The Right Way to Heaven, Prayers 3

The Right Way to Heaven · Prayers 3

p. 476COMFORTS for the Sicke.

1. A Prayer to be ſaid when the ſicke is in perplexitie.

34. O Lord, our good God and gracious Father, the onelyonly comfort of our ſoules, the gladnes of our hearts, our ſole ſolace and refuge, yea our ſingular ſweetneſſe amidſt the ſharpeſt bitterneſſes and anguiſhes which oppreſſe us, we beſeech thee to caſt thy p. 476ſweet and mercifull eyes upon this ſicke perſon, which hath received this honour together with us by thy ſpeciall favour to bee delivered from the power of darkneſſe; and to be tranſported unto the Kingdome of the Sonne of thy love: having opened his heart, as ours, to receive the Word of life, which alone can ſave our ſoules. And as thou haſt given him the wil to do wel, grant unto him, and unto us alſo this happines, to give him to perfect the ſame according to thy good pleaſure, and to finiſh his courſe in thy feare, that perſevering in p. 478the confeſſion of thy holy Name, thy light and thy truth may lead him, and bring him into the mountaine of thy holineſſe. O Heavenly Shepheard, that haſt ſent thy deare Sonne to ſeeke the loſt ſheep, and who repelleſt not the languiſhing ſoule that caſts it ſelfe into thy boſome: accompliſh in ſuch ſort thy ſtrength in the weakneſſe of this ſicknes, 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 ſeale of thine election upon p. 479the ſoule of this ſick perſon: Yea ſith thou haſt ſealed him with the ſeale of thy Spirit, for the Day of redemption purchaſed unto the glory of thy Name. And ſeeing thy comforts are welcom to good ſoules, give unto this ſicke perſon amidſt the anguiſhes he ſuffers in his body, a vigorous and a conſtant ſoule, ſweetly bedewd from the ſprings of ſweet comforts, in the midſt of the hot fits of his diſeaſe, and the which may make to flie up and to ſparkle forth the flames of a ſacred deſire, even unto the Sanctuarie of thy Holines, there to behold p. 480with 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, repaire his enfeebled forces, waſted and ſpent by the violence of his diſeaſe: quicken his heart by the ſweetnes of thy grace: kindle afreſh his zeale, inflame his prayers, animate his ſighes, reſtore unto him the joy of his ſalvation, and let the bones which thou haſt broken, rejoyce.

As then thou didſt that favour unto the Iſraelites, p. 481even then when they were in the deſarts, to make them to taſt of the fruits of the terreſtriall Canaan, to the end to incourage them to make them to walk on forward with boldneſſe towards the Land of Promiſe. So (Lord) give unto this ſick perſon, and unto us that are in the wilderneſſe of this world, an aſſurance of the forgivenes of our ſins in the bloud of thy Welbeloved, who was wounded for our treſpaſſes, and bruiſed for our iniquities, peace in our conſciences, a continuall acknowledgment of thy favours, a firm reliance on thy love, and joy in our p. 482ſoules, which are the fruits of the Celeſtiall Canaan, to the end that reliſhing that ſweetnes, we may aſpire with zeale and courage towards the end of our Spirituall Calling in Ieſus Ch…ſt to be filled, not with … and hony, but with … beams of thy glorious … and with the rivers of th… pleaſures with thee for evermore. For in poſſeſſio… of thee (great God) we ſhall poſſeſſe all things: and in thee and thorow thee we ſhalbe all radiant with thy glory, and ſhining as the brightnes of the firmament, and as the Sun which ſhineth in his ſtrength.

p. 483And during this ſmall time which remains for us to live in this world, give u… grace that thorow good works we may make ſure … Vocation and Election: to the end, that thus doing, … …ntrance into the eter… …ingdome of our Saviour Ieſus Chriſt may be ab…nd…ntly accommodated unto us, bearing evermore in …nd thoſe words of thy Sonne Ieſus Chriſt: that he that ſhall perſevere, and ſhall overcome, ſhalbe clothed with white garments, and I will not blot his name out of the booke of life: But I will confeſſe his name before my Father, p. 484and before his Angells.

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) ſhalbe a day of darknes, not of brightnes, of heavines, 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 rejoyce in that day, becauſe our redemption is neare.

p. 485In that day ſhall it be, (according to thy Prophet Malachie) that the regiſter or book of remembrance, which is written before thee, of them which think of thy Name, ſhalbe opened. If King Aſſuerus had in his Palace a Booke of the worthy exploits of his ſubjects, wherein he found written the good deeds of Mardoch…, to recompence it: and ſhalt not thou have, O great King, by whom the Kings of the earth raigne: Thy book of life and retribution, wherin are writ the names of thy children, whom by a ſingular prerogative thou haſt p. 486adopted for ſuch in thy Son Ieſus Chriſt? David ſurely knew this myſterie, when as in his ſoreſt afflictions he ſaid unto thee: Lord thou telleſt my wanderings, my tears are in thy bottle, are they not in thy Book?

Now to the end we may bee acceptable to thee, whilſt we are incompaſſed with this mortall fleſh, graunt 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 deare Son our Saviour Ieſus Chriſt, who in the ſame ſhall tranſforme p. 487our vile bodies, to the end they may be made like to his glorious body, according to the effectuall power, wherby he is able to ſubdue all things unto himſelf. VntoUnto thee O great God thorow thy Son Ieſus Chriſt, in the Vnity of the Holy Ghoſt, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

2. Another Prayer when the ſicke is neare unto death.

35. O Lord, our good God and Father, who out of thy great goodnes daily ſhowreſt downe p. 488upon us a ſea of bounty and bleſſings, and who haſt in thy hand reſt and labour, health and ſicknes, life and death. We poore ſinners, ſetling our ſelves upon the aſſurance of thy goodnes, 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 ſtarre of light, and a guide, in that voyage p. 489which his ſoule maketh from earth to heaven, and from this mortall life, unto the immortall, to perſiſt firmly in the faith even unto the end, without being terrified or ſhaken by temptation, illuſion, or by any other ſtratageme of the enemie.

Thou art O great God, the light of all them that hope in thee, and who leddeſt thy people Iſrael thorow the ghaſtly wildernes by a pillar of fire in the dark night, therfore we beſeech thee to enlighten with thine aſſiſtance, and holy protection this thy childe in the darkeſome p. 490paſſage of death.

And ſurely Lord, experience ſhewes us that when humane means ſeeme moſt to faile us, then is it that thou keepeſt neareſt unto thine to comfort them with thy right hand, handling them with thy helpfull hand, with gentle and cheriſhing fomentations: and that thou makeſt them ſenſible that the point of their extreame need is the opportunitie of thy ſuccours. And therefore is it, that now the heart of this ſicke perſon ſobbeth, that his eyes are duskiſh and heavy, his eares deafe, his mouth dry and juyceleſſe, and as p. 491the outward man falleth in him, it would pleaſe thee to give him ſtrength in his inward man, and to fill his ſoule with gladnes and joy in that laſt conflict, making him powerfully to reliſh thoſe celeſtiall gifts, which are laid up for us in heaven, by the merits of thy deare Sonne our Saviour, who to make us to live againe 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 remaines for this thy child to live in this world, give him p. 492grace that his ſpirit may alwayes acknowledge thee, that his heart may adore thee whilſt he ſhall breath that he may be aſſured ſtedfaſtly, that in the end of his mortall ſweat he may find unſpeakable happines with his bride-groome Ieſus Chriſt, unto whom with thee in the unitie of the Holy Ghoſt, be honour and glorie for ever. Amen.

3. Another prayer in diſtres.

36. LOrd, God and Father of all mercy, that ſenteſt from heaven an Angell to comfort thy Son, when in the depth of his p. 493Paſſion (bearing our ſorrowes, and loaden with our griefs, wounded for our offences, and bruiſed for our iniquities) his ſoule was heavie even unto death. We beſeech thee from the bottome of our hearts to comfort this thy ſick child, whom thou haſt regenerated and incorporated into thy welbeloved Sonne: acknowledg (Lord) the mark of thine adoption in him.

We know, O God of ineſtimable puritie, that our ſinnes drive us back far away from thee: But thy deare Sonne, who is made for us (by thee) wiſdome, righteouſneſſe, ſanctification, p. 494and redemption: not only waſheth us with his bloud to becom acceptable unto thee, but withall maketh & giveth us entrance into thy Sanctuary, & boldnes by his death to approch with aſſurance to the throne of thy grace, to be heard in due time.

Graunt grace unto this ſick perſon to free the point of death with an holy and Chriſtian reſolution. Redouble his courage at that preſent houre, that his ſoule is upon the point to behold thy face, wherein is fulneſſe of joy. And amidſt the violent dartings of thoſe ſighs which accompanie p. 495the laſt acts of his life, give him perfect clear…eſſe of judgement, accompanied with calmeneſſe of ſpirit, evermore to acknowledge his true and only God, that drawes him out of the deſarts of this world, to live happy in the Heavenly Ieruſalem, and who withdrawes him out of the bottomleſſe depths of wretchednes, to bring him to live in heaven, heaped with eternall bleſſings.

Command thy holy Angels which thou incampeſt round about thoſe that feare thee, and which watch for the welfare and ſafety of thy children, that p. 496they beare the ſoule of this thy ſervant up into heaven, the ſacred Temple of thy glory, moſt gloriouſly reſplendant with happineſſe and honour, where he ſhall clearely ſee that which his ſpirit adores here below, and where he ſhall injoy that divine and celeſtiall harmonie, which the bleſſed Spirits make unto thee unceſſantly, and the eternall joyes which cannot be valued, and where he ſhall live in continuall admiration of thoſe incomprehenſible bounties in the preſence of his Spouſe, thy beloved Sonne Ieſus Chriſt. To whom with thee and the p. 497Holy Ghoſt be honour and glory for evermore. So be it.

4. Another Prayer to bee ſaid when the Sicke is in extremity.

37. O Lord, our good God, and moſt mercifull Father, who being overcome with the bowels of thy tender mercies haſt ſent down thy beloved Sonne to ſave ſinners, and haſt been pleaſed that this thy Sonne was bound to looſe us, condemned to abſolve and free us, that he died, to give us life; yea, that he was made a p. 498curſe, to the end, that we might be made a bleſſing of God in him. We beſeech thee to graunt this grace unto this ſick perſon, to repoſe and relye himſelfe on the certainty of faith, for the full remiſſion of his ſinnes, upon that entire and perfect ſatisfaction, which thy deare Sonne (whoſe bloud was once offered up to aboliſh the ſinnes of many) hath made unto the… upon the Croſſe. For it is certaine 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 p. 499death thou doſt not precipitate into that eternall gulfe thoſe whom thou haſt ingrafted and regenerated in that great Mediator and Saviour of the world, when as (calling upon thy mercy) they ſhalbe converted with their whole heart unto thee.

That when Satan our adverſarie (who like a roaring Lion goeth about us, endeavouring to devoure us) maketh himſelf a party againſt this ſick perſon in this his laſt conflict, ſetting before him the checkroule and catologue of his ſinnes, and thy rigorous judgment to aſtoniſh and to precipitate p. 500him into deſpaire, give him grace to ſhield and ward himſelfe as with a target and buckler, to repell and beat back the fierie darts of that enemie, with the truth and aſſurance, that the bloud of thy Sonne Ieſus cleanſeth from all ſinne.

Fortifie then and animate (O God of invincible power, and our firme hope) this thy child with the ſtrength of thy Holy Spirit at this preſent houre, that his ſoule being disburdened of the miſeries which preſſe him, yea ſet free from the captivitie of his body, is ready to go unto thee. And in that houre, p. 501wherin the earth claimeth in his perſon what we have borrowed of her, have pitie Lord on thine owne image, and deſpiſe not the works of thy hands.

Behold, Lord, the teares, the plaints, the ſighes, the groanes, and the contrition of the heart of this ſicke 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 remaine in this vale of miſerie, graunt us this grace, p. 502that as thy people being captive in Babilon, had the comfort to direct and lift up their eyes towards Ieruſalem, the place wherein thou didſt manifeſt unto them thy glorious and gracious preſence, that even ſo amidſt the captivitie of this world, where we ſee nothing but confuſion, and where vice raigneth, and thy honour is diſ-eſteemed, we may have our eyes towards thee, as on the ſole object and ſubject of our joy and rejoycing, ſeeing in thy face is the fulnes of joy, and at thy right hand are perfect pleaſures for evermore.

p. 503Even ſo, O thou God of ineſtimable bounty and goodnes, 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 ſoules in the company of thoſe who by faith have overcome Kingdomes, have done righteouſneſſe, and have obtained the promiſes, and who are written in the Booke of Life of the Lamb.

In the meane time, O Lord, arme us with patience, and in the midſt of our troubles make us ſenſible by a lively feeling that our p. 504light affliction, which is tranſient and ſoone over, produceth in us a waight of glory, wonderfully excellent, and that leaving by death theſe viſible things, which are but of ſmall continuance, we ſhall injoy thoſe that are now inviſible to our eyes, which are abiding for ever in Ieſus Chriſt, and by Ieſus Chriſt: to whom with thee and the Holy Ghoſt be honour and glory for ever. Amen.

p. 5055. A Prayer when the ſick is in ſome grievous perplexitie.

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 deare children as the apple of thine eye. In as much as now we ſee, that now it is, even at this time, that it wilbe thy pleaſure to withdraw this thy ſick child out of this mortall world. We beſeech thee enter not into account with him to puniſh him, nor reprove him in thy diſpleaſure, p. 506neither chaſten him in thy wrath: But remember Lord, he hath beene called in thy Church and in the number of thine Elect, to be waſhed and ſanctified by thy grace in the name of Ieſus Chriſt, thy deare Sonne, who took upon him our griefs, and hath undergone the burden of our ſorrowes, that by his wounds we might receive health, whereof his baptiſme hath beene the badge. Waſh then, Lord, (who art in goodneſſe moſt compleat) his ſoule in the innocent bloud of thy deare Sonne, in whoſe wounds and merits we incloſe our p. 507preſent and future happines, that being made cleane he may keep thee eternally in his ſacred celeſtiall Temple. Gracious Lord, and full of tender compaſſion, ſhew not forth thy ſtrength at this time againſt a languiſhing body: arme not thy ſelfe unto vengeance againſt one that can do nothing. Cruſh not in thine indignation him whom thou haſt in thy goodneſſe created after thine owne image: but rather returning thy gracious countenance towards his ſorrowes, make him powerfully ſenſible of thy clemencie, the mother of our p. 508hope, and thy love the ſource of our life.

Drive away Lord, by thy power all dreadfulneſſe, all diſtruſtfulnes, and doubts which Satan our adverſarie can preſent unto this ſick perſon, leave not at randome (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 ſoule: Strengthen his faith, redouble upon him in this laſt houre of his the forces of his Spirit, that with a truly Chriſtian courage he may repell and beat backe (thorough thy p. 509ſtrength) all the aſſaults and temptations of the enemie, by the merit of thy deare Son, who was made man to ſave man, and whoſe ſoule was heavie, even unto death, to deliver us from the hell of eternall fire, and from the horrour of the deep. O God of incomparable bounty, the fountaine of joy and of eternall happines, raviſh the mind of this ſick perſon, even unto the heavens, and ſhew 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 p. 510the future reſurrection of our bodies, and powerfully to comprehend how the reſurrection of thy Sonne is the bud of our bleſſed immortality, yea the ſpeciall gage of eternall life, and of our holy glorification.

And unto us that ſhall yet remaine in this world, give grace, that expecting our laſt day, which ſhalbe the firſt of our reſt, and the end of our miſeries, that our contentment may not be elſwhere then under the covert of thy grace, let our ſoules breath nothing but the ſweetnes of thy love: and let the continuall deſire of living in the admiration p. 511of 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 Ieſus Chriſt, we may feele more and more by thy grace, our carnall concupiſcences repreſſed, our faith inflamed, and our hearts cheered by thy ſingular bleſſings, which thou powreſt out daily (with a hand more then liberall) upon them that feare thee. Which we crave of thee in the name of thy deare Son: O our p. 512Father which … in heaven, &c.

6. A Prayer directed unto Ieſus Chriſt, the Great and Soveraigne Shepheard of our Soules, for the Sick that is in extremity.

39. LOrd Ieſus, our ſole and only Redeemer, who loveſt thine with an eternall love, and who cameſt downe 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 burthen of our ſins, to diſcharge us of p. 513them: and who as a celeſtiall. Pelican, after thou hadſt pierced thy ſides with the edge of thy love, to make thy Vermilian Bloud diſtill forth to heale our mortall wounds, and to drowne our ſins in the ſea of thy mercies, calleſt us to come unto thee, promiſing to eaſe all thoſe that are heavie laden and travell; aſſuring them they ſhall find reſt for their ſoules.

We beſeech thee from the bottome of our hearts O Soveraigne Phyſitian of our ſoules, who cameſt not for the whole and the righteous, but for the ſicke, and for ſinners, to p. 514ſtrengthen the faith of this thy ſick child, redoubling the ſtrength of his Spirit, to overcome all feares, to vanquiſh all dangers, and to repell the Alarums of Satan, and all the aſſaults of his temptations.

And ſeeing that the deſire of this ſicke perſon is before thee, and that his ſorrowes are not hid from thee, forſake him not, and be not farre from ſuccouring of him, but turning thy mercifull countenance towards his griefs, make him powerfully ſenſible of thy ſuccours in joy and in ſalvation, that he may diſpoſe himſelfe, and we alſo, p. 515when it ſhall pleaſe thee to call us, to die to thee, to live againe in thee, O God of our deliverance.

We confeſſe O thou Soveraigne 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 bloud, O Saviour of the world, who by thy eternall Spirit offered thee unto God thy Father, thy ſelfe without all blemiſh, and who art of an infinite p. 516price, 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 faithfull ones a perfume ſpread forth abroad and powred out: and that thy divinitie joyned unto our humanitie 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 righteouſnes wherewith thou juſtifieſt p. 517ſinners is not only of ineſtimable vertue to ſanctifie 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 bleſſe the death of this our brother, covering him with the mantle of thy protection, a mantle farre more excellent then that of Elias: that ſecurely he may paſſe the torrent and violent ſtreame of this life, to come unto thy holy mountaine, and to drink of that ſpirituall ſweetneſſe, with p. 518thine Elect, of the fountaine of life in heaven.

O Saviour of the world, the lively brightnes of the eternall glory of the Father, who cameſt downe from the higheſt pitch of the celeſtiall mountaines to ſeek the loſt ſheep, and to incloſe him, after thou hadſt found him, in the parks of thy ſacred cuſtody, ſave now, and protect the ſoule of this thy ſheep, to the end the infernall wolfe devoure him not, but accompliſh thine owne deſire, touching thoſe whom the Father hath given thee, ſeat it and beſtow it with thee in the place of p. 519conſolation, to the end that with all the happy ſpirits, which have imbraced the merits of thy Paſſion, it may behold that eternall glory, which the Father, who loveth thee, and who alwayes heareth thee, hath given thee before the foundation of the world. To thee then the Redeemer of the world, with the Father in the unitie of the Holy Ghoſt, be honour and glory for evermore. So be it.

p. 5207. Another Prayer, wherein ſupplication is made unto God to aſſist with his holy Spirit the Sick in his agonie.

40. O Lord God, and moſt gracious Father when we enter into a ſerious conſideration of our eſtate, certaine 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 perillous p. 521paſſage thy Spirit may conduct and ſtrengthen our brittle veſſell, that by the aſſiſtance thereof at the laſt we may happily arive at the haven of eternall ſalvation.

And eſpecially we beſeech thee for this thy ſicke child, to the end it may pleaſe thee to imprint by the effectuall power of thy Holy Spirit more and more in his heart charity, and the love of thy Sonne, in whoſe name we have remiſſion of our ſinnes, that Perſevering with invincible conſtancie unto the end in the faith, and confeſſion of the Name of his Saviour p. 522he may find undoubtedly in him whatſoever is requiſite unto his aſſured bleſſednes.

Let that thy Spirit, which inflameth that which is cold, which erecteth what is fallen, which giveth breath unto that which is weary, cheare up by his vertue the feeblenes of this ſick perſon, and produce in him ardent ſighs, Which may be diſſolved into the ſweet raine of teares, fruitfull unto his ſoule. Let the Same thy Spirit be unto this ſick perſon that which it was unto Elias, the whirle-wind, and the chariot of fire, wherein he p. 523may be carried up to heaven. Let it be the ſame that was the New Starre to the Wiſemen of the Eaſt, that by the guiding thereof he may come unto Ieſus Chriſt, not laid in the manger not any more paſſible, but glorious and riſen againe, ſitting at thy right hand, above all powers and principalitie, victorious over death, triumphant over hell; and Head, and Conſummatour of our faith. And as thou ſhewedſt unto three of thy Apoſtles in the mountaine, when as thy Sonne was transfigured, having his face ſhining as a radiant Sun, a skantling and p. 524patterne of the glory and celeſtiall beauty, which they ſhould injoy, whom thou haſt choſen and incorporated into thy ſaid Son. So we beſeech thee that during the ſmall time which remaineth for us to paſſe the courſe of this life, it may pleaſe thee to give us a continuall taſt of that heavenly happineſſe, and an holy ſenſe of thy glory, with a firme and an aſſured peace of conſcience, founded upon thy love, to walke in the ſtrength of this conſolation unto thy holy mountaine.

For in as much as this world is but a pilgrimage, and a way wherein there is p. 525nothing to be found firme, and wherein the more that men digge to build in it, the more do they find unſtable ſand, and unconſtant agitations. Where ought we Lord, to ſeeke 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 ſicke 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 p. 526himſelfe a ſtranger and a forraigner as his Fathers, if he ſaid that his dayes were as a ſhadow upon the earth, wherein there is no ſtay, if he looked upon his Royall Pallace as upon an Inne, whereout he was every houre to diſlodge: if he looked upon his Throne as upon a ſeat which he muſt leave and reſigne over to another. And if looking upon his Crowne, as on a thing which was ſubject to fade in theſe terreſtriall places, he breathed after an incorruptible Crowne of glory, how much more ought we out of the midſt of the duſt of this world to p. 527deſire and to breathe after that glorious eternall Crowne, where our heavines ſhalbe turned into gladnes: our poverty into eternall riches: and our ignominie into incorruptible honours.

Graunt 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 mortall race.

For ſeeing thou haſt ordained that they whom thou haſt choſen ſhould be made like to the image of p. 528thy Sonne, not only in ſuffering, but alſo in glory: graunt us grace firmely to be ſenſible of in this world, and truly to injoy in the other the effect of this holy promiſe, which thy Sonne 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 certaine, if we beare here below the Croſſe of his Son, we ſhall weare alſo the Crowne of p. 529glory with him in heaven. That if we drink gall and vinegar out of the cup of his Paſſion, we ſhalbe watered and thorowly moiſtened with the rivers of his pleaſures; and if we beare in our bodies the mortification of the Lord Ieſus, even ſo alſo the life of y^e Lord Ieſus ſhalbe manifeſted in our mortal fleſh: & then al of us caſting forth bright beams of glory, and ſhining with ſplendor, we ſhalbe not only like unto Angels, but even withall we ſhalbe like unto thee, to injoy thorow thee and with thee, that thy glory and felicitie, the which (becauſe our words p. 530fall farre ſhort of our thoughts yet ſhorter of the greatneſſe therof) eye cannot behold, eare cannot heare, nor heart comprehend.

Graunt us theſe things, O God, who art goodnes it ſelf, love it ſelf, & holines it ſelf, 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, thorow thy deare Sonne Ieſus Chriſt our Lord, to whom with thee and the Holy Ghoſt, be honor and glory.

Our Father which art in heaven, &c.

p. 531A prayer to be ſaid after the ſicke hath rendred his ſoule unto God, for the comfort of the by-ſtanders.

41. O God and moſt merciful Father, who haſt created all things without neceſſitie, who governeſt them without labour, and who changeſt them, thou thy ſelfe 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 ſoule of our brother, p. 532making us to know in his death what our infirmity is: and making us to behold, as in a glaſſe the accompliſhment of thine irrevocable ſentence, by which duſt muſt returne to duſt, and the ſoule goe to heaven, to him that gave it.

Graunt us this grace, that this death may ſerve to make a ſerious impreſſion in our thoughts, not onelyonly how his day is this day to die, ours ſhalbe tomorrow, and that as the laſt of our dayes ſhalbe the firſt of our reſt: Yet, that the death of the righteous is the ſun-ſet of their woes, and the ſun-riſing of their p. 533felicities: but herewithall it may be alſo unto us an example to contemne this world where we do but offend thee: to breath after (with our whole hearts) the celeſtiall Ieruſalem, wherein we ſhall injoy with Ieſus Chriſt our Spouſe unſpeakeable and eternall pleaſures, whoſe excellencies ſurpaſſe 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 injoying eternall glory.

Expecting then that moſt happy houre, when thou wilt call us out of this p. 534world, and where our ſalvation, which is ſhut up in hope, ſhalbe fully revealed unto us: Inable us powerfully to comprehend the excellencie of our Calling, and what are the riches of thy glory in that heavenly inheritance of thy Saints: and what the excellent greatnes of that power is to us ward, that believe thorow operation of the power of thy ſtrength, which thou haſt effectually expreſt in thy Sonne Ieſus Chriſt, when thou raiſedſt him from the dead, and madeſt him ſit at thy right hand in heavenly places, above all principalitie and p. 535power, 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 becommeth that Calling whereunto we are called, in all humilitie and meeknes: and with a patient mind, bearing with one another in deare love, being carefull to keepe the Vnitie 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 p. 536above all, amongſt all, and in us all: with thy Sonne in the unitie of the Holy Ghoſt, be honour and glory for ever. Amen.

Ʋnto him that feareth God, to die is to be borne.

FINIS.