Ap: 21 New jerusalem The prayers of the Saints Reuel. 8 4. Prayer breaks through all Act. 12.7. The prayer of faith shall save the sick: Iam: 5.15. Wisdom cryeth in the streets Prove. 1.20. THE RIGHT WAY to Heaven Prayers and Meditations of the Faithful Soul with the Spiritual morning Sacrifice and Consolations for the Sick By Peter D. M●●lin These were strangers and pilgrims in the earth. Act. 1●. 13 London Printed for George Edwardes, and are sold in the Old Bailie, in Green Arbour, at the Angel. 1630. TO THE RIGHT Worshipful, truly religious, and virtuous Lady, Mary Crook, wife to the Right Worshipful Sir George Crook Knight, one of His Majesty's reverend and learned judges of the King's Bench. Madame, AS Speech is the Character of man: that is, the image of his heart and mind, and be the Image of God, so silence, whilst it is a seasonable and discreet suspension thereof, becomes a man in its time and place: unseasonable use of either, offensive and obnoxious to censure. The excess is branded for a nullifier of Religion, whilst it makes it vain: The seeming defect finds some approbation in morality. Nam nulli racuisse nocet: nocet esse locurum. I was dumb, and opened not my mouth, because thou didst it, this untuned not this sweet singer, yet made him fall upon a large rest, which it served not to impeach, but rather to improve his spiritual melody. Often sudden and unexpected accidents produce semblable effects: Zacharias silenced for his want of faith, yet after Ward enabled both with his heart and tongue to praise God, and to sing a Benedictus. That; Saepe tacc●s vocem verbaque vultu● habet. Who holds his peace, hath yet a voice, that betrays him, and his countenance bears words with it. Yea a delinquent in the one, or an offendor in the other, as fare as either are exempt from the mixture of the leaven of malice, deserves an indulgent construction, and exemption from all imputation, either of surquedry, or sullenness, as different circumstances may accordingly induce dissimilitude, as of affect in one, so of affection in another. Hac ego si compellar imagine. This plain; yet true version of these sacred expressions, Holy Prayers, and Meditations of a faithful soul, so truly styled by their Author, so well known to all, to be a reverend and worthy Divine of the French reformed Church. I present and dedicate to your Ladyship. The end herein proposed to myself, being the same with that of my Authors; which none can justly either question, or quarrel at to wit, the advancement of this part of God's worship, so ' much languishing in the cold if not frozen devotions of many, and opposed by the giddy practice of mothen a good many, that so fare nauzeate Prayer, public especially, that in their unkindly and misguided zeal, they endeavour by one Ordinance of God to shoulder out another, Prayer by Preaching. God hath styled his House the House of Prayer. Now, what my well meant pains herein calls mine, I wish may find acceptance with you, as I do humbly tender & resign the same unto you, not so much for supply of a supposed want in your own particular, of these Spiritual helps to devotion, as for a testimony of observance and due respect Where my obligation is so great. When I ploughed with mine own heifer, a smiling autumn failed not to crown those weaker performances with a plenteous & lasting crop for after-use. But to usher in these Holy Prayers and sacred expressions of a faithful Soul, into the approbation and use, of all that know their Author or his works. His name (as I suppose) will suffice. And hence is it Madam: that I presume of your good allowance for them to bear your name in their Frontispiece, that thereby others may be excited and induced to the perusal and use of them in the frequent practice both of this sacred duty, and of the works of mercy, whereunto the other subsequent Tractates annexed do invite. The perusal of which as in order they stand ranked, with like good affection I commend to those your Olive branches, that stand about your table, to whom any tie of precedent relation may justly claim my respect. All which I shall not fail to second with continuance of my daily prayers for your Ladyship's health and happiness, both in your stem and branches, and will ever rest At your Ladyship's service and command, RICHARD BAILY. A Table of the Matters contained in this present Book, in order as they stand. A 1. A Prayer and Meditation of the faithful Soul, 2, A Prayer for the Morning. 3 A ●ra●er f●● the Evening. 4 A Prayer of Thanksgiving for the accomplishment of his Answer made to Mounsieur the Cardinal of Perroun. 5. A ●rayer in ●orme of a Confession. 6. Another ●ra●er 7 A Prayer f●r he Communion. 8. A Thanksgiving after the Communion. 9 A confession. 10. A Prayer f●r the Morning. 11. A ●rayer for the Evening 12. Another Prayer for the Morning, 13. Another Prayer for the Evening. 14. A Prayer in the time of the Plague. 15 A Prayer touching the Creation. 16. A Morning Prayer. 17 An Evening Prayer. 18. A Prayer for the obtaining of victory. 19 A Prayer for the Preservation of the Church. 20. Another Prayer for the Church. 21. A Prayer to have our hearts set on Spiritual things, and to renounce the world. 22. A Thanksgiving and a Prayer on the same Subject. 23. A Prayer to be filled with charity. 24. The King's Prayer. 25. Another Prayer of the Kings. Chron. 1. 26. The People's Prayer for the King. 27. A Prayer of the faithful, who fervently desireth to be made partaker of the public exercises, whereof he was deprived. 28. Another Prayer out of the 2 Epistle of S John, 29. The Holy Spiritual Morning Song. 30. A Consolation for the Sick. 31. A Prayer for the Sick in whom there is no appearance of death 32. A Prayer for the sick in whom there shallbe a likelihood of death. 33. Another Prayer for the sick. 34. A singular Prayer for a person greatly afflicted with sickness, which seemeth to approach nea●er unto death, then to life. 35. A Prayer against the apprehension of death 36. A Continued Sequel, or an Vnintermitted Course of Comforts, and Prayers for the sick: and therein these Prayers. 37. A Prayer when the sick is in perplexity. 38. A Prayer when the sick is near unto death 39 Another Prayer in distress. 40. Another Prayer when the sick i● in some grievous perplexity. 41. A Prayer the sick being in extremity. 42. Another Prayer unto jesus Christ, the Great & Sovereign Shepherd of our Souls, for the sick in his extremity. 43. A Prayer for Divine assistance to the sick. 44. A Prayer after the sick hath given up the Ghost, for the comfort of the by standers. Whereunto is added: A Morning Prayer. An Evening Prayer. A short Catechism, to prepare People for the receiving of the Lords Supper. THE PRAYER AND MEDITATION of the faithful Soul, Touching the present affliction of the Church. 1. O LORD our good God, and gracious Father, we thy poor creatures, humbled before thy face, are bold to present ourselves before thy holy and high majesty, although we be but dust and ashes, thou dwellest in inaccessible light; but we by nature are plunged in darkness: thou art a consuming fire, but we are as the chaff: thou art sovereign righteousness, and we are poor sinners, thou art the fountain of life, and we by nature are in death. Yet O Lord, thou hast commanded us to call upon thee in our necessities, with promise to hear us, and hast given us thine own Son to be our Intercessor promising us to give us the things we shall ask in his Name, thou hast called us with an holy calling, and amidst the thick darkness of ignorance, wherewith the earth is covered, thou hast enlightened us with thy knowledge, and received us into the number of thy children: yea every one of us severally hath been sensible of thy particular assistance and fatherly succours in the whole course of his life. But, O Lord, the greater thy favours are towards us, the guiltier are we of ingratitude, for we have abused thy graces, and thy fear hath not been before our eyes; We have despised thy word, and have not reverenced it. After the fires and massacres; whereof we are but a remnant, and as a firebrand plucked out of fire, thou hast re-establisht us, and hast given us days of peace, and of refreshing; but we have abused our repose, and turned it into licentiousness and looseness. We have had more care to build again our own houses, then to advance thine, we have run after the gain and vanity of this world. In stead of clothing the poor, we have arrayed our own bodies sumptuously. We have rend and torn ourselves with quarrels and enmities, and are thereby become contemptible to our adversaries, our prayers have been cold, our zeal languishing, our alms scanted, and therefore hath our iniquity abounded, and our charity been frozen. In stead of drawing the ignorant unto the knowledge of thee, by our good life, we have scandalised & exasperated them by our evil conversation. When we have had humane strength, and means, and when thou raisedst up among us Princes and Potentates, who seemed they would be a firm prop unto thy Church, and and an assured shelter, and place of retreat during the storm, we have leaned on the arm of flesh, in stead of relying on thee alone: O God, which castest down and abatest the pride of the loftiest, and raisest up the miserable out of the dust, thou liftest up, and bringest low the degree, therefore hast thou cast us down, and humbled us, and hast made us know the vanity of our thoughts contrary to thy counsels: yea even the Ministers and Preachers of thy word, have failed in their charges, and in many places evil and profanation is issued and come forth fr●m the Prophets, and indeed in these years of peace are seen the revolts of many, which had the leading of thy flock. For these causes, O Lord God, thou just judge, thy wrath is kindled against thy people, being confounded in ourselves, we acknowledge that thy chastisements are just: yea, Lord, far less than we have deserved, thou hast covered our faces with confusion, thou hast glutted us with bitterness: thou hast caused us to drink of the cup of thine anger, thou hast called us to weeping and sighing in sacke-cloath and ashes, thou hast lifted up the hand of our adversaries, and hast exposed us unto scorn, and hast made thy hand heavy upon us, thou hast plucked up the plants which thou hadst planted, and beaten down the Churches which thou hadst erected by the blood of thy Martyrs, by the preaching of thy Gospel. Thou hast broken down the hedge of thy providence, which environed thy Church, and hast exposed it as a prey to wild beasts. And now Lord, we see, that in the places where thy Gospel was purely preached, even there at this day ecchoeth forth aloud forgery, and idolatry is again established, and the enemies of thy truth insolently triumph, and insult over the ruins of thy house. Hereupon we have cried unto thee: but thou hast turned away thy face. Thou hast covered thee with a cloud, that our prayers might not come up unto thee: and we see thy hand lifted up to smite us yet more rigorously: and the rods prepared which thou displayest in thy displeasure, Lord God. justice belongeth to thee, but unto us confusion of face; we acknowledge in all this which is come to pass, the tokens of thy just displeasure, and there is no evil in the City which the Lord hath not done. So it is that thou art our Creator, and we are the work of thine hands; thou art God, & we are thy people, thou art our Redeemer, and we are thine own purchase, thou hast purchased us with a great price, a people whom thou hast honoured with thy knowledge, thou art a merciful God, and of great benignity, slow to anger, and dost not always keep it, that takest no pleasure in the destruction of thy work. It is thy goodness that we have yet any being: It is of thy tender compassion that we are not utterly consumed; thou dweilest in the highest heavens, and in the humblest hearts: the broken and contrite spirit unto thee is an acceptable sacrifice. Now then, O God, look down from the place of thy Sanctuary, to wit, from the heavens, hear the prayer of thy servants, and accept their humiliation, pardon Lord, pardon the iniquity of thy children for thine own sake, for the greater it is, by so much the more admirable is thy goodness in pardoning it, the greatness of our sins serveth to exalt thy mercy. and withal thou hast received a sufficient ransom of thine own Son, and a redemption of infinite pric●, whereon relying we dare approach unto the throne of grace, to obtain grace in due time. For O God, in these anguishs we see no means on earth: but our eyes are towards thee. Hear then from thy habitation, and regard, for thou art able to relieve us, thou art not a God, that art only a God at hand, and not a God a fare off, even then when all humane means fail, then is it that thou displayest thy strength, and when through our foolishness we have procured unto ourselves evils, thou usest our foolishness for our good, that the subsisting of thy Church might not be a work of man's wisdom, but of thy sacred providence. Thou it is that in all former times hast succoured thy people, and drewest them forth of the iron furnace, with a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm, and hast carried them as upon the wings of an Eagle, who even in our time hast made us sensible of thy succours by many deliverances, and who deliveredst our fathers from many cruel persecutions, having caused them to pass thorough many more grievous trials than this, thy tender compassions are not drawn dry, thy arm is not shortened, nor thine ear grown heavy of hearing: but our iniquities are they which make this sepation between thee and us, which take thou away by thy mercy, and by the intercession of our Saviour jesus Christ; It is thou that hast crushed the Dragon and bruised the head of that old Serpent, and who by the blood of thy Covenant hast drawn us out of the pit, where there was no water, having vanquished hell by the death of thy Son: thou then, great God, that hast plucked us from out the talons of the Devil, wilt thou not deliver us from the hands of men, thou which hast saved us from hell, wilt thou not deliver us from the power of the world? O Eternal Lord, thou wilt do it, and wilt not forsake us, but rather having chastised us in measure, thou wilt make us sensible of thy comforts, and wilt cause to shine upon us thy face, in joy, and in salvation, lest we faint thorough our infirmity, and lest we be overcome through the length and hardness of the temptation, for so also Lord, hast thou promised, and thy promises are certain, & thy word more firm than heaven and earth, thou hast promised us by the mouth of thine own Son not to forsake us, and to be with us even to the end of the world, thou numberest our hairs, thou receivest our sighs, thou puttest up our tears into thy bottles, he that toucheth thy children, toucheth the apple of thine eye, thou causest thine Angels to pitch their camps about them that fear thee, dear and precious is their death in thy presence. Do then, O God, according to thy word, and let the Angel of thy face march before us, let thy protection be round about us as a wall of fire, thou that stillest the waves of the sea, and the insurrections of the people, and which holdest the hearts of Kings in thine hands as the rivers of waters, curb the fury of the people, and give unto our King thoughts of peace, estrange fare from him the Counsels of violence, frustrate the expectation of our enemies, who already have devoured us in hope, dissipate their counsels, thou that surprisest the wise in their subtleties, which knowest the depths of Satan, and piercest with thine eyes into the counsels of the son of perdition, whom thou wilt discomfit with the breath of thy mouth, and wilt beat down all power which opposeth itself against thine, but if our iniquities bear witness against us, and make us unworthy to see so excellent a work, do it for thine own sake, for though we be unworthy to be heard, thou art worthy to be glorified, wherefore suffer not Satan to triumph and rejoice at the dissipation of thy Church, and that thy holy Name is without punishment blasphemed. Awake then, O God, thy jealousy, and the blustering motions of thy fatherly affections: unbare and tuck up the arm of thy holiness, and let the ends of the earth see thy salvation; remember thy ancient compassions, and thy covenant with thy people; Remember the blood of thy children spilt in abundance, which cryeth for vengeance from the earth. We confess indeed that we have need to be humbled, and that thy Church hath need to be purged again, and therefore it is that thou takest the fan into thy hand to repurge thy floor, and raisest the wind of persecution, which serveth to carry away chaff, and to expel hypocrites: But withal, O good God, amidst this tribulation the weak do faint, and the good are oppressed, and partake in the affliction, and Idolatry gathereth strength; and the night of ignorance groweth thicker and thy holy Name is blasphemed, and the doctrine of salvation trampled under foot by thy adversaries. Therefore is it, that we beseech thee, O Father of mercy, that if thou wilt afflict us, that we may not fall into the hands of men, but that we may fall into thine own hands, for thy compassions are great: for men hate us not, for that we have offended thee, but because we defend thy quarrel, and because thy Name is called upon by us, and renowned upon us, the bloodsuckers thirst after our blood, not to ease the patiented, but to satisfy their lust. Above all things, O God and most gracious Father, continue unto us thy word, and afflict us rather with all other manner of affliction in this life, then to take from us that light, sith it is the testimony of thy favour towards us, our privilege amongst all people, and the way to come to thy kingdom, that our children may be instructed therein, and m●y be heirs of thy Covenant after us, and that our days may be finished in thy favour, may be followed with an age wherein thy truth may shine forth again, and the kingdom of thy Son jesus Christ may take a great increase, and by preserving unto us this preaching of the Gospel in the purity thereof, give it efficacy in our hearts, and break not in thy anger the strength of this spiritual bread. Rather, Lord, make the fear of this light incite and rouse us up to make our profit thereof, and to redeem the time, and to further and carry us on forward in this way, whilst we have the light: and let evils wherewith thou visitest us, be wholesome remedies unto us, and an instruction for our souls; and let them serve to recollect our faith, and to draw from out our hearts fervent prayers; and that the deliverance which it shall please thee to grant us, may make us know thy fatherly love towards us, which shall accompany us the rest of our days, till we be retired out of this vale of misery, to put us in possession of thy kingdom, that we may leave after us thy Church peaceable, the breaches of thy house repaired, and thy service purely established, to the glory of thy great Name, and the salvation of many by thy Son jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Es. c. 26. v. 12. & 13. Lord, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our works in us. O Lord our God, other Lords besides thee have had dominion over us: but by thee only will we make mention of thy name. Ver. 20. Come my people enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee; hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. Morning Prayer. 2. O Our good God, and gracious Father, we thy poor creatures present ourselves before thy face, acknowledging that we are great sinners, who cease not to offend thee, in thought, word, and deed, ingrateful for thy benefits, full of diffidence and incredulity: more affectioned to the things of this world, then unto thy service. But there is mercy with thee, for thou lovest not the death of a sinner, but that he should convert and live: and hast given us thine own Son, that we believing in him, might not perish, but have life everlasting. Thou hast commanded us to call upon thee, with promise to give us whatsoever we shall ask in his name. Receive then his Passion and his obedience for satisfaction for all our sins, and in thy contemplation of his intercession be merciful and favourable unto us, give us thy holy Spirit to touch our hearts unto true repentance, to enlighten our understanding with thy knowledge, and to warm our spirits in thy love, so that we may ever have thy glory for our end. thy will for our rule, thy providence for our guide, and thy promises for our comfort. And because we are inclined unto incredulity and distrustfulness, and are assaulted with divers temptations, strengthen us in faith, and imprint in our hearts thy holy promises, giving us inwardly a lively sense and feeling of thy love, and the witness of our election, to the end that we may stand against all temptations, and may drive away all fears, griefs, and unprofitable sorrows, by the assurance that thou lovest us, and art our Father in jesus Christ our Lord. And as it hath pleased thee to have kept us this night past, conduct us also this day, by causing to shine upon us the brightness of thy face, by directing us in all our actions, so that our deeds, our words, and our thoughts may be conformable to thy holy will. Bless our studies, open our understandings, preserve our memories, prosper our labours, strengthen us in our callings, wherein let us not have for our end our own humour, but the glory of thy Name, nor our own temporal profit, but the salvation of our souls. For the effecting hereof, give us the grace to set our affections not on earthly things, but that we may acknowledge ourselves pilgrims and strangers upon earth, may use the things of this world, as though we used them not, and as ready to lose them, tending always to the end of our heavenly calling, expecting with joy and assurance that last hour wherein thou wilt draw forth our souls out of these bodies, to make them partakers of thy heavenly glory. And seeing it hath pleased thee to grant us the favour to be borne in thy Church, and hast received us even from our infancy into thy sacred Covenant, grant us the grace seriously to acknowledge the greatness of so inestimable a benefit, and to keep even unto the end our souls unpoluted of all Idolatry, ready to bear the opprobry of jesus Christ, and to suffer for the defence of thy truth, if it shall please thee to call us thereunto. To this end give us thy holy Spirit, which may guide us, and teach us rightly to employ our time, and to husband the occasions of learning, by obeying our superiors whom thou hast given us to conduct and teach us, that we may at length bring forth fruits, which may serve unto thy glory, and may glorify thee by our works, and by our words, both in life, and in death. Have pity also upon thy Church diversely tossed, defend it against the complots of thine enemies, and ours; repair her breaches, give her increase in thy graces, and in the number of persons give us faithful Pastors, whose preaching may be pure, and their life holy: and Princes, which may be nursing Fathers to thy Church. Bless and preserve our King, every him with Christian and Royal Virtues: Guide and direct the Queen, be merciful to our kinsfolks and friends, grant both them and us grace to live in thy fear, and to die in thy favour, and to be received into thy glory: These things we humbly entreat thee for in the prayer which thy Son hath taught us. Our Father which art in heaven, etc. I believe in God, etc. EVENING PRAYER. 3. O Lord our good God, we prostrate ourselves before thy holy Majesty, offering up unto thee our evening sacrifice, in the acknowledgement of thy gracious benefits, and of the special care which thou hast of us thy poor creatures, thou hast kept us and led us forth this day, thou hast given us things necessary for this present life: Be graciously pleased, O good God, to keep us also this night, and give good repose, so that in our morning-wakeing we may be sounder in body, and fit for our vocation, wherein we pray thee, that thou wilt be pleased to guide and direct us by thy holy Spirit, making our labour fruitful, unto thy glory, and to the edification of our neighbours, and unto our own salvation. Whereof be graciously pleased to give a full assurance, and to engrave in our hearts the promises of thy holy Gospel, that we being strengthened in saith, may overcome all temptations, and finish holily and courageously our begun course, walking on not as before men, but as before thee which proovest our hearts. And seeing that a great combat is set before us, and Satan is strong, and the world contrary; and we weak, and slow, and inclined unto evil, hold us up by thy succours, defend us by thy providence, sanctify us by thy holy Spirit, and us with strength from above, and let thy Word imprinted in our hearts instruct our ignorance, correct our perversity, and heat our coldness and negligence in thy service: give us fervent charity towards our neighbours, a pure conscience, faith unfeigned, and fervent zeal unto the setting forth of thy glory. Drive away from our hearts evil cares, earthly sorrows, and unprofitable melancholies, teaching us to repose ourselves upon thy providence, and to trust in thy promises, to be sorrowful only for having offended thee, but comforted in the assurance of thy mercies in jesus Christ our Lord. Give us also things necessary for this present life, not according to our vain desires, but according to thy wisdom, what may suffice for the following of our Callings without , and pass this our race with sobriety, whilst we advance on forward, towards that eternal and most happy life, which thy Son hath purchased for us. And whilst we are in this temporal abode, grant us the favour to see the kingdom of thy Son advanced, and thy truth manifested, and the ignorant, yea even our enemies to be brought to thy knowledge: to this end give us faithful Pastors, and Princes, that may employ their government to the establishment of the kingdom of thy Son: give thy holy Spirit to the king, and to the Queen, and a good wholesome Council, for the repose and advancement of thy Church. Take care of our kinsmen and friends, and give them things needful both for body and soul, and that our iniquities may not stay the course of thy benefits, pardon them, Lord, and blot them out by the precious blood of thy Son, in whose Name we ask these things of thee, in the prayer he hath taught us, saying: Our Father which art in heaven, etc. I believe in God, etc. Amen. A Prayer of Thanksgiving for finishing the Answer made to Mounsieur the Cardinal of Perron by Peter du Moulin. 4. O Lord my God and Father, I close this travel with thanks giving to thy Sovereign Majesty: I should be ungrateful to thy goodness, if I ended not my labour in thy praise: O God, that hast strengthened and enabled me. It is thou, whose strength is perfected in our weakness: it is thou that choosest the lowly and mean, to confound the strong, and who in the weakness of the instruments, thou imployest, displayest the greatness of thy strength: not unto us, but to thy Name give the glory and the honour: for, who are we that we should be able to bear so great a burden, and what is our strength to sustain so great a combat? But that very Truth itself, which we defend, giveth strength to them that defend it, and thou deniest not them thy succours, that in defending thy cause have no other end but the glory of thy holy Name. It's thou my God, who having been favourable to me from the beginning of my days, wilt not forsake me in my old age, and wilt make it yet profitable to the edification of thy Church, being beaten with sundry afflictions, plucked from my flock, bewailing the pressure of thy People, disfurnished with all necessary aids for so great a work, traveled of a sickness almost this two years, which hath brought me within two inches of the grave, and having in my ordinary vocation a sufficient task to take up a whole man: yet even against all appearance I have taken in hand this great labour, and against my expectation am come to the end thereof through thy assistance. I also hope, O my God, that thou wilt make fruitful thy servants labour, to the end to draw into the right way the minds of those, who wilfully go not out of the way, and who err but thorough want of instruction. Against mine inclination I have employed a multitude of humane testimonies in this work, for I know that thy Word alone is the rule of our faith, and receiveth not men for judges in thy cause: and I know well, that a word which cometh forth of thy mouth, is more worth than all the writings of all men. But we are hurried away with the stream, and are constrained to give place to the malady of this age, which holding thy word suspected as a dangerous book, searcheth into the writings of men, wherewith to arm themselves against divine rules. We show unto the advocats of error, that they lose their cause, even before the Arbitrators whom they have chosen: but O God thou art mighty & good to bring forth an age wherein thy Word alone shallbe listened unto, and whereunto for the sole unfolding and deciding of doubts, thy Son's mouth shall only be consulted withal. Grant it O God and Father of all mercy, and author of all consolation, pity the people that stoup and stand still in so profound darkness: cause to shine forth the brightness of thy Word before the eyes of all Nations: as for me, having traversed and struck through a way full of thorns, and with many infirmities & defects, which are in me, sustained the contradiction of an age contrary to thy Word, I am glad, perceiving the time to draw nigh of my repose, and my task to be so soon finished: But thou O God wilt raise up workmen, who with better success shall labour in thy harvest, and whom thou wilt with thy Spirit in greater measure, to defend thy holy Truth, Lord, it is thy cause, Lord it is for thy sake, that we are hated. Awake thy jealousy, and thine ancient compassions upon the people whom thou hast redeemed, that many souls may be saved, and thy holy name glorified: for, Lord, though we be worthy to be forsaken, and unworthy to be relieved, yet ever art thou worthy to be glorified. It is indeed a small matter that we are afflicted, were it not that amidst our afflictions thy truth is oppressed, and thy holy name blasphemed. Attend then O God, and Father of all consolation, and hear, and pardon for thine own sake, thou art wise in thy counsels, just in thy judgements, mighty to execute thy will: but withal thou art full of tender compassion, and true true in thy words. Do then O Lord, according to thy promise, for thou hast promised not to forsake us, but to be with us to the end of the world. Thou that hast redeemed us from the power of Satan by the death of thy Son, wilt deliver us also from the hands of those which oppress us: the time cometh, and is not long to, that out of the ashes of that burning, which seem extinguished, thou wilt cause to come forth a great brightness, and wilt confound the tongues of Babel, and wilt cause to fall outright the seat of the son of perdition. In the mean time we will possess our souls in patience, whilst the full measure of their iniquity be heaped up, and we expect from heaven our Lord jesus, who will come to examine our cause, and to render unto every one according to his works. Amen A Prayer to be said going to the Communion. 5. LOrd, great God, have pity on me a miserable sinner, and grant me grace to lay hold on my Saviour by true faith, and that being called to this holy and sacred banquet in the number of thy faithful and elect, and truly repenting of my transgressions and sins, my soul may receive her spiritual nourishment, the true bread of life, which giveth salvation to the world: look upon me, desiring ever to receive this holy and sacred spiritual meat. Amen. A thanksgiving after the Communion received. 6. O My Saviour and my God, I render unto thee humble thanks for the great benefit, which thou hast this day bestowed on me, as having thyself for a ransom for me; for having plucked me out of the paws of the Devil, and out of the depths of hell, whither so many enormous sins had plunged me; guide me by thy Spirit, and give me grace that in overcoming the concupiscence of the world and the flesh, I may finish the rest of my days in thy fear. Amen. HOLY PRAYERS. A Prayer in form of a Confession. 7. LOrd my God and Father Almighty, and most gracious to thy children, I cast down myself in thy presence, acknowledging myself a poor and miserable creature, guilty of high treason against thy divine Majesty, For, O my God, I came into the world tainted with sin, polluted with iniquity, and through my evil conversation I have thorough the whole course of my life exceedingly augmented the same, I have made infinite the number of my transgressions, I have been over unthankful for so many blessings, whereof it hath pleased thy bounty to afford me the fruition: too often have I opposed to thy infinite goodness extreme ingratitude: by my hypocrisy and dissimulation I have made myself utterly unworthy of that freedom and faithfulness wherewith thou hast entertained me: I have been deaf to thy admonitions, have stopped mine ear at thy Word, I have estranged my heart from thy instructions: the fear of men hath hindered me from making free & public profession of thy Truth: I have more feared the world, than I have loved heaven: I preferred the preservation of my goods, before the setting forth of thy glory; earthly repose, before eternal happiness. Alas, Lord, what punishments am I worthy of? What torments have I deserved? For my conscience accuseth me, my sins call for vengeance against me: and surely if the wages of the least of our sins be eternal death, and if it be impossible for me to number my sins, or to conceive the enormiousnesse of them, how, O thou God of vengeance? how, whilst I consider myself in myself, shall I expect from thee with unspeakable fear eternal and infinite punishments? Yet, O gracious God, thy word teacheth us, and experience witnesseth to us, that thou wilt not the death of a sinner, but that he turn unto thee, and live: so also hast thou thyself found out in thine eternal counsel the means of our deliverance: and hast in the fullness of time sent into the world the eternal Son of thy love, thy darling, even he, in whom thou art well pleased: thou hast established him a Saviour and Redeemer for all those that hope in him by converting them unto thee: He was made for us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption: his blood cleanseth us from all sin, he was despised to raise us unto glory: he hath taken our nature, to make us partaker of his: he was borne the Son of Man to make us the Children of God, he was full of sorrow, to fill us with happiness; he was wounded for our sins, and bruised for our iniquities: upon him was laid the penalty which brought us peace, and by his bruises are we healed: he came into the world to lead us to heaven: he died to give us life. he rose again for our justification. To conclude, Lord, thou so lovedst the world, that thou gavest that spotless Lamb, to the end, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have life everlasting. And seeing, O my God and Father of mercy, that out of thy special favour, it hath pleased thee in the midst of my error, even in mine infidelity & ingratitude, to take pity on me, to give me thy knowledge, and the resolution to follow thy Gospel: seeing thou hast endued me with true faith in thy Son; seeing thou hast touched my heart, wherefore Lord, shall I not have access unto thee with confidence? Why shall I not approach with assurance to the throne of thy grace to obtain mercy, and to be relieved by thee in due time? For though I be miserable, art not thou merciful? If I be unrighteous, wilt thou not me with the righteousness of my Saviour? Mine iniquity amazeth me, but thy goodness assureth me: my unworthiness estrangeth me from thee, but the worthiness of thy Son recalleth me back, inviteth me, and conducteth me to thee; unto thee that art the God of my salvation, that hast redeemed my soul from death: that hast purchased me life everlasting and most happy: O my God, how great is my comfort, how excellent the joy, how precious and unspeakable the repose, which my soul enjoyeth in the meditation of these things? Unto thee only then it is that I now address myself, as to confess my sins, so also to acknowledge thy mercy as to condemn myself, so withal to find absolution in thy Son: If to be sorrowful, and to grieve for my sins, so also to rejoice, and to comfort myself in thy bounty, who shall lay any thing to my charge? Is it not thou which justifiest me? Who shall condemn me, seeing that Christ died for me? Seeing he is risen again, seeing that for me he is at thy right hand, making request for my salvation and quest conservation. Nothing O my God, shall separate me from the love thou bearest me: and seeing thou hast loved me in thy Son, I shall in all things be more than victorious. But what shall I render unto thee, O Lord, unto thee, that hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from sliding? Unto thee O Lord, that hast loosed the bands of death which compassed me about? Unto thee that hast converted and turned into joy the sorrows of the grave, which had overtaken me? What shall I render unto thee O Eternal Lord, for all thy benefits conferred upon me? I will take the cup of salvation, I will call upon thy Name, I will pay my vows before the people: I am thy servant, thou hast unloosed my bands. I will sacrifice unto thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, I will offer unto thee the fruit of my lips: I will confess thy Name, thou hast purchased me with a price: I will glorify thee in my body, and in my soul, I am thine, unto thee therefore will I present myself as a lively and holy sacrifice, that may be pleasing and acceptable unto thee. To this end, O my God, I crave strength from thee, & the conduct of thy Spirit: thou hast already given me a will to serve thee, produce, O Lord, in me not only the will, but withal perfect it with efficacy, and according to thy good pleasure. Of myself I can do nothing to thy glory, I perceive not the things which are of thy Spirit: all the imaginations of the thoughts of my heart are altogether continually evil: the wisdom, the desires of the flesh is enmity against thee, It will not, it cannot be subject to thy Law: and yet by thy Spirit thou hast already given me the beginning of my regeneration: Yet Lord, though I will the thing that is good, yet find I not the means to perform the same: I do not the good that I would, but I do the evil that I would not do. It is to thee then that I have my recourse, thou art the Author of every good gift, the fountain of life lieth in thee: in thy clear light we see clearly, and from thee only is all our sufficiency: illuminate me by thy Spirit, that being directed by the same, I may render unto thee the service which I own in the acknowledgement of all thy benefits. Give me grace that to serve thee I may do nothing but what may be acceptable to thee, that I may frame myself, not unto mine own fancy, but according to thy will, that I may do not what seems good unto myself, but what thou approovest, that I may performs not mine own designs, but thy will, not mine own intentions, but thy commandments, not my will, but thy Word: Grant I may propound unto myself for my end, not the vanity of the world, but thy glory, not my reputation, but the manifestation of thy holy Name, not my establishment on earth, but the advancement of thy truth, and of thy Church. Give me to serve thee not unwillingly, and by constraint, but freely and with a good heart: that I may be pricked forward, not by the rigour of Menaces, and the chastisements of thy Law, but incited by the sweetness of the promises, and benefits of thy Gospel: that I may be, not possessed with the Spirit of servitude, but led by the spirit of fear and true filial love. Remove from my understanding all darkness of error and ignorance: make me know thy works, cause me to see in the mirror of nature, the excellent works which thou madest in six days, and thine admirable providence in the upholding and preservation of all thy creatures: there appears before our eyes both thine eternal power and Godhead: and there is not the least of the world, which is not a faithful witness of the glory which is due to thee, by reason of thy wisdom, power, and infinite goodness: but Lord, give me eyes to look into the mirror of thy Word, in which are represented most clearly unto us the mysteries of our redemption: that in it I may see thy Son, that in thy Son I may behold thee. For, O good God, as we beseech thee that thou wouldst not look upon us but in thy Son; for that in him only thou findest us righteous and unblameable, so can we not behold thee but in him, because in him only thou manifestest thyself unto us; not as a rigorous judge, as thou dost to the reprobate, but a gracious and merciful Father to thy children. Moreover Lord, in such sort inspire me, that having been sound, and faithfully instructed in the knowledge of thy Truth, I may judge uprightly of all thy counsels, of thy whole Word, of all thy actions: for seeing it hath pleased thee to lodge me in the midst of all thy creatures, and to put as it were into my hands the quires of all thy Actions, namely thy holy Word, ought I not to avouch, that thou art just, wise, good, mighty and merciful: and that glory is due unto thee, upon occasion of every one of thy works: and wherefore hast thou brought me up in the School of thy Church, but to the end to form in me a judgement, and to teach me to speak against all the reasons of men, be it that the Lord spareth, be it that he afflicteth, be it that he blesseth, be it that he punisheth, or what ere he doth, it is every way justice, equity, and wisdom, and his sole will is the most perfect rule of all righteousness. But O my God, grant that I may not know thee unto my condemnation: with science give me conscience: illuminate my understanding, rectify also my will, accompany it with a frank affection to thy service: Grant my heart may burn within me, let it be inflamed with the desire of thy glory, let my soul be continually ravished with admiration: above all seeing that to save us thou hast turned our darkness into light, our evils into good, our death into life: and us that were thine enemies, thou hast made not only thy friends and servants, but of thy household, but even thy children, without any desert of ours, notwithstanding our contrary demerits, even of thy mere free grace and mercy, and without sparing of thine own Son. O Lord our God, let thy Name be magnified through out all the earth: but as thy works be admirable, but as thou art merciful in thy Church, thou hast done great things for us, thou hast wrought powerfully by thine arm, and in such sort above my capacity, that I cannot but cry out, o the depth of the riches of thy wisdom, and of the knowledge of God Grant Lord, that I may not be stupid nor insensible in these things: but care that my soul may be affected with gladness, my heart with joy and solid contentment. If the Devils and all thine enemies wonder at thy works, it is but in despite of themselves, it is but in their murmuring against thee: but have not I wherein to rejoice? have not I cause to put fare away from me all sorrow, every vain apprehension? seeing that I assuredly know that thou art not only wise and mighty in thyself, nor good to others: but wise, mighty, and good unto me, and unto my salvation and redemption. Yet, O my God, that I may keep measure in my mirth, beget in my heart true humility, which may serve to counterpoise it, so that whilst I rejoice in thee, I may be humbled in myself, that I may adore in all reverence thy divine Majesty: that I may be exempt from all pride, acknowledging how lamentable the poverty, and weakness of my condition should be, were it not, that I wholly depend on thy grace and on thy good pleasure. For it is thou that resistest the proud, and that givest grace to the lowly: it is thou that abhorrest every man of an haughty heart: he shall not from hand to hand abide scotfree and unpunished: In stead whereof thy favours flow down upon them, which come unto thee in humility and reverence. Form Lord, forthwith in my foul a true fear of thy Name, which may withhold me, and keep me from offending thee: for thou seest, thou understandest all things, thou art he, that wilt judge all the thoughts, words, & works of men. But why should I not fear infinitely to offend thee? to provoke thee by mine iniquities? thou that hast always been a most gracious and merciful Father unto me, suffer not my heart to be hardened: for than should I fall into all calamity, but make me happy in fearing continually. Let me fear Lord, not to outpass the traditions of men, but the rules and instructions of thy Word. Let me apprehend not some imaginary punishments, but the rigour of thy just judgements. Let me have not the fear of the damned, and of Devils, which tremble with horror; but the fear of thy children. To this end, O my God, give me thy love, to season my fear, and to warrant me from despair. The wicked fear thee only for the apprehension of thy punishments: but as for me, I will fear thee Lord, because in my heart shall lodge thy love. Also good God, wherefore shall I not love thee when I consider what heretofore thou hast done for me, that which now thou dost in me, and that which hereafter thou wilt do with me? thou hast elected me before all eternity, thou hast justified me in calling me unto thyself in the fullness of time: daily thou sanctifiest me by thy Spirit, and hereafter thou wilt glorify me in everlasting life. I will love thee then with all hearty affection, and wholly accursed shall I account him, that shall practise the contrary. For my Saviour's sake, I will deprive myself of all things; I will account them all as dung: for thou hast loved me, not simply the first, or before I knew thee, but Alas! Even then when I was of the number of thine enemies. And to sum up all, art not thou Lord, the Sovereign Good? Without thee, and out of thee is there any thing amiable? Let the world love itself, let men be Idolaters of their concupiscences, of their goods, of their lives, and of their reputations on earth. As for me Lord, if I hate not all things for thy sake, and in case thou so requirest, and that it be expedient for thy glory, I am most assured, that I am unworthy of thee. I will love thee, O my God; and give me grace to put my whole trust and confidence in thee only, and so to repose and rely upon thy goodness and holy providence, that from thee only almighty and most gracious, I may hope for, and expect patiently whatsoever is expedient and necessary for me. Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, that maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart withdraweth itself from the Lord, It is better Lord, to cleave unto thee, then to trust in the Princes of the people. Let worldlings and the reprobate live full of diffidence and distrust, let them be bereaved of judgement in their adversity, let them be daunted and forlorn in the first difficulty that befalls them: let them have recourse to unlawful means, and those that are forbidden by thy Word: As for me, O God of my salvation, in thee only will I place my hope, that I may not be confounded. Yea, rather thus beholding with a settled and fixed eye what ere shall come to pass, I shall abide steadfast as the mountain of thy holiness. But, O my God, horrid should my condemnation be, if I hoarded up in my heart the precious gift of thy knowledge: how inexcusable my proceeding if I should boast of thy fear, of thy love, without my testifying thereof in my outward actions? I beseech thee then so to strengthen me, that I may show forth by an holy conversation, that it is thou Lord, that sanctifiest me by thy spirit: Touch my soul, work so in my heart, and in my conscience, that I may be freed from hypocrisy, that my religion may not be a cloak to veil from men the irregularity of my passions, the violence of mine affections: but that being well ordered in my mind, from thence, as out of a purified fountain may flow forth the streams of all sorts of good works, agreeable to thy Word, meet for thy glory; and profitable to my neighbours, befitting my Vocation, and unto my salvation. To this end, O Lord, I beseech thee that thou wilt be pleased to give me courage to testify what I have in my heart by my outward actions, that I may glorify thee every where and upon all occasions, in making free and public profession of thy Truth: That I may not be ashamed of thy Word: that I may not pass by thy bounty in silence, but that I may show forth thy strength, even from thee, Lord, that hast called me out of darkness into thy marvellous light; that with my mouth I may give unto thy works praise conformable to the judgement and approbation, I have already made of them in my soul: that I may never cease to magnify thee, and that my heart may take no other pleasure but to see thee glorified in the world. For if even the liveless creatures celebrate thee, why should I thorough ingratitude be mute in the acknowledgement of thy benefits? Wherefore Lord, hast thou given me a tongue, but chief to serve as an instrument to bless and praise thee? And that I may speak nothing, but what may tend to thy glory? Let me not take thy Name in vain, nor give myself to evil speaking, nor detraction: let no rotten speech go forth of my mouth, but let all my talk tend to edification. Moreover, O Lord, give and enable me to confess, not only in prosperity, and whilst all things smile upon me according to the world, but even in the greatest adversity: that even in the midst of persecution, if it please thee not to exempt me from the same, I may answer always with meekness and reverence every one that shall demand of me a reason of the hope that is in me. I know Lord, that very great is my weakness, but is thy hand shortened or less strong for me then for the rest of thy children? Is it thou that art pleased to perfect thy strength in our weakness and infirmity? Thou wilt give me then the constancy and that perseverance which shall be necessary for me; that without fear, and without being troubled, I may be happy in suffering for righteousness. Give me grace also that all my actions may be void of vanity, and presumption, accompanied and seasoned with humility and reverence, that I may humble myself under thy mighty hand, that the world may see, I wholly depend on thy goodness and mercy; that I hold my life, being, and all things of thee only; that thou only hast the power to do with me thy poor and miserable creature, what shall seem good unto thee. And seeing thou hast given me to fear thee, and to love thee; give me also the strength to do what thou hast commanded me, to avoid what thou hast forbidden me, enable me to order my life according to thy commandments, thou hast given us in thy Law: As also, Lord, in that which displeaseth thee, it may be seen, that I have thy fear, and that I have thy love, whilst I do that which thou requirest of me. Thy fear shall estrange me from that familiarity which hath no place but amongst companions, and shall contain me within that respect which I owe unto thee, and thy love shall exempt me from that fear, which shall ever cease upon thine enemies. Lastly, O my God, above all the things which in all humility I desire of thee, I beseech thee that often thou wouldst often grant the leisure and desire to call upon thee, as thou now hast done. Thou dost familiarly speak to me by thy Word, grant that I may confidently speak to thee by my prayers: that often I may withdraw myself apart, that I may shut myself up in my closet, to impart unto thee my griefs, to confess unto thee my sins, to bewail before thee my poverty, and my misery, and to implore from thee thine assistance and thy mercy; For Lord, prayer willbe unto me an unspeakable comfort, as an evident testimony, that thou hast not left me to myself, that I am in the number of thy children, that thou wilt bless me, and pour forth upon me thy mercy; and after I have called upon thee, I shall carry myself in my vocation with much more zeal: standing upright with thee I will not fear the world: having discharged my conscience in thy presence, I will march with my head born aloft: having carefully recommended myself unto thy guidance, I shall have rest in my soul, and shallbe most assured, that notwithstanding the rage and subtlety of all mine enemies, which are also thine, thou wilt give me to continue faithfully my life in thy fear, and end it in thy holy favour, even then when out of this vale of misery thou wilt receive me into thy glory unto everlasting and most happy rest. Another Prayer. 8. O Lord, our gracious God, and almighty Father, as thou hast always thy hand open to do us good thy will is, that our mouths likewise should be so hearty to render unto thee thanksgiving: Now than we praise and bless thee for that thou hast so graciously preserved us unto this present hour, by reason of our sins our life is exposed to an infiniteness of inconveniences, and in the mean time we still subsist, and are filled with thy good things. Our being and our wellbeing, Lord, we should hold it of thee, we owe it to thy free grace and mere mercy: to thee alone for the same be all glory for evermore. But, O our most gracious God, it is most necessary for us, that thou continue thy gracious favours unto us: otherwise what thou hast hitherto done for us, would turn to our confusion. Leave us not then, for than we shall perish, thou hast created and redeemed us, not to destroy us, but that we might have eternal life. Shed forth then upon us thy more especial favours, and above all the grace of thy holy Spirit. Thou that hast washed us from our sins in the precious blood of thy Son: Sanctify also our souls by thy Word, and according to thy promise: For Lord, shall we enjoy jesus Christ and his benefits without our serving of thee, without magnifying of thee? And what honour shall we render unto thee, or what acknowledgement, unless thou thyself confer upon us both the will and hability of performance? The will, and desire to honour thee: We already have of thy free grace, give us also the power of performance. Give it us Lord with efficacy, and according to thy good pleasure: grant it unto us, and at the most humble and fervent request which we make unto thee for the same. Give us not over neither to the malice of our enemies, nor to our own perverseness, let neither of them hinder us in thy service, nor let us not give them any subject of dishonouring thee let our example serve for our conversion. That they seeing the holiness of our lives may lose their wills to hurt us, and may gain an affection to know thee aright: to acknowledge thee, O God, according to thy Truth, according to their duty. Let us not, O Lord, abuse our health, and present prosperity. Grant we may employ them to the glorifying of thee, and to the advancement of thy work with faithfulness, and every one according to his vocation whereunto thou hast called us, above all that in the midst of our greatest repose we may prepare ourselves for afflictions, to the hour of death, and for the fruition of our eternal rest. When thou shalt visit us with thy rods, that it may be in thy mercy, and for our amendment, when thou shalt call us, that it may be in thy grace, and for our salvation, whether in prosperity or in adversity, whether sound, or sick, whether living or dying, we may evermore confess thy truth, and do nothing which may be unworthy of our profession, nothing which not seriously testifies our repentance for our sins, our desire of thy grace, our seeking of thy glory, the peace of our souls, the comfort of our consciences, and the assurance of our salvation in thy well-beloved Son JESUS CHRIST. In his Name we further pray thee to confer the same good things on all our kinsfolks and friends: call unto thee those that know thee not, and strengthen those that already have thy fear. Establish, maintain every where, and make effectual the Ministry of thy Word for the conversion & consolation of all thine Elect, and for the enlarging of thy glory, & of the Kingdom of jesus Christ. Keep our King, and all His: grant Him a long Reign in thy fear and for the good of of thy Church. Let his subjects O Lord, and above all, we, who are instructed by thy Gospel, render unto him, and unto all our Superiors all obedience, unto which thy Word obligeth us. Make thine own sensible of the bitterness of thine afflictions, & rejoice them also in the sweetness of thy comforts: so moderate and terminate thy corrections, that they may be wholesome unto them: Above all we beseech thee for them which have need of thy succours in this Church, deny them not thine assistance, hear their prayers and ours, comfort them and deliver them, that they and we may praise thee: solacing ourselves in thy goodness. And because O God, it is only our sins which are able to hinder us from hoping to receive from thee that which we ask of thee, as thou pardonest us our sins in thy Son, grant us grace voluntarily to renounce all iniquity, so shall not the course of thy grace be interrupted: so shall we have experience both in our prayers of the Truth of thy promises, and in our whole life: Yea even unto the last gasp thereof, the continuance of thy fatherly mercy, in the same thy well-beloved Son, in whose Name, etc. A Prayer for him, who after he hath been worthily prepared to receive the holy Communion, approacheth to the Lords Table. 9 O My God, O my Father, I have had experience of thy mercy in the whole course of my life, especially since thou gavest me the knowledge of thy Truth, and of my salvation, and at this present time Lord, thou openest before me the treasure of all thy riches, thou presentest and offerest unto me whole jesus Christ, with all his benefits. Seeing then O God of my salvation, seeing thou wilt, that I should obey thy Word, that I should draw near unto thy Table: Alas suffer not, nor permit that it shallbe to my condemnation: But O good God, far be it from me, that I should admit any such fear: For thou hast touched my heart with serious repentance. I am right sensible, that thou strengthenest my faith, and reachest forth unto me thy hand thyself to receive me this day, thou that art the Author of my salvation. O happy day wherein I protest before thee to detest my sins, to renounce mine iniquity, to be admitted unto the participation of the Sacrament of the New Testament. Good God, give me now the grace to show forth the death of my Saviour: grant that in his sufferings I may discern how great was thy wrath, how exact thy justice against our sins, seeing that to blot them out, thou hast not spared thine own Son: Grant also I may acknowledge thankfully thy infinite mercy towards us, in that for us thine enemies, thou hast given unto death the just, thine only Son. But, Lord, give me to admire the never to be paralleled love, which thy Son beareth me, in that he hath undergone both my sins, and thy wrath, to afford unto me the food of eternal life. O how wonderful art thou in thy bounties? Seeing that this day thou wilt by visible and sacred signs augment my joy, and present to the view of mine eyes thy celestial and invisible graces. At this instant thou wilt give me an assured pledge of my conjunction with jesus Christ. And by him with thee, O my Father, as also with thy holy Spirit: Now shall I be assured, that Christ is in me, and I in him. O excellent Union, sith it bringeth to pass, that I have peace with thee, that jesus Christ taketh upon him all my evil, and bestoweth on me all his benefits, that he quickeneth me by his Holy Spirit, that I am united unto all the faithful, that nothing shall separate me from thy love, that none shall pluck me neither out of the hands of my Saviour, nor out of the bosom of his Church. I fear neither my sins; for behold here the blood of my Saviour, which blotteth them out: nor thy wrath, for lo here the seal of my reconciliation with thee: nor the Devil, for behold here Christ who hath overcome: Nor death, for this day I receive the Sacrament of life everlasting, this day is promise made unto me, and the scale of it is given me, that the heavens are opened unto me, that my habitation shallbe in the house of God for ever. Lord increase my faith, Lord raise up my heart unto thee, grant that unto thy glory, grant that unto salvation, I may comprehend the excellency and the benefit of these things, and that thence I may take up a firm resolution to renounce the world, to walk therein as a pilgrim, as keeping on my way towards my Saviour, to draw unto him my neighbours, to edify them by mine example, to adhere to thy Truth, to continue their profession thereof against the rage, and against the subtleties of all the enemies of thy Truth to my singular comfort, even unto the last gasp of my life. Amen. A Thanksgiving to be rendered unto God, after we have been partakers of the holy Communion. 10. LOrd my God, how is my soul ravished in contemplation of the good things, which thou comest to give me thy poor servant. Alas, Lord, I am far less than the least of thy mercies, and then all the truth thou usest towards me, it is thou that assurest me that thy Son, that thine only Son died for me; It is thou that hast given me the seals of thine inviolable Covenant. But what say I the seals? O God, thou knowest what ardour I feel at this present within me, an assured testimony, that jesus Christ is come to dwell in my heart, by the precious faith thou hast given me: Yea, Lord, I feel that he dwelleth in me, I feel he engraveth in my heart the efficacy of his death and passion, he died once upon the Cross for my sins: But he liveth for ever in my heart for my salvation. I know it, I believe it, with as much certainty as with truth, I have been partaker of the outward signs of thy grace, O let my soul enjoy so great repose, against her enemies, O let it have an unspeakable contentment in thy mercy: As jesus Christ died for me, let jesus Christ live in me. O God it is so: for thou wilt have it so, for I am sensible of it, and my faith is greatly strengthened. Surely, Lord, thou wilt be my God for ever, for thou art with me, thou givest me the bread of life, thou cloathest me with the innocency and righteousness of thy Son. O good God, finish in me thine own work, thou hast rescued me out of the dangers of eternal death, thou hast assured me of most happy rest, grant me, Lord, yet this period unto my prayer, that I may not repay thee with ingratitude, that I may not die in sin, but may live to righteousness, that I may deny myself, may edify my neighbours, may consecrate myself to thy glory, that in the sobriety, righteousness, and religion of my life, I may affect nothing so hearty, have nothing so often before mine eyes, as my leaving of this world: And whilst thou preservest me therein, O God, as long as thou keepest me in the same, I may expect with all thine Elect, the most blessed hope and appearance of the glory of the great God, which is our Saviour jesus Christ, to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be honour and glory from this time and for evermore. Amen. A Confession. 11. O Lord God, Eternal and Almighty Father, we confess and acknowledge unfeignedly before thy sacred Majesty, we are poor miserable sinners, conceived and born in iniquity and corruption, inclined unto evil doing, unprofitable unto every good work; and that by our sins we transgress continually and without ceasing all thy holy Commandments: In doing whereof we purchase to ourselves by thy just judgement destruction and utter ruin. Yet Lord, we are displeased with ourselves for having displeased & offended thee, we condenn ourselves & our sins, with true repentance, humbly praying thy grace may relieve our misery and calamity. Have mercy then upon us, O God, and most gracious Father and full of mercy, for jesus Christ's sake, thy Son, our Lord. And blotting out our sins and blemishes, enlarge in us and increase daily the graces of thy Holy Spirit; that we acknowledging hearty all our unrighteousness, may be touched with true displeasure which may beget in us sound repentance, which mortifying us unto all sin, may bring forth the fruits of righteousness and innocency, which may be acceptable and well pleasing unto thee, through the same jesus Christ, thy well-beloved Son, our Saviour. Amen. A Morning Prayer. 12. O Lord God, Eternal Father, seeing it hath pleased thee to bring us safely unto this present day, be pleased also to give us grace we may pass the same without offending thee, and what ere we shall do, say, or think, may be to the glory and praise of thy Name; and edification of our neighbours. And look not Lord, upon our infirmities, upon our sins, and on our unthankfulness: But look upon thine accustomed goodness; and according to the same, turn not away thy face from us, but ever hold us up by thy hand, that we fall not from thee at all: and let not those threatenings which thou hast pronounced against them, that have known thee, and have not glorified thee as they ought, fall upon us. But Lord, hold us ever in thy fear, and forsake us not; teach us to do thy will, and give us the will and the power to do it, for without thee we can do nothing. Above all, Lord make us always with our whole hearts embrace the memory and the merit of the death of thy Son: And especially when the hour of our own death shall come, grant that in the same we may have such faith, recourse, and assurance, that we may be in the rank of those which die in the Lord. And even then also grant us that we may leave this world without all discontent thereat, and that all our desire may be to be with thee. Also Lord, thou hast taught us to pray that thy Kingdom may come, be pleased to advance forward the same; and in so doing touch our King's heart, and the hearts of his Council, and illuminate them with thy brightness, that thou mayst be King, and rule every where: And that thine enemies may be made thy footstool: look down Lord in mercy upon all the poor afflicted ones, persecuted and oppressed, especially for thy Word; Deliver them, O good God, as thou hast begun, from their enemies and thine, that thy children may be comforted and confirmed in their faith and hope, and that the wicked may learn to cease from their blaspheming of thee: And that they may know that thou art the King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords Lord be merciful unto us poor and miserable sinners: Give gladness unto our souls, give succours unto thy Church, for it is time; O God, which art the God of Peace and of comfort, give us that true peace, which is the repose of our consciences. In the mean time reform our disorders and confusions, as it shallbe expedient for thy glory and our salvation, so that avoiding the surprises and practices which may be made against us by our enemies, we may serve thee in all security and tranquillity according to thy holy will. All the which things we ask, and most humbly crave of thee in the Name, and for thy beloved Son our Lord jesus Christ his sake, praying unto thee as it hath pleased him to teach and show us how to call upon thee, saying: Our Father which art in heaven, etc. An Evening Prayer. 13. O Lord God, eternal and Almighty Father, who hast made & form us with thine own hands, that knowest of what matter we are fashioned and made, and reservest to self, as Lord and Master, the prerogative of sounding and searching of the hearts of thy creatures, even unto their most retired thoughts. We cannot deny before thee this truth, namely; that we are poor sinners, conceived and born in iniquity and corruption, inclined to do evil, unprofitable unto every good work, and that thorough our vicious disposition we transgress continually and without ceasing thy holy and heavenly Commandments, in doing whereof we purchase to ourselves thy just judgement, our utter ruin and destruction. Yet Lord, we are grieved in ourselves for the same. O Lord God, who hast created the day for our travel and the night for our rest, pardon us if we have not employed the day to thy service in performing thy holy will and ordinance, and grant we may pass the night without offending thee, even that we may remain unpolluted both in body and soul, to the end that in the morning for our first work we may praise thee, and give thanks unto thee, and dispose ourselves unto thy service. And because Lord, that in the night season our afflictions press ordinarily more than in the day, and we have less succours from men; reinforce, Lord, thy Guard over us, and behold with pity and compassion all thy poor, afflicted, persecuted and oppressed ones, especially for thy Word; deliver them, O good God, as thou hast begun, from their enemies, and thine, that thy children may be comforted and confirmed in their faith and hope, and the wicked may learn to blaspheme thee no more: but that they may know; that thou art the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Lord be merciful unto us poor and miserable sinners, give joy to our souls, give relief to thy Church, for it is high time. O God, which art the God of peace and consolation, give us that true peace, which is the repose of our consciences: In the mean while remedy our disorders and confusions, as shall be expedient for thy glory, and our salvation: So that avoiding the surprises and deceitful practices, which may be made against us by our enemies, we may serve thee in all security and tranquillity according to thy holy will. All the which things we ask and crave of thee most humbly, in the Name, and for the sake of thy well-beloved Son, our Lord jesus Christ, according as it hath pleased him to inform and teach us to pray unto thee, saying: Our Father which art in heaven, etc. The blessing of our gracious God and Father, the peace and grace of our Lord jesus Christ remain evermore with us, in the Communion of the Holy Ghost. Amen. Another Morning Prayer. 13. O Lord God, and most gracious Father, I thy poor creature, that naturally am wrapped in darkness, durst not lift up mine eyes towards thee, that inhabitest inaccessible light, were it not that thy dear Son, who is the brightness of thy glory, hath made way for me to the Throne of thy Grace by the effusion of his precious blood. And now my God, I acknowledge that it is a great benefit, that I that am unworthy to live upon the face of the earth, and have deserved by my sins to be cast for ever into utter darkness, have this happiness to see the light of the day, and of the Sun, and to behold the works of thy hands with the fruition of the good things of the earth, which thou hast given me. But because, O gracious God, thy Sun shines as well on the bad, as on the good, and that this light is but to guide my body, be pleased O God, that the brightness of thy face may shine upon me, in blessing me, and enlighten my understanding by regenerating and sanctifying me, that I may walk in the way of thy Commandments, that in my Calling I may in such sort carry myself, as that all my words, deeds, and thoughts may be correspondent to thy honour and glory, and to the edification of my neighbours. Lord, thou hast drawn me out of the darkness of idolatry and ignorance, thou hast taken away the veil of superstition from before mine eyes, thou hast also even in my time caused to shine forth, and as it were lighted again that lamp of the preaching of thy Gospel. But suffer me not, that having eyes, not to see with them: But Lord, enlighten all the parts of my soul, and grant that what ere is in me, may be employed to give thee all honour and obedience; that in my Calling thy fear may before mine eyes: And because thou esteemest not thyself to be loved of us, unless we love our neighbours, imprint in me a faith working by love, in such sort, that with confidence I may have a good conscience, doing nothing to any other, but what I would should be done to myself: Let me have a merciful and a relenting heart, let not my bowels be straitened towards the needy and poor: Lastly that seeing the shape of this world to pass away, I may use it as a passenger, remembering ever that my freedom is in heaven. Give me peace in my family, give a blessing upon my labour, contentment to my mind, repose and comfort to the poor afflicted, and full deliverance to thy Church by thy Son jesus. Amen. Another Prayer for the Evening. 15. O Lord God, thy People Israel offered unto thee Evening and Morning Sacrifices in token of acknowledgement unto thee, that keepest us both morning and evening; but what more acceptable sacrifice can we offer unto thee than our contrite hearts and tongues to praise and bless thee? Wherefore Lord, in all humility and reverence I present myself before thy face: beseeching thee, thou wilt be pleased not to enter into account, nor into judgement with me thy poor creature, for whether thou lookest upon the first, or on the second Table of thy Commandments, thou wilt find that I have offended thee many ways. Yet as the child hath always recourse to his father, I have my refuge and my retreat unto thee O Lord, which art slow unto anger, and of great compassion, beseeching thee by thy goodness to cover my sins, as all things are covered thorough the darkness spread over the earth. Alas, my God, I know Satan goeth round about us as a roaring Lion, I know he is the governor of the darkness, and Prince of this world: But withal if thou be for me, who shallbe against me? It is thou that hast thousands of Angels that are encamped round about us: It is thou that hast created the Sun begetting heat, and the Moon affording coolness: It is thou that governest the whole frame of nature, and never slumberest: Be pleased then to grant me the favour to take my rest this night in peace, not to suffer a sleep unto the things of the earth, but more and more to acknowledge thankfully thy goodness, until thou callest me unto that so greatly to be desired rest which thou hast prepared for us; O how sweet and amiable will that dwelling be to us, when in our graves we shall hear the voice of thy Son to raise us up unto glorious immortality. But in the mean time whilst we expect that last coming, we commend unto thee, O heavenly Father, the peace and preservation of thy Church, our Superiors, and Magistrates, and all them that have need of thy succours: beseeching thee that in this decrepit age of the world, wherein all the kingdoms of the earth do stagger, thou wilt be the prop and shore of thy poor people, and in stead of the so many dolorous days and years which we have seen, we may see some rest in the midst of thy Church. Raise up, Lord, some nursing father, and some retreat for thy children, that an over-violent oppression trample them not under foot, and this for thy beloved Son our Lord jesus Christ his sake, in whom I trust, and on whom I repose myself. Amen. A Prayer in the time of the Plague. 16. LOrd, whose infinite power seemeth small, being compared to thy mercy, turn thine eye of pity upon us, and amidst the dangers of this pestilent infection, which threatneth us on every side, retain and uphold our languishing lives, which without thy grace would vanish to nothing, and be turned to corruption in a moment. With the same mercy, wherewith thou hast cleansed our souls, consecrating them to thy service by the badge of sacred Baptism, repurge and cleanse our bodies to serve as clean vessels unto our souls, and to cooperate in the mystery of thy praise. Thou drewest light out of the bottomless deep by thy power, thou drawest away the darkness which obscured the earth: Purge away now again by the same light the noisomeness and corruption of the air, and in such wise power forth thy grace, that we may breathe to our safety and preservation. Lord, thou hast justly suffered for the punishment of our sins this poison and contagious venom to reign with power over our bodies. But seeing thy dear and only beloved Son hath blotted out with his blood the sin which had provoked thee, he should withal have drowned the scourges appointed for the punishment. We fall again every day into the gulf, whereout thou hast drawn us, we renounce by our evil life the grace thou hast given us. It is true, Lord, that if thou wilt judge us in thy justice, we have but to be silent and to suffer: but we implore thy mercy, greater yet than all our sins: thy mercy Lord, which cannot be invoked in vain. It sufficeth that we lift up our eyes unto thee, it sufficeth that we sigh, & turn our heart unto thee, so soon as we feel thee present, and near unto us. But without thee, Lord, we cannot move towards thee. Take us then my God, and inspire into us this wholesome motion: In the sequel whereof we shall undoubtedly have what ere we crave of thee, in the name of thy precious Son our Saviour jesus Christ. Sith then that in his name we ask of thee the health of our bodies, preserve them, my God, from the danger wherein they are, make the air we breathe, the water we drink, the victuals we use, the garments wherewith we cloth ourselves, may be instruments of health to our life, remove far from us in every thing what is impure and pestilent, fortify the spirits that animate our bodies, to the end to be able to resist all the infection, they may encounter, to overcome, and surmount the same. Give us firm and undaunted courage, to wit, relying and resting on thy grace, through the which we may be enabled to pass without apprehension, the dangers amidst the which it pleaseth thee that we live, and make us continually sensible of thy comfort, by which we may be guided with a quiet mind through the midst of these worldly miseries, maintaining evermore that lively hope in our hearts, that giving thee the glory which is due to thy holy Name, we may arrive in the end to that which thou hast promised to thine Elect. Amen. A Prayer upon the Creation. 17. LOrd God, who hast created all for thy glory, especially man to be the principal instrument thereof, and hast moreover received him unto the greatest honour, assuring him, that he shall obtain what ere he shall ask of thee in true faith and charity, raise up my thoughts, purify my heart, sanctify my tongue, to the end I may sing worthily thy praises, render unto thy bounty the thanksgivings which are due thereunto, and ask that which is necessary for my salvation, and convenient and meet for the advancement of thy glory. This Lord, I cannot do, but through thy assistance. Not only all good cometh forth from thee, but even the hability to ask it. As then with fiery tongues thou openedst the lips of thine Apostles, purge now this of a poor humble sinner, and instruct my heart to ask of thee what may be pleasing unto thee. Give me a new spirit, which may know how to conceive that good which is to be prayed for from thee, which therein may take content, which may therein confirm and entertain itself, not floating and wavering, but firm and surely anchored in the faith of thy promises and assurance of thy goodness, as in that safe and calm haven, whither ought to be steered the whole equipage of all our desires: looking alwayss for our most assured star the merit of thy most dear Son our Lord jesus Christ, by the intercession of whom we cannot fall from any of our hopes: unto him I say be glory and honour for ever and ever. Amen. A Morning Prayer. 18. O Light of lights, which hast dispersed the darkness to bring light into the world, and to give man for a mirror the beauty of thy works, and the elegant variety of forms wherewith thou hast distinguished them, and as thou now bringest upon the earth the brightness of the day and of the Sun, bring also Lord, upon my soul the brightness of thy holy Spirit, that according to the measure, that my arms shallbe employed for the maintenance of my body, the thoughts of my soul may be engaged in the invocating of thy holy grace, thorough the conduct whereof we may walk so on through the ways of this sensual and corruptible world, that I may not go astray from the celestial and incorruptible. That if my senses deceived by the pleasing baits, and delicious objects which offer themselves in the world, would seduce my reason: hold them back Lord, by the hope of pleasures infinitely greater, which are proposed to them which live according to thy holy will, and by the fear of the pains 〈◊〉 number, 〈◊〉 ●●out measure, which 〈◊〉 them that forsake the way of thy commandments, to follow that of their flesh. And seeing that to lead me to thy mercy, thou hast been pleased that the Author of light, that eternal wisdom came down upon earth, and there abode for a time, that he might converse amongst us to light the lamp of our souls, by the fire of thy holy Word: Infuse, Lord, by the same bounty, the clear light which thou hast put therein by the operation of thy holy Spirit, that in thy wedding day, we finding ourselves adorned with the wedding garment of thy grace, we may be led into the participation of thy celestial glory. A Prayer for the Evening. 19 LOrd, in as much as thine unsearchable wisdom hath been pleased to divide our whole life into labour and rest; and every one of our days into light and darkness, and yet apointest them both to serve thy glory: Now at this hour, that it hath pleased thee to shut in this day. and to call me from my labour to sleep, I lift up my hands unto thee, and offer unto thee for an Evening Sacrifice my heart and my tongue, and revolving and ruminating in my thoughts that favour wherewith thou hast from morning unto this evening sustained my life, conducted my actions, guided my steps, directed my hands, governed my thoughts, turned away the temptations of the world; I form in my voice, in the best manner I am able, a thanksgiving and song of praise to thy infinite goodness. And therefore, albeit I know well that in my works there is a great deal more want then good, yea not to file upon the account, but that which proceedeth from myself, the whole must needs be damnable. I conjure thy sacred mercy, that it will make them acceptable by pouring forth on them that infinite grace which thy dear Son hath purchased for the world, which alone giveth perfection and sanctification unto all the actions of men. Now that I go to yield my eyes unto sleep, grant my body may take rest in bed, my soul withal may repose in the bosom of thy Son jesus Christ. And thy Holy Spirit watching over me, may remove far away from me all unclean concupiscences, foolish imaginations, and uncouth dreams, and deliver me from all fear, saving from that of thy sacred and severe judgement; and so moderate the course of my sleep, that repairing my strength of body, it may not lull it asleep in idleness, but let me awake at a fit hour, and exercise myself in holy prayer thus all the days of my life, sliding on one after another, until it shall please thee to change this temporal into an eternal rest, thorough the intercession of him, that hath purchased as with the price of his blood, our SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST. Amen. A Prayer for our final obtaining of victory by jesus Christ. 20. O Almighty God, sith we are filled with so many concupiscences, which must needs pollute the pure and sacred gifts of thy Holy Spirit, grant we may take in good part the chastisements which thou sendest us to tame and bring under the said concupiscences: and that as we acknowledge thee to be our shepherd, we may yield up ourselves to be governed by thy shepherd's staff, profiting daily under thy chastisements, and tasting in thy severity of thy bounty, that we may not be discouraged but walking on forward thorough misreports and disgraces; yea, even thorough the midst of death for thy Names sake, that we may rejoice in thee, esteeming all things loss, for the price of the knowledge of thy Son, who giveth the same Spirit that hath sanctified us, which also strengtheneth us: That being partakers of that unction of the Holy Ghost, we may withal be partakers of the victory of thy Son JESUS CHRIST. A Prayer for the preservation of the Church. 21. Eternal Lord God, strong, pitiful, merciful, slow to anger, abundantly plentiful in thy free mercy and truth, keeping Covenant to a thousand generations, taking away iniquity, transgression, and sin: We beseech thee, that we may find favour before thine eyes, pardon our iniquities and our sins, and possess us, fill us with thy Spirit in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, teach us that which we are to do, so that we may apply our hearts to thy Word, and may not hold on our course of sinning, nor follow the multitude to do evil: But that we may seriously obey thy voice, keep thy covenant, may be ranked amongst all people thy most precious jewel, although all the earth is thine, and we are unto thee a kingdom of Priests, and an holy Nation, dwell thou in the midst of us, and be our God. Preserve our houses, and when thou shalt pass thorough the country ●o strike, and to exercise judgement, let there be no wound unto destruction among us, bedew with the blood of the Lamb our threshold and both our doore-posts: look upon that blood, and pass by the door, and suffer not the destroyer to enter into our houses to strike, that we may know thou puttest a difference between the Egyptians and the Israelites. Grant thy children may grow and increase into exceeding great abundance, may be multiplied and reinforced mightily, so that even the earth may be replenished with them, and the more it shall afflict them, the more they may multiply in all abundance. Be moved with compassion towards them which sigh and cry, let their cry come up unto thee, look down upon their affliction. Another Prayer for the Church. 22. LOrd, thou takest no pleasure in the death of a sinner, but hadst rather that he should turn from his way and live. Pour not forth thy fury upon us, heap not thy wrath upon us, judge us not after our ways; but let thine eye spare us, and have compassion upon us, for we are thy sheep, the sheep of thy pasture, and thou art our God. Hid not then thy face from us, but power forth thy Spirit upon us. Grant we may have all but one heart, and put into us a new spirit: Take from us our heart of stone, give us a heart of flesh, that we may walk in thy statutes, may keep thy ordinances, may do them, and be thy people, and thou our God. So shalt thou make known the Name of thy holiness in the midst of us, shalt be sanctified in us, in the presence of the Nations, and we will consider in our hearts, will regard and look on with our eyes, will hearken unto with our ears what ere thou speakest unto us, concerning all thy ordinances, and thy Laws. Save thy flock, that it may not become a prey; raise up Pastors thy servants, that may feed it with wholesome food. And let them whom thou hast set for watchmen in thine house hearken to the words of thy mouth, and give warning from thee. Give them a mouth opened amongst us, that the sheep which are dispersed thorough the want of a shepherd, and which are exposed to be devoured, and they which err, and are strayed out of the way over the whole surface of the earth, may be drawn home, and gathered in, and that thou mayest feed them, and give them rest, seek out that which is lost, bring back that which is driven away, bind up that which is broken, strengthen that which is sick, and those that are afar off amongst the Nations, and those that are scattered upon the earth, be thou unto them a safe Sanctuary in the countries wherein they are. Sanctify thy great Name, which hath been profaned among the Nations, let them know that thou art the Lord, that thou mayst be sanctified among them, and that the earth may shine abroad with thy glory. A Prayer to be affected with Spiritual things, and to renounce the world. 23. LOrd we are rebellious against thy Truth, and have not been obedient to thy righteousness, nor have put in practise thy Law; whence our condemnation is just. Yet Lord, saith was imputed to Abraham for righteousness: Grant it may be so also imputed to us, and that we may obtain mercy: Seeing Christ died for us, and he is the end of the Law, righteousness unto all believers, and that whosoever believeth in him, shall not be confounded. And for that they that are according to the flesh, are affectioned to the things of the flesh, but they that are according to the spirit, unto the things of the spirit: And in as much as the affection of the flesh is death, but the affection of the spirit is life and peace. Let thy Spirit dwell in us, and let us put on the Lord jesus Christ, and let us not be careful for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof: Knowing that Christ being risen again from the dead, dieth no more, death hath no more dominion over him: For in that he died, he died once for sin; but in that he liveth, he liveth unto thee. Also we sum up thus our account, that we are dead unto sin, but live unto thee in jesus Christ our Lord: and that we shall appear all before his judgment-Seat: and that every one of us shall render an account for himself. Let then thy fear be before our eyes, having in horror all evil, & cleaving unto that which is good, that we lay no stumbling block or occasion of falling before our brother, but may walk in charity, loving our neighbour as ourselves, being fervent in spirit, serving thee, joyful in hope, patiented in tribulations, persevering in prayer. That we may offer up our bodies as living sacrifices, holy, and pleasing unto thee, which is our reasonable service, and let us not fashion ourselves unto this present world: But let us be transformed by the renewing of our understanding, that we may search out what thy good, pleasant, and perfect will is. And be it that we live, we may live unto thee; be it wv die, we may die unto thee; that whether we live, or whether we die, we may be thine: For therefore died Christ, and rose again, and returned unto life, that he might have dominion both over the dead and over the living. We commend unto thee all thy Churches, let the weak in faith be strengthened, grant there may be the obedience of faith thorough out all nations. Let every knee bow before thee, and let every tongue give thee praise. Let all nations praise thee Lord, and let all people celebrate thee. Relieve the poor and afflicted, and make them partakers of spiritual good things. Furnish them with the things of this life, assist them in every thing they stand in need of thorough jesus Christ. Grace be with us, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord jesus Christ. A Thanksgiving and a Prayer on the same subject. 24. O Our God and Father which raisedst from the dead jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins, to the end, that according to thy will he might withdraw us out of this evil world. To thee be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 'Tis thou Lord, that hast called us by thy grace, and hast revealed unto us thy Son, who hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law, when he was made a curse for us, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit by faith, knowing that man is not justified by the works of the Law, but only by faith in jesus Christ, in whom we have believed that we might be justified by faith. Give us to obey thy Truth, furnish us with thy Spirit, which may produce thy virtues in us. And because we are thy children, send the Spirit of thy Son into our hearts, crying Abba Father; so that being thy children, we may be thine heirs thorough Christ, and that we may walk according to the spirit, & not fulfil the lusts of the flesh: because what a man soweth, that shall he reap also. For he that soweth to the flesh, shall reap of the flesh corruption: But he that soweth to the Spirit, he shall reap of the Spirit life eternal. That we may live by the Spirit, and may walk also in the Spirit, the fruit whereof is love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness; temperance. And as they which are Christ's, have crucified the flesh with the justs thereof, that we may be crucified with Christ, and may live not now we, but that Christ may live in us; and that what we now live in the flesh, we may live in the faith of thy Son, who hath loved us, and gave himself for us: that it might not happen unto us to glory in any thing save in the Cross of our Lord jesus Christ, by whom the world may be crucified unto us, and we unto the world: And that in him we may be new creatures, not growing careless of well doing, seeing we shall reap in due season, if we grow not slack. Wherefore whilst we have time, let us do good unto all men, but especially unto the household of faith. And all they that shall walk according to this rule, peace be upon them, and mercy, and upon thy Israel O God. Work with efficacy by those unto whom the preaching of the Gospel is committed. That they which know thee not, and who serve those that by nature are no gods, may know thee, and may be known of thee, and may not to be turned back to the weak and beggarly rudiments which they would serve. That all they that are baptised, may put on Christ, and that we may be all united in jesus Christ our Saviour. Let thy grace be with our spirit. Amen. A Prayer to be filled with Charity. 25. LOrd, I beseech thee I may abound in faith and charity, that I may yield up myself wholly first unto thee, and then according to thy will unto my brethren: knowing the gracious favour of our Lord jesus Christ, namely that he became poor for me, although he was rich, that by his poverty I might be made rich. That my abundance might supply their want, that I might have both a forwardness of will thereunto, and an hability of bringing the same into action also, according to my means. That it may relish of bounty, not of close-hand niggardliness: Knowing that he that soweth sparingly, shall also gather sparingly: and he that soweth liberally, shall gather also liberally. That it may not be unwillingly or by constraint, seeing thou lovest a cheerful giver: and art able to make to abound all grace in me, to the end that having always all sufficiency in all things, I may be plentiful in every good work (as it is writ) he hath scattered abroad, he hath given to the poor: his righteousness abideth for ever. Now thou Lord, that givest seed to the sour, be pleased also to give unto me bread to eat, and multiply my wealth, augment the revenue of my righteousness, and that I may be enriched in all frankness of liberality. The King's Prayer. Samuel II. 26. LOrd, thou hast anointed me to be King, thou hast accepted me to be the Leader of thy People, be with me, be thou with me, be thou my Father, and I shallbe thy Son. Let not thy free mercy departed from me. Make an everlasting Covenant with me. Keep me whither soever I shall go. Protect me from the hand of all them that shall rise up against me. Establish the throne of my kingdom, bless thou thy servants house, that it may be blessed for ever. Grant my dominion over men may be just, that I may govern in thy fear: O God, and that I may reign doing judgement and justice to all my people, even as thou hast commanded me, and that I may be acceptable unto thee. Another Prayer of the Kings. Chron. I. 27. O God, give me an upright & sound heart, that I may keep thy commandments, and thy testimonies, and thy statutes, that I may know and serve thee with an upright heart, and with a willing mind. For thou Lord searchest the hearts, and knowest all the imaginations of the thoughts thereof, grant I may reign doing judgement and justice to all thy people, that I may be thy Son, and that thou mayst be unto me a Father. Establish the throne of my Kingdom for ever. Be with me, that I may prosper, and build thy house, O Lord my God. Give me wisdom and understanding, and teach me how to govern, and how I may keep thy Law, knowing that than I shall prosper, if I take heed to do thy statutes and judgements which thou hast commanded. Fortify me, and double in me my strength, keep me wheresoever I go, bless also thy servants house, that it may be always before thee, and may be blessed for ever. Give peace and rest unto thy people in my time. Grant thy Name may abide firm, and be magnified for ever. The People's Prayer for the King. 27. BLessed be thou, O Lord our God, that hast accepted our King to set him upon the throne, because thou hast loved us, and hast established him, to the end to do judgement and justice. Show thy great mercy unto him, and that he may walk before thee in truth, in righteousness, and uprightness of heart. Be with him, magnify his Throne, lengthen his days, and let him live for ever. Let there be peace to thee-wards always for him, for his posterity, for his house, and for his Throne. Give him riches, and glory, so as there hath not been the like unto him amongst Kings: Let him be greater than all the Kings of the earth, both in riches and in wisdom: Let him walk in thy ways, to keep thy ordinances, and thy commandments, and let there ever be in him divine wisdom: Put his enemies under his feet: Give him rest round about him, and let him have no adversity nor evil luck. Let his people be very numerous, as the sand which is on the sea shore. Let him have peace round about him on every side, and let neither them nor their children turn back from thee, but keep thy commandments and thy statutes, which thou hast set before them, that men may know that thou art God in this Kingdom, and that we are thy servants. A Prayer of the faithful that fervently desireth to participate in the public exercises whereof he was deprived. 28. O Lord of Hosts how amiable are thy Tabernacles! My soul ceaseth not to desire greatly, and even languisheth after thy Courts, my heart and my flesh leap for joy after thee, O mighty and living God. O how happy are they that dwell in thy house, which praise thee uncessantly! O how happy is the man whose strength is in thee, and they that go by troops to present themselves before thee in thy Temple! For better is a day in thy Courts, than a thousand elsewhere. I had rather be a doorkeeper in thy house, O my God, then to dwell in the Tabernacles of the wicked. For Lord God, thou art unto us a Sun and a shield: thou givest grace and glory, and withholdest no good thing from them that walk in integrity. O my God, I seek thee by the day break, my soul thirsteth after thee: my flesh desireth thee as in a desert land. I am athirst, and without water to see thy face, and thy glory, as I have beheld thee in thy Sanctuary, for thy free mercy is better than life: therefore shall my lips praise thee: and so will I bless thee whilst I live, and will lift up my hands in thy Name. Satisfy my soul as it were with honey, and with fatness, and let my mouth praise thee with a song of rejoicing. Be my helper, and I will rejoice in the shadow of thy wings. My soul shall cleave unto thee to follow thee, and thy right hand shall hold me up. Another Prayer out of the second Epistle of St. john. 29. LOrd, cause thy Truth to abide in us, and to be always with us, and let us be ever found walking in the Truth, according as we have received thy Commandment. Let us love one another, and walk according to thy commandments, taking heed unto ourselves, that we lose not that we have done, but rather that we may receive our full wages, and that our joy may be full. Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father, and from the Lord jesus Christ, the Son of the Father be with us in truth and love. A SACRED Spiritual Awakening, or Morning Sacrifice, to serve for the awaking and rousing of the carnally secure. The ear that heareth the reproof of life, abideth among the wise. Pro. 15.31. He that despiseth the Word, shall perish by reason thereof. Proverb. 13. It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha. Mat. 10.14.15 29. IT is our over much stooping unto and our settling upon the lees of our vanities, that the foolish affections of the flesh drag us deeper into their disordered appetites: It is our overmuch thinking on the things here below; let us remain no longer curbed on earth, let us rouse up, address ourselves toward heaven, and let us not defraud it of what belongs unto it: shall not the examples of the creatures without reason (yea without sense) lead us unto this reason? We see water cometh forth of the water, and returneth unto water, the earth drawn from the earth, re-inclineth to the earth, and so every thing tendeth to his place: and shall we that are borne for heaven fly from it? The knowledge that our blessedness is there, eternal blessedness which already we possess thorough the assurance of our union with jesus Christ, into whose death we have been baptised, to the end to participate in his resurrection, and to be in time ordained by God fully coheirs of that celestial heritage: ought it not to make us lift up our senses on high, and to pluck them wholly from the earth? But alas! We confess that this knowledge appeareth to be almost altogether obscured in us: for our conversation is like unto that of them that have not known God, walking as having no fear of the Lord, and doing the things, which indeed ought not to be so much as thought on or named of us: it seemeth to appear by the course of the most, that man is but only for the flesh, to the end to glut his disordered passions. O wonderful brutishness! Where then shall this knowledge be? Or the feeling or expectation of the heavenly joy? Rom. 6. Col. 3. For this union not performing her functions, should we not walk in fear and trembling all the course of our life? mortify our old man and corrupt nature? Otherwise where shallbe the fruit of our baptism? Or the efficacy of the passions and sufferings of jesus Christ? and if we be destitute and deprived of these things, abide we not still in death, yea eternal death? Wherefore let us here enter into astonishment, let us be terrified with fear, Rom. 2.4. We see the anger of God threatneth us, if we turn not away from evil. His Patience inviteth us to repentance, let us not despise the riches of his mercy. Eccles. 5.5. He hath borne with us until this day, let us not say any more, the mercy of God is great, he will have pity on the multitude of our sins, to add sin unto sin, and let us not stay till to morrow to convert ourselves, for mercy and wrath come both from the Lord, and his day shallbe, and will come when it shall not be thought on, no man knoweth the hour: And this is it which is meant by the Parable of the evil servant, who saying in his heart my Master deferreth the time of his coming. Math. 24.48. And therefore I will lead an evil life: That his Master will surprise him, and will come in a day, when he looketh not for him, and will cast him thither, where there shallbe weeping and gnashing of teeth: Let us fear, let us fear then such a surprise, let us awake thoroughly, and slumber no longer in our sins. O half Atheists! infamous Monsters! that say, let us sin that God may forgive us: otherwise, what use shall there be of his mercy, came he not for sinners? Oh how you deceive yourselves! and those also that glut their brutish and irregular lusts, giving the full swing to their foolish desires (profaning likewise the mercy of God) promise to themselves afterward to have the same all the course of their lives jollily, heaped up their iniquity, to say at their last day a peccavi, whereupon they heap and pile up in this manner, as much mischief as the most perverse can do: As if it were in man's power to have repentance, to ask and obtain mercy at any time or moment he shall assign himself, and as if it were in his own free hability, and power, and not a special and singular gift of God, as it is manifested unto us in jeremy 31.8. when he saith, Convert me, and I shall be converted, for thou art the Lord my God: surely after I was converted, I repent. That such grace cometh from God alone, according to his good pleasure. It is the saying of the Holy Ghost, Act. 11.18. God gave to the Gentiles also repentance unto life. Which is also clearly showed by Saint Paul charging Timothy to teach those that were contrarily minded. 2 Timoth. 1.25. To try if at any time God would give them repentance to the knowledge of the truth, that they may awake and recover themselves out of the snare of the Devil, according to that we gather Esay 1.15. That man sometimes cryeth unto the Lord in vain, and without that he answereth him. Consider then now unto whom, when, and how mercy is granted. Psalm 18.41. And we may acknowledge all in that behalf, that we have not the morrow to repent in: Let us not grow elder in our iniquity, lest (as wisdom admonisheth us) That malice having taken deep root in us, our heart can never be changed: Wisdom the 12.10. So the tree long since planted is not easily stubed up, and let us ever bear in mind that threatening Apoc. 3.3. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. But what, shall we not grow wise through the frequent examples which daily occur, and present themselves to our view: That the lustiest man, he that buildeth his designs (as it were) fare from the grave, and who thinketh of nothing less, then on the tribute he owes to death, in the same instant sinks down: And therefore no man knows the hour, nor how he must dislodge from out of this lower earth; Every moment both of night and of day, showing that God hath a thousand and a thousand means in his hand to cut off (when he pleaseth) the thread of the soundest, and strongest life. Whereupon one hath said very well: What act, what time, what place exempt can stand? From dreadful dart of Death's fell hand? Is not unpartial proof Pope Adrian's fly? That laughing, eating, drinking man may die? Stay a little thy mind and thoughts in this place, O thou temporiser! that deferrest unto another season to amend and become better, let not this pass thee without thinking on it, and it shallbe an entrance unto thee to profit by the admonition which our Saviour jesus Christ gives us, Mat. 24.44. Therefore be ye always ready, and watch for fear of being surprised, not knowing the hour of your departure. Let us not here make as though we were deaf. If we give ear to an instrument which affords us some recreation, shall we stop it from hearing of wholesome counsel? No, no: lest it may be said to us as in Proverb. 1.24. I have called and ye refused. I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded. Ye have set at naught all my counsel, and would none of my reproof. I also will laugh at your calamity, I will mock when your fear cometh: when your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind, when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall you call upon me, but I will not answer: For you have hated knowledge, and not chosen the fear of the Lord: you would none of my counsel, but have despised all my reproof: therefore shall you eat of the fruit of your ways, and shallbe filled with your own devises. For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. Remember what I did to Sodom and Gomorrha, 4. Esd. 2.8. So will I deal with them that have not hearkened unto me. Psal. 95: 7.8. saith the mighty Lord. Let us then be better advised, harkening to the voice of God. Let us not harden our hearts: Let us listen to his counsel, and receive reproof to become wiser: and profiting by these admonitions, may not procrastinate nor delay any more from day to day by saying (every one) I have sinned, and we must repent. But even now instantly, without putting it off, let us no more profane this so special a gift of God. This most precious gift I say, of repentance, (which Esau begged yea even with tears, and it was not granted him Heb. 12.17.) For fear lest that befall us which was said to the five foolish Virgins, who because they wanted oil, when they had leisure to have made their provision thereof, entered not in with the bridegroom, and let us stand on our guards, walking in newness of life, as having already left this world, not knowing the hour when we shall be called out of it: Witnessing that we are dead unto sin, and living unto God thorough jesus Christ, Col. 3. in whom we are made new creatures, to serve unto righteousness: And do show that truly we have more care of the things above then of these which are upon the earth, by renouncing and utterly abandoning the covetous to his covetousness; the ambitious worldling to his insolent and vain ambition; the voluptuous person to the lascivious affections of his flesh: for from thence is it, that spring and issue forth all impieties. Hence is the root and the spring, this is that which produceth them, and which foments them. What will not the covetous man do to augment his heap of wealth? The ambitious to enjoy his ambition? The voluptuous to accomplish his desires? Their hearts being in these things, as if in them consisted their sovereign happiness. Not here to descend to the particular enormity of these vices (whereof he that is fulliest fraught, maketh himself ordinarily believe, that he is altogether exempt from them, or else glorieth in them, as in most commendable parts) nor particularly to lay open, how detestable they are. To wind up all in brief; appeareth it not that they that take their pleasure in these things, spare not the very honour of God, which they annihilate and utterly abolish, as much as in them lieth, to give place to their irregular and disordered affections? For although they know, and are informed of his will, and how he ought to be obeyed and served; they voluntarily seduce and misled themselves out of the way of salvation, and hold (though against their conscience) the great and wide way of the world: the way of those, which in their hearts they reproove, and know they serve not the Lord as they should: And with them often serve the creature (yea their own work) in stead of the Creator, call upon it (or fain to call upon it) committing Idolatry with all superstition, (at the lest in hypocrisy) & so harden the poor ignorant, and by that means, not only impeach God's glory, but even withal fight against it to the uttermost of their possibility. Why then, these vices, draw they not after and with them this full measure of all wickedness, for what is this but so to renounce God? Yea often times to make war against him? Can man with all his perversity conceive a thing more abominable? No, no; it is not possible, this is extreme iniquity. But lest it should far with them, as with a pleader which should be condemned, unheard before he had put in his answer to his adversaries plea: let us hear what defence they make, who will excuse themselves in this case: God requireth (say they) rather the inward man then the outward; the inside than the outside. Then if to remain in good concord, and better fellowship they accommodate and comply in themselves (in regard of outward appearance) with those whom otherwise they should thwart and be cross unto, it is but only to maintain peace and unity: and so to retain the means to settle themselves, and to thrive and prosper ameng men, not ceasing nevertheless to condemn the actions of those, unto whom seemingly they conform themselves, and in their hearts hold themselves unto that, which GOD requireth of the faithful. A doom it is most certain, and truly remarkable of all other: That the way of the fool is right in his own eyes, Proverb. 12.15, Silly sots, to think by your humane wisdom (foolishness before the Lord) to take Sanctuary, and better to shelter yourselves from the wrath of God, than those whom you condemn? Hear what Saint Paul saith to you, Rom. 1.21.22. Whilst you think yourselves wise, you are become fools. Because when ye knew God, yet you have not glorified him as God. Luk. 2.47: We learn, that he that knows his Master's will, and doth it not, shallbe more grievously beaten, than he who not knowing it, hath not done it. Why, is not your hypocrisy here most manifest? Whilst you endeavour to make men believe another thing then that which you have inwardly in your heart: that detestable vice, which our Saviour jesus Christ never speaks of without expression of his anger: the high way of Atheism. For he which strives to counterfeit a Religion, which he condemneth in his heart, can never have any rest in his conscience, until he give himself over to believe that all things are indifferent, nor hath he any other means to free himself from that dread and from those horrors, which the just judgement of God inflicts upon that miserable and wretched conscience of his, as to be persuaded that God will not look so narrowly to men's demeanours, and then is he truly a spiritual leper: For having lost the feeling and fear of God's justice, it is a sure testimony, that such an one knoweth not God; because to deny God, and to deny his justice is all one. Indeed appears it not that the most of them, who at the beginning but fainingly shall adhere to Idolaters, at length become wholly Idolaters, or fall into that blindness, that there's no longer any religion at all in them, having altogether forgotten God, and live as though there were no God, of whom many that would have men esteem better of them, do as the Chameleon, and according to the object they encounter, they resemble one while one thing, another while another: And unto such the Prophet Elias cryeth out, saying: How long will ye halt between two opinions on both sides? If God be God, why do you not follow him? If Baal, Baal? But if they have yet any spark of knowledge that there is a God, a God terrible, to be feared in his judgements given in his anger, shall they not be astonished to hear the Lord say to them in his displeasure? Apoc. 3.16. That because they are neither hot nor cold, but lukewarm, that he will vomit them out of his mouth. And hearing, that by his Prophet jeremy, jeremy 48.20. He curseth him that doth the work of the Lord negligently: for what is there more fearful, saving the execution? O you the best of these, that say you consent not in mind to that you do? Lamentably wise fools, whose wisdom consists in folly, know you not that he who is the Creator of the soul, is also of the body? Can we serve God with the one, and Mammon with the other? Dan. ●. If you can carry yourselves in that manner, why then did not Daniel to avoid casting into the Lion's den, following the decree of King Darius dissemble and fain to obey that was enjoined him? Why did not Sidrach, Mi●a●●, and Abednego (outwardly at least) yee●d and submit to what Nebuch●dnezzar required of them, rather than to cause him to cast them into the fire? Why have not so many Martyrs spoken your language, and made some fair show to be delivered from that infiniteness of horrible torments, and even from death itself? But who by reason of many, of whom sometimes there was no more required; but a yea, or a nay, without any further profession of Religion (solicited by them that thought to do them a friendly office for their escape) chose rather death, and forsook their life. No, no, we must a● Saint Paul saith, not only believe with the heart, to justification, Rom. 10.10. But also confess with the mouth unto salvation, for God require to the inward par●s, with the outward, and will have our light so shine before men, that they seeing our good works, may thereupon glorify him. It is the instruction of our Saviour jesus Christ. Cease then and leave off this evil custom, seeing God by his Holy Spirit saith yet, repent you, Math. 5.16. Who addeth, for otherwise I will come against you speedily, Apo. 1.16. and will fight against you with the sword of my mouth. And let us say all henceforth with David, Psalm. 34. Henceforth shall our tongues sing aloud the righteousness of the Lord, and the lowly minded shall hear that we boast ourselves of the Lord, and shall be glad thereof. Even as Saint Paul exhorteth us, 1. Corinth. 6.20. Let us glorify God, not only in our spirits, but also in our bodies which are Gods. And in emulation one of another, let us give testimony to every one of the adoption which we have in jesus Christ: that all may know and take notice, that thorough him we are heirs of the kingdom of heaven: let us boast of this glory, a glory to be paralleled by no other, being a special benefit which is unvaluable. That our piety may shine forth singularly to the instruction of our families. Let us not be so lukewarm in following of Christ. And let us not a little cherish the riches of his opprobries, as to take our chiefest care to make them capable of sharing in the vanities of the world: For if we have no other care of their salvation, we are the executioners of their souls; worse than the bruit beasts, that are careful for the good of their young: no less lewd than they that sacrificed their children to Baal▪ yea, if (say I) we consent that they be brought up with the milk and poison of the spiritual strumpet, as much as in us lieth, to make them one day partakers of all the curses of the Lord, as if we had vowed to be instruments to deliver them over ourselves unto Satan. This we shall witness to be thus, if against our science and conscience we bring them not up in the ways of the Lord. Let us then herein place all our study, dealing in such sort, that they whom God shall have committed to our guidance, may be as it were trumpets by their good and holy conversation, to publish unto every one the truth of our profession, as the thing wherewith we account ourselves most honoured. I pray you, where is he, who being descended of some illustrious and noble family, is not jealous unto the end to be held and known by every one to be issued of that race? What Lord of some goodly possession doth not divulge his titles, beareth not willingly his coats of Arms? Yea, doth he not set them up in sight on the highest places to be so much the more conspicuous and better discerned? A thing nevertheless bu● of small continuance: and which in very deed, when all comes to all, is but mere vanity: and whereof there can no comparison be made to this so lofty a title, and so full of glory; the highest pitch of all honour: this title, say I, of Child and Servant of God, Coheir with Christ. A quality, O the noblest, and most magnificent, (which maketh happy Monarches) not for a season, but eternally in comparison of which, surely all other even the greatest and the most precious that are under the cope of heaven, and compass of the earth, are less than nothing, yea most wretched, if these be not adjoined unto them. And then if a Noble Personage so much affect his ancient scutcheons of arms for so small fruit; if he would not endure that aught should be detracted, or any thing added, lest his lineage might either be questioned or unknown? How much more careful aught we to be, to take good heed we do not any act, which may not suit with those that are truly the children and servants of God? And in contempt of the world, to enforce ourselves to walk in that integrity and uprightness, we ought to be by so much the more remarkably such? Seeing otherwise especially, we exclude and shut out ourselves from his grace; Rom. 1.16. Let us not then be ashamed of the truth of the Gospel of Christ, which is the power of God unto salvation unto all that believe. For alas, if it be so, that we are so brutish and beastly, that to possess the world, to please it, or for fear of it we dissemble the knowledge we have of him, the Son of God himself tells us, That as we have denied him before men, he will deny us also before his Father, and will be ashamed of us, and that worthily. Luk. 9.26. Let us hold (then) the confession of our hope, without varying for any thing whatsoever: According as Saint Paul teacheth us, Heb. 10. And with him we say, Neither that which is present, nor that which is to come, nor height, nor depth, poverty, nor nakedness, persecution, affliction, nor death, nor life, shall separate us from the love of Christ. Rom. 8.34. Prepare always in every place and before all men to give a reason and an account to every one of the hope that is in us, Peter 1.3. Yea as true faithful ones let us take especially our neighbours by the hands, saying to them, let us go up; let us ascend up to the mountain, unto the house of the God of jacob; and he will teach us his ways, Esa. 4. And let us stir up one another unto charity, and to good works Mic. 2. Not forsaking the assembly of the faithful: For (as Saint Paul saith) if we sin willingly after we have received the knowledge of the truth, Heb. 10. There remains no sacrifice for that sin, but a fearful expectation of judgement, and the vengeance of fire, which shall devour the adversaries: Setting before us, that if any one had despised the Law of Moses, he was put to death without any mercy: and thence concludes, how much more grievous torments shall he deserve that shall esteem the blood of the Son of God as a thing of no holiness, thorough the which he had been sanctified, and had done injury to the Spirit of Grace? Yea, but what say you to this, that by making open profession of this known truth, men shall deprive themselves of the favour and good will of the great ones: It is a course that will bring an untimely issue to our best designs, and we shall run a hazard to fall from our honours; yea, we shall be in danger to be brought to the lowest ebb of the greatest misery (the ordinary condition of those that will be followers of jesus Christ) and some will say more; they who earn me the bread which my family eats, will not henceforth serve me: and what shall then my condition be? how shall I live. It is here high time to sound the alarm, the combat is at hand; but before we give the onset, let us take better notice of our enemies, to wit, the world, and the flesh. Shall we demand of him that maketh war upon us, the things that are fit to destroy him? No, no: this were all one as if we should cast flax into fire to quench it. To shelter ourselves then from the first encounter of the assault, let us set ourselves in battell-array with Daniel, Sidrach, and Abednego, let us march forward in their steps, and use the same weapons with the Martyrs, Ephes. 6.11. Let us have our loins girt about with truth, and have on the breastplate of righteousness, and let us have our feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace; and above all let us take the shield of Faith, and the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Let us deny ourselves to follow Christ, as every true Christian ought: so shall we pass thorough the greatest conflict, which shall present itself, if he encounter himself, and we shall remain conquerors as they have done, that have known, and withal have followed the will of the Lord, and not the sensuality of the flesh, and the world. A gift of God, which he giveth to them that ask it in faith, without wavering. james 1.6. They know that the Almighty curseth the man that maketh flesh his arm, and that trusts in man. jeremy 7.2. That surely men of high degree are vanity, Psal. 62.9. and a lie: and that he that shall put into the balance the grandes of the earth against nothing, shall find them yet lighter than nothing. Wherefore they have not expected salvation from any other but from the highest, relying wholly and trusting in him only. And see we not also indeed, that there is no Monarch so great, but God when he pleaseth, out of hand brings him to nothing? Want we proofs for the uncertainty of the performance of man's promises? Now when it was in his own power to perform (which he never hath but as it is given him from above) shall there be any found that saith he hath not found as much by experience? The thing is too too frequent. So also do we not see, that not only it is in vain, but withal draweth down the wrath of God upon himself that depends on man, how great or mighty soever he be in appearance? Let us then forgo for ever such a thing. Psalm 60.11. Give us help from trouble, for vain is the help of man. And following David's counsel, let us ever put our trust in God alone, he is good and gracious to will what shall be expedient for us; mighty in his power, true and immutable in his promises to accomplish them: And let every one of us say with him, Psal. 28.7. He is my shield and fortitude, my buckler in distress: My hope, my help, my heart's relief, my song shall him confess. To dive yet deeper into this matter: Thou that fearest thine honours, and art afraid that thy earthly goods will leave thee, after the which thou so breathest and barkest, thou verifiest that which cannot but be most true: That it is impossible that a man should serve God and riches. Luke 16.14. He which is truth itself spoke it. But it shall not be amiss to set a glass before thee, that thou mayst see how thou art disfigured, and that thou mayst know thine own deformity, if thou hast sight enough to discern it. O fool, that seekest after, and prisest at so high a rate the glory and treasures of the earth, as if therein consisted thy happiness. (horrible Idolatry) If thy soul be required of thee this night, what shall become of the total? And put the case, thou livest the longest age of man, that length is but a moment: What profit have they gained by it, whom thou hast seen go before thee, who are now in the grave? Psalm 90. thinkest thou they are much more happy thereby? Alas, the danger is great, 'tis contrary. Luke 18.24. For it is a very hard thing for the rich to enter into the Kingdom of heaven. What hope thereof wilt thou draw from out of that which St. james saith. ch. 5.2. Weep you rich men, howl for your miseries which shall come upon you: your riches are corrupted, your garments moth-eaten: your gold and silver is cankered, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire: Tim. 6, 9 Then what shall make thee desire abundance? For they that will be rich, fall into temptation, into the snares of the Devil, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts. Wisdom. 5. Which plunge men into destruction and ruin. Which the Wiseman knowing, made his prayer unto God, not to give him riches, but only his daily bread. And withal what are all other things, but most vain vanity? Which not so soon have taken their being, as they are glided away, and passed by, as if they had not been at all. Nor is there any more appearance left of them, then of a bird that hath flown thorough the air, whose tract cannot be found: flying away from him, who so greedily and with all carefulness had heaped them up together, or if not, he himself leaves them by death, and unto whom? Surely he knows not: as saith the Prophet, Psalm 39.6. He heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them. But when this should obtain some continuance, wouldst thou so abastardise and curtail thy felicity, as therein to limit thy sovereign good? Tell me, how many years thou hast already passed, and what a portion of thy age is glided on, which is no more to be reckoned on then when thou beginnest therein to take pleasure, and if it were not so, but rather that man might rejoice in and enjoy his pleasure even from the day of his birth, wouldst thou then esteem it a profit, that for to possess even the whole world, he should lose his soul? Harken unto, and consult with jesus Christ in this question. Matth. 16.26. We shall know, that whosoever seeketh after and loves these things, cannot please God: For there is his heart, and not with the Lord, and therefore let us contemn them, Matth. 6.9. And following the instruction of jesus Christ, Let us lay up our treasures in heaven, where neither the rust, nor moth corrupt, and think on those things which are above, and not on these that are here below: for whosoever is not ready to forsake all he hath in the world, and which he possesseth on earth, (as he himself saith) he cannot be one of his. Now if this be once found in us, surely than we will seek rather to glor●fie God, then to possess the goods, which oftentimes the very wicked enjoy: We will prefer the riches of the opprobries of Christ, Heb. 11. before the treasures of Egypt, after the example of Moses, nor will we commit such an error, as to deprive ourselves of the hearing of God's Word, and of the means to serve him according to his already known will, thereby the more commodiously to heap up wealth as we are wont to do: But we had rather as David, Psal. 48. dwell simple doorkeepers in the house of the Lord, then to enjoy the delights of the flesh: Yea by so much the more willingly, if as we hold them happy that dwell in the house of God, praise him without ceasing: And on the contrary for most miserable those that are estranged far from it. Amos 8.11. There being no greater evil, then to have a famine of the Word of the Lord. It remains to satisfy more particularly him, who doth not already see himself closely pursued with misery, but hath his eye fixed on those by the means of whom he thinketh to live, that regardeth nothing more than to conform himself to their humour, even to the turning of his back unto God, for-feare of disgrace, preferring this temporal life before eternal life: having more care of the body then of the soul, as one that makes more of his apparel then of himself: Yet such a one in truth is brought to some trial, by reason of the defects which are in man thorough his infirmity and baseness, when as he hath not yet tasted of the promises of God, but that he may commit a thing yet more horrible, nothing more detestable, and which may make more for his condemnation, no: And say we what we will to palliate such sin, so it is, that to speak properly, we must know that we set man in God's place: For we make lying man true; and God who is power itself, a liar. Man that is merely impotent we make powerful, and God, who is power itself, impotent: in reposing our trust ordinarily (as in this behalf) upon man, and on his promises: And on the contrary, there is nothing but diffidence and distrustfulness in that which is promised us from God, do we rely more upon him in our need? Is not this his voice? Mat. 6.25. Take no thought for your life, what you shall eat, or what you shall drink, nor for your bodies, what you shall put on. If God (saith jesus Christ) feed the birds of the air, and the grass of the field, will he not much more do it for you? O you of little faith. Ask then (saith he) and seek you first of all the kingdom of God, and the righteousness thereof, and all these shallbe ministered unto you withal: and be not careful for to morrow. This is the Word of God, these are his promises: and yet in stead of retiring ourselves unto him, and towards him, who hath promised never to leave us, and never to forsake us, whence Saint Paul, Heb. 15. Draws an argument to bid us to be content with things present, we turn ourselves unto men, and hope from them, as from them, that which we want: if any man mighty in possession hath made us protestation of friendship, and hath promised us his purse shall be open to us in our need, forthwith we make an account of it as of a thing most certain, and which cannot fail us, and we so cherish this in such sort, that we take good heed in no wise to displease such an one: Yea with the dispense even of God's honour, as he whom we leave out, as he of whom we had not received ought, and from whom we could not hope for any benefit: and what is this? but (with marvellous and detestable ingratitude) to accuse God of impotency, or of want of will to make good that which he hath promised, and so to make him a liar? A thing infinitely (as the offence is infinite) horrible to think only. And on the contrary, setting man in his place, by attributing unto him, what appertaineth unto God alone. Psal. 42, 1.50.12. Yea we so prefer ma● before God, him, whose all things are, that brings the wealthy to beggary, and raiseth up the poor unt● glory, making him abound in wealth. It seemeth, that he●● some may say we will cease then henceforth to take pains, and trample upon all care, trusting and reposing ourselves wholly upon the promises of God: Now know we, that this would be truly to tempt him: which makes us not these promises to make us careless to employ ourselves in that whereunto we are called by him, and which our calling requires, seeing he himself hath ordained (for a badge and by reason of our sin) that we shall eat our bread in the sweat of our brows. Gen. 3.19. all the time of our life; Which made Saint Paul say, that he that labours not (if he be able to do it) ought not to eat, 1 Thes. 3.10. This is it also why the Psalmist considering we are necessitated unto action, saith (speaking of him that feareth God, and walketh in his ways) Psa. 127.128.2. Blessed art thou that fearest God, and walkest in his way: For of thy labour thou shalt eat happy art thou I say. But the end of these promises is to the end we should not be dismayed, when by the providence of God we shall be destitute of all possessions, and even deprived of drawing any fruit from the labour we can undergo; labour truly vain, unless he extend his blessing to the same, without which in vain wake we late and rise up early, Psalm. 146. and that we might know, that from man's industry his wealth proceeds not, but from God only, who advanceth and casteth down when he pleaseth. From him, I say, that knows no want, to give provision whereof to live unto them that need. And that thus we might be led on forward to walk in his obedience and fear, as of him on whom we wholly depend, yea even the mightiest and highest that are among the creatures. But let us return, let us yet further discover our own filthiness, Luke 21.18 Appears it not that albeit that God assures us, that no man shallbe able so much as to pluck a hair from our head without his will (which is the same St. Paul says, Rom. 8.3. If God be for us, who shall be against us?) and although he say he will keep his people as the apple of his eye, seeming to express himself after our imperfect manner, to make us the better to comprehend his love, yet for all this, how great are our diffidences and distrusts? That if it happen, that we be threatened with banishment, or otherwise to make any attempt upon our persons by reason of the confession of the Name of God, and of his Truth, we be altogether appalled with fear and terrible apprehensions, even to the renouncing of him, and to be disposed to speak such language: And to be short, to do that which they would do, that in appearance shall have strength in their hands? Yea the greater part of them which follow the great and broad way, Ma. 7.13. of destruction, and who as they say, howl when others yell, will follow the fashion, be it never so vile, do not they act it before they see it, out of a foresight of the fear they have thereof? Howsoever for a matter of this nature, following our SAVIOUR CHRIST'S teaching, we ought not to fear them that can kill the body, Mat. 10.28. and are not able to touch the soul; but rather and only to fear him, who is able to destroy the soul, and to send the body to hell, Matth. 10.19. Having elsewhere said unto us, that whosoever will save his life, shall lose it: But he that for God's sake shall lose it, shall save it. And what shall we say? Is not this all one as if one should affirm the promises of God were every one vain. Can we make less reckoning of them then of some poor beggar destitute of all means, who had promised to lend us at our need a great sum of money? even thus fares it with the confidence we repose in man, a thing execrable. If we be not now sufficiently convinced to lead us to pass the sentence of condemnation upon ourselves, let us put the case h●re some miserable fellow had offended one that was greater than himself, who had the will to be revenged on him; if he that hath offended findeth grace and credit with the Prince, in common, both to him, and to the offended; and that the Prince promise him with all true affection to stay his evil willer that he do him no hurt, declaring in process of time unto all his subjects that he loves that person, will keep and cherish him as himself; will we not then say, such an one is well assured of a good Protector; shall we not think him exempt from all occasion of fear? For shall we not acknowledge that Prince of power easily to protect him? And that great God, who is the Prince of Princes, who hath power above all the powers (much more sovereignly without all comparison, then hath the greatest Monarch of the earth, over the most forlorn and most desolate of all his Dominion, Rom. 13.1. there being none of them in the world but by divine dispensation by God's appointment) unto whom nothing is impossible, true of his word, unchangeable, cannot he keep us? What? So great, and so many numberless benefits which we have received, and daily do receive from him, fulfilling his promises, should it not be sufficient to carry us to put our whole trust and confidence in him, and not to doubt in any wise of the certain effect of his Word. O perverse diffidence, and disobedience, more than ingrateful to have preferred the prop and protection of men before that of God, to have had more fear of their displeasure then of him, 2 Pet. 21. Yea so much as to have turned their backs unto him for their respect to follow Baal, as Balaam, who for the wages of unrighteousness turned from the right way. Many will not confess the debt; but will say (although their conscience speak to the contrary: without fear of the curse pronounced by the Lord, Esay 5.20. against them that will make evil to be believed to be good, and good to be evil) that they walk according to God, and in all integrity without dissimulation, who to palliate by so much the more their hypocrisy, will take heed to observe even unto the grossest superstitions, and notorious abominable idolatries, they willbe very glad to make known unto every one, they omit nothing of what is required to be done, by him that is such, as they sergeant themselves to be: namely, to the end men might not doubt of them, and to make them believe they have sincerity in their course (they which have children, make them suck in this poison, and will nourish them, and bring them up with this venom, for which they shall answer one day before God) they will freely and openly make war against the truth. See how from these impieties and wickednesses they fall into other, which at last do plunge them into a reprobate sense, Wisdom. 11.15. Man being punished by the same things where in he sinneth. Thus is it, as it happeneth and falleth out with them that think to mock God, 4. Esdr. 16. That knoweth the inventions of men, what they think in their hearts, when in sinning they would hide their sins. 2 Peter 21. O how fare better would be the condition of such people that they had never known the way of righteousness, and of the truth: seeing after they have so known the same, they turn back from the holy commandment: Esay 1.14. A sinful people, loaden with iniquity, malignant seed, corrupt children, thus to forsake the Lord, to provoke in that manner the Holy One of Israel. Alas: What willbe the retribution for such lewdness? They that commit these impieties, may deceive men, but God they cannot, who is the sole searcher of the heart. Act. ●. 44. And from whom nothing is hid: He will disclose them in due time, for there is nothing so secret, Matth. 10.26. which (when he please) shall not come to light, and be published even upon the house tops, yea when there is the least appearance: And he will one day say unto them (it may be much nearer than they think) if they repent not speedily, no longer abusing his mercy, Matth. 25.41. Go ye cursed into eternal fire, which is prepared for the Devil and his angels: And in vain then shall they cry, Lord, Lord, Esa: 2. For he will answer them: I never knew you, you workers of iniquity, that have loved better the praise of men, then of God. O how fearful a thing is it to fall into the hands of the living God; he, who not only sees our actions, but also is judge of our intentions: and in a word, he unto whose eyes all things are known and open: let us not defer then to repent, let us seek to do good, as having to walk before the Lord, Psal. 44. Who beholdeth all our actions, yea who searcheth our reines, and examines our thoughts, Proverb. 21. there being no wisdom, strength, prudence, hid, retired, nor shrouded from him, knowing that it shall not be any deal the better for us for having our iniquities concealed from men, which ordinarily seemeth to suffice us: and so we take no further care. And in all fear let us apply and employ our our members unto righteousness, and according as Saint Paul exhorts us Rom. 12.1. Let us offer up our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable unto God, which is our reasonable serving of him. Let us not any longer remain asleep in our vain conversation, from the which we were redeemed, neither with gold, nor with silver, but by the most precious blood of the Son of God: And let us awake up, let us awake, I say, unto holiness of life, lest it prove the sleep of eternal death: let not the world nor the things of the world any longer retain our affections to enforce us any longer to continue in this horrible hypocrisy: being content with that condition whereunto it shall please the Lord to call us, seeing all things turn to the good of them that fear God. Rom. 5. And so then that poverty make us not afraid, when it shall find us, that persecution daunt us not, when as for the Name of the Lord it must be undergone: but let us suffer cheerfully with Christ that we may reign with him, Heb. 11. Wisd. 2. Let the dis-reputation and dishonour we shall reap from worldlings (grieved because we will not follow their train) be slighted of us: To conclude, let nothing (no not the loss even of life itself) make us warp or decline from the ways of the Lord: For the sufferings of the time present are not to be paralel●d with the good things to come, which are laid up for us in Christ, Philip. 1.21. Who i● gain unto us, not only living, but even also in death: And in our necessity let us have recourse no more unto unlawful means to shelter ourselves under, but unto God alone, who giveth both good and evil, to wit the evil of punishment, life, and death, poverty and riches, Eccles. 11.14. Unto him, I say, who having so much loved us as to give his only begotten Son unto death for us, Rom. 8.31. Will not let us want any thing, though never so small, as fare forth as shallbe expedient for our good. Yea he, Whose ever watchful eyes, O'er his, beyond all hope: Their needful wants in time supplies. His fear, his glory, is their guide, their scope. He still their life exempts, From what even death itself attempts: And fills them with the things they want; When times of famine brings them scant. And by his bounty still recals, The Lord his own back from their falls: To wait on him in their distress, To him to make their firm address. Who ever is sure castle, prop, and stay, To those that wander not from out his way. And let us remove fare away from us all vanity, let us strip and quite disvest ourselves of this foolish and cursed confidence and reliance which we ordinarily have in the arm of man, and in riches. And henceforth for the remainder of our course of this earthly pilgrimage, let us not seek but to glorify God to the edification of others, and in him let us place our who●e expectation, for as David saith, Psal. 40. Thrice happy he his trust doth place In God the giver of all grace: And him alone his refuge makes, And not vain man for patron takes. Renouncing our own wisdom, Esa. 5.21. which is but foolishness. Besides, the Spirit of God pronounceth a curse upon those t at are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own conceits. And let us not any more imagine our happiness to consist in affording ourselves the fruition of our carnal lusts, the total of bruit beasts whose bodies and souls both die together: For there is a sovereign eternal happiness for him that walks in the fear of God: let us value it above a●l things, knowing that the world and the concupiscence thereof passeth away: And that all the glory of man is fallen, Psalm. 62. But that the Word of God abideth for ever. And therefore let us say with David, That our soul resteth only in God for in him only is our salvation: Remembering daily this prayer, Psal. 90.12. Instruct us Lord to know and try, How long our days remain: That thus we may our hearts apply, True wisdom to attain. Then teach us so our days, Our wasting years to count: That wisdom true our thoughts toward thee, Our endless end may mount. Attending and expecting to be fully endowed and possessed of all the benefits which are purchased for us by the death and resurrection of jesus Christ; unto the participation of that eternal blessedness, and of that union, which we have thorough him with God. To whom only wise, only good, only mighty, infinite, and true, our Creator, and gracious benefactor, be all glory and honour for evermore, thorough the same jesus Christ his Son, our only Saviour, who in the unity of the holy Ghost liveth and reigneth with him eternally. Amen. A FAMILIAR INSTRUCTION to comfort the Sick. With many Prayers on the same subject. Philip. 1.21. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. LONDON, Printed by G. MILLER, for GEORGE EDWARD'S, dwelling in Greene-Arbour without Newgate, at the sign of the Angel. 1630. To the Reader. COurteous Reader, impute not unto my rashness either the Title or Subject of this Book, as if I undertook to give instruction to those, from whom I ought to receive the same: I had not writ it at first, but in the behalf of my dear brethren, the Elders of the Church, unto the guiding of whom God hath called me: In regard the said Church being composed of many quarters, and it not being possible for me to be with them all, necessity required, that they often supply my absence in the visitation of the sick, whereunto they required my assistance by this small Precedent, my purpose was to cause some few copies to be printed to put into their hands, and by that means to give them that assistance with more ease, and with more conveniency. But when it was further alleged unto me, it might serve also for the use of others, either in regard of their obligation thereunto, by the same charge, or for that they were so moved out of their Christian zeal, employed themselves in that pious and charitable duty of visiting and comforting the sick. And that moreover and beside the reason hereof would not be unprofitable to any of the faithful in particular, who even in his best health should ever prepare himself for sickness and death: I yielded to make it public with this word of information, which I suppose will arm thy ingenuity to acquit me of all blame. I doubt not but thou wilt excuse the plainness of the style; having respect both to the nature of the subject, & withal unto whom and for whom it was directed As for them that shall think good to make use of it, I entreat them to bear with the length of it: Which I could not well avoid, as I desired, in a subject so fertile, and so hard to be contracted. This remedy there is for it, that this writing being composed of many disjointed parcels, and accommodated to the sundry dispositions of the sick, they may be contented to cull out of them sometimes one, sometimes another, as they shall be adjudged more for their purpose, according to the circumstances of the persons they visit. A FAMILIAR Instruction to comfort the Sick. When the sickness shall not as yet have any probability to be mortal, there may be said to the sick for his comfort that which here followeth. SIR, You must first of all know, that this sickness came not to you casually, nor by chance, but rather by the wise government of the providence of God our Creator, and Father, who so disposeth of prosperity and adversity, of health, and of sickness towards his children, that he never sendeth them, either the one or the other, but it is for his own glory, and for their good and salvation. Which the Apostle Saint Paul setteth forth, Ro. 8.28. That to them that love God, all things work together for good. Now he there speaks expressly of afflictions, in the rank whereof are sicknesses. Now they love God, who first of all are beloved of him, and as the same Apostle saith, called according to his determinate purpose. That you are of this number, you have occasion to take your assurance thereof by the faith he hath given you, in making you to believe that he is your Father and Saviour in his well-beloved Son jesus Christ our Lord, and causing you to receive his spirit of adoption, which is he that giveth testimony and beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God, his heirs and coheirs with CHRIST, Rom. 8.11.16.17. Hereof ought you to take yet further assurance from the sanctification of his Spirit, through the which you are led and guided in his obedience: For they that are led by the Spirit of God, are the children of God. Now unto them that are such, the Apostle Saint Paul saith, that all things work together for good, afflictions, sicknesses, death itself: All are turned unto them by the grace of God unto their great good and profit, to serve unto the furthering of their salvation. There are three special fruits which God causeth us to reap from our sicknesses, and afflictions. The first is, the amendment of our life, awakening us out of our sins. In health and in prosperity, it is a thing too ordinary with us to flatter and to lull ourselves asleep in our sins, by reason of the great corruption of our nature, which maketh us inclinable unto all evil, and unprofitable unto all good. Very necessary than is it for us to be awakened and to be made sensible of our sins, to be displeased with them, and to recover ourselves out of them. All which is wrought by the means of sicknesses, and other adversities of this life, which are the issues of sin, and oftentimes are sent unto us from God to chasten and correct us for our sins. And therein our gracious heavenly Father showeth how he loveth us, withholding us by this means that we perish not in our dissolutions, as a good Father, and one that loveth his children, he chastiseth them, and gives them the rod, when need requires it to stay them, they run not upon their own destruction. This is it which Saint Paul saith, 1. Cor. 11.32. That when we are afflicted we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned of the world. And elsewhere he saith (Hebr. 12. ver. 6.7. & 11.) That the Lord chasteneth him whom he loveth, and scourgeth every child, he approoveth; if you suffer chastisement (saith the Apostle) God presenteth himself unto you as unto his children: For what son is he whom the Father correcteth not? And although all chastisement for the present time seemeth not to be joyous, but grievous, nevertheless afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them that are exercised thereby. We must then in the first place gather this excellent fruit of our sicknesses to have a sensible apprehension by them of our so many and so grievous delicts, and offences, whereof we stand guilty before God, to the end to crave pardon for them with repentance and humility, and to make unto him an holy protestation to m●ke better performance of our duties hereafter to walk in his obedienee and fear, through the assissance of his grace, and conduct of his Spirit: Which we must ask of him by our fervent prayers, with faith and assurance to be heard according to his promises. And so shall we be able to say to him with David, that excellent s●rvant of God, Psal. 119.67. & 72. Ere thou didst touch me with thy rod, I erred and went astray: But now I have thy holy Word, And make it all my stay. And also, O happy time may I well say, When thou didst me correct: For as a guide to know thy Laws, Thy Word did me direct. And behold how the maladies of our bodies are unto us through God's grace, good and wholesome medicines for our souls. The second benefit sickness brings us, is to unloose, and pluck up our hearts from the earth, to lift them up unto heaven. Experience shows us that our hearts remain over much fastened and rooted here below, whilst we are here in health and at our ease, we could be content never to budge hence. Nay, we could be content our felicity were here assigned us, and our sovereign happiness, so fare are we blinded. But God who hath ordained us for a better life, makes us see and feel how vain and deceivable are the sweet allurements and imaginary prosperities of this mortal life, when it pleaseth him to cross it thus with sickness, and with so many miseries and discomodities, which accompany us therein perpetually, from the cradle to the grave. This makes us know, yea maketh us cry out with Esay, ch. 47. v. 6. That all flesh is as grass, and the glory thereof as the flower of the field. With David Psalm. 90.6. That the flower of this short life is such that men are in perpetual travel and martyrdom. And with job, chap. 14. That man that is borne of a woman is of short life, and fraught with sorrow. And this is it God putteth us in mind of chief, when we feel ourselves sick, or otherwise afflicted, to make us contemn the earth, and to aspire up unto heaven, to cause us to distaste this miserable life, & to make us earnestly and hearty to relish and meditate on the heavenly life, to the end, that there where our treasure is, there also might be our heart: and that our faith and hope might be weaned from the world, and from the things of the world to be raised up thither where they have their true objects, unto God, and to everlasting life: For also faith is not of things visible, but of invisible: And hope is not of good things present, but of good to come; that is to say, of good celestial and eternal, obtained in jesus Christ, good so transcendently great, and so incomprehensible, that as Saint Paul saith, 1. Corinth. 1.6. Eye hath not seen, nor ear hath heard, nor hath entered into the heart of man, that which God hath prepared for those that love him. There is yet a third excellent fruit, which God makes us reap from the sicknesses, he sendeth us: that is, that by this means he puts us to trial, and to the touchstone, to purify and to amend our faith, to make it eminently to appear to his glory, and to the edification of our neighbour. For as by this means our faith is stirred up and elevated from the world unto God, from the earth unto heaven, from this life unto a life most happy and lasting for ever: as also is it by such trials exercised and examined, and as it were refined and made more pure after the manner of gold, which is tried and purified by fire: Even as Saint Peter, 1 Pet. 1.7. It is also by this means drawn forth into evidence, and set in the light, with patience, constancy, and other Christian virtues, which God hath infused into us, and which otherwise without this would not be known of any, and thereby would remain without use, and without profit in regard of our neighbours. And indeed we could not know what was the faith, and the patience of job, of Abraham, of David, and of such a number of other excellent servants of God, if God had not made them pass through the fire of sundry temptations and trials, and we should not have at this day the worthy examples which we have to lead us to conform ourselves unto their imitation. It fareth with the faith and patience of Christians, as with the courage and valour of the soldier, which is not well seen, but in the midst of the battle: As with the light of the Stars, which appears not but in the night: As with the odour and sweet smell of frankincense, which is not smelled, but when it is cast into the fire. Even so doth God make known unto our brethren the courage which he hath given us, when he causeth us to come into the hands of some rough and violent sickness; he maketh to appear unto them the brightness of our faith, when he spreadeth over us some night of affliction, he maketh them smell the good perfume of our patience, when he casts us into some fire of adversity; and by this means our brethren not only are instructed, edified, comforted by our good example, but withal led to praise and glorify God, who it is that sustains and strengtheneth us amidst the infirmities of our flesh, showeth forth and perfecteth his great strength in our great weakness. Lo than the principal and more remarkable spiritual fruits, which God of his goodness propounds unto us to be reaped from our bodily sicknesses. And for this cause then, Sir, now that God visits you with this sickness, and lays you on this bed of infirmity; you must acknowledge, that it is his fatherly hand, that handles you on this fashion, as one of his children, and that hereby he calls you to the fruition of these excellent fruits and benefits, which have been declared unto you, for his glory, and for your good and salvation. Acknowledge then that he would awaken you from out your faults and sins, that he would have you to have a feeling of them indeed, to breed in you a dislike of them, that ye might seek for the free pardon of them in his mercy, thorough jesus Christ, that you may renounce them with your whole heart, to take a sound resolution to serve him from henceforth, and to walk in his fear with more zeal and affection then heretofore through his grace. Is not this that which you promise? Yes. Acknowledge further, that it is his will to make you by this means to have a feeling of the miseries of this life, to contemn, and trample under foot the world and the vanities thereof, to the end to aspire with your whole heart unto the heavenly and everlasting life, and thereby to answer unto the dignity of that condition, whereunto you are called, to be the child of God, and not the child of the world; to have your conversation as a Citizen of heaven, and not of the earth, and thereby to have you to seek as Saint Paul saith, Philip. 3.20. The things that are above, and not those that are here below. And is not this also the thing which you protest you will do all the days of your life, God's grace thereunto assisting you? Yes. Acknowledge you lastly, that the good pleasure of God is to try and examine you by this sickness, to the end that your faith and patience might be made more perfect, and that they might be seen and known of your brethren and neighbours, that they might thereby be edified and comforted, and might thereby give glory to God, when they shall see that you shall bear patiently and constantly the sorrow, and the violence of this affliction, and that you shall dispose and apply yourself to rest with a calm and peaceable mind, in all and whatsoever handling it shall please God to impose upon you with his fatherly hand. Is not this also moreover the resolution you take? Yes. I beseech God, give you grace thoroughly and happily to accomplish your holy promises, to his glory, and your own salvation. It is your part also to pray unto him for the same, with your heart; otherwise you can never be able to perform it of yourself. But if you ask it fervently with a true and lively faith in the name of his well-beloved Son jesus Christ our Lord, doubt not but that according to his promises he hears you, yea from this very time forward he is near unto you, and fills your soul with holy consolations, strengthening you with patience, and even solacing you as much as he shall know it to be necessary for you, and by that means by so much the more will he oblige you to rejoice and solace yourself in his goodness, and to glorify his holy Name by thanksgiving. And this is it which he saith himself unto you, and unto whomsoever is afflicted as you are, call upon me when thou shalt be oppressed, and then will I help thee, and thou shalt honour me for the same. Would you not then have us now address our prayers altogether jointly with you, that it would please him to assist you with his grace? Yes. A Prayer for the sick, in whom there shallbe no appearance or sign of death. LORD our good God and merciful Father, we prostrate ourselves in all humility at the feet of thy Divine Majesty, to acknowledge that, which is but too true, that we are utterly unworthy of any grace or mercy from thee, and are worthy of the lower-most hell: if thou shouldst deal with us in the rigour of thy justice, by reason of the numberless number of our sins and offences, wherewith we feel and confess ourselves tainted and guilty before thee. But we beseech thee (that having regard to thy great and infinite goodness, thou wilt be merciful unto us poor sinners, and be merciful unto us for thy dear Son Christ jesus sake our Lord, looking upon us not in ourselves; but rather in the person of that Son of thy love, as members of his body, reconciled unto thy Majesty thorough the benefit of his death. And as thou art the Father of Mercy, and God of all consolation, rich in compassion and free grace towards all them that call upon thee, and put their trust in thee. We beseech thee be graciously pleased to show unto us thy plenteous mercy both towards us, and generally upon us all that now call upon thee for thy grace, and particularly towards the person of this thy child and servant, lying on this his bed of infirmity. Give him to acknowledge in the first place, that he is not struck by any other hand, but by thine; that he may learn to submit himself unto, and under the same in all humility and obedience. And to this end, let him remember that it is a fatherly and a sweet hand, which strikes not to destroy, but rather to save: and who after he hath wounded, healeth and quickeneth by the same wounds which he hath made. Make him to seel that he is a poor and miserable sinner, not only to be issued forth of that mass of corruption out of which we are all sprung in Adam, but also and chief because that after it pleased thee to give him the grace to know thee the only true God, and him whom thou hast sent, jesus Christ, in whom abideth eternal life, manifesting unto him by that means thy free adoption in thy well-beloved, reconciling him to thyself, and so having done him the honour to hold the rank and place to be one of the number of thy children and servants in the midst of thy Church, he hath not duly acknowledged these abundant riches of thy mercy, to love and serve thee with his whole heart, as he ought to have done, in renouncing the world, and in denying himself: even as our ingratitudes are infinite, by which we fight ordinarily against thy bountifulness and grace. O God and Father, touch him then in his heart with a lively sense of all his infirmities and offences, that without any way flattering of himself, he may escape and be freed from condemnation before thy sacred Majesty, may acknowledge that unto thee belongeth justice, and to himself confusion of face: may be altogether displeased at, and wholly deny himself, and may confess that justly and by good right thou dost lay upon him thy chastisements: and that if thou shouldst deal with him according to his deserts, thou shouldest utterly overwhelm him under the unsupportable weight of thy justice, and shouldst cast him into the bottomless depth of eternal death. But withal make, Lord, this acknowledgement to serve only to humble him, and not to precipitate him into the gulf of despair, and that he being on the one side beaten down, and dejected to the earth by thy mighty hand, not so much by the sense of this sickness, as in the sense and feeling of his sins, he may on the other side by the same hand of thine be succoured, relieved, and raised up again in firm hope, thorough the consideration of this thy incomprehensible mercy, out of which thou hast given us so precious; so rich a pledge as thy dear Son jesus Christ our Lord, whom thou hast not spared, but rather hast given him up unto death, yea unto the ignominious and accursed death of the cross, to redeem us from the ignominy and curse of sin. Grant Lord, that this thy poor servant may have his whole refuge there, excite and strengthen his faith, by the which he may seek and find in that death and entire obedience of thy Son, the expiation of all his sins and disobediences, and may firmly embrace and lay hold on his perfect righteousness, with the which being prepared and clothed, he may find peace with thee, and boast himself in and of the hope of thy glory, even in the very midst of his troubles: And that thus the sorrows of the curse wherewith thou visitest him in his body may be sweetened thorough the rest and contentment of his soul, that if it be thy good pleasure to raise him up again from this sickness, and to prolong his days, as thou dost not thereof as yet bereave him of good hope, give him grace to use them aright, to thy glory, and that perpetually nourishing the memory of this gracious favour received from thee, it may serve to consecrate the remainder of his life to serve and honour thee with so much the greater affection and zeal. And to this end, give him to receive this sickness as a fatherly chastisement coming from thy hand to awaken and to withdraw him from his sins, and to make him take up an holy resolution by thy grace, all the days of his life thoroughly to make a deep impression in his memory, of his duty and of that obedience, whereunto hereby he stands obliged unto thee to walk in thy fear more purely, and more affectionately for the time to come then he hitherto hath done. Bless unto him the remedies which thou permittest him to use, whereby to receive ease in his disease: moderate the sharpness of his griefs, and shorten the course of them, if thou knowest it to be expedient for him, that thereby he may have a subject of glorifying thee, and of rendering thanks unto thee for the same. But if it be thy will yet to continue any longer, or even to augment unto him this sickness, grant it may be always for his good, and give increase of strength and of constancy to be able to bear these thy trials with a calm and meek mind, without any impatiency or grudging: and that thus in these truly christian testimonies of his faith and Patience, thou mayst be glorified, and his neighbours edified and comforted. And that even he also by this experience had of the miseries of the world, and of this life, may be taught to wean his heart and affections from them, to raise them up hearty unto the meditation and diligent search of that repose and incomprehensible happiness which is set before us in heaven, and in everlasting life. Grant also Lord the like graces unto all others that are sick and afflicted: Comfort them, and strengthen them, as thou knowest shallbe needful for them: and above all, give them power evermore with a true and lively faith to embrace thy mercy in jesus Christ, therein to find matter of consolation. Hear us Father of grace, for the same thy dear Son jesus Christ our Lord his sake, as we humbly beseech thee in that form of prayer, which he himself hath commanded us to offer up unto thee: Our Father which art in heaven, etc. And because, Lord, that without faith we cannot please thee, we beseech thee so to increase the same in this thy servant, and in us, that he may be enabled even unto the last gasp of his life, and we with him, to persevere in the same, and to be evermore readily disposed thereof to render unto thee a pure confession both with heart & mouth, as we now do: I believe in God, etc. Such is his faith Lord, and also ours: give us grace both to live and die in the same: thorough jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who in the unity of the Holy Ghost, liveth & reigneth with thee, GOD eternally. When there is some likelihood, that the sickness will be mortal, there must be added other consolations▪ such as these following. SIR, You must ever be of good courage in the midst of this affliction, wherewith God continueth to visit you in your body; than you must know, that he sends it you, and continues it unto you, but for your good, and for the salvation of your soul: To teach you by this means, to come to a true knowledge of yourself, as being a poor sinner; to detest more and more your sins, to despise the world, to lift up yourself wholly unto God, and to call upon him so much the more fervently, with assurance to be heard, according to his holy promises, and to obtain from him Christian constancy which is necessary for you in this trial. The assurance of God's mercy in jesus Christ, the foundation of all comfort. NOW that which ought most to comfort you, and to strengthen you with courage and patience, which is that assurance which you must evermore take, that God for his well-beloved Son, jesus Christ our Lord his sake, embraceth you in his love and free gracious good will, hath pardoned your sins, hath adopted and received you into the number of his children, to make you an heir of the kingdom of heaven, by virtue of that purchase which jesus Christ hath made for you by his death. Such an assurance will ever make you certain, that nothing can befall you, be it in life, or be it in death, which shall not be unto you a favour and a blessing from your heavenly father, and which by consequence shall not be an help and a means ordained by his wise providence to advance and lead you unto a happy life. This assurance comes from Faith. TRue it is, that this assurance we cannot take of ourselves, but it is this our good God, who gives it us, when by the power of his Holy Spirit, and by his Word, he creates in our hearts a true and a lively faith, with the which we receive and appropriate to ourselves the promises of his grace, which he addresseth unto us in the preaching of his holy Gospel. These promises briefly import thus much. That God so loved the world, that he hath given his only Son, to the end that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life, john 3.16. If then God give you the grace to believe in his only Son, and to embrace and lay hold on him for your Redeemer and Saviour (as we gather you do, by the profession you hitherunto have made thereof, and do still make the same in the midst of his Church) you may and aught to take from thence an holy assurance, that God according to the infallible truth of his Word, hath received you into his love, that you shall not perish, but you shall have eternal life. Now this being so, what can you be afraid of? Rom. 8.30, 31. If God be for us, who shallbe against us? He who hath not spared his only Son, but hath given him for us, how shall he not also give us all other things with him? He hath given us the greater, namely his own Son: shall he deny you then the less, to wit, what ere may be necessary and expedient to keep you, and to uphold you against all manner of evils, both corporal and spiritual, as well in life, as in death. Faith applieth unto every faithful one the promises of the Gospel. NOw this application, (I spoke of) which you ought to make of the promises of the Gospel, to draw from them such an holy assurance, it is necessarily to be looked for in faith. For to believe in jesus Christ, is not to believe only in the gross, that there is a jesus Christ; and that he that believeth in him hath eternal life: and it is not enough to believe that the promises of the Gospel are true in general, and out of us; The Devil himself believeth indeed all this, and yet hath no true faith for all that. But to believe in jesus Christ, it is when the faithful believeth, that there is salvation in jesus Christ for himself; which the Devil cannot believe: And true justifying faith, and by which the just liveth, consists properly in this, that we apply unto ourselves, and that every one of us appropriate in his own particular to himself, the promises of salvation, to be able to say, every one in his own behalf, that which Saint Paul said in the person of every faithful man and woman. Gal. 2.20. I live in the faith of the Son of God, who hath loved me, and who gave himself for me. Also, Tim. 1.2. I know in whom I have believed, and am persuaded, that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him, even unto that day. And again, Rom. 8.37, 38. I am assured that neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things to come, neither height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shallbe able to separate us from the love of God which he hath showed us in jesus Christ our Lord. This same faith bringeth us not a simple opinion, or conjecture of our salvation, but even an assured knowledge of it, according to that which Saint john saith chap. 5. ver. 14. We know that we are translated from death to life. Also 1. john 10. We know that we are borne of God. And, I have (saith he joh. 5.13.) written these things unto you, that believe on the name of the Son of God, that you might know that you have eternal life. This faith gives us to go to the throne of the grace of our God. Heb. 4.10. With assurance, so saith the Apostle, Heb. 10.22. Yea with a true heart, and in full certainty of faith. As also S. Paul, Ephes. 2.12. saith that by jesus Christ we have boldness and access in confidence through faith which we have in him. This faith is called Heb. 11.1. an hypostasy or substance of things that are hoped for: That is to say, which maketh to subsist, and to have a being in our minds of the things believed and hoped for, nor more, nor less, then as if already we were in the actual possession and fruition of them. This faith makes us find peace and rest in our souls and consciences, and drives forth of them the fears and terrors which the sense of sin brings into them, and the apprehension of the judgement of God▪ according to that which Saint Paul saith, Rom. 5.1. That being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord jesus Christ by whom also we have been led thorough faith unto this grace, in whom we hold ourselves firm, and boast ourselves of the hope we have of the glory of God. The gift of Perseverance assured to the faithful. MOreover these passages propound and set forth unto us this holy assurance of faith, not only for the present, but also for the time to come; and contain a promise, that God will give us to persevere in this faith even unto the end. Otherwise, where should this assurance be whereof the holy Apostle speaketh, not to be able to be separated from the love of God in jesus Christ? Where should be this subsistence and being of things hoped for? How should we have in our souls a solid peace with God? How should we hold ourselves firm in this grace? How should we be able to boast and glory in the hope of the glory of God? Such than is the incomprehensible bounty & goodness of this Heavenly Father, that he gins not in us the work of our salvation to leave it imperfect, according to that which Saint Paul saith to the Philippians, and in their presence unto all true faithful ones, Philip. 1.6. I am assured that he that hath begun this good work in you, will perfect it even unto the day of jesus Christ. As beside he saith elsewhere, Rom. 11.26. That the gifts of God are without repentance, that is to say, that he never unsayes them, nor ever retracts them. Against the objection, that this assurance of faith is a presumption. NOr is there cause why finally this certainty of faith should be censured in us for rashness and presumption: For on the contrary; it were extreme rashness & presumption in us, if we vouchsafed not to give credit unto so excellent promises of our God: and it is humility and obedience both to receive, and to rest in them with reverence. It is likewise said, That he that hath received the witness of God, hath 〈◊〉 to his seal that God is true, john 3.33. That is to say, he hath (as it were) subscribed and given approbation unto the truth of God, which he showeth in the accomplishment of his promises: And on the contrary, it is said, 1. john 5.10.11 That he that believeth not God, hath made him a liar: because he hath not believed the record which God hath given of his Son: And this is the record that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Two things might make us rash and overweening in this assurance which we take of our salvation. The one if we found it upon the worthiness and merit of our works; Rom. 3.20. For no flesh shallbe justified before God by the works of the Law, and all they that seek to be justified by them, are under the curse. This saith Saint Paul, Galat. 3.10.2. But it is not upon our own righteousness, which is none at all, that we found any such assurance, but even upon the righteousness of him, whom God hath made to be sin for us, 2 Cor. 5.21. that is to say, a sacrifice for sin: to the end that we might be the righteousness of God in him: and by whose obedience we are made righteous, in stead as by the disobedience of Adam we were sinners, Rom. 5.19. The other point which might make us overweening in this behalf, might be this. If we presumed to acquire and get any such knowledge of our salvation by the subtlety and acuteness of our own spirits or wits: it being so, that the natural man perceiveth not the things which are of God, thus saith Saint Paul, 1 Corinth. 2.14. But surely we make account to have received, as the same Apostle speaketh, 1 Corinth. 2.12. Not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given unto us of God. He saith yet further in the same place, 1 Cor. 2.9.10. That the things which in regard of us are altogether incomprehensible, God hath revealed unto us by his spirit. He addeth finally (1. Corinth. 2.16.) That by this means we apprehend the will of Christ. Now by this spirit of God are led all they that are the children of God. And this more yet, saith the same Apostle; Rom. 8.14. And it is called the spirit of adoption, and thereby we cry Abba Father. (Gal. 6.4.) to wit, we invoke and instantly call upon God, as our Father. As also it is the same Spirit, (saith Saint Paul, Rom. 8.11.16.) which witnesseth to our Spirits that we are the children of God. The same Apostle yet further saith, Ephes. 1.13, 14. That when we believe the Gospel, we are sealed with the holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory: teaching us hereby that the record of the Holy Ghost received in our hearts with faith, is unto us as a seal which the Holy Ghost imprinteth in our hearts, to make us awful of the promise of God, and to assure us that we are his children, and that as in contracts which are made between men, they give sometimes earnest, that is to say, a part of the price agreed upon, as well to begin the payment as to make the match or bargain irrevocable. And to give assurance, it shallbe firmly and constantly kept: Even so the Holy Ghost which by faith begetteth peace and joy in our hearts, is given us for earnest of our celestial inheritance, (Rom. 14.17.) to assure us by this beginning, of the spiritual goods, which God hath promised to his children, that he holdeth us for his purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory, and without ever revoking his promises, he will gather us finally into the full fruition of this heavenly inheritance. There must (if it be possible) be drawn from the mouth of the sick a confession of his sins, of his repentance, and of his faith. And if happily he have not the use of speech, but yet of understanding, he must be exhorted to answer by some sign. NOw then M. it is now your part to be of good courage, and to apply unto yourself sound and hearty this holy doctrine, for the comfort of your soul. This doctrine hath been addressed and declared unto you by the preaching of the Gospel in the bosom of the Church of God, whereof you have the honour to be in the number: it hath been also confirmed unto you by the use of the Sacraments, in which you have communicated. Have you not received them with faith? Yes. Do you not believe according to the same, that God is not only your Creator, but that sin having made you a castaway, he is your Saviour in jesus Christ? Yes. Acknowledge you not that you are a poor and miserable sinner, and confess you not, that should he enter into a reckoning with you, to impute your sins unto you, you should of necessity and unavoidably perish in death and eternal damnation. Yes. Do you not protest you are exceeding sorry and much grieved for having so offended him, and that you do repent the same with all your heart? I do. Do you not utterly renounce all conceit and confidence in your own righteousness, to settle entirely and wholly your hope in the sole mercy of God, by the which he justifieth and saveth us in his beloved Son jesus Christ our Lord? Yes. Believe you not that he hath received you in this his mercy, that he is appeased and at peace with you, and hath reconciled you into his favour and grace with him, in regard of, and thorough the obedience and merit of the same jesus Christ his Son, whom you firmly believe died for your sins, and rose again for your justification? Yes, I do. Now I beseech God to be pleased to establish you, and to increase in you more and more this faith, according to the which you must take a full assurance of being justified and saved, seeing God hath given you this grace to believe with the heart unto righteousness, and with your mouth to make this confession unto salvation, Rom. 10.10. To induce the sick person to set up his rest, and to resolve, be it for life▪ or be it for death, according to the will of God. BEing thus supported and sustained by the firm foundation of faith, you must take up an holy resolution, and expect constantly without all fear, such issue whatsoever it shall please God to send unto your sickness, with a settled persuasion, that it cannot choose but be profitable and wholesome for you, be it that it please him to cause you to enjoy yet longer life here below, or be it, it shallbe his pleasure to withdraw you hence, to make you more happy. If it shallbe his pleasure to return and restore you to health, as he is almighty, to fetch even the dead out of the grave, and to make them to live again: This shallbe (if he please) to give give you to serve yet further to his glory, yea more affectionately than ever hitherto, for which you have to pray unto him for the grace. But if his will be to lead you by this sickness unto the end of your course, it shallbe to receive you into the fruition of that perfect happiness which the Son of God hath so dearly purchased for you by the price of his blood. And therefore go you unto him with an holy cheerfulness, in the assurance of his grace and favours, cheer up yourself, and rejoice in the happy exchange which you shall make of the earth with heaven, of this miserable and short life, for one that's most happy and permanent for evermore; from these wretched and perishing goods, unto goods celestial and eternal, which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, and which fare surmount the thought of man, which God hath prepared for them that love him. Are you not then well resolved to conform in all this your will unto the will of your Father in heaven? To the end, that be it whether you live, you live to the Lord, or be it that you die, you die to the Lord, Rom. 14.8. Being well assured that Christ shallbe unto you always gain, both in life and in death? Yes. God grant you that grace. To comfort and assure the sick in the weakness of his faith. IN the mean time, I am not ignorant, that your faith, how great and strong soever it may be, may yet for all that be small and weak in you: For during the infirmities of this life, the Holy Ghost is but given you in a certain measure, according to the which we know but in part, and our spiritual renovation is but yet here begun. Certain it is, we cannot attain here below unto the perfection of faith. And therefore I doubt not but your faith yet is infirm and weak, and cannot choose but be tossed with sundry temptations, and skirmished with diverse assaults of doubts and distrusts. But you must not therefore shrink or be crestfallen in courage: For this combat you feel in yourself, it is the fight, which as Saint Paul saith Galat. 5. ver. 17. is in the soul of every faithful one, between the flesh and the spirit, and therefore it is unto you an assured testimony that you have faith. For as the flesh fighteth in you by distrust, the spirit also fighteth in you by faith; and this faith will never yield itself, being backed and sustained by the spirit of God, which will make it victorious. And how imperfect soever it be, God will make it sufficient unto you unto salvation: For it is not said, he that shall believe perfectly, shall be saved, but rather simply, he that shall believe. Besides as you feel in yourself your faith weak and imperfect, so I doubt not, but you therewith feel an holy desire, that it might be strengthened and increased, and that your heart prayeth and maketh request unto God for the same. Is it not true? Yes, it is. Now sith it is so, this faith, this desire that it might be increased, and this prayer you make for it unto God, are not these fruits of the spirit, and not of the flesh? And seeing they are the fruits of God's Spirit produced in you; is not this a sure testimony that you are led by the same, and by consequence the child of God? For all they that are led by the Spirit of God, are the children of God, as Saint Paul saith, Rom. 8.14. Courage then, Sir; say boldly with that holy Apostle in the midst of your combats: I am assured that nothing shallbe able to separate me from the love of God which he hath showed me in jesus Christ our Lord To assure the sick against the temptations and terrors of conscience. Four things there are indeed, which in this spiritual combat may give you terror, stagger your faith, and trouble the peace of your conscience: Namely, the sense of your sins, the apprehension of death, the fear of the Devil, and the horror of the judgement of God, before whom we are to appear at our going forth of this life. But against the fear of all these things, the goodness of God in the benefits of Christ, and in the testimonies he gives us in his Word, furnisheth you with good and sufficient remedies, thoroughly to assure and establish you in invincible constancy. Against the terrors proceeding from the sense of his sins. FIrst for the regard of your sins, it is indeed very necessary to have a thorough sensible apprehension and lively feeling of them, to humble you before God: But in as much as you protest you have a true and serious repentance of them, and do seek and lay hold of by faith the satisfaction and expiation of them in the blood of jesus Christ, assure yourself they can in no sort hinder the effect of your salvation. If you be a sinner, why, jesus Christ also came into the world to save sinners: 1. Tim. 1.15. He is that Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world: john 1.29. It is his blood which cleanseth us from all iniquity. 1 joh. 1.7.9. And whosoever shall believe in him, shall receive remission of his sins thorough his name: Act. 10 43. For this cause is it that there should be preached in his name repentance and remission of sins: Luke 24 47. Yea he himself invites us to himself to endow us with the fruition of such a good, come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest, Matth. 11.28. Go you then unto him, if you feel yourself overwhelmed with the burden of your sins in assurance to find remedy and rest to your soul. And for this self same cause performs he yet still daily the office of an Advocate with the Father for us, If we have sinned (saith Saint john, ch. 2. ver. 1, 2.) We have an Advocate with the Father, to wit, jesus Christ the righteous, who is the propitiation for our sins. Against the fear of death. NOW as touching death, why should you fear it, seeing your sins are not imputed unto you? For by sin it is that death entered into the world, (thus saith Saint Paul, Rom. 5.12.) and by consequent, where there is no sin, there can be no death. And indeed, as for eternal death, which the Scriptures call the second death, you have from it a full and a perfect release by the means of this faith, which God hath given you. Verily (saith the Son of God, john 5.24.) I say unto you, that he that heareth my Word, and believeth in him that sent me, he hath eternal life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life. And as for the death of the body, whereunto we remain still subject, it is not unto the faithful a testimony of God's anger upon them, as it is ever such unto the reprobate, but rather a great and singular favour of his bounty, and which bringeth them an infiniteness of excellent commodities. First of all it delivereth and setteth us free from all manner of evils, and dangers, putting an end unto such a number of miseries, vexations and griefs, which exercise and disquiet us uncessantly both in our bodies and in our minds, during the course of this miserable life, or rather of this continual death, wherein we languish here below: and by drawing us out of this corrupt world, imbrued in malignity; with the corruption whereof we cannot choose but be infected, as with a contagious air, to see ourselves brought to this unhappy necessity of offending daily the goodness of our heavenly Father, so many ways as we do. Secondly, corporal death is an entrance to us into a true life, by the benefit of jesus Christ, who hath himself passed thorough this death, to make the passage happy and dangerless unto us: it is a safe bridge unto us, to pass us and convey us out of the world unto God, from earth to heaven, and out of the calamities of this transitory life unto the incomprehensible blessedness of life eternal: unto that fullness of joys, which is (as David saith, Psal. 16.11.) in beholding the face of the Lord. This is the happiness which your soul shall enjoy even from your very instant departure out of this body. And as for your body, which shallbe put into the earth, this shall not be for it, there to perish for ever, but rather there to rest only for a time in expectation of a blessed resurrection: For this cause is it, that the death of the faithful is called a sleep in the Scriptures, and they are called, they that are asleep, in regard of their bodies, which at the last day shallbe awakened, and raised up out of the dust, to possess together with their souls glorious immortality, being made conformable unto the glorious body of our Lord jesus Christ, Philip. 3.21. He is the head, and they are the members: And therefore it must needs be that the members be made like and conformable to their head. What do you then find now in death, which should astonish or affright you, seeing it will deliver and set you free from all evil, and will mount you up to the highest pitch of all happiness? But rather you shall find in it nothing, which makes not f●● your comfort, and to settle and warrant you, and which for that cause ought not to make you wait for it with resolution and repose of spirit, yea to breath and long after it with all your heart, when the hour thereof shall come. And to say with Saint Paul, My desire tendeth and endeavoureth to go hence, & to be with Christ Against the fear of the Devil. AS for the fear you may have of the Devil, you see now how you have no great subject to fear●●im, seeing that death cannot hurt you, but by that death whereof he hath the empire and power thereof. Now the Apostle witnesseth that jesus Christ hath not only by death destroyed death, but also him that had the power of death, to wit, the Devil, Heb. 2.14. Our Lord saith himself, that the Prince of this world hath nothing in him: Nor then hath he aught in those that ●ire his members, of the number of whom (by the grace of God) you are one. Besides for us, and for our profit it was, that the Son of God fought with, and hath vanquished and overcome him upon the Cross, upon the which he hath (as Saint Paul speaketh, Col. 2.15.) despoiled the principalities and powers of hell, which he openly led in show, triumphing over them in the same. I doubt not but this enemy of our salvation will perform his utmost against you to astonish and trouble our faith. For as S. Peter saith, 1. Pet. 5.8, 9 Our adversary the Devil goeth about like a roaring Lion, seeking whom he may devour. But Saint Peter addeth: That we must resist him, being strong in faith. Resist you the Devil (the same saith S. james, ch. 4.7.) and he will fly from you. Now to resist and overcome him, you must be furnished with the armour of God, whereof S. Paul speaketh to the Ephesians, chap. 6. ver. 16. Taking above all (as he saith) the shield of faith, by the which you may quench all the fiery darts of the Devil. Against the apprehension of the judgement of God. THere remaineth the fear you may happily take of the judgement of God, before whom you must appear. But whereon now shall this apprehension be founded? Seeing your sins shall not be imputed unto you, seeing you shall not be condemned thereby unto death, seeing it shall be to no purpose for Satan there to accuse you, you being there absolved and justified by the grace of God. This is the doctrine which S. Paul affords us, Rom. 8.32.33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect, it is God that justifieth? Who is he that condemneth? it is Christ that died, yea rather that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Thus than you must indeed appear before God, but not as before a severe and rigorous judge, but rather as before a merciful and an appeased Father towards us in jesus Christ, By jesus Christ, I say, whom you have himself for an Advocate and Intercessor with the Father: Now he shall not be denied by the Father in his request for you, by jesus Christ, whose member you are. Now there is no condemnation to them that are in jesus Christ, saith Saint Paul, Rom. 8.1. By jesus Christ in the end, in whom you believe. Now he that believeth in me (saith he) hath eternal life, and he shall not come into condemnation, but rather is passed from death unto life. Is not this then, Sir, your faith, and firm belief, that by the benefit of our Lord jesus Christ you have the remission of your sins, john 5.24. That you are saved from eternal death, and set free from the rigour of the judgement of God, and that by consequent Satan cannot prejudice or bring you any hurt by his accusations and temptations, and that your bodily death cannot but he happy and profitable to you every way. One must also draw from the sick a protestation of his charity towards his neighbour. FInally, Sir, it being so that faith worketh by charity, and necessarily produceth it, seeing it hath pleased God, that you are at peace with him by faith, you must also be at one and in peace with all your brethren and neighbours thorough true Christian charity. And therefore tell us if you renounce from your heart all hatred, rancour, and enmity against all men, without any exception, and do desire the welfare and salvation of all in general, and of every one in particular, as your very own? Yes, I do. Do you not forgive honestly and with a good heart all them who have any way whatsoever it be offended you, as also reciprocally you do ask forgiveness of all them whom you have any way offended? Yes. Now Sir, must we herewithal address our prayer unto God, to the end it would please him to strengthen you in the faith, which he hath given you, and to make more and more to abound in you all graces, it is your part to humble yourself with us before him, and to lift up unto him your heart to implore his mercy from the depth of your soul. A Prayer for the sick, in whom there shallbe likelihood of death. O Lord our good God, and merciful Father, we are indeed every way unworthy to lift up our eyes towards thee, for the multitude and grievousness of our sins and transgressions, wherewith we are tainted and blemished before thy face. But it is not in the confidence of our own worthiness that we dare presume to present ourselves at the feet of thy sacred Majesty, but rather in the assurance of thy great compassions, and the perfect obedience which thy dear Son jesus Christ our Lord hath performed unto thee in our name, with whose righteousness we beseech thee to cover and adorn us with thy grace, that thorough him, and in thy favour we may be reconciled and acceptable. But now we beseech thee, O good God, be pleased particularly to impart this great mercy unto this thy poor child and servant, cast down under thy mighty hand, a poor sinner indeed, and such a sinner as should for ever remain overwhelmed under the heavy weight and rigour of thy sovereign justice, if thou affoordest not him thy infinite mercy. Grant him grace more and more to enter into a serious examination and acknowledgement of his sins, that thereby he may conceive a true detestation of them, which may beget in him true repentance, and may further him and put him on forward unto an entire and absolute denial of himself, to have his whole refuge unto thee, and to thy mercy, in the mean time receive him graciously, Lord, show unto him a fatherly countenance, establish him, and comfort him, say unto his soul, I am he that is able to ensafe thee, dispose his heart to receive patiently and with thankfulness this fatherly correction which thou sendest him, and to resign up wholly himself into thy hands, to range himself peaceably unto whatsoever it shall please thee out of thy sacred wisdom to ordain for him. Lord, thou knowest better than he himself, or we, either whether is more expedient for him, that he should live, or die. If thy good pleasure be he shall live, let it be that he may live wholly unto thee: So as that having well profited by these thy chastisements; he may learn to love thee, to honour, and serve thee all the days of his life in the midst of thy Church, by studying perpetually therein to bring forth the fruits of piety and holiness worthy of thy Gospel, and beseeming the child of such a Father, and the service of such a Master: And so thou mayest be glorified in him, and his neighbours edified. But if otherwise it be thy will to take him out of this miserable world, give him assurance that it shallbe to put him in possession of thy heavenly kingdom; which thou hast prepared for him before the foundation of the world, and which thy Son hath purchased for him by the merit of his death. To this end, O Father of light, from whom descendeth every good and perfect gift, be pleased to give unto him a true and a lively faith, wherewith he may seek, find, and lay hold on thy mercy for his sins, and true righteousness in the obedience of the same thy dear Son jesus Christ our Lord, who was delivered up unto death for our sins, and rose again for our justification: Yea ascended into heaven to take possession thereof in our name, and by that means give us access and entrance thither, whence sin had banished us. Imprint in his heart by the Power of thy holy Spirit a full certainty of all these thy graces, that thereby he may be enabled to repose himself peaceably in thy mercy, and to overcome happily all temptations and crosses, which Satan and his own flesh would lay before him, to trouble the serenity and clearness of his faith, and the tranquillity of his conscience. Let not his sins than plunge him into despair, seeing they have been so fully paid and satisfied unto thy justice, not by gold or silver, but by the precious blood of thy Christ, as by that Lamb without spot and blemish. Let not death affright him, seeing that sin being destroyed and abolished in him, which is the sting of death▪ it may remain unto him disarmed, and without power to hurt him. Yea that his soul being separated from his body by corporal death, it shallbe to go unto thee victorious, and freed from the captivity of sin, thereby to taste thorough the fruition of it that blessed life which he hath not tasted of in this world but by hope: leaving indeed his body in the earth, but not for ever, but rather to be refined, transformed; and made (in due time) conformable to the glorious body of his head by the benefit of his resurrection. Let not Satan daunt him any more, seeing he cannot hurt him, but by sin and death, the dominion whereof he hath lost in his behalf: Assure him in the end, that in vain that accuser shall lay aught to his charge at the throne of thy justice, seeing that he being already absolved and justified by thy grace, there is no judge that can condemn him. Let it be thy good pleasure, also O good God, to show thy fatherly mercy unto all other sick persons, comfort and strengthen them according as thou knowest they have need thereof: And above all grant them the grace to embrace evermore with a true and a lively faith thy mercy in jesus Christ, that therein they may find all matter of comfort. Grant also unto us all that grace, Lord, that by this example we may profit, and learn to renounce the world, and ourselves, to employ those few days we have here below to live, to meditate on thy wisdom, to walk carefully in thy fear, to wean our hearts from the vanities of this life, to raise them up to the meditation and expectation of the celestial life; And to this end to be always prepared and in a readiness to appear before thee, in assurance to be entertained and received in thy great mercy, even for thy dear Son jesus Christ our Lord his sake: In whose Name we beseech thee, O Father of mercy, to hear us, and in all other, which thou knowest better than we ourselves to be necessary for us, and this for thy poor servant, as we pray unto thee in that form of prayer, which he himself hath commanded us to offer up unto thee. Our Father which art in heaven, etc. Lord increase that faith which thou hast planted in the heart of this thy servant and child: defend him with it as with a strong shield, wherewith he may be enabled to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one: And grant that persevering constantly in the same unto the last gasp of his life, he may evermore (at the least in heart) make thereof unto thee a pure and Christian confession, as we will presently do both with heart and mouth: I believe in God the Father Almighty, etc. Such is his Faith, Lord, as also ours: give the grace to live and die in the same, through jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who in the unity of the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth with thee, God eternally. Amen. If the sick person continue long time, and yet always with appearance of danger of death, it shallbe good to repeat unto the sick now and then some of the aforesaid consolations, but especially those which serve to assure him, and to strengthen him against the temptations and combats of conscience. And if happily the sick person be troubled with raving and fond imaginations, or otherwise be not of perfect memory and good understanding, to hear any long discourse in a continued speech; there shall not be used unto him other then short sentences, such short questions as these here following, also such as these, or others the like: And but talking to him by respites, and some pauses interposed. SIr, you must take a good heart. It is the fatherly hand of God which visits you for your good and welfare. For unto them that love God, all things do work together for their good. Lift up your heart unto God to confess unto him your sins and offences, and to embrace by faith his mercy in jesus Christ, which he hath promised unto all those that repent and believe in him. Have you not always a good assurance in the mercy of God, and a steadfast faith in jesus Christ your Saviour? Yes. Do you not believe that jesus Christ died for your sins, and rose again for your justification? (Rom. 4.25.) Yes. Believe you not that he hath been made unto you by the Father, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption? (1. Cor. 1.30.) I do. Do you not believe that you are freely justified by the grace of God, thorough the redemption which is in jesus Christ? Yes. According to your faith doubt not but God will free you, and securely protect you from perdition, and give you everlasting life. For God gave his Son, that whosoever shall believe in him, shall not perish, but rather have everlasting life. john 16. Fear not death, seeing by faith you embrace jesus Christ, who is your life. I am (saith he) the resurrection and the life: He that believeth in me, although he were dead, he shall live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me, he shall never die. john 11.25.26. If your sins trouble and disquiet you, have recourse ever by faith unto jesus Christ, and you shall find rest for your soul. Come unto me (saith he Matth. 11.28.) you that labour and are heavy laden and I will ease you. Fear not the rigour of God's justice: For there is no condemnation to them that are in jesus Christ. So saith the Apostle S. Paul, Rom. 8.1. And who is he (saith he, Rom. 8.32.33.) who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect? It is God that justifies, who is he that shall condemn? It is Christ which died, or rather (which is more) which is risen again, who also is at the right hand of God, and who maketh intercession for us. Be not loath to leave this miserable life: which as S. james saith, chap. 4.14 is but a vapour which appeareth for a short time, and then vanisheth away: sith in exchange thereof there shallbe given you life eternal, and therein the height of happiness so transcendent and incomprehensible, that neither eye hath seen, nor ear hath heard, nor hath entered into the heart of man, that which God hath prepared for them that love him. When it shall appear that the sick doth notoriously draw on unto death, or seemeth indeed ready to give up the ghost; there may be yet further added (if need require) and repeated this brief consolation, with the prayer following. COurage, Sir, you draw near now unto the end of the combat, which cannot but be happy for you, as you are assured of the victory, by the means of your faith, which is the victory which overcommeth the world: and the Prince of the world jesus Christ your head and Saviour stretcheth out his arm unto you, and stayeth attending you at the end of the fight, to present unto you the incorruptible Crown of glory, which he hath purchased for you by the price of his blood. Commend and commit yourself then unto him with your whole heart: go unto him with cheerfulness, cast yourself into his arms, and say unto him, my soul into thine hands I come to yield, for thou hast redeemed me, o God of truth, Psa. 31. We will beseech God again, that he will give you grace so to do. A Prayer. O Lord, Father of mercy, and God of all consolation and comfort, unfold plenteously in this exigency thy mercies and boundless comforts upon the person of this thy poor servant and child. Give him to reap now and to apply unto himself an abundant and excellent fruit and profit from those holy lessons, which thou hast (during the course of his life) taught him in thy school: Give him an invincible faith in this combat, arm him with thy whole Spiritual armour, that he may be able to stand against all the temptations and ambushes of Satan; and having vanquished them all he may abide steadfast. If thy justice astonish him, let thy mercy establish and comfort him, if his sins accuse him, let the obedience of thy beloved Son excuse and justify him. If the apprehension of death trouble him, make him behold the gate of eternal life. Open unto him, whereunto thou goest to give him entrance: Thou hast given him thy Son, make good unto him such a gift, that it may not be vain nor unprofitable. He is one of the sheepfold of that great shepherd, let none take him out of thy hands. Thou hast begun in him his salvation, let not thine own work remain unperfect. And seeing thou hast led him on forward to the end of a painful course, receive now his soul into thy hands, and carry it into thy celestial paradise, to that height and full accomplishment of rest and blessedness in the company and fellowship of thy blessed Angels, and of all the holy souls of thine Elect, which thou hast already gathered thither, there jointly to enjoy together for ever the fullness of joy, which standeth in the beholding of thy face. Hear us Father of grace for the sake of thy dear Son jesus Christ our Lord; who in the unity of the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth with God eternally. Amen. A briese consolation to give unto the near friends of the deceased person, of whether sex soever, especially afther their return from the funeral. Dear friends, in this exigent it is, that you are to call to mind that holy and Christian instruction which you have received in the school of jesus Christ; to make your profit thereof, by bearing patitiently your affliction, and resting with humility and with a quiet mind in the will of God, whereunto evermore ours must conform and submit itself: Our nature indeed in such accidents carrieth us to nothing but to tears, to plaints, and sorrows: But the Spirit of God, the author of all new-birth, teacheth therein to keep measure, and not to grieve after the manner of those that are without hope: (1 Thess. 4.14.) If we be men in mourning, we must withal show that we are Christians, adorned with Faith and with Hope, to assure us that this corporal death is unto the faithful children of God (by the benefit of jesus Christ) nothing else but a door to enter by into everlasting life, john 5. vers. ●8. 29. and that for the regard even of their bodies themselves, that the earth receiveth them but a pledge, they shall hear one day the voice of the Lord, that shall cause them to come forth of their graves into the resurrection of life; that the party deceased (he or she) may there be of the number of the children of God, the witnesses, and the mirks, and badges, that God hath given him thereof by the good profession of piety and integrity which he practised in the midst of his Church, unto the last gasp of his life, ought not hereof to leave any scruple or doubt in us. He lived to the Lord, and he is dead to the Lord, by consequent he is happy & resteth from his labours, Apo. 14.13. by the heavenly witness of the Spirit of God himself. You have then no subject matter to weep over him, in regard of his estate, which is not to be bewailed: he being every way most happy. He hath likewise a great advantage above us, that remain still in the world after him: for he is arrived at the haven of happiness, whereas we are still tossed under the storm and tempest of the troublesome and dangerous Sea of this miserable world. And therefore fare better is it for us to breath after our going to him, then to wish him here again with us. As for the regard of yourselves, who, in that which may concern this life, may receive some inconvenience by his absence, you must consider that God who gave him you, abideth for evermore for you, who is sufficient for us without all other things, whereas all other things are nothing without him. He it is who will continue evermore over you the care of his Fatherly Providence, if you continue always to walk in his fear. I beseech him to give you the grace so to do, and that he will therein strengthen you with an holy resolution and with constancy. Consolation for the sick (extracted out of the holy Scriptures) to prepare them unto death. F. S. N. HE that is of God, heareth the Word of God, and he not only heareth it, but keepeth it, and bringeth it into practice: For all things shall come to an end, and shall wax old as a garment: but the Word of God shall abide for ever. Now seeing it is so that by one man sin came into the world, and by sin death, and consequently all afflictions and adversities do thereon depend, upon just occasion the life of man is but a continual battle upon the earth: in like manner, the flesh fighteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the Devil, the world, and the flesh. Which are the enemies of our souls. But following the Apostles counsel to obtain the victory in this Spiritual battle, we must resist constantly by faith: For the victory which overcommeth the world it is our faith, which is a certain and assured knowledge of the love of God towards us, according as by his Gospel he declareth himself to be our Father and Saviour by the means of jesus Christ. Having then such a firm faith for your principal foundation, know ye and confess unfeignedly before the Majesty of God, that you are a poor and a miserable sinner, conceived and borne ini●niquitie & corruption, prone▪ unto the doing of evil, unprofitable unto every good thing, and that by your sins you have transgressed without end and uncessantly the holy commandments of God. In the committing whereof you have purchased and brought by his just judgement ruin and destruction upon yourself. Notwithstanding you are sorry and grieved in yourselves for having offended him, and do condemn yourselves and your sins with true repentance, desiring that God's grace may help and relieve your calamity. Pray then in this firm faith, if you cannot with mouth, speak it in your heart: that God our most gracious and most merciful Father enter not into judgement nor into an account with you; but would be pleased to have pity on you in the name of his Son jesus Christ our Lord, and that he would blot out your sins and blemishes by the merit of the death and passion of the same jesus Christ, in whose Name offer up unto him his holy Prayer, which he hath taught us, saying from your heart: Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven: give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us: and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever & ever. Amen. F. S. N. Acknowledge from the bottom of your heart your unrighteousness, be sorry for your sins, repent uncessantly, and the kingdom of God will draw near unto you: Acknowledge there is no righteousness, no innocence, nor any good works of yours, nor in you: But rather as the children of wrath, conceived and born in the sin of old Adam, you deserve death and eternal damnation. Notwithstanding let not this, nor all the sins of the world, (when you should have committed them) affright you. For jesus Christ the true Son of the eternal God, is made true man, conceived by the Holy Ghost, borne of the holy Virgin, to sanctify and cleanse you: He suffered under Pontius Pilate many afflictions, injuries, and outrages, making himself a servant and captive to set you in full liberty. jesus Christ was crucified as accursed, upon the tree of the Cross, to deliver you, from the eternal curse. jesus Christ died shedding forth his blood, his precious blood, to wash you, to redeem you, to deliver and wholly set you free from the death of hell, and from the power of Satan. jesus Christ was buried in the grave to bury all your sins, which he took away and blotted out. jesus Christ descended into hell, insuffering extreme sorrows, to free you from all the pains and sorrows of death. jesus Christ rose again from the dead, to cause you to rise again in your own body, and unto glorious immortality. jesus Christ ascended into heaven, to make you to ascend up thither after him. jesus Christ sitteth at the right hand of God his Father Almighty, being your Advocate and Intercessor towards him, and the atonement of all your sins. We look for his coming to judge the quick and the dead, to render unto every one according to his works. But unto his faithful ones, that believe in him, he will not impute their sins, but having entirely justified them by his grace, will make them reign with him in his heavenly throne for ever. F. S. N. Such is the great mystery of our redemption, which by the working of the grace of the Holy Ghost, you m●s● firmly believe was wrought for your salvation: And doubt not but that by the merit of jesus Christ the head of his Church, you are a member incorporated into the same, returning him thanks in great humility, that he hath been so gracious unto you, to have granted you the happiness to have lived in the communion and company of his faithful ones, for having fed you with his Word, with his Body and Blood, acknowledging (as being fully assured) the great mercy of God, in the remission of all your sins, which is made over unto you in jesus Christ, who will raise you up again at the last day, to make you reign with him in life everlasting, which he hath promised unto all those which believe in him, being baptised into his name. Now, F. S. N. seeing you have this faith, doubt you not to receive the promise of Faith: for God is true, he cannot lie as man; Sooner shall heaven and earth perish: But the Word of God shall abide for ever. God is your Father and Creator, you are his creature and the work of his hands: He hath not made you to destroy you: for he is the Saviour of all men, and will not the death of a sinner, but rather that he be converted and live. Wherefore I declare unto you in the Name of God, that out of his great goodness and mercy he gives you full pardon and forgiveness of all your sins thorough the sole merit of his Son jesus Christ our Lord, in the shedding of his precious blood, for he is the propitiation, not only for all your sins, but for all the sins of the world. F. S. N. jesus Christ saith with his own mouth, that all things are possible unto him that believeth. Believe then (without doubting at all) that jesus Christ putting on our flesh, was made true man, wherein he died for you, having taken upon him all your sins in his body, to abolish and blot them out. Set before and present unto God the precious death of his Son jesus Christ, and for the merit of the same death and Passion ask his mercy, in saying from the bottom of your heart in great humility and repentance. O Lord God Almighty, be merciful unto me a poor and miserable sinner, for thy dear Son my Lord and Saviour jesus Christ his sake, and by the merit of his Death and Passion be graciously pleased to receive my soul, which I commend into thy hands. F. S. N. Put your whole assured trust and confidence in God. For seeing he is for you, none shallbe against you: for jesus Christ, who is the Lamb without spot or blemish, hath overcome all for you: He offered up himself once for you, and by the same sole oblation hath wholly abolished all your sins. He hath abrogated, made void, and forceless your folly, unrighteousness, abomination, and obligation. With this good Lord jesus Christ God the Father hath given you all things. F. S. N. Be strong in jesus Christ, who calls and invites you by his Prophets, Apostles, and Evangelists, to resort, and freely to make towards him, saying, you that thirst, come unto the great fountain, come unto me all you that travel and are heavy laden, and I will ease you. F. S. N. Believe steadfastly that jesus Christ hath discharged and set you free from all your sins, and hath reconciled you unto God his Father: Unto whom in all humility and repentance, say from the bottom of your heart. LOrd God Almighty, have mercy upon me a poor miserable sinner, for thy Son jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour his sake: and by the merit of his death & passion be pleased to receive my soul, which I commend into thy hands. F. S. N Bee of good hope: For assuredly he will receive your soul, as his, for his Son jesus Christ our Lord's sake, who is the Saviour and Redeemer of all those that believe in him. Moses and all the Prophets have testified, that all Nations shall receive salvation and blessedness by jesus Christ. The Apostles and Evangelists do testify, that jesus Christ came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance, and to give his life for the redemption of many: for he hath shed his blood for the remission of sins: Believe then, and doubt not in any wise: for jesus Christ hath made you clean from all your sins, having promised, that all they that shall believe in him, and in his Father that sent him, shall have eternal life, and shall not come into judgement, but shall pass from death unto life. Well then, F. S. N. take a good courage in jesus Christ: For he hath loved you, and washed you from your sins in his blood. Have then this steadfast faith to fight valiantly against the adversary, use no other buckler to defend yourself withal, but this precious blood of jesus Christ, which by virtue of his Death and Passion hath reconciled you unto God his Father: unto whom in great humility and repentance offer up this Prayer. O Lord God Almighty, have mercy upon me a poor miserable sinner, for thy Son jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour his sake: and by the merit of his Death and Passion be graciously pleased to receive my soul, which I commend into thy hands. F. S. N. Let this be your hope & steadfast faith, that that good God full of all mercy, will receive your soul, as his, into his hands, for his Son jesus Christ's sake. For there is no other Name under heaven given unto men whereby we must be saved, nor is there salvation in any other but in jesus Christ. Arm yourself then indeed with this gracious jesus Christ: for he hath done all for you; he hath fulfilled the Law for you, he hath overcome all for you. Well then, F.S.N. cheer up yourself in God, be you ever unmooveable in this lively faith: follow and imitate you the holy Patriarches, Prophets and Apostles, who are all saved in this faith, who assure you all of them, that the adversary can no ways hurt you: For your suit is won by jesus Christ, who is both your judge and Advocate together. Wherefore say evermore in this steadfast faith: that though I should walk thorough the midst of the shadow of death, yet would I fear no manner of evil. For thou Lord God art with me. F. S. N. Also cease not to say from the bottom of your heart in great humility and repentance. LOrd God Almighty, have mercy upon me poor miserable sinner for thy Son jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour his sake: and by the merit of his Death and Passion let it please thee to receive my soul, which I commend into thy hands. So be it. A singular Prayer for a person greatly afflicted with sickness, which seemeth to approach nearer to death, then to life. With a short Catechism, purposely made to instruct the sick, and to make him contemplate by faith the great mystery of our redemption. Eccles. c. 18. v. 19.20. Use. Physic ere ever thou be sick, before judgement examine thyself, and in the day of visitation thou shalt find mercy. NOw the Lord admonisheth us to pray continually, especially when we are touched with his rods, wherefore all kinsfolks and faithful friends, that visit the sick person, ought not only to visit and be careful for the body: but withal to seek and ask for the spiritual physic for his Soul. This must he do by good prayers, confession of sins, and Christian exhortation according to the Word of God, without which man cannot live: and to this end that all things may be done in good order and with zeal. First of all it is meet to cast down himself before the Majesty of God, and to call upon him by beginning: Our help is in the Name of the Lord, etc. Then to present unto him the general confession of sins; and consequently this present prayer as it followeth. O Lord God Almighty, and Father of mercy, we are here assembled together in the Name of thy well-beloved Son our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ, thorough whom we are bold to present ourselves before thee, to call upon thy holy Name, having our sole refuge unto thy Sovereign and transcendent goodness, which we not only desire to be sensible of, and to taste in ourselves▪ but also in the necessity of thy poor creature here afflicted with corporal sickness, and with the affliction and calamity of mind. We know Lord, that justly thou visitest and chastnest him with thyrods to make him to understand thy fatherly affection. But thy great mercies, which thou hast used towards our fathers, are not extinguished, nor exhausted. For thou art that great eternal God, gracious and merciful, that never changest, with whom there is no variableness, nor shadow of change. Thy holy Word teacheth us most evidently that the whole earth is full of thy mercies, which are fare above thy justice. Wherefore Lord, mitigate thy rigour towards thy creature, have pity▪ and compassion on him, for thy Son jesus Christ our Lord's sake. Look not upon his sins, but look upon the face of thy Christ, who hath fully satisfied thee for him, by offering up unto thee that great sacrifice of his body upon the Cross. We beseech thee then; O most gracious God, full of mercy, to make him sensible of thy grace, which thou hast never denied to thy children. And because thou art our eternal Father well knowing whatsoever is needful and expedient for our salvation. We pray not unto thee to lengthen unto him his life, or to abridge it: for we repose ourselves upon thy holy will, whereunto only we desire to be conformable. Thou art wise without counsel, to dispose of thy creature according to thy good pleasure. That if it shallbe thy pleasure to call him hence, who is he that shallbe able to resist thee? But if it be thy good pleasure to send him health again, who is he that shall reprehend thee? For all things are in thy hand, and nothing is done without thy will and holy providence. Yet Lord, if out of thy grace thou prolong unto him his days, thy rod shall serve him for a chastisement to amend him, and to convert him unto thee, and we together with him will render unto thee thanks and praises. But if thy will be determined to make him pass hence into a better life, we beseech thee for thy Son jesus Christ his sake to forget all his sins and transgressions, which thou hast been pleased to blot out and towa●● away by the effusion of his precious blood, be graciously pleased thorough the merit of the Death and Passion of thy Son to receive his soul into thy hands, when as thou wilt call him out of this world. Lord God, despise not the work of thine own hands: for behold here thy poor creature, as it were wholly overwhelmed, who calleth upon thee out of the depth of all these evils, presenting unto thee his sad and penitent soul, with his dejected and humbled heart, which we beseech thee to be pleased to accept as well pleasing unto thee, for thy Son jesus Christ our Lord's sake: in whose Name thou hast promised to hear our requests. Wherefore Lord we beseech thee to receive us into thy holy protection, to illuminate our hearts and understandings, to address ourselves unto thee, to call upon thy holy Name, as thy Son jesus Christ our Lord hath taught us to pray unto thee for the relieving of all our necessities, saying: Our Father which art in heaven, etc. Finally, O God, most gracious Father, full of mercy, be pleased evermore to support us by thy grace and power, that by the infirmity of our flesh we fall not away. And because that of ourselves we are so frail, that we are not able to continue firm one minute of time, graciously strengthen us by thy Holy Spirit, and arm us with thy graces, that we may be enabled to persevere constantly in the faith without which it is not possible to please thee. Be graciously pleased then to confirm and establish us daily in the same, whereof we will make confession with heart and mouth. I believe in God the Father Almighty, etc. Prayers being ended, notice shallbe taken how the sick person doth, and he may be asked how he feeleth himself touching the state of his health with gracious talk, and Christian Speeches. But if it appear that he decline, and no token of recovery appear: a while after a fit time shallbe chosen to speak unto the said sick person, and to ask him whether he be not willing to hear talk of God, and to hearken to his Word: Whilst he is still in perfect memory. So that if he be inclinable to entertain discourse concerning God, the short Catechism following shall be begun. A SHORT Catechism, which is not only to instruct the sick, but also to refresh his memory with the great mystery of our Redemption. For the better understanding and retaining whereof, in his latter days he ought to make confession of his faith, before the assistance of the faithful: whereof one of them (in the Minister's absence) must question him, as followeth. The Minister. F. S. N. EVery man that rightly knows himself, and is not ignorant of his own condition and quality: certainly he ought to acknowledge, that although he was created after the image and likeness of God, nevertheless he is conceived and borne in the sin of old Adam, whereby he is made a poor and miserable sinner▪ ignorant, inconstant, and full of iniquity; and consequently subject unto all miseries, afflictions, adversities; and finally unto death: all which sin hath caused: which God not willing to leave unpunished, daily afflicts us for (or to speak more properly) he chastiseth us in this world, that he might not condemn us with the world. Wherefore, F. S. N. be patiented in your sickness, and you shall possess your soul in spiritual joy. Acknowledge your sins, and accuse you yourself before the Majesty of God, whom you must look up unto and behold by faith, making confession thereof with heart and mouth before this whole assistance: for it is written, that we believe with the heart unto justification, and confess with the mouth unto salvation. Harken then unto the questions, which I will now propound unto you, and answer them faithfully, according to that understanding which you have received of the Lord. Which if you cannot answer by reason of your weakness, and hindrance of your sickness, I will answer for you, and it shallbe sufficient for you to give us to understand your heart, and constancy of your faith, in which you must live and die. Go to then, I demand of you, wherefore and to what end were you created in this world? The Sick. To know God. The Minister. Was it necessary for you●● know God? The sick. Yes verily: For seeing he is my sovereign good, without the knowledge of him, I had been more miserable than the bruit beasts. The Minister. Seeing you know God, you well know that he is power, wisdom, and infinite goodness, one God alone in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. He is that one God, whom Abraham, Isaac, and jacob worshipped in spirit, and truth, he is that one God Eternal, who created heaven and earth, and all things that are therein, not such the knowledge of God which you have? The Sick. Yes. The Minister. But can such, and this simple knowledge of God conduct and guide you strait to eternal life? The Sick. Very hardly: For it is life eternal, to confess and know one only God, and him whom he hath sent his only eternal Son, our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ. The Minister. Why is it necessary for you to confess and know the Lord jesus Christ? The Sick. Because in jesus Christ I must recover all that I have lost in myself, by reason of the sin of old Adam, in whom I am borne and conceived. Wherefore it hath been behooveful for my salvation, that jesus Christ true God and true man, being clothed with our flesh, should give unto me of his free grace all that which I had lost in Adam. The Minister. It is very well said. Behold why jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Ghost, borne of the Virgin Mary, to purge and sanctify you. For absolutely contrary hereunto him, you are conceived and borne in sin, and of sinful parents. Why do you not confess, that without jesus Christ you had remained a poor miserable sinner in eternal death? The Sick. Yes assuredly. But I believe and confess that that good jesus Christ hath reconciled me unto God his Father. The Minister. But how hath he reconciled you unto God his Father? The Sick. By his Death and Passion in the shedding forth of his precious Blood, for to deliver me from all eternal pains. This good jesus Christ hath suffered for me under Pontius Pilate many afflictions, injuries and troubles: jesus Christ it is, that was crucified for me. As accursed upon the tree of the Cross, to free me from the curse eternal, whereunto Adam had obliged me. This my Saviour jesus Christ was truly buried, to bury all my sins with him, to the end they might not be imputed unto me before God. It is my Lord and Saviour jesus Christ which went down into hell, suffering extreme temporal anguish, to deliver me from the eternal. The Minister. All this that you have now confessed of jesus Christ, was it sufficient to save you? The Sick. No: According as the holy Scriptures ought in every thing to be fulfilled: For what had it profited me, that jesus Christ was borne, crucified, dead, buried, and went down into hell for me only, unless he had risen again. Wherefore I believe and confess, that my Lord, my Head, and Saviour jesus Christ is risen again from the dead, to make me to rise again with him, as one of his meaner members unto life eternal. The Minister. Consequently, it is written, that he ascended up into heaven, being now set down at the right hand of God his Father. But what doth this his ascension benefit you? The Sick. My Lord, my Head, and Saviour jesus Christ is ascended up into heaven, to cause me to ascend thither after him: for where the Head is, there are the members also. And I believe that being set down at the right hand of God his Father, he is my Advocate, intereessor, and only Mediator with him, assuring me exceedingly, that none can hurt me, seeing that jesus Christ is my Advocate and judge both together. Wherefore I have no occasion to fear the day of his judgement, when he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. For I believe and confess in steadfast faith, that there is neither judgement nor condemnation to them that are faithful members of jesus Christ. The Minister. Who hath given you the grace to understand and know all these things? The Sick. It is by the grace of the Holy Ghost, one only God with the Father, and the Son, by whose means we receive all the goods and gifts which are offered us in jesus Christ. The Minister. Seeing you have already confessed that you are a member of jesus Christ, it thence followeth that you are withal incorporated into his Church, which you must believe to be Holy, Catholic, and Universal. The Sick. I do assuredy believe the Holy Catholic Church, wash● and cleansed with the Precious Blood of jesus Christ, for the which in the greatest humility I render him thanks, that he hath afforded me the grace to be one of the meanest members of his Church, being baptised into his Name, he hath made me to live in the communion, unity, and love of the same, by having instructed me in his holy Word, and fed me with his true Body, steeped in his precious Blood, into the hope of eternal life. The Minister. Well, go to, seeing you are so well founded upon the lively Rock, which is jesus Christ, in knowing so well yourself, you must confess and acknowledge the principal good which you have received from this good jesus Christ. The Sick. It is very reasonable: for I would not be ingrateful in not acknowledging the goods and gifts which I have received from God. Wherefore I confess, that I poor miserable sinner have offended without end and without ceasing the goodness and justice of God, having transgressed all thy holy Commandments. In the doing whereof I have deserved death and eternal damnation. Nevertheless appealing to God's mercy, I cry him mercy, and do believe and confess without all manner of doubt or wavering, that full and perfect forgiveness of all my sins is granted me by the sole merit of the Death and Passion of my Lord and Saviour jesus Christ, in the effusion of his precious Blood, wherein I assure myself to be sufficiently and entirely washed and purged: which is the most transcendent good and contentment that I could ever have received: and such is my faith, wherein I will live and die by the help of the grace of God's Holy Spirit. The Minister. Seeing you have received so great a good from God by the means of his Son jesus Christ, it is fitting also that you do his commandment. For even as he hath pardonned you, and remitted all your sins: in like manner must you pardon hearty all those which may have offended you. Otherwise you walk not according to God. Sick. In this thing I have known the Law of jesus Christ, to be the singular, sacred, and perfect Law: commanding us to love our neighbours, friends, and enemies as ourselves. Wherefore I also entreat all those to whom I have done wrong, or said wrong, to pardon me as hearty, as I pardon all them that have offended me, desiring to do them all good offices of love and kindness, as to my good brethren and friends. The Minister. Now sith it is ordained by God that all men shall die, we cannot resist his ordinance: rather we ought evermore to conform ourselves to his holy will. Wherefore my brother, you must not think it strange, if I declare unto you the same which the good Prophet Esay declared unto King Ezechias, saying unto him from the Lord, Set thy house in order, for thou shalt die, & not live. This good advice ought to stir you up thoroughly to set yourself in good order, spiritually, in your conscience. And that is first of all to convert and turn you unto God, to bewail your sins, as that good King did: To implore his mercy, in begging pardon at his hands, and saying always in your heart, Lord God, be propitious and merciful unto me poor miserable sinner, for thy Son jesus Christ his sake my Lord and Saviour. And then you must not forget your house and family, which you ought so well to set in good order, and so to dispose of by a good testament and last will, that it may remain in peace and tranquillity after you. But the better to give you to understand how to dispose aright and to set in order your house, it is, that you give unto every one what belongeth unto him, without defrauding of any man: that you leave your wife endowed with what is due to her, your children and kinsfolks in good agreement and charity: that after your decease they may have no occasion to fall to dissension and division. This being done, you must quite forget all worldly ears, and affection to the world, which passeth away withal the concupiscence thereof. But he that doth the will of God, abideth for ever. Touching your children, you are only their natural father for a time: but God is perpetually their Spiritual Father, having them in his holy keeping and protection, to preserve and sustain them, to keep and deliver them from all evil, whilst they will but walk in his ways. Besides in that you are a Christian, regenerate in the holy Sacrament of Baptism; long since you knew that we have not here any City of continuance: for we look for a better than this; which is eternal. Wherefore I pray you in the Name of God, that you disquiet not yourself for any affection you may have to this world: For here we are all but strangers, as our fathers, when as then the Lord God shall have ordained and decreed that you must dislodge, flit, and go before us, will not you conform yourself unto his holy will and ordinance? As on the other side, if he see it expedient for your salvation to prolong unto you your life, as he did to that good King Ezekias, would you not content yourself with whatsoever it shall please him to do with you? Yes assuredly: for he is Lord and Master, you are but his servant. He is your Creator, you are his Creature, and the work of his hands. For this cause than will he dispose of you according to his will. Unto the which alone you ought to conform and humble yourself, saying from your heart. LOrd God, thou knowest my necessity, if it shallbe thy good pleasure to prolong and lengthen my life, thy will be done, if it be thy good pleasure also to call me hence unto thee, even thy will be likewise done. For thy creature (Lord) hath no other will but thine. Now brother, comfort yourself with God, who if he hath ordained to call you, your Calling shall be happy: For you must believe and hope in firm faith, that he will make you rise again in your own body unto glorious immortality, to make you reign with him in life eternal, which is purchase and given you by the virtue of the precious Blood of our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ: In whose name the Lord God bless and protect you, and make his face to shine upon you, and be merciful unto you. The Lord turn his face towards you, and preserve you in all happiness. Amen. THis done, if it appear he grows worse and worse, and draweth on towards death, and tending to his appointed end, forthwith in his deadly agony, we must not fail to repeat with a loud voice before him the Christian Consolation which is here below promised. This doing, GOD grant him grace well and and faithfully to die in him. Amen. HEB. XIII. Remember them that are afflicted, as being yourselves of the body of the Church, and subject to undergo the like afflictions. A PRAYER AGAINST the Apprehensions of Death. PSAL. XVIII. IIII. The sorrows of death compassed me round about, and the floods of the ungodly men made me afraid. O Lord my gracious Saviour, when sorrows press us, and death threatens us, we look up unto thee, that art our life. Death thought to have daunted thee in the garden of Geth-semane: in such sort, that thou knowest well what the distresses are which it brings unto men. But as thou ha●t vanquished and overcome it, grant me also the grace to vanquish & overcome it, to bear patiently affliction, to submit myself to the will of my heavenly Father. Thou hast seen how the wicked did compass thee about, as the floods of waters. But now thou art in the happy haven of thy celestial glory. But being there on high, despise not, ●or sleight nor thy Church, which is as yet in the midst of the waves, and storms of the world. Gather us also unto that happy life: draw us unto that wished port: still the fury of the winds which trouble the earth: for Lord, thou art our Lord, we are thy people. A Continued Sequel, OR, An Vnintermitted Course of Comforts. MOunsieur d' Ambesaignes a Domestic Gentleman, of the late Mounsieur the marquis of Moussay being sick in the Castle of Plover in Bretagne, Madam the marquis of Moussay sent to fetch Mounsieur Pallory of Richelieu, Pastor and Author of this Book, to be comforted by him: and as they expected from hour to hour his death, for he was in an agony from Monday evening the ninth of March, 1626. Until the morning of Thursday the tenth, in that sort, that he was required after divers consolations, to redouble (during the space of that night) prayers hourly and oftener for him. And because there are but two prayers in this preceding Book to be said when the Sick is in anguish, the first whereof is in the leaf 231. The other in the leaf 344. To satisfy the devotion of certain good men, the Author hath caused to be added these prayers following, which he then said, unto this second Edition, to serve hereafter unto the comforters who shall assist the Sick. COMFORTS for the Sick. 1. A Prayer to be said when the sick is in perplexity. 34. O Lord, our good God and gracious Father, the only comfort of our souls, the gladness of our hearts, our sole solace and refuge, yea our singular sweetness amidst the sharpest bitternesses and anguishs which oppress us, we beseech thee to cast thy sweet and merciful eyes upon this sick person, which hath received this honour together with us by thy special favour to be delivered from the power of darkness; and to be transported unto the Kingdom of the Son of thy love: having opened his heart, as ours, to receive the Word of life, which alone can save our souls. And as thou hast given him the will to do well, grant unto him, and unto us also this happiness, to give him to perfect the same according to thy good pleasure, and to finish his course in thy fear, that persevering in the confession of thy holy Name, thy light and thy truth may lead him, and bring him into the mountain of thy holiness. O Heavenly Shepherd, that hast sent thy dear Son to seek the lost sheep, and who repellest not the languishing soul that casts itself into thy bosom: accomplish in such sort thy strength in the weakness of this sickness, that he may say with his whole heart: the Lord is my portion and my succour, therefore will I hope in him unto the end. And seeing thou hast engraven and imprinted the seal of thine election upon the soul of this sick person: Yea sith thou hast sealed him with the seal of thy Spirit, for the Day of redemption purchased unto the glory of thy Name. And seeing thy comforts are welcome to good souls, give unto this sick person amidst the anguishs he suffers in his body, a vigorous and a constant soul, sweetly bedewed from the springs of sweet comforts, in the midst of the hot fits of his disease, and the which may make to fly up and to sparkle forth the flames of a sacred desire, even unto the Sanctuary of thy Holiness, there to behold with the eyes of his mind, the ineffable love thou bearest to thine Elect, and the glory inestimable which thou keepest in heaven for thy children. And to this end give him a gracious refreshing, repair his enfeebled forces, wasted and spent by the violence of his disease: quicken his heart by the sweetness of thy grace: kindle afresh his zeal, inflame his prayers, animate his sighs, restore unto him the joy of his salvation, and let the bones which thou hast broken, rejoice. As than thou didst that favour unto the Israelites, even then when they were in the deserts, to make them to taste of the fruits of the terrestrial Canaan, to the end to encourage them to make them to walk on forward with boldness towards the Land of Promise. So (Lord) give unto this sick person, and unto us that are in the wilderness of this world, an assurance of the forgiveness of our sins in the blood of thy Well-beloved, who was wounded for our trespasses, and bruised for our iniquities, peace in our consciences, a continual acknowledgement of thy favours, a firm reliance on thy love, and joy in our souls, which are the fruits of the Celestial Canaan, to the end that relishing that sweetness, we may aspire with zeal and courage towards the end of our Spiritual Calling in jesus Ch●●st to be filled, not with 〈◊〉 and honey, but with 〈◊〉 beams of thy glorious 〈◊〉 and with the rivers of th● pleasures with thee for evermore. For in possession of thee (great God) we shall possess all things: and in thee and thorough thee we shallbe all radiant with thy glory, and shining as the brightness of the firmament, and as the Sun which shineth in his strength. And during this small time which remains for us to live in this world, give u● grace that thorough good works we may make sure 〈◊〉 Vocation and Election: to the end, that thus doing, 〈◊〉 ●ntrance into the eter●●●●●ingdome of our Saviour jesus Christ may be abundantly accommodated unto us, bearing evermore in ●●nd those words of thy Son jesus Christ: that he that shall persevere, and shall overcome, shallbe clothed with white garments, and I will not blot his name out of the book of life: But I will confess his name before my Father, and before his Angels. And to the end we may receive death (which is the end of our miseries) in good part, make us seriously to think on the future resurrection of our bodies, for as this day (according as thy Prophet Amos teacheth) us) shallbe a day of darkness, not of brightness, of heaviness, not of joy, of destruction, not of salvation to the wicked, so shall it be the acceptable day of the Lord for the good, for (as thy Son our Saviour teacheth us) we ought to lift up our heads, and to rejoice in that day, because our redemption is near. In that day shall it be, (according to thy Prophet Malachi) that the register or book of remembrance, which is written before thee, of them which think of thy Name, shallbe opened. If King Assuerus had in his Palace a Book of the worthy exploits of his subjects, wherein he found written the good deeds of Mardoch●, to recompense it: and shalt not thou have, O great King, by whom the Kings of the earth reign: Thy book of life and retribution, wherein are writ the names of thy children, whom by a singular prerogative thou hast adopted for such in thy Son jesus Christ? David surely knew this mystery, when as in his sorest afflictions he said unto thee: Lord thou tellest my wander, my tears are in thy bottle, are they not in thy Book? Now to the end we may be acceptable to thee, whilst we are encompassed with this mortal flesh, grant us the grace to live in this present world soberly, justly, and religiously, expecting that happy day of the last resurrection, and appearing of thy dear Son our Saviour jesus Christ, who in the same shall transform our vile bodies, to the end they may be made like to his glorious body, according to the effectual power, whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself. Unto thee O great God thorough thy Son jesus Christ, in the Unity of the Holy Ghost, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen. 2. Another Prayer when the sick is near unto death. 35. O Lord, our good God and Father, who out of thy great goodness daily showrest down upon us a sea of bounty and blessings, and who hast in thy hand rest and labour, health and sickness, life and death. We poor sinners, settling ourselves upon the assurance of thy goodness, which is continually ready to relieve those that resort thereunto in the interim of their grievous assaults: unto the blessed haven of thy sacred mercy: We are bold in the name of this sick person, who fighteth against death, to lift up our hearts and our eyes towards thee, to the end that thy favour and grace may serve unto him for a star of light, and a guide, in that voyage which his soul maketh from earth to heaven, and from this mortal life, unto the immortal, to persist firmly in the faith even unto the end, without being terrified or shaken by temptation, illusion, or by any other stratagem of the enemy. Thou art O great God, the light of all them that hope in thee, and who leddest thy people Israel thorough the ghastly wilderness by a pillar of fire in the dark night, therefore we beseech thee to enlighten with thine assistance, and holy protection this thy child in the darksome passage of death. And surely Lord, experience shows us that when humane means seem most to fail us, then is it that thou keepest nearest unto thine to comfort them with thy right hand, handling them with thy helpful hand, with gentle and cherishing fomentations: and that thou makest them sensible that the point of their extreme need is the opportunity of thy succours. And therefore is it, that now the heart of this sick person sobbeth, that his eyes are duskish and heavy, his ears deaf, his mouth dry and juycelesse, and as the outward man falleth in him, it would please thee to give him strength in his inward man, and to fill his soul with gladness and joy in that last conflict, making him powerfully to relish those celestial gifts, which are laid up for us in heaven, by the merits of thy dear Son our Saviour, who to make us to live again in heaven, after he had by his death reconciled us unto thee, ascended into heaven, there to prepare a place for us. In the interim then of this small time, which remains for this thy child to live in this world, give him grace that his spirit may always acknowledge thee, that his heart may adore thee whilst he shall breathe that he may be assured steadfastly, that in the end of his mortal sweat he may find unspeakable happiness with his bridegroom jesus Christ, unto whom with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, be honour and glory for ever. Amen. 3. Another prayer in distress. 36. LOrd, God and Father of all mercy, that sentest from heaven an Angel to comfort thy Son, when in the depth of his Passion (bearing our sorrows, and loaden with our griefs, wounded for our offences, and bruised for our iniquities) his soul was heavy even unto death. We beseech thee from the bottom of our hearts to comfort this thy sick child, whom thou hast regenerated and incorporated into thy well-beloved Son: acknowledge (Lord) the mark of thine adoption in him. We know, O God of inestimable purity, that our sins drive us back far away from thee: But thy dear Son, who is made for us (by thee) wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption: not only washeth us with his blood to become acceptable unto thee, but withal maketh & giveth us entrance into thy Sanctuary, & boldness by his death to approach with assurance to the throne of thy grace, to be heard in due time. Grant grace unto this sick person to free the point of death with an holy and Christian resolution. Redouble his courage at that present hour, that his soul is upon the point to behold thy face, wherein is fullness of joy. And amidst the violent dartings of those sighs which accompany the last acts of his life, give him perfect clearness of judgement, accompanied with calmness of spirit, evermore to acknowledge his true and only God, that draws him out of the deserts of this world, to live happy in the Heavenly jerusalem, and who withdraws him out of the bottomless depths of wretchedness, to bring him to live in heaven, heaped with eternal blessings. Command thy holy Angels which thou incampest round about those that fear thee, and which watch for the welfare and safety of thy children, that they bear the soul of this thy servant up into heaven, the sacred Temple of thy glory, most gloriously resplendent with happiness and honour, where he shall clearly see that which his spirit adores here below, and where he shall enjoy that divine and celestial harmony, which the blessed Spirits make unto thee uncessantly, and the eternal joys which cannot be valued, and where he shall live in continual admiration of those incomprehensible bounties in the presence of his Spouse, thy beloved Son jesus Christ. To whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be honour and glory for evermore. So be it. 4. Another Prayer to be said when the Sick is in extremity. 37. O Lord, our good God, and most merciful Father, who being overcome with the bowels of thy tender mercies hast sent down thy beloved Son to save sinners, and hast been pleased that this thy Son was bound to lose us, condemned to absolve and free us, that he died, to give us life; yea, that he was made a curse, to the end, that we might be made a blessing of God in him. We beseech thee to grant this grace unto this sick person, to repose and rely himself on the certainty of faith, for the full remission of his sins, upon that entire and perfect satisfaction, which thy dear Son (whose blood was once offered up to abolish the sins of many) hath made unto the● upon the Cross. For it is certain that thou wilt not the death of a sinner, but that he be converted and live: Thou bruisest not in thy displeasure those that thou hast redeemed by his death thou dost not precipitate into that eternal gulf those whom thou hast engrafted and regenerated in that great Mediator and Saviour of the world, when as (calling upon thy mercy) they shallbe converted with their whole heart unto thee. That when Satan our adversary (who like a roaring Lion goeth about us, endeavouring to devour us) maketh himself a party against this sick person in this his last conflict, setting before him the checkroule and catalogue of his sins, and thy rigorous judgement to astonish and to precipitate him into despair, give him grace to shield and ward himself as with a target and buckler, to repel and beat back the fiery darts of that enemy, with the truth and assurance, that the blood of thy Son jesus cleanseth from all sin. Fortify then and animate (O God of invincible power, and our firm hope) this thy child with the strength of thy Holy Spirit at this present hour, that his soul being disburdened of the miseries which press him, yea set free from the captivity of his body, is ready to go unto thee. And in that hour, wherein the earth claimeth in his person what we have borrowed of her, have pity Lord on thine own image, and despise not the works of thy hands. Behold, Lord, the tears, the plaints, the sighs, the groans, and the contrition of the heart of this sick person, and our prayers, that we may acknowledge in his person thy clemency, the mother of our hope, thy succours, the source of our life: and that indeed thou art our sacred and saving refuge. And as for us which remain in this vale of misery, grant us this grace, that as thy people being captive in Babylon, had the comfort to direct and lift up their eyes towards jerusalem, the place wherein thou didst manifest unto them thy glorious and gracious presence, that even so amidst the captivity of this world, where we see nothing but confusion, and where vice reigneth, and thy honour is dis-esteemed, we may have our eyes towards thee, as on the sole object and subject of our joy and rejoicing, seeing in thy face is the fullness of joy, and at thy right hand are perfect pleasures for evermore. Even so, O thou God of inestimable bounty and goodness, and who hast chosen us out of the world to follow thy holy will: we beseech thee that when thou shalt call us out of this world to place our souls in the company of those who by faith have overcome Kingdoms, have done righteousness, and have obtained the promises, and who are written in the Book of Life of the Lamb. In the mean time, O Lord, arm us with patience, and in the midst of our troubles make us sensible by a lively feeling that our light affliction, which is transient and soon over, produceth in us a weight of glory, wonderfully excellent, and that leaving by death these visible things, which are but of small continuance, we shall enjoy those that are now invisible to our eyes, which are abiding for ever in jesus Christ, and by jesus Christ: to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be honour and glory for ever. Amen. 5. A Prayer when the sick is in some grievous perplexity. 38. O God, and Father of all mercy, who art wise in thy counsels, true in thy word, and admirable in thy works: yea who keepest thy dear children as the apple of thine eye. In as much as now we see, that now it is, even at this time, that it willbe thy pleasure to withdraw this thy sick child out of this mortal world. We beseech thee enter not into account with him to punish him, nor reprove him in thy displeasure, neither chasten him in thy wrath: But remember Lord, he hath been called in thy Church and in the number of thine Elect, to be washed and sanctified by thy grace in the name of jesus Christ, thy dear Son, who took upon him our griefs, and hath undergone the burden of our sorrows, that by his wounds we might receive health, whereof his baptism hath been the badge. Wash then, Lord, (who art in goodness most complete) his soul in the innocent blood of thy dear Son, in whose wounds and merits we enclose our present and future happiness, that being made clean he may keep thee eternally in his sacred celestial Temple. Gracious Lord, and full of tender compassion, show not forth thy strength at this time against a languishing body: arm not thyself unto vengeance against one that can do nothing. Crush not in thine indignation him whom thou hast in thy goodness created after thine own image: but rather returning thy gracious countenance towards his sorrows, make him powerfully sensible of thy clemency, the mother of our hope, and thy love the source of our life. Drive away Lord, by thy power all dreadfulness, all distrustfulness, and doubts which Satan our adversary can present unto this sick person, leave not at random (as prostituted unto that roaring Lion) this thy creature, regenerated and born anew in that great Saviour of the world, but rather establish and comfort his soul: Strengthen his faith, redouble upon him in this last hour of his the forces of his Spirit, that with a truly Christian courage he may repel and beat back (through thy strength) all the assaults and temptations of the enemy, by the merit of thy dear Son, who was made man to save man, and whose soul was heavy, even unto death, to deliver us from the hell of eternal fire, and from the horror of the deep. O God of incomparable bounty, the fountain of joy and of eternal happiness, ravish the mind of this sick person, even unto the heavens, and show unto him the share of those inestimable graces which thy Son our Redeemer hath purchased for us with thee, give him grace to die in the hope of the future resurrection of our bodies, and powerfully to comprehend how the resurrection of thy Son is the bud of our blessed immortality, yea the special gage of eternal life, and of our holy glorification. And unto us that shall yet remain in this world, give grace, that expecting our last day, which shallbe the first of our rest, and the end of our miseries, that our contentment may not be elsewhere then under the covert of thy grace, let our souls breathe nothing but the sweetness of thy love: and let the continual desire of living in the admiration of the contemplation of thy divine beauties, which thou hast reserved for thine Elect. Let it be the fervent desire, and the sole vote of our hearts, that daily dying in Adam by the mortifying of our flesh, to be borne anew in jesus Christ, we may feel more and more by thy grace, our carnal concupiscences repressed, our faith inflamed, and our hearts cheered by thy singular blessings, which thou pourest out daily (with a hand more than liberal) upon them that fear thee. Which we crave of thee in the name of thy dear Son: O our Father which 〈◊〉 in heaven, etc. 6. A Prayer directed unto jesus Christ, the Great and Sovereign Shepherd of our Souls, for the Sick that is in extremity. 39 LOrd jesus, our sole and only Redeemer, who lovest thine with an eternal love, and who camest down from heaven to raise us up to heaven, who tookest our humane nature upon thee to make us the children of God: Who borest upon thy back the burden of our sins, to discharge us of them: and who as a celestial. Pelican, after thou hadst pierced thy sides with the edge of thy love, to make thy Vermillion Blood distil forth to heal our mortal wounds, and to drown our sins in the sea of thy mercies, callest us to come unto thee, promising to ease all those that are heavy laden and travel; assuring them they shall find rest for their souls. We beseech thee from the bottom of our hearts O Sovereign Physician of our souls, who camest not for the whole and the righteous, but for the sick, and for sinners, to strengthen the faith of this thy sick child, redoubling the strength of his Spirit, to overcome all fears, to vanquish all dangers, and to repel the Alarms of Satan, and all the assaults of his temptations. And seeing that the desire of this sick person is before thee, and that his sorrows are not hid from thee, forsake him not, and be not fare from succouring of him, but turning thy merciful countenance towards his griefs, make him powerfully sensible of thy succours in joy and in salvation, that he may dispose himself, and we also, when it shall please thee to call us, to die to thee, to live again in thee, O God of our deliverance. We confess O thou Sovereign Redeemer, that our sins were infinite, because Adam had offended against thee Infinite. We likewise acknowledge that for the same there was requisite an infinite satisfaction: which neither Angels, nor men, nor any finite creature could accomplish: But thy blood, O Saviour of the world, who by thy eternal Spirit offered thee unto God thy Father, thyself without all blemish, and who art of an infinite price, art alone able to cleanse our consciences from dead works, to serve the living God. And seeing that by this inestimable redemption thy Name is unto thy faithful ones a perfume spread forth abroad and poured out: and that thy divinity joined unto our humanity in one person, is our sole comfort, and the certain pledge of our union and reconciliation with God: We beseech thee to present unto thy Father (as a sweet odour for this sick person) the merits of thy Passion, seeing that thy righteousness wherewith thou justifiest sinners is not only of inestimable virtue to sanctify us, but also thy death is incomparably admirable to quicken us. And in as much as the death of thy beloved ones is precious before thy Father, when he looketh upon thee. We beseech thee to bless the death of this our brother, covering him with the mantle of thy protection, a mantle fare more excellent than that of Elias: that securely he may pass the torrent and violent stream of this life, to come unto thy holy mountain, and to drink of that spiritual sweetness, with thine Elect, of the fountain of life in heaven. O Saviour of the world, the lively brightness of the eternal glory of the Father, who camest down from the highest pitch of the celestial mountains to seek the lost sheep, and to enclose him, after thou hadst found him, in the parks of thy sacred custody, save now, and protect the soul of this thy sheep, to the end the infernal wolf devour him not, but accomplish thine own desire, touching those whom the Father hath given thee, seat it and bestow it with thee in the place of consolation, to the end that with all the happy spirits, which have embraced the merits of thy Passion, it may behold that eternal glory, which the Father, who loveth thee, and who always heareth thee, hath given thee before the foundation of the world. To thee then the Redeemer of the world, with the Father in the unity of the Holy Ghost, be honour and glory for evermore. So be it. 7. Another Prayer, wherein supplication is made unto God to assist with his holy Spirit the Sick in his agony. 40. O Lord God, and most gracious Father when we enter into a serious consideration of our estate, certain it is, that we are in this world, as upon a rough and tempestuous sea: and that the winds and storms of temptations advance themselves and arise every minute against us, and therefore is it that we humbly beseech thee that in this perilous passage thy Spirit may conduct and strengthen our brittle vessel, that by the assistance thereof at the last we may happily arrive at the haven of eternal salvation. And especially we beseech thee for this thy sick child, to the end it may please thee to imprint by the effectual power of thy Holy Spirit more and more in his heart charity, and the love of thy Son, in whose name we have remission of our sins, that Persevering with invincible constancy unto the end in the faith, and confession of the Name of his Saviour he may find undoubtedly in him whatsoever is requisite unto his assured blessedness. Let that thy Spirit, which inflameth that which is cold, which erecteth what is fallen, which giveth breath unto that which is weary, cheer up by his virtue the feebleness of this sick person, and produce in him ardent sighs, Which may be dissolved into the sweet rain of tears, fruitful unto his soul. Let the Same thy Spirit be unto this sick person that which it was unto Elias, the whirlwind, and the chariot of fire, wherein he may be carried up to heaven. Let it be the same that was the New Star to the Wisemen of the East, that by the guiding thereof he may come unto jesus Christ, not laid in the manger not any more passable, but glorious and risen again, sitting at thy right hand, above all powers and principality, victorious over death, triumphant over hell; and Head, and Consummatour of our faith. And as thou show'dst unto three of thy Apostles in the mountain, when as thy Son was transfigured, having his face shining as a radiant Sun, a skantling and pattern of the glory and celestial beauty, which they should enjoy, whom thou hast chosen and incorporated into thy said Son. So we beseech thee that during the small time which remaineth for us to pass the course of this life, it may please thee to give us a continual taste of that heavenly happiness, and an holy sense of thy glory, with a firm and an assured peace of conscience, founded upon thy love, to walk in the strength of this consolation unto thy holy mountain. For in as much as this world is but a pilgrimage, and a way wherein there is nothing to be found firm, and wherein the more that men dig to build in it, the more do they find unstable sand, and unconstant agitations. Where ought we Lord, to seek for the true foundation of our expectation and hope, but in heaven? And seeing that where the body is, thither gather together the Eagles, We beseech thee to raise up aloft the heart of this sick person, and ours unto thee, that thy love may be a precious ointment to make us run and aspire after thee. If David in the midst of his great riches thought himself a stranger and a foreigner as his Fathers, if he said that his days were as a shadow upon the earth, wherein there is no stay, if he looked upon his Royal Palace as upon an Inn, whereout he was every hour to dislodge: if he looked upon his Throne as upon a seat which he must leave and resign over to another. And if looking upon his Crown, as on a thing which was subject to fade in these terrestrial places, he breathed after an incorruptible Crown of glory, how much more ought we out of the midst of the dust of this world to desire and to breathe after that glorious eternal Crown, where our heaviness shallbe turned into gladness: our poverty into eternal riches: and our ignominy into incorruptible honours. Grant us this grace then, O great God, not only to despise the things which the world admires, but also make us to take patiently the afflictions which invirone and assault us, whilst we run this our mortal race. For seeing thou hast ordained that they whom thou hast chosen should be made like to the image of thy Son, not only in suffering, but also in glory: grant us grace firmly to be sensible of in this world, and truly to enjoy in the other the effect of this holy promise, which thy Son who is holy, and true, hath made unto those that partake in his afflictions, namely that he will give unto him that shall overcome, to sit with him upon his Throne, so as he also that hath overcome, sitteth upon the Throne of his Father. For it is certain, if we bear here below the Cross of his Son, we shall wear also the Crown of glory with him in heaven. That if we drink gall and vinegar out of the cup of his Passion, we shallbe watered and thoroughly moistened with the rivers of his pleasures; and if we bear in our bodies the mortification of the Lord jesus, even so also the life of the Lord jesus shallbe manifested in our mortal flesh: & then all of us casting forth bright beams of glory, and shining with splendour, we shallbe not only like unto Angels, but even withal we shallbe like unto thee, to enjoy thorough thee and with thee, that thy glory and felicity, the which (because our words fall fare short of our thoughts yet shorter of the greatness thereof) eyes cannot behold, ear cannot hear, nor heart comprehend. Grant us these things, O God, who art goodness itself, love itself, & holiness itself, who givest us what ere we have, & wilt give us out of thy bounty and mercy the fruition of what ere we hope for in all eternity, thorough thy dear Son jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost, be honour and glory. Our Father which art in heaven, etc. A prayer to be said after the sick hath rendered his soul unto God, for the comfort of the bystanders. 41. O God and most merciful Father, who hast created all things without necessity, who governest them without labour, and who changest them, thou thyself being unchangeable, and whose sacred and perfect will is daily done on earth, as in heaven. We thank thee for this, that it hath pleased thee to withdraw unto thee the soul of our brother, making us to know in his death what our infirmity is: and making us to behold, as in a glass the accomplishment of thine irrevocable sentence, by which dust must return to dust, and the soul go to heaven, to him that gave it. Grant us this grace, that this death may serve to make a serious impression in our thoughts, not only how his day is this day to die, ours shallbe tomorrow, and that as the last of our days shallbe the first of our rest: Yet, that the death of the righteous is the sunset of their woes, and the sunrising of their felicities: but herewithal it may be also unto us an example to contemn this world where we do but offend thee: to breath after (with our whole hearts) the celestial jerusalem, wherein we shall enjoy with jesus Christ our Spouse unspeakable and eternal pleasures, whose excellencies surpass all understanding, according to that holy promise, which he hath made us, to be gone up thither, there to prepare us a place, to be with him enjoying eternal glory. Expecting then that most happy hour, when thou wilt call us out of this world, and where our salvation, which is shut up in hope, shallbe fully revealed unto us: Enable us powerfully to comprehend the excellency of our Calling, and what are the riches of thy glory in that heavenly inheritance of thy Saints: and what the excellent greatness of that power is to us ward, that believe thorough operation of the power of thy strength, which thou hast effectually expressed in thy Son jesus Christ, when thou raisedst him from the dead, and madest him sit at thy right hand in heavenly places, above all principality and power, strength, and dominion: and above every name which is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. To the end, that being strengthened and corroborated in the inward man, we might walk on as becometh that Calling whereunto we are called, in all humility and meekness: and with a patiented mind, bearing with one another in dear love, being careful to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of peace, seeing we are called into the hope of our Calling. To thee O great God, Father of all, which art above all, amongst all, and in us all: with thy Son in the unity of the Holy Ghost, be honour and glory for ever. Amen. Unto him that feareth God, to die is to be borne. FINIS. A PRAYER to be said in the Morning at our Uprising. O Most glorious God, most gracious Father, and most merciful Saviour, seeing it hath pleased thee to grant me the gracious favour to have passed this night, and to come unto this present day, be likewise graciously pleased to add herewith also unto me the benefit and ability to employ the same wholly and altogether unto thy service, in such sort that I may neither think, say, nor do any thing, but what may be well pleasing unto thee: And comply with the obedience unto thy blessed will and pleasure. That so all my words may tend to the glory of thy Name, and edification of my neighbours And as it hath pleased thee to make thy Sun to shine upon the earth, to enlighten our bodies: so likewise be pleased by the bright beams of thy Spirit to illuminate my understanding, ●nd my heart, to direct and guide me in the saving way of thy righteousness, so that unto whatsoever I apply myself evermore my principal end and Intention may be to walk in thy fear, to serve and honour thee, expecting all my happiness and welfare from thy only blessing, that so I may take nothing in hand, but what is agreeable to thy blessed Will and Commandments: As also that so travelling for the body, and this present life, that I may ever look further, namely unto that heavenly life, which thou hast promised unto thy children. Yet so Lord, that it may please thee, both in body, and soul, to be my protector, strengthening me against all the temptations of the Devil, and delivering me from all dangers which may befall me. And because it is nothing to begin well, unless it be seconded with perseverance▪ Re●●●●me not only for this day into thy sacred protection, but even for the whole course of my life, co●tin●e, and daily augment, and increase in thee thy Hea●●●ly Grace, ●ntill thou hast brought me unto the full fruition of thy Son jesus Christ our Lord, who is the true Sun of 〈◊〉 souls that shineth day and night without end, and for ever. And that I may obtain these graces from thee, be pleased to forget all my sins past, and by thy infinite mercies to forgive me them, as thou hast promised unto all them, that by faith in jesus Christ, the Son of thy love, accompanied with true repentant, sorrow for their sins hearty seek thy mercy in the pardon of their sins by jesus Christ, to whom with thee and thy Holy Spirit, one true and everliving God, be all honour and glory, now and for evermore. Amen. A PRAYER TO 〈◊〉 said before going to bed. O Lord God, sith it hath pleased thee to create the night for the rest of man as thou hast ordained him the day for his travel: Grant me the grace so to take rest this night in body, as that my soul may always watch unto thee, and that my heart may be raised up in thy love, and that I may so cast off and lay aside all earthly cares that I may be refreshed, as mine infirmity shall require, that I never forget thee: but that the remembrance of thy bounty and grace may remain evermore so deeply imprinted in my memory, that by that means my conscience may have as well her spiritual rest, as the body taketh his. And withal let not my sleep be excessive, inordinately to please the ease of the flesh, but only to satisfy the frailty of nature, the better to dispose me to thy service. Be also pleased to keep me unpolluted in my body, as in my mind. And to preserve me against all dangers, that my sleep may be to the glory of thy Name And seeing there h●th not a day passed, wh●●● I have not many ways of●●●●●● thee, according as I am a poor● wretched sinner, even as all a now covered by the darkness which thou sendest upon the earth, grant likewise all my sins may be buried thorough thy mercy, that by them I may not be deprived of the light of thy countenance Heat me most gracious God, and loving Father, for jesus Christ his sake. Amen. THE MANNER of questioning those that are to be received to the Supper of our LORD JESUS CHRIST. Question. IN whom believest thou? Answer. In God the Father, in jesus Christ his Son, and in the Holy Ghost. Q The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost: are they more than one God? A. No. Q Must we serve God according to hi● 〈◊〉 or according to the traditions of ●●n? A. We must serve him according to his Commandments, and not according to the commandments of men. Q. Canst thou fulfil God's Commandments of thyself? A No. Q. Who is it then that fulfil them in thee? A. The Holy Ghost. Q And when God hath given thee his Holy Spirit, canst tho● perfectly fulfil them? A. No: in no wise. Q And yet God curseth and rejecteth all those that do not perfectly and entirely fulfil his Commandments? A. It is true. Q By what means then canst thou be saved, and delivered from the curse of God? A. By the Death and Passion of our Lord jesus Christ. Q How by the means of his Death and Passion? A. Because by his Death he hath purchased us life, and hath reconciled us unto God his Father. Q. Unto whom prayest thou? A. Unto God Q In whose name prayest thou? A. In the Name of our Lord jesus Christ, who is our Mediator and Intercessor. Q. How many Sacraments are there in the Christian Church? A Two. Q. Which are they? A. Baptism, and the Lords Supper. Q. What is the signification of Baptism? A. It hath two parts For our Lord doth therein set forth unto us the remission of our sins: and then our regeneration or spiritual renewing. Q. And what signifies the S●pper? A. It setteth forth unto us, that by the Communion of the Body and blood of our Lord jesus Christ our souls are nourished in the hope of eternal life. Q What do the Bread and Wine set forth unto us in the Lord's Supper? A. They set forth unto us that the Body and Blood of jesus Christ have such virtue and strength unto our souls as Bread and Wine have unto our body's Q Conceivest thou that the Body of jesus ●hrist is enclosed and contained u●der the Bread, and his Blo●d under the Wine? A. No Q Where then must we seek jesus Christ to have the fruition of him? A. In heaven, in the glory of God his Father. Q What is the means to come unto heaven where jesus Christ is? A. It is faith. Q. We must then have true faith before we can have the right use of this holy Sacrament? A. So we must. Q. And how can we come by this faith? A We attain unto it by the Holy Ghost, which dwelleth in our hearts, and assureth us of the Promises of God, which are made unto us in the Gospel. FINIS.