Private Devotions for Ordinary and Extraordinary Occasions, Directions 2
Directions for the time of Sickneſs.
WHEN thou findeſt thy ſelf viſited with Sickneſs thou art immediately to remember that it is God, which with rebukes doth chaſten man for ſin. And therefore let thy firſt care be to find out what it is that provokes him to ſmite thee, and to that purpoſe Examine thine own heart, ſearch diligently what guilts lie there, confeſs them humbly and penitently to God, and for the greater ſecurity renew thy Repentance for all the old ſins of thy former life, beg moſt earneſtly and importunately his mercy and pardon in Chriſt Jeſus, and put on ſincere and zealous reſolutions of forſaking every evil way for the reſt of that time which God ſhall ſpare thee. And that thy own heart deceive thee not in this ſo weighty a buſineſs, it will be wiſdome to ſend for ſome godly Divine, not only to aſſiſt thee with his prayers, but with his counſel alſo. And to that purpoſe open thy heart ſo freely to him that he may be able to judge whether thy Repentance be ſuch as may give thee confidence to appear before Gods dreadful Tribunal, and that if it be not, he may help thee what he can towards the making it ſo. And when thou haſt thus provided for thy better part, thy Soul, then conſider thy Body alſo, and as the Wiſe man ſaith, Ecclus. 38. 12. Give place to the Phyſician, for the Lord hath created him: Ʋſe ſuch means as may be moſt likely to recover thy health, but always remember that the ſucceſs of them muſt come from God; and beware of Aſa's ſin, who ſought to the Phyſicians, and not to the Lord, 2 Chro. 6. 12. Diſpoſe alſo betimes of thy temporal affairs, by making thy Will, and ſetting all things in ſuch order as thou meaneſt finally to leave them in, and defer it not till thy ſickneſs grow more violent, for then perhaps thou ſhalt not have ſuch uſe of thy Reaſon as may fit thee for it, or if thou have, it wil be then much more ſeaſonable to imploy thy thoughts on higher things, on the world thou art going to, rather then that thou art about to leave; we cannot carry the things of this world with us when we go hence, and it is not fit we ſhould carry the thoughts of them. Therefore let thoſe be early diſpatched that they may not diſturb thee at laſt.
A Prayer for a ſick perſon.
O Merciful and Righteous Lord, the God of health and of ſickneſs, of life and of death, I moſt unfeignedly acknowledge that my great abuſe of thoſe manie dayes of ſtrength and welfare, which thou haſt afforded me, hath moſt juſtly deſerved thy preſent viſitation. I deſire, O Lord, humbly to accept of this puniſhment of mine iniquitie, and to bear the indignation of the Lord, becauſe I have ſinned againſt him. And, O thou merciful Father, who deſigneſt not the ruine but the amendment of thoſe whom thou ſcourgeſt, I beſeech thee by thy grace ſo to ſanctifie this correction of thine to me, that this ſickneſs of my bodie may be a means of health to my ſoul, make me diligent to ſearch my heart, and do thou O Lord, enable me to diſcover everie accurſed thing, how cloſely ſoever concealed there, that by the removal thereof, I may make way for the removal of this puniſhment. Heal my ſoul, O Lord, which hath ſinned againſt thee, and then if it be thy bleſſed will, heal my bodie alſo, reſtore the voice of joy and health unto my dwelling, that I may live to praiſe thee, and to bring forth fruits of repentance. But if in thy wiſdome thou haſt otherwiſe diſpoſed, if thou haſt determined that this ſickneſs ſhall be unto death, I beſeech thee to fit and prepare me for it, give me that ſincere and earneſt repentance, to which thou haſt promiſed merciemercy and pardon; wean my heart from the world, and all its fading vanities, and make me to gaſp and pant after thoſe more excellent and durable joys which are at thy right hand for ever. Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me, and in all the pains of my bodie, in all the agonies of my ſpirit, let thy comforts refreſh my ſoul, and enable me patiently to wait till my change come. And grant, O Lord, that when my earthly houſe of this Tabernacle is diſſolved I may have a building of God, an houſe not made with hands eternal in the heavens. And that for his ſake who by his precious blood hath purchaſed it for me, even Jeſus Chriſt.
A Thanks giving for Recovery.
O Gracious Lord, the God of the ſpirits of all fleſh, in whoſe hand my time is, I praiſe and magnifie thee that thou haſt in love to my ſoul delivered it from the pit of corruption, and reſtored me to health again; it is thou alone, O Lord, that haſt preſerved my life from deſtruction, thou haſt chaſtened and corrected me, but thou haſt not given me over unto death; O let this life which thou haſt thus graciouſly ſpared be wholly conſecrated to thee. Behold, O Lord, I am by thy merciemercy made whole, O make me ſtrictly careful to ſin no more leſt a worſe thing come unto me. Lord, let not this reprieve thou haſt now given me, make me ſecure, as thinking that my Lord delayeth his coming, but grant me I beſeech thee to make a right uſe of this long ſuffering of thine, and ſo to imploy everie minute of that time thou ſhalt allow me, that when thou ſhalt appear I may have confidence and not be aſhamed before thee at thy coming. Lord I have found by this approach towards death, how dreadful a thing it is to be taken unprepared. O let it be a perpetual admonition to me to watch for my Maſters coming. And when the pleaſures of ſin ſhall preſent themſelves to entice me, O make me to remember how bitter they will be at the laſt. O Lord hear me, and as thou haſt in much merciemercy afforded me time, ſo grant me alſo grace to work out my own ſalvation, to provide oile in my lamp, that when the Bridegroom cometh I may go with him to the marriage. Grant this I beſeech thee for thy dear Sons ſake.
A Prayer at the approach of Death.
O Eternal and everliving God, who firſt breathedſt into man the breath of life, and when thou takeſt away that breath he dies and is turned again to his duſt, look with compaſſion on me thy poor crature who am now drawing near the gates of death, and which is infinitely more terrible, the bar of Judgement. Lord my own heart condemns me, and thou art infinitely greater then my heart, and knoweſt all things. The ſins I know and remember, fill me with horrour; but there are alſo multitudes of others, which I either obſerved not at the time, or have ſince careleſly forgot, which are all preſent to thee. Thou ſetteſt my miſdeeds before thee, and my ſecret ſins in the light of thy countenance; and to what a mountainous heap muſt the minutely provocations of ſo manie years ariſe? How ſhall one ſo ungodly ſtand in thy Judgement, or ſuch a ſinner in the Congregation of the Righteous? And to adde yet more to my terrour, my verie repentance I fear will not abide the trial; my frequent relapſes heretofore have ſufficiently witneſſed the unſinceritie of my paſt reſolutions. And then, O Lord, what can ſecure me that my preſent diſlikes of my ſins are not rather the effects of my amazing danger then of any real change? And, O Lord, I know thou art not mocked, nor wilt accept of any thing that is not perfectly ſincere. O Lord, when I conſider this, fearfulneſs and trembling comes upon me, and an horrible dread overwhelmeth me, my fleſh trembleth for fear of thee, and my heart is wounded within me. But, O Lord, one deep calleth upon another, the depth of my miſerie upon the depth of thy merciemercy; Lord, ſave now or I periſh eternally. O thou who willeſt not that any ſhould periſh, but that all ſhould come to repentance, bring me, I beſeech thee, though thus late, to a ſincere Repentance, ſuch as thou wilt accept, who trieſt the heart. Create in me, O God, a clean heart, and renew a right ſpirit within me: Lord, one day is with thee as a thouſand years, O let thy mightie ſpirit work in me now in this my laſt day, whatſoever thou ſeeſt wanting to fit me for thy merciemercy and acceptation. Give me a perfect and entire hatred of my ſins, and enable me to preſent thee with that ſacrifice of a broken and contrite heart, which thou haſt promiſed not to deſpiſe; that by this I may be made capable of that atonement which thy dear Son hath by the more excellent oblation of himſelf made for all repenting ſinners. He is the propitiation for our ſins, he was wounded for our tranſgreſſions, he was bruiſed for our iniquities, the chaſtiſement of our peace was o him, O heal me by his ſtripes, and let the cry of his blood drown the clamour of my ſins. I am indeed a childe of wrath, but he is the Son of thy love, for his ſake ſpare me, O Lord, ſpare thy creature whom he hath redeemed with his moſt precious blood, and be not angrie with me for ever. In his wounds O Lord, I take Sanctuarie, O let not thy vengeance purſue me to this Citie of refuge: my ſoul hangeth upon him, O let me not periſh with a Jeſus, with a Saviour in my arms. But by his Agonie and bloodie ſweat, by his Croſs and Paſſion, by all that he did and ſuffered for ſinners, good Lord deliver me; deliver me, I beſeech thee, from the wages of my ſins, thy wrath and everlaſting damnation, in this time of my tribulation, in the hour of death, and in the day of Judgement. Hear me, O Lord, hear me, and do not now repay my former neglects of thy calls, by refuſing to anſwer me in this time of my greateſt need; Lord, there is but a ſtep between me and death, O let not my ſun go down upon thy wrath, but ſeal my pardon before I go hence and be no more ſeen. Thy loving kindneſs is better then the life it ſelf, O let me have that in exchange, and I ſhall moſt gladly lay down this mortal life. Lord, thou knoweſt all my deſire, and my groaning is not hid from thee; deal thou with me, O Lord, according to thy Name, for ſweet is thy merciemercy; take away the ſting of death, the guilt of my ſins, and then though I walk through the valley of the ſhadow of death I will fear no evil; I will lay me down in peace, and Lord when I awake up, let me be ſatisfied with thy preſence in thy glorie. Grant this merciful God for his ſake who is both the Redeemer and Mediatour of ſinners, even Jeſus Chriſt.
PSALMS.
PƲT me not to rebuke, O Lord, in thine anger, neither chaſten me in thy heavie diſpleaſure.
There is no health in my fleſh becauſe of thy diſpleaſure, neither is there any reſt in my bones by reaſon of my ſins.
For my wickedneſſes have gone over my head, and are a ſore burden too heavie for me to bear.
My wounds ſtinck and are corrupt through my fooliſhneſs.
Therefore is my ſpirit vexed within me and my heart within me is deſolate.
My ſins have taken ſuch hold upon me that I am not able to look up, yea, they are more in number then the hairs of my head, and my heart hath failed me.
But thou, O Lord God, art full of compaſſion and mercy, long-ſuffering, plenteous in goodneſs and truth.
Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me, for I am deſolate and in miſery.
If thou Lord ſhouldſt be extream to mark what is done amiſs, O Lord, who may abide it?
O remember not the ſins and offences of my youth, but according to thy mercy think thou upon me for thy goodneſs.
Look upon my adverſity and miſery, and forgive me all my ſin.
Hide not thy face from thy ſervant, for I am in trouble, O haſte thee and hear me.
Out of the deep do I call unto thee, Lord hear my voice.
Turn thee, O Lord, and deliver my Soul, O ſave me for thy mercies ſake.
O go not from me, for trouble is hard at hand, and there is none to help.
I stretch forth my hands unto thee, my Soul gaſpeth unto thee, as a thirſty land.
Draw nigh unto my ſoul and ſave it, O deliver me, becauſe of my enemies.
For my Soul is full of trouble, and my life draweth nigh unto hell.
Save me from the Lions mouth, hear me from among the horns of the Ʋnicorns.
O ſet me up upon a rock that is higher then I, for thou art my hope, and a ſtrong Tower for me againſt the enemy.
Why art thou ſo heavy, O my ſoul, and why art thou ſo diſquieted within me?
Put thy truſt in God for I will yet give him thanks for the help of his countenance.
The Lord ſhall make good his loving kindneſs towards me, yea, thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever, deſpiſe not then the work of thine own hands.
O GOD, thou art my God, early will I ſeek thee.
My Soul thirſteth for thee, my fleſh alſo longeth after thee, in a barren and drie land where no water is.
Like as the heart deſireth the water brooks, ſo longeth my Soul after thee O God.
My Soul is athirſt for God, even for the living God, when ſhall I come to appear before the preſence of God?
How amiable are thy dwellings, O Lord of Hoſts!
My Soul hath a deſire and longing to enter into the Courts of the Lord, my fleſh and my heart rejoyce in the living God.
O that I had wings like a Dove, for then would I fly away and be at reſt.
O ſend out thy light and thy truth, that they may lead me, and bring me unto thy holy Hill, and to thy dwelling.
For one day in thy Courts is better then a thouſand:
I had rather be a door-keeper in the houſe of my God, then to dwell in the tents of wickedneſs.
I ſhould utterly have fainted, but that I believed verily to ſee the goodneſs of the Lord in the land of the living.
Thou art my helper and my redeemer, O Lord, make no long tarrying.
EJACƲLATIONS.
O LORD, of whom may I ſeek for ſuccour but of thee, who for my ſins art juſtly diſpleaſed? Yet O Lord God moſt Holy, O Lord moſt Mighty, O Holy and moſt Merciful Saviour, deliver me not into the bitter pains of eternal death.
Thou knoweſt, Lord, the ſecrets of my heart, ſhut not up thy merciful eyes to my prayer, but hear me, O Lord moſt Holy, O God moſt Mighty, O Holy and Merciful Saviour, thou moſt worthy Judge eternall, ſuffer me not at my laſt hour for any pains of death to fall from thee.
Father, I have ſinned againſt heaven and before thee, and am not worthy to be called thy child, yet O Lord, do not thou caſt off the bowels and compaſſions of a Father, but even as a father pitieth his own children, ſo be thou merciful unto me.
Lord, the prince of this world cometh, O let him have nothing in me, but as he accuſeth, do thou abſolve; he layes many and grievous things to my charge, which he can too well prove, I have nothing to ſay for my ſelf, do thou anſwer for me, O Lord my God.
O Lord I am cloathed with filthy garments, and Satan ſtands at my right hand to reſiſt me, O be thou pleaſed to rebuke him, and pluck me as a brand out of the fire, cauſe mine iniquities to paſs from me, and cloath me with the righteouſneſs of thy Son.
Behold, O God, the Divel is coming towards me, having great wrath, becauſe he knoweth that he hath but a ſhort time, O ſave and deliver me leſt he devour my ſoul like a Lion, and tear it in pieces while there is none to help.
O my God, I know that no unclean thing can enter into thy Kingdom, and I am nothing but pollution, my very righteouſneſs are as filthy rags, O waſh me and make me white in the blood of the Lamb, that ſo I may be fit to ſtand before thy Throne.
Lord, the ſnares of death compaſs me round about▪ O let not the pains of hell alſo take hold upon me, but though I find trouble and heavineſs, yet O Lord I beſeech thee deliver my ſoul.
O dear Jeſus, who haſt bought me with the precious price of thine own blood: challenge now thy purchaſe, and let not all the malice of Hell pluck me out of thy hand.
O bleſſed high Prieſt, who art able to ſave them to the utmoſt, who come unto God by thee, ſave me I beſeech thee, who have no hope, but on thy merits and interceſſion,
O God I confeſs I have defaced that Image of thine, thou didſt imprint upon my Soul, Yet O thou faithful Creator, have pity on thy creature.
O Jeſu, I have by my many and grievous ſins crucified thee afreſh, yet thou who prayedſt for thy perſecutors, interceed for me alſo, and ſuffer not, O my Redeemer, my ſoul (the price of thy blood (to periſh.
O Spirit of grace, I have by my horrid impieties done deſpight to thee, yet, O Bleſſed Comforter, though I have often grieved thee, be thou pleaſed to ſuccour and relieve me, and ſay unto my ſoul, I am thy ſalvation.
Mine eyes look unto thee, O Lord, in thee is my truſt, O caſt not out my ſoul.
O Lord in the have I truſted, let me never be confounded.
O Bleſſed Lord, who ſcourgeſt every Son whom thou receiveſt, let me not be weary of thy correction, but give me ſuch a perfect ſubjection to thee the Father of Spirits, that this chaſtiſement may be for my profit, that I may thereby be partaker of thy holineſs.
O thou Captain of my Salvation, who wert made perfect by ſufferings, ſanctifie to me all the pains of body, all the terrours of mind which thou ſhalt permit to fall upon me.
Lord, my fins have deſerved eternal torments, make me chearfully and thankfully to bear my preſent pains, chaſten me as thou pleaſeſt here, that I may not be condemned with the world.
Lord, the waters are come in even unto my ſoul, O Let thy Spirit move upon theſe waters, and make them like the pool of Betheſda, that they may cure whatſoever ſpiritual diſeaſe thou diſcerneſt in me.
O Chriſt, who firſt ſufferedſt many and grievous things, and then enteredſt into thy glory, make me ſo to ſuffer with thee, that I may alſo be glorified with thee.
O dear Jeſus, who humbledſt thy ſelf to the death of the Croſs for me, let that death of thine ſweeten the bitterneſs of mine.
When thou hadſt overcome the ſharpneſs of death, thou didſt open the Kingdome of heaven to all believers.
I believe that thou ſhalt come to be my Judge.
I pray thee therefore help thy ſervant whom thou haſt redeemed with thy moſt precious blood.
Make me to be numbred with thy Saints in glory everlaſting.
Thou art the reſurrection and the life, he that believeth in thee, though he were dead, yet ſhall he live: Lord, I believe, help thou my unbelief.
My fleſh, and my heart faileth, but God is the ſtrength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
I deſire to be diſſolved, and to be with Chriſt which is far better: Lord, I groan earneſtly deſiring to be cloathed upon with that houſe from heaven.
I deſire to put off this my tabernacle, O be pleaſed to receive me into everlaſting habitations.
Bring my ſoul out of priſon that I may give thanks unto thy name.
Lord, I am here to wreſtle not only with fleſh and blood, but with principalities and powers, and ſpiritual wickedneſs, O take me from theſe tents of Kedar, into the heavenly Jeruſalem, where Satan ſhall be utterly trodden under my feet.
I cannot here attend one minute to thy ſervice, without diſtraction, O take me up to ſtand before thy Throne, where I ſhall ſerve thee day and night.
I am here in heavineſs through many tribulations, O receive me into that place of reſt, where all tears ſhall be wiped from my eyes, where there ſhall be no more death, nor ſorrow, nor crying, nor pain.
I am here in a ſtate of baniſhment and abſence from the Lord, O take me where I ſhall for ever behold thy face, and follow the Lamb whither ſoever he goeth.
I have fought a good fight, I have finiſhed my courſe, I have kept the faith, henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousneſs,
O Bleſſed Jeſu, who haſt loved me, and waſhed me from my ſins in thine own blood, receive my ſoul.
Into thy hands I commend my Spirit, for thou haſt redeemed me, O Lord thou God of truth, Come Lord Jeſu, come quickly.