The Last Battle of the Soul, Religious tract 1 · Part 6 · Section 2
The sicke mans Prayer for himselfe.
O LORD, the Father of mercies, and GOD of all Consolation, bee present in thy great merciemercy with mee thy vnworthie seruant, into this time of trouble, suffer mee earth and ashes to speake with thy merciemercy: In the multitude of thy compassions, blot out my transgressions: wash me throghlie from mine iniquitie, and cleanse mee from my sinnes, where by the seed of thy grace within mine heart hath beene choaked and starued.
Let the depth of thy mercy swallow vp the deepes of my miserie: Bridle my sinnes and spurre forward thy graces within mee: Set all mine affections on foote, that they may follow after Thee: Put a fairer flame into my smoking slaxe, and more strength into this bruisedreede, that the bones which Psal. 51. 8thou hast broken may re…oyce.
O Lord, with thine eye salue cleanseReuel. 3. 18 and open the eyes of my poore Soule, that I beholding these things that are aboue, may gladlie desire to be dissolued for to be there with my Lord, and Sauiour: Lord, let thy Spirit carrie still a strong hand ouer me: Furnish mee with such measure of thy graces whereby I may patiently waite vponupon thy will: Except that by a speciall fauour thou vphold mee, I shall neuer bee able to secure my feete in so slipperie ground: While I hauehave beene hearing most glorious speaches of the Heauens, the shadowes of earthlie things hauehave ecclipsed my minde like a Moorie: O make such shadowes to flie away, that the horizon of my spirituall sight beeing cleared, I may in some measure see thy backe partes, whereby my Soule may bee enlightened like the face of Moses: Though often I hauehave beene deafe at thy preachinges, bee not thou dumbe at my prayers: O Father of mercies, listen vntounto the groanes of my drooping spirite assailed with diuerse temptations: Heare the sighes and crouding of thine owne Turtle Doue.
O LORD, leade mee into the Land of vprightnesse, and make thy grace to seat it selfe into mine heart▪ Store my memorie with these good lessons which I hauehave heard preached in mine health: Let mee neuer ouer-pryze anie good thing that is within my selfe: Though Iames and Iohn bragged that they were able to Matth. 21. 22drinke of thy cuppe, scarce could they abide to see Thee drinke it: O Lord, make mee euer to vnderunder-value thy greatest worth, that thorow the valey of humilitte I may come to these euer lasting exaltations.
Come LORD, for loe thy seruant commeth: I am willing, Lord, helpe my vnwillingnesse: If it bee thy will to loose me out of this sinfull prison, when I shall leaue this earth to earth, appoint thine Angels to carrie my Soule vntounto Abrahams bosome, where I may sing with thy Saincts Halleluiah for euer: Come, Lord, now and seeke thy lost groate▪ Fetch home vpō thy Shoulders this wandering Sheepe, and make all the Heauens to rejoyce: Despise not that which in the creation thou diddest ennoble with thy liknesse: GiueGive mee a warrand and a token to bee admitted within the Gates of thine euerlasting Tabernacles: Till I come there make my Soule to burne still in holie feelings.
Lord, heare mee for the deare sake of thy Sonne to whom with Thee and the Spirit of grace (as it is most due) wee render all praise, glorie, and dominion for euer, AMEN.
The Pastour.
Blessed be God, Sir, who maketh his Spirit to worke so powerfullie within you: Wee are all greatlie refreshed with your comforts: It hath beene a great joye to vsus all to heare that most sweete & feruent prayer, full of the groanes of the Spirit of Iesus:
*NoteIn you hauehave wee seene the trueth of that Text, The Spirit helpeth Rom, 8. 26our infirmities, for wee know not what wee should pray for as wee ought: But the Spirite it selfe maketh intercession for vsus with groanings which cannot bee vttered: I am assured that that same Spirite hath made intercession for you with groaninges in that prayer which now yee hauehave vttered.
And againe, while I consider in what weakenesse and faintnesse I found you at the first I wonder at such a vigour of Spirit which I petceiue now to be into you: *NoteTruelie the word of God is most true▪ God giueth power to the faint, & to them Isa. 40. 2.that hauehave no might hee increaseth strength: Euen the Youths shall faint and bee wearie, and the young men shall vtterlie fall: But they that waite vponupon the Lord, renewe their strength: They shall mount vp with winges as Eagles.
*NoteMany in their afflictions either desparatelie rage, or weaklie wa…le: But God in great merciemercy hath at last filled you with true Christian courage and comfort in your greatest smart: Hee hath listened to all your desires, beeing moued with that sacred LoueLove, which alwayes burneth in his bosome: *NoteHis Grace like the Notherne Pole, hath giuen you aime and direction whether to bend your course.
Now the darkenesse of the night beginneth to ouer-cloud the earth: By Gods grace I shall returne in the Morning so soone as the birdes shall begin to chirpe at the spring of day.
*NoteBecause while the spirit of man is idle, it weareth and wasteth it selfe away with barren and lumpish melancholie: While yee shall awake, cause reade Scripture vntounto you, and particularlie these places, Psalme 27. Psalme 84. Psalme 87. 1. Corinthians 15. 2. Corinthians 12. Reuelation 21. Reuelation 22. His Grace bee you.