now thou must exâ—…ct to feel a judgement worthy of God â—…sd 12. 26. my Flesh trembleth for fear â—…hee and I am afraid of thy judgements 〈◊〉 119. 120. This is the very abominaâ—…n of desolation when a man finding â—…self under the terrors of Gods imparâ—…l and inevitable and insupportable justice â—…ks under the burden and hath so many â—…smal Fiends rather then thoughts for 〈◊〉 inmates of his despairing soul. This was â—…ins case which is therefore so expresly 〈◊〉 down that it may not be ours Gen. â—…13 And Cain said My punishment is â—…eater then I can bear or my iniquity is â—…eater then that it may be forgiven The â—…rds will admit both interpretations for â—…e same word signifies both Iniquity and â—…ishment and indeed it is iniquity alone â—…at makes the Punishment for were it â—…t for sin though we might be Afflicted â—…t we could not be Punnished and that â—…akes it intolerable For a wounded â—…irit who can bear Another may â—…ound my body but it is only my self that can wound my soul The sores of 〈◊〉 body may be very painfull but it is only sins the sores the wounds of my soulâ—… are intolerable A wounded spirit who bear Prov. 18. 14. O thou who 〈◊〉 wounded for our Transgressions and wâ—… blood is the only balm to heal the woâ—… of our Souls make us in Time to thirst 〈◊〉 gasp after thy blood that so we maâ—… recovered of all our wounds Give uâ—… hearty Sorrow for our sins but wiâ—… gives us thy immortal comforts in 〈◊〉 Sorrows Sorrow for sin is a Gâ—… Sorrow nay A Sorrow according to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 7. 10. 〈◊〉 Godly Sorrow because it begins from 〈◊〉 and ends in God and it is a sorrow 〈◊〉 cording to God having him not only foâ—… Efficient and final but also for its foâ—… cause A sorrow according to the exâ—…ple of the Son of God Mat. 26. My â—…ul is exceeding Sorrowfull even Death The soul of the God of Life was rowful unto the Death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my soul is encompassed round about with row whence so much Sorrow to him 〈◊〉 was the only Joy of heaven and earth 〈◊〉 proclaiming his indulgences on earth 〈◊〉 made an eternal Jubile in heaven â—…ence so much grief to him who is the â—…ight of men and Angels even from the â—…ath of God against sin though himself â—…d never sinned Because of this was he â—…rrowful and very heavy Was the burâ—… of my sins heavy upon my Saviours â—…l and shall it not much more be heaâ—… upon mine own Did he cry out for 〈◊〉 sins as if God had forsaken him and â—…all I still be silent and not fear that â—…od will indeed forsake me I Knowledge 〈◊〉 fault saith the true penitent â—…d my sin is ever before me Psal. 51. 3. 〈◊〉 if he had said my sins are
sure that it gives him Christ is my gain whether 〈◊〉 live or dye For whiles I live I live unto him the only Author Preserver and Redeemer of my life that when I shall dye I â—…ay die unto him the only Joy Comfort â—…nd Repairer of my Death that whether I â—…ve or dye I may still be his Thus did hoâ—…y Job comfort himself against the miseries â—…f his life and the terrors of his death â—…aying I know that my Redeemer liveth Job 19. 25. as if he had said I know that I â—…m as one forsaken and forlorn yet I â—…ave a Redeemer I know that I seem as â—…ne ready to be swallowed up by death yet he who swallowed death it self up in victory he liveth I know that my Redeemâ—…r liveth and hereupon do I ground my Faith my Comfort and my Assurance my Assurance is infallible undeniable for â—…t proceeds from knowledge I know I am as sure that my Redeemer liveth as that I shall die my faith is firm and immoveable for he is mine none shall ever separate me from him he is my Redeemer my comfort is heavenly and immortal answerable to those Divine fountains of Faith and hope from whence it floweth it is the comfort of eternal life for in that my Redeemer liveth I am most confident that in him and by him I shall also live for when Christ who is our life shall appear then shall we also appear with him in Glory Col. 3. 4. An assured hope a constant faith an immortal comfort these were Jobs only supports in his greatest afflictions and his were so great that we can scarce imagine but sure we cannot endure greater never was his body in worse case never was his soul in better Afflictions in the body then have the right end for which they are sent when they make our souls magnifie the Lord and our spirits rejoyce in God our Saviour The devil intended to have added to Jobs misery by increasing the Torments of his body but he did indeed add to his happiness by increasing the Devotion of his soul Mans extremity is Gods opportunity he then most helps us when we can least help our selves when I am weak then am I strong 2 Cor. 12. 10. and by the Rule of Proportion when weakest then strongest when weakest in my self then strongest in my Saviour yet dare I not venter to stay till the weakness of my body give strength unto my soul. For had not Job been a man perfect and upright in his health he would scarce have shewed so much perfection and uprightness in his sickness What then should be the work of my health but to prepare for sickness what should be work of my sickness but to prepare death Then shall I so live as prepared death then shall I so die as prepared Judgement then shall I so live and die prepared for Christ and his Kingdom Grace in this world of Glory in the â—…ld to come Let me snatch away this â—…ry from my adversary Kingâ—…odom â—…odom say I have made Abraham Rich. 〈◊〉 14. 23. Lest hell and the grave say I â—…e thrown this man upon his knees no â—…nk to him for his devotion it is bare â—…ed and necessity meer extremity and â—…r that makes him devout Happy is â—…t man whom this worlds Afflictions â—…ve driven neerer to his God but much â—…ppier is he that hath made this approach his maker by voluntarily Afflicting mself for seldom is there so much sinâ—…rity but never is there so much Glory that Repentance and Devotion which oceeds rather from compulsion then â—…om election rather from necessity then â—…om choice Let the mercies of God inâ—…te me to Repentance and amendment of â—…e in my health and let me not expect his â—…dgements in my sickness lest instead of â—…eing amended I be confounded For if be afflicted in the flesh and not comforted in the spirit then will death wâ—… was appointed to the end be but the ginning of my afflictions For what 〈◊〉 we say was Jobs body now becomâ—… most as loathsome as the Dunghil wâ—… he sate upon a fit embleme of Immoâ—…lity and yet whosoever shall look into own soul with an impartial eye will 〈◊〉 there much less hope and comfort of eâ—…nity then Job found in his body 〈◊〉 how then can he contentedly compose hâ—…self for Death I answer he must do as did cast but one eye down upon himselâ—… lift up the other to his Redeemer when looks down upon himself he finds notâ—… but worms to destroy his body v. 26. 〈◊〉 when he looks up to his Redeemâ—… then in my flesh saith he shall I see Gâ—… What a strange contrariety is here Woâ—… and Flesh Death and Life Destructâ—… and seeing God! The Worms are 〈◊〉 loathsome that turn to Flesh The Deatâ—… not terrible that ends in Life The Dâ—…struction is most welcome that ends in â—…ing God but yet still worms in theselves are worms death in it self is deathâ—… and destruction is destruction and worâ—… as worms are loathsome death as deatâ—… terrible destruction as destruction canâ—… welcome and the body is invaded by â—…ms captivated under death and deâ—…ction when the soul is separated from and therefore we cannot but look on 〈◊〉 as a violent separation which comâ—…s a Rape upon Nature and conseâ—…ntly must needs be an unwelcome â—…est such as we are unable to exclude yet much more unwilling to entertain â—…erefore the soul while it is in the state conjunction with the body though it now by reason of sin in a miserable state is that state natural and consequentâ—… desirable nor is it easie to define how it need be made miserable before it can made not desirable for we may easily â—…ern a very great desire of life in most 〈◊〉 because the greatest miseries are not â—…e of themselves fully to expel that desire â—…t the soul whiles it is in the state of sepaâ—…ion from the body is in a state altogether natural or rather contra-natural for â—…s as long as she continues so she hath 〈◊〉 the perfection of her own nature it beâ—… as natural for humane spirits to be with â—…ies as for Angelical spirits to be withâ—… them which Aquinas hath excelâ—…tly proved in this manner Ia. p. q. 89. â—…all Intellectual Substances the Intellective Virtue or Facultie is from tâ—… fluence of the Divine Light which 〈◊〉 the farther it is diffused from God more it is divided in it self and the nâ—… is divided the more it must needs â—…minished Hence it is that those Intelleâ—… Substances which are farthest from 〈◊〉 such as are Humane spirits having thâ—… share of the Divine light havâ—… so the weakest Intellectuals and â—…quently are not able to understand 〈◊〉 by such universal forms and represeâ—…ons by which the Angels are able tâ—…â—…derstand them Therefore it is neceâ—… that the Souls of men be united untâ—…â—…dies thereby to be made capable oâ—… universal forms and representations such as are imprinted in the Angels had God given unto men
please God sure do not please him and such as do not please God here cannot enjoy God hereafter such men need no enemy to destroy them they have already destroyed themselves they are buried alive they have changed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and made their body the sepuchre of their soul and therefore saith St. Chrysostome The Spirit of God calls them not Men but onely Flesh Gen. 6. 12. And God looked upon the earth and behold it was corrupt for all flesh haâ—… corrupted his way upon the earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He dotâ—… not now vouchsafe to call them men but onely flesh And doubtless whosoever hath most of the corruption hath most of the flesh and whosoever hath most oâ—… the flesh hath least of the man in him and he that is all flesh and no spirit is in trutâ—… all beast and no man which made oâ—… blessed Saviour in his Sermon concerning the necessity of Regeneration say untâ—… Nicodemus That which is born of the flesh is flesh John 3. 6. so flesh as it is nothing else the unregenerate is nothing but flesh so far from being spirituall that he makeâ—… his very soul carnall Tell me now whether it be possible for any other to be so fatallâ—… mine enemy as is mine owne flesh For other enemies can only hurt my body but my flesh can and doth also hurt my soul making it the soul of a beast rather then of a man And the breath of such a soul is Articulated into a voyce saying Take thine ease eat drink and be merry Luk. 12. 19. If thou hadst the soul of a Hog 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Saint Basil what else couldest thou say unto it And as the flesh makes a man here fit company for beasts so it will make him hereafter sit company for Devils of which the Apostle hath accordingly forewarned us Rom. 8. 13. For if ye live after the flesh ye shall die ye shall die whiles you live and much more when you are dead you shall now die spiritually but you shall then die eternally The want on widow is dead while she liveth 1 Tim. 5. 6. And much more so is the wanton soul Nay twice dead saith Jude ver 12. Feeding themselves without fear twice dead Feeding themselves after the manner of swine without fear not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Greek Criticks distinguish and fed as swine onely to the slaughter fed not for life but for death Dâ—…plicem hic mortem notari unam in qua nati sint alteram in quam sua defectione inciderint saith Beza Here is mention made of a two-fold death One in which their corrupt nature had plunged them Another in which by a corrupt life they had plunged themselves Carnal men that live after the flesh are twice dead whiles they live and yet after they are dead cometh infinitely a worfer death what a mercy then is it of God to send us sickness to weaken the flesh which is an enemy that cannot be conquered till it be weakened weakened in its affections in its infections in its defections The affections of the flesh are as the sons of Zervia to David too hard for us 2 Sam. 3. 39. Though we be anointed as he was and have received the holy Unction yet they will commit their outrages and it will be a long time before we shall get so much mastery as to slay but onely one of them at the Horns of the Altar The infections of the flesh are to us as the Leprous men were to the Samaritans so exceeding dangerous that we have little reason to endure their company 2 Reg. 7. 3. Onely we cannot do as the Samaritans did shut them out of our Gates they will come in whether we will or no and will bring their leprosie along with them Lastly the defections of the flesh are to us as fatall and deadly as the defection of Abner was to â—…osheth 2 Sam. 3. 10. which translated â—…e Kingdom away from him onely we â—…ve a greater loss by these defections â—…en he had for we lose the Kingdom of â—…eaven The affections of the flesh are â—…isterous the infections of the flesh are â—…ngerous the defections of the flesh are â—…eadly O then for the blessing of a sickâ—…ess to shelter my soul from this storm to â—…eliver my soul from this danger to recoâ—…er my soul from this death SECT III. The third Comfort of the soul in sickness is that it wasts the flesh THe more the body is pampered the more the soul is starved therefore â—…ith St. Paul Flesh and blood cannot inherit â—…e Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 15. 50. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ith Epiphanius Haer. 42. He speaks not â—…is of the flesh but of wâ—…cked men in the â—…esh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saitâ—…â—…he same Author in another place Haer. 66. â—…e speaks of the works of the flesh And yet is he not fully satisfied but gives moreover a third exposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he speaks not of 〈◊〉 slesh which is sanctified and labouâ—… please God but of that flesh which is 〈◊〉 in sin and seeks onely to please it sâ—… Let me not then complain of the wastiâ—… of my flesh since that so much tends the advantage and improvement of 〈◊〉 spirit For I must decay in my naturâ—… that I may increase in my spiritual strengâ—… be an imperfect man in my self that may be a perfect man in Christ Jesus Ephes. 4. 13. The fulness of Christ caâ—… not well be in me without mine own emâ—…tiness For as in Philosophy there is 〈◊〉 penetration of bodies so in Divinity theâ—… is no penetration of souls If I will haâ—… my Saviour be in me then I must not 〈◊〉 in my self for he hath said If any man wâ—… come after me let him deny himself that is his body and his spirit saith Hugo Corpâ—… in divitiis deliciis Spiritum in intellectâ—… affectu Let him deny his body in noâ—… regarding riches nor delights Let hiâ—… deny his spirit in not trusting to his owâ—… judgement in not following his own affections Let him thus deny himself both in â—…ody and in spirit that he may be fit for my Cross and that my Cross may fit him â—…or me And who will not upon this consideration say with holy Ignatius Epist. ad Rom. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let me be meat for wild beasts so God be a portion for me Let the beasts devour me so my God receive me Let my foul disease destroy my body so as my God receive my soul I will make no provision for my flesh and take no care of it if so be by putting that off I may put on the Lord Jesus Christ the unruliness of the flesh rejects him as a Lord to Govern The uncleanness of the flesh hinders him as a Jesus to save for he is of purer eyes then to behold iniquity Hab. 1. 13. And therefore of purer hands
mortis in cujus anima omnes vires ac Potentiae fuerunt per speciale miraculum conservatae saith Gabriel in 3. sent Dist. 15. Christ alone did feel all the sharpness and tast all the bitterness of Death in whose soul alone all powers and faculties were preserved in their full vigour and sense by special miracle But we will not argue the case whether the pains of death be most felt in the sensitive or intellective parts of the soul and whether they that have the strongest senses have alwayes the strongest pains For sure we are what are the pains of death none do know but those that cannot come to tell us yet we have reason to believe that they are so violent as to be able to shake the tallest Cedar of Libanus much more the shrubs of Carkemish To terrifie men of undaunted resolutions much more such as have too much guilt to have too little fears or else the Church would never have taught us to pray O Holy and mercifull Saviour thou most worthy Judge eternal suffer us not at our last hour for any pains of Death to fall from thee Thou art our Saviour we cannot fall from thee but we must fall from our salvation and the pains of Death will make us fall from thee unless thou shew thy self our merciful Saviour to sustain us in the hour of Death as thou hast sustained us all our life And why didst thou taste the vinegar at thy death and not till then give up the ghost John 19. 30. but to teach me to pray O my God let me not taste the vinegar when I am to give up the ghost since thou thy self hast tasted it for me so saith thy Apostle Heb. 2. 14 15. For he also himself took part of the same flesh and blood that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil and deliver them who through fear of Death were all their life time subject to bondage We see here a two-fold effect of Christs death The one was to conquer the Devil that had the power of Death The other was to deliver us that were under the fear of Death and fled to him for deliverance The Devil had the power of Death till he was conquered and he was not conquered till the death of Christ till then he kept the keys of Hell and of death but then Christ took them away from him and doth ever since keep them Apoc. 1. 18. I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore Amen and have the keys of Hell and of Death Then let me not fear to pass through the gates of Death whiles my Saviour keeps the keys of it to open the Grave Let me not fear to pass by the gates of Hell whiles my Saviour keeps the keys of it to shut the Gates Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear none evil for thou art with me Psal. 23. 4. Thou art with me to uphold me in that walk that I fail not to direct me in that valley that I stray not To enlighten me in that shadow that I stumble not Christs guidance cannot but afford a very safe conduct which is not unfitly expressed by these four words Educit Deducit Adducit Introducit He brings out He brings on He brings to He brings in First Educit he brings the soul out to wit out of the Body for it may not go till he call and then it must O my soul never be affraid to go from thy body when thy Saviour calls thee to go along with him Secondly Deducit He brings the soul on to wit on the way to Heaven And himself saith Justin Martyr in Tryphon did pray to his Father to guide his soul at his death that we might know how to pray to him to guide our souls Psal. 22. 20 21. Deliver my soul from the sword my Darling from the power of the Dog save me from the Lions mouth He thus prayed on the Cross immediatly before his death for it is the Tradition of the Church That Christ said all the 22 Psalm upon the Cross though the Evangelists mention only the first words of it to teach us to pray when we die That God who alone can would deliver our souls from the Dog and from the Lion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That he would turn away the evil Angel who is compared to a Dog for his impudency to a Lion for his violence least he should catch our souls at their going out of our bodies We know the Devil is called the Prince of the Air and we may be sure he would not let any mans soul pass from earth to Heaven were not he ready to convey it thither to whom is given all power in Heaven and in Earth and over Hell Thirdly Adducit He brings the soul to that is to God Man when he dies his body returns to the dust but his spirit returns to God that gave it All spirits return to God at the hour of death either as to a Father or as to a Judge and Christ brings them all to him The spirits of wicked men as to a Judge for punishment The spirits of good men as to a Father for mercy Whence that admirable prayer of our Church for the sick That whensoever his soul shall depart from the body it may be without spot presented unto thee through Jesus Christ our Lord Christ presents all souls unto God but the souls of the impenitent and unbelievers in the spots they have contracted by their sins The souls of those who by Faith and Repentance have laid hold on his Righteousness he presents without spot Those souls that are in their sins shall be rejected those souls that are in their Saviour shall be received There is no man at that day but will be speechless who hath not the Eternal Word to answer for him Fourthly and lastly Introducit he brings the soul in that is into the state of Eternal blessedness to see and enjoy him who is the blessed and only Potentate the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who only hath immortality dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto unless Christ bring him in whom no man hath seen or can see to whom be honour and power everlasting Amen 1 Tim. 6. 15 16. No man hath seen him or can see him in this corruptible body but the Saints now do see him in their incorruptible souls and do ascribe unto him his honour and power everlasting Accordingly the Angelical Doctor makes it his business to confute those who said that the souls of the Saints separated from their bodies do not come to their bliss till the day of judgement quod quidem apparet esse falsum autoritate ratione which saith he is apparently false as we can prove both by authority and by reason and all the world is not able to afford better proofs or gain-say them 1. By
for he tasted it at his own pleasure Death feeds on us for we must tast it against our wills and not only tast it but also eat it down Corruption first seized upon our souls and from thence passed to our bodies It was to our greatest disadvantage that it seized upon our souls But it is to our greatest advantage that it seizeth upon our bodies For unless they should be quite destroyed sin which first caused mortality would in the corrupt remainders and Reliques of our bodies it self have a kind of immortality whereas Righteousness alone is and ought to be immortal And therefore it is very probable that those who shall be found alive at the last day of whom the Apostle hath said We shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed 1 Cor. 15. 51. shall have a change not only Equivalent to a Death but also to a Total Destruction For sin must totally be destroyed And therefore also our bodies that have lodged it and have been defiled by it That there may not be left the least monument of sin in the New World wherein shall dwell nothing but Righteousness 2 Pet. 3. 13. And now me thinks I can find a Paradise in Golgotha ever since my Saviour hath been there and bid hearty welcom to those worms which shall destroy that flesh which would have destroyed me For I can now safely conclude that neither in regard of my soul nor of my body ought I to fear Death which certainly is not so formidable in it self as it is generally in the worlds opinion For if the Rule be true Nomen quasi Novimen The name of every thing is that whereby it is best known and discerned then by the name of death we may best know and discern the nature of it And these are the chief Names whereby the Scripture expresseth it A Sleep A Change A Departure A Dissolution and none of all these Names is terrible and why then should the thing it self be so But if there be any terrour in the thing yet we are sure that in the Text there is a comfort greater then the terrour First Death is called a Sleep Mat. 9. 24. The maid is not dead but sleepeth And though wicked miscreants who believed not the Resurrection laughed at our blessed Saviour for calling death A sleep yet let all good Christians rejoyce that it is so and give him thanks for making it so It is a comfortable Gloss which the third Toletan Council cap. 22. gives upon those words of John 11. 35. Jesus wept For they say Dominus non flevit Lazarum sed ad vitae hujus ploravit Aerumnas resuscitandum Jesus did not weep that Lazarus slept but that he was again to be awakened to see the miseries and feel the mischiefs of this wicked world T was said before verse 11. Our friend Lazarus sleepeth And he that said it having made his death a sleep was troubled that he should awaken him so soon from his sleep In vita vigilant Justi ideo in morte dicuntur Dormire saith St. Augustine The good man when he dieth is said to sleep because he watcheth and waketh all his life but a wicked man sleeps all his life and awakens only at his death Soul take thy rest saith the rich worldling He lulls his soul asleep but what follows Thou fool this night is thy soul taken from thee Thy sleep shall soon be over together with thy life and Vengeance and Death they shall awaken thee For hast thou slept all thy life and wouldest thou also sleep at thy death Hast thou slept all the while thou wert here and wouldest thou also sleep now thou art going hence Hast thou slept when God bad thee awake and wouldest thou also sleep now that he bids thee die No Thou mayest not any longer expect rest ease and tranquillity For thou shalt certainly have disconsolation at thy departure grief in thy passage and shame at thy journeys end when thou shalt appear before Gods Judgement-seat and shalt not be able to give any account at all of thy life no more then the Souldiers could of Christ Mat. 28. for thou wert asleep Thy Death would have been a sleep if thy life had not been so Secondly Death is called A Change Job 14. 14. All the dayes of my appointiâ—… time will I wait till my Change come Thâ—… Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I wiâ—… wait till I be made again If death be thy making Tell me what can be thy marring A happy change doubtless which is nothing but a new making of that which is quite out of Order And thus saith St. Chrysostome did Symmachus expound thâ—… words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my holy Nativity or my holy Naturâ—… come The nature which I now have iâ—… full of corruption full of unholiness so that my own flesh is not so neer me as iâ—… my sinfulness O for a regeneration of my body as well as of my soul that I may be born again in my flesh as I am in my spirit Nor is there any thing that can morâ—… truly sweeten the thought of death theâ—… this consideration that it is a change For we are already in so bad a condition that we cannot well fear our Change should be for the worse And if we be truly sensible of our own condition it is most sure thaâ—… our change will be infinitely for the better For so saith the Apostle Phil. 3. 20â—… 21. For our conversation is in Heaven froâ—… whence we also look for the Saviour thâ—… Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body as if he had said we find nothing on Earth worth conversing withall therefore our conversation is in Heaven we know that our body is now vile and loathsom and therefore we look for the Lord Jesus Christ to Change and Fashion it like unto his Glorious Body Here are two great changes which the men of this world that are most given to change least care for A change of the soul from being on Earth to be in Heaven for our conversation is in Heaven A change of the body from Vileness to Glory who shall change our vile body that it may be like his glorious body Thirdly Death is called A Departure and so doth Abenezra expound the forenamed word in Job 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chaliphathi my change that is saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Halicathi my departure For the Jews express mans Birth as a Coming and his Death as a Going So Eccles. 1. 4. One generation goeth or Passeth away and another cometh Generatio vadens and Generatio Veniens The first is put for the Dying the latter for the living Generation of mankind And the first Council of Nice can 13. speaking of Dying men useth a word that only signifieth going forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De iis qâ—… exeunt And again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If any man be ready to Depart
all those present miseries of my life which thou hast already sanctified in that thou hast born them and all those possible horrours of my death which thou hast already conquered in that they durst assail thee to bear them That I who of my self am in death even in the midst of life may through thee my blessed Saviour find life in the midst of death and glory after it to glorifie thee who art the Lord of death and the Giver of life Amen 23. O holy Jesus thou only Redeemer of souls who by ' thy death hast overcome death and opened unto us the gate of everlasting life I most humbly beseech thee that as by thy special grace preventing me thou dost put into my mind good desires of departing hence and of being with thee so by thy continual help I may bring the same to good effect and at last joyfully depart in thy peace for that mine eyes have seen thy salvation my heart hath believed it and my soul goeth hence to enjoy it and with it thee my blessed Redeemer who with the eternal Spirit art most high in the glory of the Father one God everlasting Amen 24. O thou who layedst down thy life for my Redemption make me ready to lay down my life at thy command Teach me more and more to despise the Treasures and the Pleasures of this world which have in them a double vanity that they are transitory that they are not satisfactory As they cannot give me true content whiles I possess them because they are not satisfactory so let them not create in me any discontent when I must have them because they are but transitory O make me lay up for my self a stock of Treasure and of Pleasure in heaven by 〈◊〉 true and lively faith working zealously â—…or thee relying wholly on thee and â—…onging earnestly after thee for ever 25. Lord where is my Treasure but only in him that bought me who is my everlasting Portion that only God could give me and men cannot take from me And where should my heart be but where my Treasure is even in heaven and heavenly things I will therefore from henceforth live by the faith of the Son of God who died for me and gave himself for me And living by that faith though I may dwell on earth yet I shall live in heaven nay in the uppermost part of heaven even at the right hand of God there will I live alwaies with thee O my blessed Redeemer adoring thy Excellency reverencing thy Majesty loving thine Authority enamoured with thy Perfections and joyfully depending on thy Mercy That though my continuance be still with men yet my conversation may be with thee my God and Saviour by love earnestly longing for thee by hope wholly trusting on thee by desires stedfastly cleaving to thee and by delight alwaies rejoycing in thee So shall my soul when it departs out of this earthly Tabernacle be received into thine everlasting habitations there to bless and enjoy thee who with the Father and the Holy-Ghost livest and reignest one God world without end Amen 26. O Lord who hast called to thee all those that travel and are heavy laden and hast promised to give them rest have mercy upon me thy distressed servant who now am in a restless condition what ease and repose thou denyest unto my body I beseech thee give unto my soul that though my flesh doth not enjoy the sweet and comfortable rest of sleep yet my spirit may enjoy that everlasting rest and repose which is alwaies to be found in thee O grant that a promise being left me of entering into thy rest I may not come short of it through my unbelief but that by going out of my self and living in thee I may forthwith enter into that internal rest which is to be enjoyed here in the presence of thy grace and may continue and abide therein till I shall come to that eternal rest which is not to be expected till hereafter nor to be enjoyed but only in the presence of thy glory 27. O Lord God the God of my salvation teach me to cry day and night before thee that so thou mayest still save me and let my prayer enter in whither I am not worthy to enter even into thy presence Incline thine ear unto my calling since thou hast inclined my heart to call upon thee for my soul is full of trouble and my life draweth nigh unto hell But draw thou nigh unto my soul I shall be delivered from all my troubles and though thou hast put my lovers my friends away from me and hid mine acquaintance out of my sight yet let me ever see the light of thy countenance and I shall not be troubled for not seeing them and make me rejoyce in thine everlasting love and I shall find no want of my other friends lovers 28. O Lord I cannot deny but that having been at enmity with thee I deserve to be cloathed with shame and covered with mine own confusion as with a Cloak But O cloath me with thy Sons righteousness and therewith cover my shame and my confusion I am unworthy in my self to pray for mercy for Judas-like I have betrayed my Saviour O make me worthy in his blood not only to pray for it but also to obtain it 29. O Lord my foot hath often slipped but thy mercy hath hitherto held me up that I have not fallen into the pit of destruction Let thy Mercy O Lord still hold me up and in the multitude of sorrows that I have or shall have in my heart by reason of my sins let thy comforts evermore refresh my soul For thou makest me find trouble and heaviness that I may call upon thy Name and I do call upon thy Name that thou mayest deliver my soul O Lord I beseech thee deliver my soul from death mine eyes from tears and my feet from falling that I may walk before thee in the Land of the living That I may walk carefully and conscionably before thee because thou seest all things That I may walk reverently before thee because thou rulest all things That I may walk thankfully before thee because thou givest all things That I may walk comfortably before thee because thou savest all things and wilt in mercy save me O let me so walk before thee here in this world as one that hath a hope to live with thee hereafter in the world to come Let my soul awake from the sleep of sin to give glory to thee because I trust that when I shall awake from the sleep of death I shall receive glory from thee 30. O thou worthy Judge-Eternal I tremble at the very thought of thy Judgement and how then shall I tremble at the sight of my Judge For mine own mouth doth most grievously accuse me and mine own heart doth most impartially condemn me and mine own conscience cannot but set its seal to the justness of my condemnation But I believe that thou
no profit but I beseech thee cause me to know thy hand and thy might and take not away thy peace from me even loving-kindness and Mercies Jer. 16. v. 19 21 5. 54. O Lord the Hope of Israel let no distress whatsoever make me forsake that blessed Hope which thou hast given me for all that forsake thee shall be ashamed and they that depart from thee shall be written in the earth because they have forsaken the Lord the Fountain of living waters O Lord I have often forsaken thee by my sins yet let me not be ashamed because I return again to thee by my Repentance O Lord I have often departed from thee by my transgressions yet let me not be written in the earth because I now at last thirst for thee the Fountain of living waters Heal me O Lord and I shall be healed save me and I shall be saved so shalt thou be my praise now and for evermore Jer. 17. 13 14. 55. O Lord my soul is heavy and my body is sick unto the death But do thou bring me health and cure and reveal unto me abundance of peace and truth cleanse me from all mine iniquities whereby I have sinned against thee cause my captivity to return and have mercy upon me according to thine infinite mercies in Jesus Christ Jer. 33. 6 8 26. 56. O Lord thou hast added grief to my sorrow for I have fainted in my sighing and I find no rest yet dost thou forbid me to add sorrow to my own grief and to say wo is me now because that which thou hast built thou hast broken down and that which thou hadst planted thou hast plucked up even this whole Land Therefore thou forbiddest me to seek great things for my self for behold thou hast brought evil upon all flesh and how shouldst thou not bring evil upon my flesh which is the most sinful of all O then suffer me not to be a seeker of mine own discontents rather then of thy redresses whiles I look after great and good things in such miserable and wretched times but make me thankful that thou hast hitherto given me my life as a prey unto me in all places whether I have gone that remembering what thou hast given me I may not repine for what others have taken from me assuring my self that there is yet another life to come which thou wilt give me not as a prey that I should fear losing it but as an inheritance that I should long to possess it in thee and with thee for ever Amen Jer. 45. 3 4 5. 57. O Lord bring my soul out of this prison of the flesh and the shackles of sin and misery that I may wholly and entirely give thanks unto thy holy Name for all thy Mercy and great Deliverances and most especially for this the greatest of all That thou wilt deliver me from my self from the burden of mine own flesh from the bondage of mine own corruption from the thraledom of mine own body And wilt set me at liberty that I may do nothing else but serve thee whose service is perfect freedom and whose wages are life and light and joy in beholding thy presence for evermore for I earnestly desire only those Mercies wherein thou dost infinitely delight who lovest to shew Mercy to penitent sinners in the Son of thy love our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 58. O Lord pour not out thine indignation upon me blow not against me in the fire of thy wrath but deliver me from this brutish and burning disease or if thou wilt in thy Justice make my body as fewel for the fire yet in mercy deliver my soul from the everlasting burnings Ezek. 23. 31 32. 59. Grant Lord that I being risen with Christ may seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God that I may henceforth set mine affection on things above not on things in earth alwaies remembering that I am dead and my life is hid with Christ in God and alwaies rejoycing that when Christ who is my life shall appear then shall I also appear with him in glory Col. 3. 1 2 3 4. 60. Lord make my tongue sing of thy praises whiles I have breath and when I shall be breathless make my heart bear two parts to fill up that blessed Harmony that my soul may praise thee whiles it is in the state of union with my natural body and much more when it shall be in the state of separation from it and shall be joyned in consort with the holy Angels and with the beatified spirits And most of all when it shall be in the state of re-union again with that same body being made spiritual That I being at last all spirit both in soul and body neither my heart may be wearied in thinking nor my tongue in speaking thy praises to all eternity Amen 61. I will thank thee O Lord my God with all my heart and I will praise thy Name for evermore for great is thy Mercy towards me and thou hast delivered my soul from the neathermost hell and wilt receive my soul into the highest heavens there to give thee thanks and praises for evermore 62. All the daies of my appointed time will I wait till my change come Job 14. 14. Lord grant I may so wait that I may receive my wages and that my change may come seasonably speedily and happily A seasonable change not to find me unprepared for it A speedy change to deliver me from the pains of sickness and from the pangs of death And a happy change to let me in to the fruition of thy glory and eternal life Amen 63. By thine unknown sufferings O my blessed Redeemer intercede for me in all my pains and sufferings that I may find Mercy and obtain Relief And make me alwaies remember and confess that my sins are far above my sufferings so shall I suffer patiently and that thy Mercy is far above my sins so shall I suffer comfortably and hope for a joyful end of all my sufferings 64. Lord grant that my conversation may from henceforth be in heaven that my soul may be prepared to go thither and know how to busie it self there that I may with joy look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ from thence who shall change my vile body that it may be like his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself Phil. 3. 2. O Lord work that blessed change in my soul to subdue all its carnal affections by a heavenly conversation before thou workest that miserable change in my body to subdue its natural constitution by an unnatural destruction And according to that mighty working whereby thou art able even to subdue all things unto thy self in the first place subdue all my sinfulness 65. Lord speak the word only and thy servant shall be whole speak the word of comfort in my distress and the greatest comfort in my greatest
distress say effatha to my heart that it may be opened to receive thee say effatha to the heavens that they may be opened to receive my soul yea say unto my soul thou art my salvation for thou only who art All-sufficient canst speak unto my soul and thou only who art All-merciful wilt speak comfort to it And though for my sins thou art justly displeased yet for thine own Mercies thou wilt not long continue in that displeasure for thou hast proclaimed thy self to be the Lord The Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth keeping Mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin Lord say unto me thy unworthy servant that my sins are forgiven me and that I may go hence in peace for my faith hath saved me even that faith whereby I wholly trust in the Merits and Mercies of thy eternal Son Jesus Christ. 66. Hear my prayer O Lord and consider my desire hearken unto me for thy truth and righteousness sake and enter not into Judgement with thy servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified And let not mine enemy persecute my soul and if it be thy will let not my disease smite my life down to the ground nor lay me in the darkness as men that have been long dead But if it be thy pleasure to torment and to destroy my body yet let not my spirit be vexed within me nor my heart within me be desolate But make me so remember the time and thy works past that I may be comforted in the time and thy works to come that stretching forth my hands and lifting up my heart unto thee I may lay hold on thee by a lively Faith Hope and Love and at last come to enjoy thee by a blessed vision comprehension and fruition And my soul gasping â—…nto thee as a thirsty Land may be satisfied with the dew of thy heavenly blessings for evermore 67. O Lord remember that I am the work of thy hands the image of thy counteâ—…ance the price of thy blood And have mercy on me as thy work as thy image and as thy purchase for the paternal bowels of God the Father that created me for the bleeding wounds of God the Son that redeemed me and for the unutterâ—…ble groans of God the Holy-Ghost that sanctifieth me O Lord hear O Lord forgive O Lord strengthen me in my sickness receive me at my death and acquit me in the Judgement Amen 68. Hear me O Lord and that soon for my spirit waxeth faint hide not thy face from me lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit O let me hear thy loving-kindness late in the evening of this life and betimes in the morning of Eternity for in thee is my trust shew thou me the way that leadeth in the truth and unto the life for I lift up my soul unto thee Deliver me O Lord from mine enemies both corporal and spiritual for I flie unto thee to hide me Let thy loving Spirit lead me forth out of this Land of unrighteousness and lead me into the Land of righteousness Quicken me O Lord for thy Name sake and then most when I shall be nearest death and for thy righteousness sake bring my soul out of all her troubles that I may give thanks unto thee with those blessed spirits which lived here in thy fear departed hence in thy favour and now are with thee in eternal joy and glory Psal. 143. v. 7 c. 69. Deal thou so with me O Lord God according to thy Name that in the greatest bitterness of my soul I may both see and confess that sweet is thy Mercy O deliver me for I am helpless and poor and my body is tormented without me and my heart is wounded within me Psal. 109. ver 22 23. but be thou ease to my body and joy to my heart in Jesus Christ. 70. O Lord I confess to thy glory and minâ—… own shame that when I call to mind the â—…oulness of mine own transgressions I am â—…shamed when I call to mind the exactâ—…ess and severity of thy Justice I am afraid â—…o lift up mine eyes to heaven or to look â—…owards the place where thine honour â—…welleth But O look thou down upon â—…e with the eye of pity and compassion â—…ho am altogether unworthy to look up â—…nto thee with the eye of hope and confiâ—…ence and relieve me in my sickness and â—…eceive me at my death for thine infinite mercies in Jesus Christ. 71. I will alway give thanks unto the Lord â—…is praise shall ever be in my mouth yea my soul shall make her boast of the Lord â—…or I sought him and he heard me yea â—…e delivered me out of all my fear I had 〈◊〉 eye unto him and I was enlightened I â—…ave tasted and seen how gracious the â—…ord is blessed be my soul for trusting 〈◊〉 him and blessed be his grace for working 〈◊〉 my soul that trust to rely and depend â—…pon his Mercy for evermore Psal. â—…34 72. Lord touch my tongue with a coal from â—…hine Altar to take away the pollution of my lips and touch my heart with the immortal flames of thy love to take away the deadness and dulness of my thoughts that both tongue and heart being purged from the filthy dregs of flesh and sin I may in my greatest infirmities labour to praise thee according to the greatness of thy glories And because I cannot sufficiently praise thee whiles I am in this corrupted and corruptible body take my soul in thy due time away from hence that I may in thy heavenly Jerusalem sing unto thee acceptable and immortal praises for ever and ever Amen 73. Righteousness and equity O Lord are the habitation of thy seat O let righteousness and equity be fixed in my heart that thou mayest therein fix thy habitation Mercy and Truth shall go before thy face O let Mercy and Truth be alwaies in my soul Mercy to forgive Truth to be for given that when my soul shall go out of my body it may joyfully go before thy face and rejoyce in thy presence for ever more for blessed are the people O Lord that can rejoyce in thee they shall walk in the light of thy countenance Lord thou hast given me the first part of this blessing to rejoyce in thee here on earth O give me also the second part of it that when I shall go hence I may walk in the light of thy countenance hereafter in heaven Amen 74. Who am I O Lord God and what is this my house of clay that thou hast brought me hitherto And this was yet a small thing in thy sight O Lord God but thou hast spoken also of thy servant for a great while to come even for the daies of Eternity that thou wilt at last bring me to thy self For thy words sake and according to thine own heart hast thou done all these great things to make thy servant know them and
or infidelity or any other grievous sin but may be able to stand stedfastly through thy supporting and to walk on constantly in the way of Piety and of Patience till by thy good guiding and conducting I may at last come to the life everlasting As thou still holdest open the eyes of my weak body to behold the light of nature so be pleased daily more and more to open the eyes of my sinful soul to behold the light of grace till thou bring me to enjoy the light of glory there to glorifie and praise thee for ever Amen The sick mans Collect for Peace O God which art the Author of our peace for thine own Mercies sake but the Author of our troubles only for our sins Give unto me thy unworthy servant that peace which this wicked world cannot give and which this tumultuous and troublesom world cannot take away and defend me in all the assaults of my afflictions both corporal and spiritual that I surely trusting in thy defence and wholly submitting to thy providence may not fear the power of any adversity whatsoever through the might and for the mediation of Jesus Christ our Lord Amen The sick mans Collect for Grace O Lord our heavenly Father Almighty and everlasting God which hast safely brought me through many dangers and troubles and diseases to the beginning of this dangerous and desperate sickness defend me in the whole continuance of the same with thy mighty power and grant that herein I may fall into no sin neither run into any kind of danger whereby I may become either impenitently sinful or uncomfortably miserable But that all my doings and all my sufferings being ordered by thy Governance I may alwaies do that which is righteous in thy sight and suffer that which may be profitable for mine own salvtion through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen The sick mans Letany O God the Father of heaven and of all Mercies have Mercy upon me a miserable sinner And grant that in the greatest extremities and anguishes of my body I may find the greatest comforts and refreshments of my soul Grant that when I am most tormented in my flesh I may be most relieved in my spirit That though my loins are filled with a sore disease and there is no whole part in my body yet my soul may magnifie the Lord and my spirit may rejoyce in God my Saviour for he hath regarded my low and miserable estate and he will relieve it O God the Son Redeemer of the world and of my sin-sick and sinful soul have Mercy upon me a miserable sinner and take away all my sins that thou mayest take away all my miseries As thou hast made me a happy Believer so also make me a joyful partaker of thy Redemption and then most especially when I shall most feel my self as it were swallowed up of grief and destruction through the pains and torments of my increasing sickness or the pangs and horrours of my approaching death Be thou my comfort in distress my strength in weakness my health in sickness my joy in sadness Be thou my life whiles I am living and my Resurrection from the dead that though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I may fear no evil for thou art with me to conduct me through the dangerous downfalls of that valley to direct me through the dismal darknesses of that shadow and to sustain me in the dreadful dissolution of that death O thou who now sittest on the right hand of God making intercession for me reject me not when I am making intercession for my self for through thy death I hope for life through thy life I hope for glory through thy glory I hope for eternal glory And in that hope do I now commend my spirit into thy hands for thou hast redeemed me O God thou God of truth And thou wilt save me O God thou God of Mercy because I have believed thy truth and do rely upon thy Mercy Therefore do I wholly resign my self body and soul unto thee submitting them both to thy good will and pleasure either for life or death beseeching thee to Receive my soul and to Restore my body and to grant that I may be able to stand upright in the dreadful Judgement being supported by the arm of thy All-sufficient Merits and All-saving Mercies to bless and praise thee O my blessed Redeemer world without end O God the Holy-Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son have Mercy upon me a miserable sinner and give unto mean assurance of thy Mercy that thou mayest give unto me an abatement of my misery O thou which art the Comforter of thine Elect give unto me daily more and more the heavenly comforts of mine Election and in the greatest agonies and distresses of my body transfix my soul with the most joyful apprehensions and the most firm perswasions of thine everlasting Love and undeserved Mercies towards me in Jesus Christ That neither the apprehensions of a sad and miserable life nor the fears and terrours of an uncomfortable death may ever be able to affright my soul nor to disturb that sweet peace resâ—… and repose which my spirit now hath and desireth to have in thee the God of spirits who givest unto those souls that are oâ—… thy Communion the antepast of eternity the blessed anticipation of immortal joy 〈◊〉 O my God my Stay my Comforter unto thee do I flie for the comforts of immortality Like as the Hart panteth after the water-brooks so panteth my soul after thee O God My soul thirsteth for God even for the living God when shall 〈◊〉 come to appear before God when shall I drink my fill of the waters of life to quench my thirst O let my tears no longer be my meat day and night whiles mine own troubled thoughts say unto my soul Where is now thy God for surely my God is in heaven whatsoever pleaseth him that doth he in heaven and in earth 〈◊〉 and though for a while in the evening of this life I have sadness upon earth yet in the morning of eternity I shall for eveâ—… have joy in heaven Amen O Holy Blessed and Glorious Trinity three persons and one God have Mercy upon me a most miserable and wretched sinner and therefore most miserable and wretched because a sinner because I have sinned against heaven and against thee the God of heaven But since thou hast given me grace through the confession of a true faith to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity and in the power of the Divine Majesty to worship the Unity I beseech thee that through the stedfastness of this faith I may be absolved from all my sins and also be defended from all adversity which livest and reignest one God world without end Amen Remember not Lord mine offences nor the offences of my fore-fathers neither take thou vengeance of my sins spare me good Lord spare me thy most afflicted but most unworthy servant whom thou hast
For being a Penitent sinner that is one of those sinners that Christ came to save as I have been chief in the sin so I shall be chief in the salvation The more I have seen mine own sins the more I shall see the salvation of my God It is a most comfortable observation of Divines That our Saviour Christ is now here in all the Bible called invisible And therefore that Doxologie in 1 Tim. 1. 17. Now unto the King Eternal Immortal Invisible the only wise God be honour and glory for ever and ever Amen is to be expounded of God the Father because the Word invisible is in it and our Saviour Christ is now here in all the Bible called invisible And truly blessed be his mercy I have hitherto found it so for when I have most seen my sins to trouble me I have most seen his salvation to relieve me And sure I am that though my sins should be never so visible at the last day yet they shall not be half so visible as my Saviour For I shall then certainly with Saint Stephen see Jesus standing on the right hand of God Acts 7. 55. I shall see him standing up as ready to give sentence but surely that sentence will be for me not against me For he is not willing to give sentence against me but sure he cannot give sentence against himself that is against his Word For a sentence against his Word is against himself His Word therefore being the truth because it is his Word who is the truth Therefore the sentence that shall be given at the last day can be no other then what is given already in Gods Word and in mine own conscience His Word hath pronounced a merciful sentence and I must never leave Rectifying my conscience till that pronounce sentence according to his Word SECT VI. Comforts against the last Judgement from the sentence that shall be pronounced A Sentence that is resolved on before the hearing of the cause though not pronounced till after it must needs be the sentence of an unrighteous Judge and is most like to be the sentence of an unrighteons Judgement But shall not the Judge of all the earth do right Gen. 18. 25. And how then can we now have comfort from the sentence he will pronounce at the last day since he cannot resolve upon a sentence before the hearing of the cause nor can we know before hand what is his resolution I answer The cause is heard here and the sentence is pronounced here though many men will not take notice of it And that which shall be pronounced hereafter shall not be a new sentence but a Publication of the old which may not unfitly be called an old sentence since it hath been twice pronounced here already once in Gods Word another time in our own consciences For the Spirit of God doth here Judge us in Gods Word And the Son of God will not thwart or contradict the Judgement of Gods Spirit but only ratifie and confirm it The word that I have spoken the same shall Judge him at the last day John 12. 48. that is the sentence at the last day shall be but a declaration and confirmation of the sentence that is already spoken in the Word And haply in this respect it is said That the Apostles shall Judge the world not only in regard of their persons as all other Saints shall Judge it by approving the sentence of the righteous Judge but also in regard of their Doctrine which shall be the rule of Judgement Wherefore if we can have comfort from the sentence that is already passed upon us by the Apostles we may have also comfort from the sentence that will be passed upon us by their Master And truly if we be not Hypocrites or Apostates but true and constant Christians we may have very great comfort from the sentence that is already passed upon us by the Apostles A comfort which no partial Judge here can give us though he resolve to come with omnia bene and to admit of none but of white suffrages for in vain doth the spirit of man set it self to absolve â—…hose whom the Spirit of God doth conâ—…emn And a comfort which no unrighteâ—…s Judge here can take from us though he â—…esolve to write his sentence as Draco did â—…is Laws in Characters of blood For in â—…ain doth the spirit of man set it self to â—…ondemn those whom the spirit of God â—…oth absolve For this is the sentence â—…assed upon us by the Apostles He that â—…elieveth on the Son hath everlasting life â—…ohn 3. 36. The whole Doctrine of the New-Testament driving at this That true â—…aith in Christ as it is not to be supposed without a true Christian life and conversation agreeable to the faith for it is in â—…ain to profess Christian and to live Atheâ—…st or to act Infidel so it cannot but deâ—…iver the true Believer from the guilt and â—…urden of all his sins For all the whole Gospel is nothing else but a Sermon upon â—…his Text of our Saviours own choosing John 11. 25 26. I am the resurrection and â—…he life he that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live And whosoever â—…iveth and believeth in me shall not die for â—…ver Words properly used by the Church as they were spoken by Christ himself at the burial of the dead For they are the chiefest comfort against Death because they are the chiefest comfort against Judgement And so hath the beloved Disciple explained them that leaned in his Masters bosom and thence got this soul-healing and soul-saving Divinity But if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin And again If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness 1 John 7. and 9. Here is the true comfort against Judgement for if my soul be cleansed from all sin and unrighteousness I shall have reason not to dread but to desire the coming of my Judge And this Christian consolation cannot be separated from the true Christian Faith that is to say Faith in the blood of Christ which cleanseth us And this Christian Faith cannot be separated from a Christian conversation walking in the light nor from a Christian Communion we have fellowship one with another nor from Christian Repentance and Contrition if we confess our sins And wheresoever we find this Christian Faith and Christian Conversation and Communion and Contrition we may not deny the Christian Consolation For God himself hath said Comfort ye comfort ye my people Isa. 40. 1. They that are Gods people may not be deprived of Gods comforts And what are his comforts but as it follows that our warfare is accomplished and our iniquity is pardoned The beginning of the pardon is the end of the war her warfare is accomplished and her iniquity
take heed he forsake not thee Wonder not then if you find many of Samuels words that is much of the Churches dictates in these Devotions but know it is because God hath taught Samuel to pray that he might teach you And having taught you to pray by Samuels Devotions may perchance not hear your prayers eveâ—… as he accepted not Sauls offering out oâ—… Samuels Communion However you may certainly by this gleaning of some few grapes see what store of good wine was and is in thâ—… whole Vintage And I hope you will noâ—… have good wine only to see and to look upon but also to tast and to make good use of it Or confess it is your own wilfulness thaâ—… you I will not say your prayers are either Faint or Dry for not tasting it The sick mans confession of his sins I Confess unto thee O Lord God Almighty and most merciful Father that I have sinned against heaven and against thee and am not worthy to be called thy Son nor to have any portion in thine inheritance because I have been hitherto so unthankful for thy Mercy so unreverent towards thy Majesty and so undutiful to thine Authority wherefore innumerable troubles are most justly come upon me and my sins have taken such hold of me that I am not able to look up yea they are more in number then the hairs of my head and my heart hath failed me But O Lord let it be thy pleasure to deliver me make hast O Lord to help me and comfort the soul of thy distressed servant for unto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul gasping for that Mercy and Forgiveness which thou hast promised to Repentant-sinners for the Merits of thy dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ our Lord Amen Or this Almighty God Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Maker of all things Judge of all men I acknowledge and bewail my manifold sins and wickedness which I from time to time most grievously have committed by thought word and deed against thy Divine Majesty provoking most justly thy wrath and indignation against me I do earnestly repent and am heartily sorry for these my mis-doings the remembrance of them is grievous unto me the burthen of them is intollerable Have Mercy upon me have Mercy upon me most merciful Father for thy Son our Lord Jesus Christs sake forgive me all that is past and grant that I may ever hereafter serve and please thee in the newness of my life or in the contentedness and patience of my death to the honour and glory of thy Name through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen The sick mans Absolution or Remission of sins to be pronounced by himself alone when he cannot have the benefit of a Minister to absolve him HAve mercy upon me O God after thy great goodness and according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences wash me throughly from my wickedness and cleanse me from my sins and absolve me from the guiltiness of all my transgressions according to the Promise of Mercy by thy Word the Purchase of Mercy by thy Son and the Pledges of Mercy by thy holy Spirit made and given to Repentant-sinners in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy-Ghost Amen Or this Almighty God our heavenly Father who of his great Mercy hath promised forgiveness of sins to all them which with hearty repentance and true faith turn unto him have Mercy upon me pardon and deliver me from all my sins confirm and strengthen me in all goodness and bring me to everlasting life through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen Then likewise he shall say O Lord open my heart that thou mayest open my lips O Lord open my lips and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise O God make speed to save me O Lord make hast to help me That I may with a thankful heart and with a chearful voice sing and say unto thee Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy-Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen Praise ye the Lord I praise the Lord. The sick mans Psalm Psal. 6. 1. O Lord rebuke me not in thine indignation neither chasten me in thy displeasure 2. Have Mercy upon me O Lord for I am weak O Lord heal me for my bones are vexed 3. My soul is also sore troubled but Lord how long wilt thou punish me 4. Turn thee O Lord and deliver my soul O save me for thy Mercies sake 5. For in death no man remembereth thee and who will give thee thanks in the pit 6. I am weary of my groaning every night wash I my bed and water my couch with my tears 7. My beauty is gone for very trouble and worn away because of all mine enemies 8. Away from me all ye that work vanity for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping 9. The Lord hath heard my Petition the Lord will receive my Prayer 10. All mine enemies shall be confounded and sore vexed they shall be turned back and put to shame suddenly Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The sick mans first lesson Job 19. 25 c. I Know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth And though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my self and mine eyes shall behold and not another though my reins be consumed within me His first Canticle I praise thee O God I acknowledge thee to be the Lord. O praise our God ye people and make the voice of his praise to be heard Which holdeth our soul in life and suffereth not our feet to slip I will go into thy house with burnt-offerings and will pay thee my vows which I promised with my lips and spake with my mouth when I was in trouble O come hither and hearken all ye that fear God and I will tell you what he hath done for my soul. I called unto him with my mouth and gave him praises with my tongue If I encline unto wickedness with my heart the Lord will not hear me But God hath heard me and considered the voice of my prayer Praised be God which hath not cast out my prayer nor turned his Mercy from me Praise the Lord O my soul and all that is within me praise his holy Name Which forgiveth all thy sin and healeth all thine infirmities Which saveth thy life from destruction and crowneth thee with Mercy and loving-kindness Praise the Lord O my soul whiles I live will I praise the Lord yea as long as I have any being I will sing praises unto my God Lord make me so to praise thee here whiles it is my duty that I may exactly know how to praise thee hereafter when it shall be my reward For therefore with Angels and Arch-angels and with all the company of heaven do I now laud