A Christian legacy consisting of two parts: I. A preparation for death. II. A consolation against death. By Edward Hyde, Dr. of Divinity, and late rector resident of Brightwell in Berks.

A sick mans Cordial, composed of three Ingredients.

• I. Contemplations.
• II. Ejaculations.
• III. Devotions.

Contemplations on Isaiah 53.

Verse 3. O MY Beloved Sa∣viour, wast thou despised and reject∣ed of men, and shall not I learn to de∣spise and reject my self, that I may be like to thee, appro∣ved of thee, and received by thee? Wast

thou a man of sorrows, and acquainted with griefs, who knewest no sin? And shall I, who came into the world with sin, look to go out of the world without sor∣row?

Verse 4. Didst thou so patiently bear the griefs, and carry the sorrows that were due for my sins? And shall not I patiently bear the griefs and carry the sor∣rows that are due for mine own sins? How could I have sorrows, if I had not sins? and why should I not have patience, now I must have sorrows? Wast thou stricken and smitten of God and afflicted, who wast his only begotten, and most dearly Beloved Son? And shall I look to escape the scourge who heretofore have been his ene∣my, and still am his undutiful and unwor∣thy servant?

Verse 5. I will look upon my wounds and maladies, as upon so many cures and remedies; Upon my bruise, (for I am all over nothing else) as upon so much soundness, since both wounds and bruises are inflicted, not as satisfactions for my sins, but as checks and amendments of my sinfulness: For he was wounded for my transgressions, and bruised for mine iniqui∣ties; therefore my wounds and my bruises

are not now to pacifie the wrath of the Father, but to make me conformable to the Son: And the chastisement of my peace was upon him; therefore I will not repine at my chastisement, since I have my peace; It being indeed but a chastisement to cor∣rect the sinner, not a punishment to avenge the sin: And since I am healed in my soul, I will not fear being wounded in my body; For with his stripes I am healed, and mine own stripes do but make me the more to see the want, and the more to crave the be∣nefit of his healing.

Verse 6, & 7. I have been a sheep in my strayings, for I have turned to mine own waies; O make me also a Sheep in my suf∣ferings, not once to open my mouth when thou shearest me, clipping off all the comforts of my life; no nor when thou slayest me, bringing on all the torments o•…•… my sickness; no nor when thou slayest me, bringing on all the pangs and horrour•…•… of my death: That as my Saviour was op∣pressed and afflicted, yet opened not his mouth; so I may be kept from murmur∣ing and repining in all my oppressions and afflictions: For I may well be as he was, Meek and Patient, since thou hast laid min•…•… iniquities on him; but if I follow not his

Meekness and his Patience, I fear I shall again lay mine iniquities upon my self.

Verse 8, & 9. He was cut off from life, whose generation was life; & what can I ex∣pect but death, who had it in my very birth? who was corrupted when I was generated, and therefore not only in regard of my death, but also in regard of my life it self, must say to corruption, thou art my Father, and to the worm thou art my Sister and my Mother. Who shall declare his Generation? For he was begotten of his Father before all worlds; But who shall declare my cor∣ruption? for I was corrupted when I was begotten by my Father, before I came into the world: He was taken away by death, but he was taken away from a mortal, a miserable, and a contemptible life; so let me be taken away (good Lord) from mor∣tality, misery and contempt, to Immortali∣ty, Blessedness and Glory.

My life hath not left much for my death to take away from me; Lord let my death take from me all that is left but my Saviour, and let it fully give me him.

He was brought to prison that he might be Judged, and he was brought to Judge∣ment that he might be condemned; and his

death was his Release, both from Prison and from Judgement: Lord make my death so to me: make my death my Re∣lease from prison; for whiles I am in the body, I am imprisoned, fettered with the bonds of sin and corruption: But bring my soul out of this prison, that I may praise thy name; then the righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me; (Psal. 142. 7.) A most happy Goal-Delivery for my soul, for then the Righteous shall compass me about, and not sinners; nay more, then I shall be com∣passed about with Rightousness, who now am compassed about with sins, and that not so much with other mens, as with mine own sins: Thus make my death my Release from Prison, and make it also my Release from Judgement: For thy Son hath been Judged and condemned for me, that I might escape the Judgement of thy condemnati∣on: Lord I ask not that thou wouldest not Judge me (for after death comes Judgement, Heb. 9. 27.) I ask only that thou wilt not condemn me when I shall be Judged: And this is agreeable with thy very Justice (though I wholly appeal unto thy Mercy) not to condemn and punish the same sin twice: Thou hast already con∣demned

and punished my sins in my Savi∣our; O then let me escape thy condemna∣tion and thy punishment: He was Judged for mine Unrighteousness; O let me stand in the Judgement for his Righteousness. For the transgression of my people was he stricken: Lord thou hast placed me among thy people, and therefore I must believe that he was stricken for my transgressions; Nay, thou hast brought me nearer to thee, and made me one of thine own Family, ha∣ving admitted me thy servant: Nay, thou hast brought me yet nearer to thee, and made me one of thine own Inheritance, having adopted me thy child. I deser∣ved not to be among thy people, and I am placed among thy servants; I deserved not to be among thy servants, and I am accept∣ed among thy children. O then correct me good Lord, as a Father in thy Pitty, to amend me, not as a Judge in thy Fury to confound me: Thou didst redeem me with thine own most precious blood, that thou mightest convert me: And how then wilt thou Judge me, being redeemed with that blood, that thou maist condemn me? Well may my sins be condemned of thee who art the Righteous Judge; for I who have been the sinner, and who still am an

unrighteous man, cannot but condemn them, and my self for them: But surely thy precious blood can never come under condemnation; nor my soul, whiles thou lookest upon it as washed with that blood.

Thus thou hast given me a pledge of de∣livering my soul from the terrours of my death by conquering them; and from the severity of Gods Justice, by satisfying it; And thou hast also prepared a deliverance for my body: for in that thou madest thy grave with the wicked in thy death, thou hast sanctified the grave as a Repository for my dead body, till my flesh shall be to∣tally wasted therein, and with my flesh, all the sin and wickedness which hath so long dwelt in it, and cannot be destroyed before it: And thou wilt at last raise me from thence after thine own likeness, that I may come from the grave, as thou didst go to it, not having violence in mine hand, nor de∣ceipt in my mouth, nor wickedness in mine heart.

Lord let it be thy pleasure thus to de∣liver me; Make hast O Lord to help me: Take away all my sin from my soul, and then (as soon as thou pleasest) take away my

soul from my body: That having no unrepented sin in my life, I may have no unsufferable sorrow in my death; but may find com∣fort in it, deliverance by it, and glory after it.

Amen.

Contemplations on Heb. 12.

Verse 1, & 2. IN my troubles and di∣stresses, either of my body or of my soul, I cannot bestow my time better then in looking about me for help: And in looking about me for help, I cannot bestow mine eyes better then in looking up to heaven; For my help cometh from the Lord who hath made heaven and earth, Psal. 121. 2. And if I look up to heaven, I shall soon spie there a bright cloud, even a cloud of witnesses, to enlight∣en me, that I stumble not in my waies for any darkness of my understanding: And if I look up yet higher through that cloud, I shall behold a far greater light, even the

Sun of righteousness to enflame me and to quicken me, lest I should sit still, when I am bound to be walking, for the dulness of my will, and the deadness of my affecti∣ons; for above that cloud dwelleth he who is the brightness of Gods glory, and the express Image of his person, Heb. 1. 3.

Wherefore my sight may not be termi∣nated or bounded by this cloud of wit∣nesses: But through it I must be looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of my Faith, if I desire the comfort of my faith when I most want it, even in the day of my visitation, and at the hour of my dissolution.

And indeed, where should a good Christian fix either his eye or his heart, but only on Christ? And I may here see Christ in his Mystical body, that is, in his Church, the cloud of witnesses; And Christ in his natural body, that is, in himself, Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith: And the same Christ in either body, destitute, afflicted, tormented.

O Lord, how many arguments are here alledged to perswade me to behave my self with great constancy, humility and pati∣ence, in those conflicts and agonies which I

must expect as a Christian, unless I will re∣nounce communion with Christ, and em∣brace an unwarrantable and an unprofit∣able Christianity? I think there is a Lyon in the way (as said Solomons sluggard) ready to devour me; and I see nothing but briers and thorns in it, ready to in∣tangle my feet, and to tear my flesh; But God telleth me, it is the ready way to hea∣ven, and the Race that I must run if ever I hope to get thither; Let us run with pati∣ence the race that is set before us: If it be my race, then I must run it; if it be set, then I cannot remove it; if it be set before me, then I cannot decline it.

And truly I cannot deny but it is set be∣fore me by the dispensation of Gods Pro∣vidence, and the indispensable Duty of my Christian vocation: And therefore I give him hearty thanks, that he hath so plain∣ly shewed unto me the manner of running this race, and the reasons that I have to run it.

The manner of running this race is two∣fold.

First, I must forsake my self, and all my selfishness; that is, all those things to which I have naturally an immoderate desire, and in which I have naturally an immoderate

delight; let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us: For what am I, or what is my flesh but a weight that doth beset me, rather then befriend me, even an unprofitable, and an unsufferable burthen? And what else com∣eth from me, or cleaveth to me, but only sin? Which living in me, cannot but work with me, (Operari sequitur esse,) and working with me, cannot but defile my purest and my best works.

Secondly, I must fix mine eyes and mine heart only upon my blessed Saviour, looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith: Looking to and on nothing else, either within me or without me, but only Christ, whether in the way of my san∣ctification, for he is the Author of my faith, whereby alone my heart is purified and sanctified; Or in the way of my salvati∣on, for he is the Finisher of my Faith, whereby alone my soul is saved.

It is he that hath brought my soul from Infidelity to Faith, whereby I now see through a glass darkly; It is he that will bring my faith to a clear vision, whereby I shall see him face to face.

The Reasons I have to run this race, are drawn from that grand Topick which works

so much upon all the world, that Pelagius thought thereby to shift off Original sin from mans nature, and to put it only on his imitation; This Topick is the Common∣place of example.

And first, I have the examples of all those holy men that were before Christ, who through their faith in Gods promises, and constancy in their faith, possessed their souls in great patience whiles they lived, and resigned their souls in great comfort and contentment when they dyed: This innumerable company of Saints, is here called a cloud of witnesses; and it is such a cloud as must needs at some time or other drop down many cool showers, able to al∣lay, if not to extinguish, the flames of my greatest fiery tryals.

Secondly, I have the example of Christ himself; he is the Author of my faith, he is the Captain of my salvation, that marcheth before me to this battle, instructing me by his Word, encouraging me by his Promises, supporting me by his Assistance, confirm∣ing and rejoycing me by his Communion: And this example of our Saviour Christ, is recommended to me in three respects: First, because of its powerful efficacy in working; for he is the Author and Finisher

of my Faith: And he that worketh my Faith, will also make my Faith work this patience: Secondly, from its exact con∣formity with my present condition, in that no misery hath befallen me, which did not first befall him who made and redeemed me: Nay his Cross was much heavyer, his shame was much greater then mine can be: yet he endured the Cross patiently, de∣fpised the shame couragiously, and by this patience and courage, is set down at the right hand of the Throne of God: Third∣ly, from its unavoidable necessity, in re∣gard of my present Obligation: For it is not left to mine own choice, whether I will consider this or no, but I must needs consi∣der the example of Christ, or I cannot be a good Christian.

Verse 3. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. What though mine own heart be given to contradict this rigid way of suffering? yet he that is greater then mine heart, hath gone before me in the very same way, and hath passed through far greater contradi∣ctions.

He looked on the Joy that was set before him, not on the contradictions that were

round about him, and he now lives and reigns in his glory, and hath promised that if I do suffer with him, I shall also raign with him, 2 Tim. 2. 12. He is at the beginning of my sufferings, either to inhibit and stop them, that they shall not invade me: or to proportion and stint them, that they shall not overwhelm me: if he shew me not a way to avoid them, he will give me a cou∣rage to encounter them: nay moreover, strength to conquer them: and an adver∣sary, though he may be more securely avoided, yet he is more gloriously con∣quered: He is also at the middle of my sufferings, to encourage and support me in my conflict, lest I should be wearied and saint in my mind, as I cannot but be wea∣ried and faint in my body: he had but a weak Cyrenian to help him bear his Cross, but he himself doth help me bear mine: He had but an Angel to strengthen him, but he sends the Holy-Ghost to strengthen me.

Lastly, he will be at the end of my suf∣ferings to reward me: nay he himself, who is now my shield to succour me, will at last be my exceeding great reward to con∣tent me: my exceeding great reward in all respects, for exceeding my best abilitie

to deserve him: exceeding my best capa∣city to receive him: exceeding my best activity to enjoy him as he is in his own greatness: Be it then that my affliction is very great, yet sure I am my reward will be infinitely greater: but indeed my af∣fliction cannot be great in it self, it is so on∣ly in my opinion: The spirit of truth saith, it is but light and momentary; For our light affliction which is but for a moment, 1 Cor. 4. 17. It is light, and therefore not great in quantity; It is but for a moment, and therefore not great in continuance: And well may this light and momentary affliction work patience in me, since it doth work glory for me: Nay a far more ex∣ceeding and eternal weight of glory: Though it be light and momentary in it self, yet it is weighty and eternal in its re∣ward: For our light afliction which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more ex∣ceeding and eternal weight of glory; whiles we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal, (and so is also the smart and misery which is felt) but the things which are not seen are eternal; (and so is also the glory which shall be en∣joyed:) These are Reasons sufficient

why I should gladly follow the Apostles advice, consider him that endured such con∣tradiction of sinners; for so shall I not be enforced to endure the contradictions of mine own sins, whiles impatience suggests one temptation to me, and infidelity ano∣ther: For though these two sins are in∣separable companions, because there can∣not be impatience without some kind of infidelity, yet are they such twins as were Pharez and Zarah, (Gen. 38.) They cannot come into my soul, but they will make a breach betwixt themselves; (one drawing this, the other that way) nor can they tarry in my soul, but they will make a breach betwixt my God and me.

Therefore the holy Apostle in this case appealeth to mine own conscience, saying, Verse 4. ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin: thereby calling me to witness against my self, that I am yet far short of my duty in my strivings against sin, because I have not resisted unto blood; whereas flesh and blood are to be resisted in the first place, as being that weight which doth so easily beset me, and must therefore be soonest laid aside.

I ought then in this quarrel to under∣take a double strife; A strife against my

self, and a strife against my sins: for whiles I strive against my sins, my flesh and blood will strive against me: And if I do not re∣sist so far as to thrust away my flesh and blood, how shall I thrust away my sins? If I do not lay aside my self, how shall I do to lay aside my greatest weight?

But least I should not regard this appeal, (for Appeals to the conscience are often made, but seldom regarded) in the next place, he appeals to Gods most holy Word; plainly shewing, how earnestly that cal∣leth upon me to be patient under Gods hand, and zealously enforceth many Rea∣sons for my patience.

Verse 5. And ye have forgotten the Ex∣hortation which speaketh unto you as unto children: I am called upon to be patient, not as a servant for fear, but as a child for love: He is pleased to invite me by way of exhortation, he might have enforced me by way of command; yet I may not forget his exhortation, unless I would have him forget my supplication; for if I re∣gard not his speaking to me as unto a child, how shall he regard my speaking to him as unto a Father? Wherefore if I desire with joy and comfort to say Our Father; I must be attentive and obedient as a child;

nor can I forsake the temper of my pati∣ence, but I must forfeit the benefit of my •…•…iety; and consequently lose all the com∣•…•…orts of my Devotions, which yet alone, in these times of rapine, are left me for my •…•…nsequestrable comforters.

I may not then neglect to hear this Ex∣hortation, which calls upon me to be pati∣ent; much less may I neglect those Rea∣sons which are alledged for my patience; and powerful Reasons they are.

First, because chaistisement is an effect of Gods love; for Verse 6. whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth. Was ever yet any man angry with God for loving him? and why then should I be angry and offended at the effects and tokens of his love? For thy lo∣ving-kindness is better then the life it self, Psal. 63. 3. What then, though thou take away my life by thy chastisement, if so be thou give me thy loving-kindness which is far better? What is my life in it self, without thy love? O then take away my life as it is in it self, and give it me as it is in thy love: I desire not to live in mine own life, but in thy loving-kindness.

Secondly, because chastisement is a proof of my adoption, Verse 7, & 8. For what son is he that the Father chasteneth not? But

if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye Bastards, not Sons.

If I be not one of his Sons, what expe∣ctancy can I have of his inheritance? And if I be not under his correction, how can I be assured I am one of his sons? Where∣fore let me rejoyce for being under the discipline of his chastisement, as for being under the care of his Fatherly protection: And let me be afraid of not being chastised on earth in this mortal life, as I would be afraid of being bastardized from heaven, and declared illegitimate as to the inheri∣tance of immortality.

Thirdly, because chastisement is a testi∣mony of my obedience Verse 9. We have had Fathers of our flesh, which corrected us, and we gave them reverence; shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? Would I be accounted an obedient child? I must shew my self so, not only by my doing, but also by my suffering; For my active obedience may be very much for mine own sake, because I expect a Blessing; but surely my passive Obe∣dience is meerly for my Fathers sake, be∣cause I know my duty.

If therefore I desire to be truly dutiful

to my Father in heaven, let me shew him reverence whiles he punishes me, and not only whiles he cherishes me: And let me consider him to be the Father of spirits, and I shall be sure to shew him this reve∣rence; for I shall never deny him the sub∣jection of my spirit, and much less of my flesh; I shall be willing to trust him with my soul, and shall not desire that he would trust my soul too long with my body.

This the natural man looks on as the high-way to destruction, but the spiritual man knows it is the way to salvation; for thus did Christ himself pass to life, even by being obedient unto the death: Let me labour to follow his example, for I have no reason to hope to fare better then he did, and sure Iam, I cannot fare worse: Let me accord∣ingly desire to kiss my Fathers hand then chiefly when it holds the rod wherewith he strikes me; or rather, let me desire to kiss his rod: for it is much better for me, that his scourging should testifie my obedi∣ence, then extort it: And if my weak and sinful flesh, whiles it is yet wedded unto my soul, shall deal with me as Jobs wife did with him, and say, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God and die; Let me

be sure to give her the same answer as he did his wife, Thou speakest as one of the fool∣ish women speaketh; what? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not re∣ceive evil? Job 2. 10. This is the true way, not to bless God and die, but to bless God and live: for so it is in the Hebrew, Bless God and die; And Jobs wife speaking in that holy language, had her tongue sancti∣fied, though not her heart, in so much that she did not say, Curse God and die, though she meant it, but bless God and die: I say, this is the way not to bless God and die, but to bless God and live, and I may well say it again and again, for so saith the Apostle, Shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of Spirits and live?

Fourthly, Because chastisement is a fur∣therance of my sanctification: Verse 10. For they verily for a few daies chastened us after their own pleasure, but he for our pro∣fit, that we might be partakers of his holi∣ness: Good Lord, can I not be partaker of thy holiness, until thou chasten me! then let thy hand spare me no longer; for in thus sparing, it will most severely pu∣nish me, since there is no greater punish∣ment, either in this world, or in the next,

then not to be partaker of thy holiness: Our fathers on earth by chastening us after their own pleasure, and not for our profit, do often make us partakers of their sin, even of that impatience whereby they do either unduly or unmeasurably chasten us; But our Father in heaven is never peccant either in the manner or in the end of his chastening; not in the manner, for he takes no pleasure in scourging us, and therefore cannot do it either unduly, or unmeasurably: Not in the end, for he aims only at our profit in scourging, that he may brush away, or strike off some excre∣scencies of our flesh, or some adherencies to it, thereby to make us partakers of his holiness in a far greater proportion and measure, then otherwise we could have been.

Fifthly, Because chastisement is a furthe∣rance of my salvation; Verse 11. Now no chastisement for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous; nevertheless afterwards i•…•… yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteous∣ness unto them which are exercised thereby. If I look no further then after mine own Joy, it is most evident that I cannot en∣dure, much less desire chastisement; because that for the present is not joyous but

grievous; but if I look after my Masters joy, I must enter into it the same way that he entred; he entred into his joy by suffer∣ings, and so must I. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? Luke 24. 26.

He suffered that he might enter into his own glory, which was undenyably his from all eternity; and shall I hope to enter into that glory without suffering? Ought Christ to have suffered, and ought not the Christian to expect suffering?

Surely, it hehoved Christ to suffer for these three Reasons,

Propter Remedium Peccatorum. Propter exemplum Virtutum. Propter complementum Scriptura∣rum. For the expiation and redress of sin, by his Merit. For the propagation of Righteousness by his Example. For the fulfilling of the Scriptures by his Obedience.

As the Seraphical Doctor teacheth.

Now tell me which of these Reasons is not a fit and sufficient ground for my sufferings.

Have I not Brethren to be edified by my

example, who seeing my patience in the day of my visitation, may also glorifie God in the day of theirs?

Hath not my God a Word to be fulfil∣•…•…ed, which hath expresly said, That we must through much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God? Acts 14. 22. Have not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 my self much sin to be redressed and amended? For though I will gladly im∣pute the expiation of all my sins only to my Saviours sufferings, yet I may with humility, and (I hope) not without some truth, impute the amendment of many of them, to mine own sufferings.

The ground hath been tilled, and the tree hath been pruned: And why should not this tilling and pruning yield the peace∣•…•…le fruit of righteousness unto me that have been exercised thereby? I have been •…•…ng and often ploughed (as it were) •…•…nd broken up, and harrowed by the hand of God, and why should I not be some∣what amended and improved by his good husbandry? I have been long and often •…•…ned (as it were) in my flesh by his •…•…harp knife, cutting off my superfluities, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 make me the less sinful, and the more •…•…ruitful: And why should I not bring •…•…rth good fruits in due season? even t•…•…

peaceable fruits of righteousness, or the fruits of righteousness, which bring forth peace, the peace of a good conscience here, and of a blessed Eternity hereafter.

Therefore earnestly desiring to walk in this righteousness, I will hope to lay me down in this peace: And at the end of my wearisom Pilgrimage, to take my rest in the arms of Gods Eternal mercy, though now I groan under the hand of his Justice; For so laying me down to sleep, none shall ever be able to take either me from his arms, or my rest from me.

Amen.

The sick mans Ejaculations.

To the Reader,

THese Ejaculations are Eighty in number, and they are like mans years in Moses time, when they come to that same number, full of labour and sorrow; though this latter age of the world will not let it self tarry so long for labour, nor others tarry so long for sorrow: And they are therefore called Ejaculations, be∣cause they are as it were so many dartings of the soul, (upon some reflexion or thought either of mans misery, or of Gods mercy) sent up towards Heaven: All aiming at one mark, though from several occasions, and af∣ter several waies; That is, at the rest of the soul in God: Nor may you here look for

curious method, but for Religious matter: sometimes you will find the sick mans soul troubled for fear of death; sometimes almost inflamed with the desire of it; sometimes be∣moaning the disturbance of his body; some∣times fearing the distemper of his soul; sometimes affrighted with the thought of Judgement; sometimes rejoycing against it. If you find any thing to comfort you in your extremity, thank not me for speaking to my self, but thank God for speaking to your soul: And be not troubled that your Passions, like these Ejaculations, are not orderly, so as they be Religious: Trouble and sorrow can∣not look after Order, but they must look after Religion: And a sick mans expressions are not so much beholding to his head to make them Methodical and Eloquent, as to his 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to make them affectionate and devout: And God grant your sickness may make yours so.

Ejaculations.

1. GRant Lord that I may be dead unto sin, before I am dead unto the world; that being planted together in the likeness of thy Sons death, I may be also in the likeness of his Resurrection: That like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father; so I walking in newness of life, may have a comfortable death here, and a glorious Resurrection hereafter.

2. Destroy in me, O God, the body of sin, before thou destroy in me the body of flesh; that I may be justified from my sins whiles I live, and freed from my sins when

I shall be dead: Make me to lie down in comfort, because by my death I shall whol∣ly die unto my sins: Make me to rest in hope, because by my Resurrection I shall wholly live unto my God.

3. Make me to look upon my sickness, (my tedious and terrible sickness) as up∣on thy Visitation, that I may bear it pati∣ently; Make me look upon my death, as upon my Release, that I may take it com∣fortably.

4. O thou who wouldst be crucified before thou wouldst be glorified, and didst suffer pain to enter into Joy, make me submit to thy Cross, that thou mayest prepare me for thy Crown: Make me contentedly to suffer with thee in this world, that I may triumphantly reign with thee in the world to come.

5. O Lord I have Judged my self, let me not be Judged of thee, so as to be con∣demned; for it is agreeable with thy Mer∣cy to save the sinner, though thou de∣stroy the sin: And it is agreeable with thy Justice, not to punish that sin in me, which thou hast already

punished in my blessed Redeemer.

6. O Lord thou didst make thy beloved Son perfect with sufferings, and I cannot hope thou wilt let thy unworthy servant be perfected without them: O then let not my sufferings betray the imperfecti∣ons of my flesh, but conduce to the perfe∣ctions of my spirit; and make me ever willing to suffer, since thou canst and wilt make me perfect by suffering.

7. O thou God of peace that broughtest again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting Covenant; Make me perfect in every good work to do and suffer thy will, working in me that which is well-pleasing in thy sight, and working for me that which is profi∣table for my salvation, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever, Amen. (Heb. 13. 20, 21.)

8. O blessed Jesu, the chief Corner-stone, on which alone is laid for us the foundati∣on of a blessed Eternity; the Rock upon which thy Church is built, and all our souls relie: Be merciful unto me, and

give ear unto my prayers, and to my sighs and groans when I cannot pray: Be unto me a fountain of comfort whensoever my heart is in heaviness, and my body is in pain, that my soul may have continual health, and joy and rest in Thee, and in thy Merits and Mercies for ever∣more.

9. Lord make me desire the dissolution of my earthly house of this Tabernacle, that I may have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens; for I know that whiles I am at home in the body, I am absent from the Lord: Make me therefore willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be pre∣sent with thee my God; for in thy pre∣sence is the fulness of joy, and at thy right hand there is pleasure for evermore: And make me labour, that whether absent or present; I may be accepted of thee, through the righteousness of thy dear∣est Son, my only Lord and Saviour, Amen.

10. Give unto me true sorrow for my sins, that thou mayest give me true comfort in my sorrows: Grant I may have peace in

thee, whiles I have tribulation in the world; and make me be of good chear in all my tribulations; for thou hast overcome the world, and wilt not let the world overcome me.

11. O Lord Jesus Christ, who hast overcome the sharpness of death, & opened the King∣dom of heaven to all Believers: Make me •…•…ot to fear death, since thou hast made that •…•…n Inlet into thy heavenly Kingdom: My-sins had shut the gate of Paradise against my soul, but thy Merits have open∣ed it again: O let me earnestly desire to enter in, for thou art gone thither before •…•…e, that thou mightest be there ready to receive me, and retain me with thy self for evermore, Amen.

12. Lord when shall this corruptible put on incorruption, and this mortal put on im∣mortality, that in me may be brought to pass that saying, Death is swallowed up in Victory; O death where is thy sting, O grave where is thy victory? The sting of death was sin, till sin was expiated: The strength of sin was the Law, till the Law was fulfilled; But thanks be unto God which hath given me the victory through

our Lord Jesus Christ, both over my sins and over his Law, in this great contestati∣on: Having imputed my transgressions unto my Saviour, that my sin might be expiated; and having imputed my Savi∣ours righteousness and obedience unto me, that his Law might be fulfilled: Therefore being justified by faith, I have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also I have access by faith into his grace, and rejoyce in hope that I shall at last have access into his glory.

13. O Lord Jesus Christ who art the Resur∣rection and the Life, be unto me Life in Death; be unto me Resurrection from the Dead; and so guide me through Death, that it may be my passage into everlasting Life, there to see, and to bless, and to enjoy thee, who art the Redeemer and lover of souls, and livest and reignest the King of Saints, with the Co-eternal Spirit in the glory of God the Fa∣ther.

14. My soul truly waiteth still upon God, and still shall wait upon him, for of him cometh my help; He verily is my strength and my salvation, even in weakness and in

destruction: He is my defence so that I shall not greatly fall: And if through mine infirmity I do fall, by his power I shall rise again, and be able to stand fast, being supported through the Merits and Mercies of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

15. O Lord see the blood of thine immaculate Lamb which taketh away the sin of the world, sprinkled on my soul, that thou mayest see no sin in it: And when thou seest that blood, let the destroying Angel pass over me, never to return again; and let the Comforter come unto me, and re∣main with me for ever.

16. O dearest Advocate, be pleased to inter∣cede and plead for me, and to answer all the accusations which the Devils will al∣ledge, and mine own conscience will wit∣ness against me in the day of Judgement: That I being made the monument of thy Mercy, who am the purchase of thy Blood, may bless and praise thee among thy Re∣deemed in the Land of the living for ever and ever.

17. O thou Eternal Son of Righteousness,

who risest with healing in thy wings, heal thou me, and I shall be perfectly healed: Shew me the light of thy countenance, to dispell all the mists and clouds which now threaten to bring darkness upon my soul: Turn thy merciful eyes towards me, that I may see thy glorious face in thy heavenly Kingdom, where no tears shall dim my sight, no sighing shall interrupt my speech, no fears shall disquiet my heart, and no sadness nor amazement shall disturb or discompose the blessed rest of my soul with thee, the longing desires of my soul to thee, and the infinite delights of my soul in thee, and in thine All-sufficient Merits, and All-saving Mercies for ever∣more.

18. O Saviour of the world, save me, who by thy Cross and precious blood hast Re∣deemed me: Help me O my God at all times, but most especially at this time, now I am least able to help my self, or my friends to help me: Intercede for me by thy precious death and passion, in all my distresses, but then most when I shall least be able to speak for my self, at the hour of Death, and in the day of Judge∣ment: Be now, and then, and ever my

defence, and make me know and feel that there is no other name under heaven given unto men in whom and through whom I may expect health and salvation, but only thy Name O my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

19. O Lord God, which art the giver of all good things, and never repentest of the good gifts which thou hast given, give un∣to me health and ease, as long as they shall be blessings from thee, and give me thy grace to desire them no longer: And when thou most takest from me these or any other comforts of this mortal life, then Lord most increase and multiply upon me the joyes and comforts of a blessed Immor∣tality.

20. Lord I am desirous to go out of my self, and out of this vale of misery, that I may come unto Mount Sion, and to the City of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of Angels, to the general Assembly and Church of the first∣born, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect; and to Jesus the Media∣tor of the New-Covenant: O thou who

hast prepared these immortal joyes for my soul, prepare my soul for these joyes, that being made a Citizen of thy heavenly Je∣rusalem, I may be able to joyn in consort with the Angels thy first-born there, and with the spirits of just men made perfect since them; who now both together make but one Quire, and are alwaies singing Hallelujah, and worshiping him that liveth for ever and ever.

21. O blessed Jesus, thou only comfort of miserable and distressed sinners, consider my distress; Look upon mine adversity and misery, and forgive me all my sin. O thou blessed Mediator betwixt God and man, intermediate for me: Let the unspotted righteousness of thy life, be an acceptable sacrifice for the multiplyed unrighteous∣ness of mine: And let the bitter pangs of thy death, keep from me all the bitter∣ness of the temporal, and much more the pangs and horrours of the eternal Death: Thou didst taste the gall and vinegar when thou gavest up the Ghost; therefore I be∣seech thee keep me from tasting it: Thou didst seem to be forsaken of thy God, O let not me b•…•… forsaken of thee: But grant that I putting my whole trust and confi∣dence

in thy Merits and in thy Mercies, •…•…ay from henceforth most chearfully serve thee in all holiness and pureness of living, and most faithfully persist in thy service by a resolved constancy, contentedness, and patience of dying; That I may yet more and more know thee, and the power of thy Resurrection, and the fellowship of thy suffer∣ings, being made conformable to thy death, that so I may attain to a joyful Resurrection of the dead, to give praise and thanks unto thy holy Name, world without end.

22. O thou Eternal Son of God, who didst take upon thee the nature of man, that thou mightest lead a miserable life, and un∣dergo a shameful death; I beseech thee sweeten unto me all those present miseries of my life, which thou hast already sancti∣fied, in that thou hast born them; and all those possible horrours of my death, which thou hast already conquered, in that they durst assail thee to bear them: That I who of my self am in death even in the midst of life, may through thee my blessed Saviour, find life in the midst of death, and glory after it, to glorifie thee who art the Lord of death, and the Giver of life, Amen.

23. O holy Jesus thou only Redeemer of souls, who by 'thy death hast overcome death, and opened unto us the gate of everlasting life. I most humbly beseech thee, that as by thy special grace preventing me, thou dost put into my mind good desires of departing hence and of being with thee; so by thy continual help I may bring the same to good effect, and at last joyfully depart in thy peace, for that mine eyes have seen thy salvation, my heart hath believed it, and my soul goeth hence to enjoy it, and with it, thee my blessed Redeemer, who with the eternal Spirit art most high in the glory of the Father, one God everlasting, Amen.

24. O thou who layedst down thy life for my Redemption, make me ready to lay down my life at thy command; Teach me more and more to despise the Treasures and the Pleasures of this world, which have in them a double vanity; that they are transitory; that they are not satisfa∣ctory: As they cannot give me true con∣tent whiles I possess them, because they are not satisfactory; so let them not cre∣ate in me any discontent when I must

have them, because they are but transito∣ry: O make me lay up for my self a stock of Treasure and of Pleasure in heaven, by 〈◊〉〈◊〉 true and lively faith, working zealously •…•…or thee, relying wholly on thee, and •…•…onging earnestly after thee for ever.

25. Lord where is my Treasure, but only in him that bought me? who is my ever∣lasting Portion, that only God could give me, and men cannot take from me. And where should my heart be but where my Treasure is, even in heaven and heavenly things? I will therefore from henceforth live by the faith of the Son of God who died for me, and gave himself for me: And li∣ving by that faith, though I may dwell on earth, yet I shall live in heaven, nay in the uppermost part of heaven, even at the right hand of God; there will I live alwaies with thee, O my blessed Redeemer, adoring thy Excellency, reverencing thy Majesty, loving thine Authority, enamou∣red with thy Perfections, and joyfully de∣pending on thy Mercy: That though my continuance be still with men, yet my conversation may be with thee my God and Saviour, by love earnestly longing for thee, by hope wholly trusting on thee, by

desires stedfastly cleaving to thee, and by delight alwaies rejoycing in thee: So shall my soul, when it departs out of this earthly Tabernacle, be received into thine everlasting habitations, there to bless and enjoy thee, who with the Father and the Holy-Ghost livest and reignest, one God world without end, Amen.

26. O Lord, who hast called to thee all those that travel and are heavy laden, and hast promised to give them rest, have mer∣cy upon me thy distressed servant, who now am in a restless condition: what ease and repose thou denyest unto my body, I beseech thee give unto my soul, that though my flesh doth not enjoy the sweet and comfortable rest of sleep, yet my spirit may enjoy that everlasting rest and repose which is alwaies to be found in thee: O grant that a promise being left me of enter∣ing into thy rest, I may not come short of it through my unbelief; but that by going out of my self and living in thee, I may forthwith enter into that internal rest which is to be enjoyed here in the presence of thy grace, and may continue and abide therein till I shall come to that eternal rest which is not to be expected till here∣after,

nor to be enjoyed but only in the pre∣sence of thy glory.

27. O Lord God, the God of my salvati∣on, teach me to cry day and night before thee, that so thou mayest still save me: and let my prayer enter in, whither I am not worthy to enter, even into thy pre∣sence: Incline thine ear unto my calling, since thou hast inclined my heart to call upon thee: for my soul is full of trouble, and my life draweth nigh unto hell: But draw thou nigh unto my soul, & I shall be delivered from all my troubles; and though thou hast put my lovers & my friends away from me, and hid mine acquaintance out of my sight, yet let me ever see the light of thy countenance, and I shall not be trou∣bled for not seeing them; and make me re∣joyce in thine everlasting love, and I shall find no want of my other friends & lovers.

28. O Lord I cannot deny, but that having been at enmity with thee, I deserve to be cloathed with shame, and covered with mine own confusion as with a Cloak; But O cloath me with thy Sons righteousness, and therewith cover my shame and my confusion. I am unworthy in my self to

pray for mercy, for Judas-like I have be∣trayed my Saviour, O make me worthy in his blood, not only to pray for it, but also to obtain it.

29. O Lord my foot hath often slipped, but thy mercy hath hitherto held me up, that I have not fallen into the pit of destructi∣on: Let thy Mercy O Lord still hold me up, and in the multitude of sorrows that I have, or shall have in my heart, by reason of my sins, let thy comforts evermore re∣fresh my soul; For thou makest me find trouble and heaviness, that I may call upon thy Name; and I do call upon thy Name, that thou mayest deliver my soul: O Lord I beseech thee deliver my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling, that I may walk before thee in the Land of the living: That I may walk carefully and conscionably before thee, be∣cause thou seest all things; That I may walk reverently before thee, because thou rulest all things; That I may walk thank∣fully before thee, because thou givest all things; That I may walk comfortably be∣fore thee, because thou savest all things, and wilt in mercy save me: O let me so walk before thee here in this world, as one

that hath a hope to live with thee here∣after, in the world to come: Let my soul awake from the sleep of sin, to give glory to thee, because I trust that when I shall awake from the sleep of death, I shall re∣ceive glory from thee.

30. O thou worthy Judge-Eternal, I tremble at the very thought of thy Judge∣ment, and how then shall I tremble at the sight of my Judge? For mine own mouth doth most grievously accuse me, and mine own heart doth most impartially condemn me, and mine own conscience cannot but set its seal to the justness of my condemna∣tion: But I believe that thou wilt come to be my Judge, who hast already come to be my Saviour, and I therefore pray thee to help thy servant whom thou hast Re∣deemed with thy most precious blood; O Lord in thy Justice, when thou shalt be most ready to condemn me, remember the Mercy whereby thou didst come to save me; and hear thine own precious blood crying out to thee for my salvation, and hear not my grievous sins crying out against me for my condemnation; for what wilt thou do with thy Mercy, which mo∣ved thee to shed thy blood, if thou wilt

not forgive sinners? what wilt thou do with the Merit of thy blood that hath been shed, if thou wilt not save sinners? O Lord I appeal unto this Mercy which hath promised forgiveness of sins, and to this Merit which hath purchased salvation for sinners, and in this Mercy and in this Merit I cannot but hope to stand in the Judgement.

31. If the Lord himself had not been on my side, now may my soul say, if the Lord himself had not been on my side, when the Devils and mine own conscience rose up against me, they had swallowed me up quick, when they were so wrathfully displeased at me; Yea the waters had drowned me, and the stream had gone over my soul; but praised be the Lord which hath not given me over for a prey unto their teeth; My soul is escaped even as a bird out of the snare of the Fowler; the snare is broken, and I am delivered; My help standeth in the Name of the Lord, which hath made heaven and earth; and which hateth nothing that he hath made.

32. O Lord Jesus Christ, which upholdest all things in heaven and in earth, make me

evermore to put my whole trust in thee; in the state of health and prosperity to trust in thee for preservation; in the state of sickness and adversity to trust in thee for deliverance and relief; in all states to trust in thee for grace and benediction: That in the distresses of my body, I may be comforted for the salvation of my soul; in the distresses of my soul, I may be com∣forted for the mercies of my Savio•…•…: Let me submit my soul to thee in piety, by doing righteously, that thou mayest not punish me; and having failed of that, let me submit my soul to thee in patience by suffering contentedly when thou dost punish me for my sins: Let me not despair of thy Mercy, when I have most provoked thy Justice, that thou mayst in Justice remember Mercy, and in Mercy remember me; Let me never say in my heart through impatience or infideli∣ty, There is no God: Let me never wish in my heart, through impenitency, that there were none: Let me not say in my heart •…•…efore I sin, There is no God, least I sin with greediness: Let me not wish in my heart, there were no God, after I have sinned, lest I sin without Repentance: But make me set thee alwaies before me,

both in thy Majesty as coming to Judge me, that I sin not; and in thy Mercy as willing to save me, that I despair not when I have sinned: And be thou al∣waies with me by thy special grace, that I perish not in my sins. O thou which art the joy of Angels, be also the joy of my sinful soul; speak salvation to me, who can speak nothing but damnation to my self: Be unto my sinful soul sanctificati∣on from sin, that thou mayest be to my sanctified soul salvation from death: That I may at last stand with that great multi∣tude who shall stand before thee cloathed with white robes and palms in their hands, to cry with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the Throne, and unto the Lamb for ever & ever, Amen.

33. O Lord, who art so merciful unto sin∣ful man as to vouchsafe to be his Guide and Governor; and so constant in thy Mercies as to guide and govern him all his life even unto death; I beseech thee to be my Guide in this my greatest perplexi∣ty, now that my body is as it were bitten with fiery Serpents, and my soul dwelleth among Scorpions: Now that torments and tumults are without me, temptations

and discontents are within me: O be thou •…•…igh at hand, that none of all my outward •…•…r inward vexations may either disturb my •…•…fety, or betray my innocency: Let God •…•…ise in my heart, and let all his enemies •…•…ere, that is, all my impatient thoughts, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 scattered: Like as smoke vanisheth, so 〈◊〉〈◊〉 them vanish at the presence of God; •…•…nd my soul be joyful in the Lord, it shall •…•…ejoyce in his salvation.

34. O God, thy Charets are twenty thou∣•…•…nd, even thousands of Angels, O set •…•…me of them compass me about, as they •…•…d thy servant Elisha, whiles I am living, •…•…nd let others of them carry my soul into •…•…brahams bosom when I shall die, as they •…•…d thy servant Lazarus: That these thy •…•…inistring spirits, which are sent forth to •…•…inister for them who shall be heirs of sal∣•…•…tion, may also minister for me thy most •…•…worthy servant, not only in my sick∣•…•…ss, to succour and defend me, but also in •…•…y death, to direct and convey my soul; 〈◊〉〈◊〉 by thy appointment they have brought •…•…e to those everlasting mansions, where I •…•…all together with them, alwaies behold •…•…e face of my Father which is in heaven, •…•…men.

35. O Lord, thou hast commanded me t•…•… break off my sins by repentance; but I hav•…•… broken off my soul from thee by sin, an•…•… widened that breach by my impenitency. Wherefore it is but just that I who have s•…•… often grieved thy Spirit, should now at 〈◊〉〈◊〉 grieve mine own: For I have often re•…•…∣turned to those sins, which by mine ow•…•… mouth had so terribly accused me, and b•…•… mine own default so grievously wounde•…•… me: But I beseech thee to fill my hea•…•… with Repentance, which I have so ofte•…•… filled with sin, and let me have that sorro•…•… here, which may keep me from confusio•…•… hereafter: For if thy servant Peter we•…•… three whole daies, nay all his life long, f•…•… denying thee thrice, out of a sudden pass•…•… on: What tears, what repentance is nee•…•… ful to the washing away of my sins, wh•…•… have so often denyed thee upon deliber•…•…∣tion? If Mary Magdalen wept so gri•…•…∣vously for seven Devils, shall not I mu•…•… rather for seventy seven more unclean sp•…•…∣rits? She was not then thy servant, wh•…•… she entertained those impure guests; I ha•…•… been a long time thy friend, thy brothe•…•… thy son, and yet have given these thi•…•… enemies my best entertainment; She 〈◊〉〈◊〉

•…•…ot in the Devils again, after they had •…•…een cast out; but I have swept and garnish∣•…•…d the room for them; make me therefore •…•…ood Lord all my life long to wash thy •…•…et with my tears, that thou mayest wash •…•…y soul with thy blood, and so at last pre∣•…•…nt it without spot and blemish before •…•…he heavenly Father, in thine eternal and everlasting Kingdom, Amen.

36. Lord let me often find the influence of thy grace in heavenly thoughts, that I may often feel the influence of thy mercy in heavenly joyes: I have many sad and dismal sorrows from my self; O give unto me true comfort in my Saviour; let my trouble be in the day when thou wilt hear me, and not in the day when thou wilt Judge me: There is no trust but may de∣ceive me, save only my trust in thee; there is nothing in which I may not miscarry, but only thy Mercy: O Lord let my trust be so in thee, that though I have mis∣carried in all the desires, and designs, and delights of this world, yet I may not mis∣carry in thy Mercy, but may have the joyes and delights of the world to come, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

37. Be thou exalted Lord in thine ow•…•… strength, so will I sing and praise th•…•… power: Thy strength is that whic•…•… strengthens souls, and thou lovest to shew thy strength in our weakness; Lord let thy strength be made perfect in my weakness so shall I most gladly rather glory then re∣pine in my infirmities, whiles the power of Christ doth-rest upon me, and my soul doth rest upon thee and thy Mercies in Jesus Christ.

38. O Lord who forgivest the sins of the penitent, and coverest those sins which thou forgivest, I beseech thee to accept my repentance, and to cover all those sins which I desire thee to forgive; That I may have the blessing of him whose un∣righteousness is forgiven, and whose sin is covered: For if my sins should be all dis∣covered to my self, they would fill me with fear; if they should be discovered to others, they would fill me with shame: And how wilt thou discover them either to my fear or to my shame, since thou canst not forgive them, unless thou cover them? O then be pleased so to cover my sins here, as not to discover them again hereafter; so

to hide my transgressions in the day of thy Mercy, as not to lay them open in the day of Wrath: Or if thy Justice shall re∣quire that all my sins be revealed in the day of the revelation of thy righteous Judgement, let the atonement also for my sins be then revealed, which I have labour∣ed to make, and thou hast promised to ac∣cept through the Merits and satisfaction of thy Son and our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

39. O thou who art gracious and righteous, and in thy righteousness teachest the up∣right the way of innocency, and by thy grace leadest sinners in the way of repen∣tance; Have mercy upon me thy most unworthy servant, and grant that my great defects and wants of the first righte∣ousness, that of Innocency, may be supply∣ed by the fulness of the second righteous∣ness, that of Faith and Repentance: And make mine eyes look so diligently to thee, that I may never again want care in look∣ing to my self; Order my steps in thy Word, and so shall no wickedness have do∣minion over me: Order my heart in thy Faith, and so shall I have dominion over all my wickedness; for though my fears shall force me to say, O wretched man

that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? yet my Faith will be able to suppress that saying, and suggest unto me this heavenly comfort and tri∣umph, I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

40. O Lord I am in the midst of many troubles and sorrows by reason of my suf∣ferings, and much more by reason of my sins; but thou hast promised that the righteous shall rejoyce in the Lord, and put his trust in him, and all they that are true of heart shall be glad, (Psal. 64. 10.) O then make me true of heart, that I may trust in thee, and be truly righteous: And give unto me true righteousness, that thou mayst give unto me true joy: There is no true righteousness but the righteousness of thy Son: There is no true joy but the joy of thy Spirit: O thou Father of Mer∣cy, give unto me the righteousness of God the Son my Redeemer, that thou mayst give me the joy of God the Holy-Ghost my Comforter, to be with me and to remain in me for evermore.

41. O Lord thou hast brought upon me so much misery, that I cannot love my con∣dition;

And I have so much sin, that I cannot love my self: Wherefore I beseech thee to fix my love wholly upon thee, that my soul may thirst for thee, and my flesh also may long after thee, in this bar∣ren and dry Land where no water is, either to cleanse, or to refresh, or to revive me; That looking for thee in holiness, I may behold thy power and glory: For my soul cannot truly thirst for thee, till my flesh also long after thee, since whiles my flesh is in love with the profits and pleasures of this life, my spirit cannot but lose the de∣sire, and neglect the pursuit of the life ever∣lasting: O Lord thou hast taken away from me most of the profits, and all the pleasures of this life; O take from me also the love of it; That I may not fear to lose that life which I do not love, nor love that life which I am sure to lose: but let me so love thee, as to live in thee, that I may not fear the loss either of my life or of my love.

42. O Lord I am assaulted by vexations without, and by temptations within; and to whom should I flie for succour but only to thee, who art not so displeased for my sins, but that thou wilt be appeased by my re∣pentance?

O give unto me that repen∣tance which thou wilt accept, and take from me that displeasure which I so fear, Thou canst defend me with thy favourable kindness as with a Shield; O Lord I ask no other defence, but only this defence of thy Mercy, to defend me from my self and all my sinfulness: to defend me from thy wrath and from all the punishments of my sins: Though thou leave me destitute of all other defence, yet let thy loving-kind∣ness evermore defend me, according to that eternal love wherewith thou hast lo∣ved me in the Son of thy love, our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

43. O Lord thou hast hitherto guided me by thy counsel, and thou wilt hereafter re∣ceive me with glory: Therefore have I none in heaven but thee, because none else can receive me with glory; and there is none upon earth that I desire in compari∣son of thee, because none else can guide me with true counsel: O Lord pardon my strayings from thy directions as thou hast been my guide, that thou mayst re∣ceive me into thine habitation, and be my glory for Jesus sake, Amen.

44. O Lord make my soul willing to depart and go from hence, because it here dwells among the enemies of my peace; even among mine own sins and fears, which disturb the peace of a good conscience here, and threaten to destroy the peace of a blessed eternity hereafter: Make me to long for that blessed minute which will re∣store to me perfect innocency, and will transmit me into everlasting peace; even that peace of God which passeth all that I do understand, and will fullfill all that I can desire: Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart to this peace, that thou mayest at once deliver me from all my troubles, for his sake who hath shed his precious blood to purchase this peace for me, Jesus Christ the only righteous, Amen.

45. Lord give unto me an earnest repentance to cleanse and purge my soul from dead works, that thou mayest give unto me a true and lively faith, to settle and establish my soul in the light of life. That ac∣knowledging and bewailing mine own de∣merits and unrighteousness, I may by the Merits and Righteousness of my blessed Redeemer, obtain remission of all my sins

whereof I now stand guilty before thy Judgement-seat; and the assurance of that remission sealed unto my conscience by the testimony of thy holy Spirit; that I may not be terrified with the thought of death, being delivered from the terrours of Judge∣ment, and having that righteousness inter∣posed in answer for me, which cannot but answer all the accusations of the Devils, and all the attestations and convictions of mine own conscience: O my blessed Advo∣cate, do thou come to plead for me, and then come Lord Jesus, come quickly, Amen.

46. Lord make me daily more and more to see the manifold miseries of my pilgrimage, whereby I am a stranger to eternity, and a so journer with vanity, burdened and clogged with a heavy weight of flesh, and a far heavyer weight of sin: That I may heartily pray to be delivered from all those burdens and miseries, and not be afraid least thou shouldst hear my prayer; but that my soul providing to return into her own Countrey, may accordingly have longings and earnest desires after the Land of Promise, and after the heavenly Je∣rusalem, and after thee my God, who

there livest and reignest world without end, Amen.

47. Lord make me patiently to undergo this punishment of my body, but earnestly to long for the deliverance of my soul: Make me thankful for that small ease and refreshment thou givest me on earth, but much more for the eternal rest thou hast provided for me in heaven; grant that though I have affliction in the world, yet I may have peace in thee, and may rejoyce in that peace, for thou hast overcome the world: grant that though I am weak in my body, yet I may be strong in my soul, for thou art the strength of souls: grant that though I find pain and anguish in my flesh, yet I may find joy and comfort in my spirit, for thou art the God of spirits: grant that I may not look on thy hand scourging me with an evil eye, whiles I be∣lieve that the thoughts which thou thinkest towards me, are thoughts of peace and not of evil: and that though thou givest me a sad beginning, yet thou wilt give me an expected end; (Jer. 29. 11.)

48. I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him; and I

may well bear it patiently (nay rather, take it thankfully) since it is his great goodness to punish temporally, that he may spare eternally: For he will at last plead my cause, and execute Judgement for me; he will at length bring me forth to light out of this dismal darkness, and I shall behold his righteousness, and he will not behold mine unrighteousness: Then shall I say with great joy, Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquities, and passeth by transgressions, and retain∣eth not his anger for ever, because he de∣lighteth in Mercy: Therefore he will turn again, he will have compassion upon me, he will subdue mine iniquities, before he suffer death to subdue me; and he will cast all my sins into the depth of the Sea, before he will cast me into the deep of the earth, (Mich. 7. v. 9, 18, 19.)

49. Art thou not from everlasting, O Lord my God, mine holy One, and I but only of yesterday, and for a moment? I shall not die, whiles thou art my Resurrection and my Life; O Lord thou hast ordained these pains and sicknesses for Judgement, and O mighty God thou hast established them for correction: O Lord let them

prove so to me, as Judgements to advise me, and as Chastisements to amend me; for thou art of purer eyes then to behold evil, and therefore sure of purer hands then to embrace it; and thou canst not look on iniquity, & therefore sure wilt not encourage it: O then let this thy visitati∣on so purge away all evil and iniquity from me, that thou mayest both encourage my soul in my life, and embrace it at my death, (Hab. 1.)

50. O thou the high and lofty one, that in∣habitest eternity, whose Name is Holy, thou that dwellest in the high and lofty place, but with him also that is of a con∣trite and humble spirit, to revive the spi∣rit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite one; be pleased to look upon the great humiliations of my body, and the unfeigned contritions of my soul; That thou mayst dwell with me, and I may be revived in the spirit, whiles I am daily put to death in the flesh: And do not contend for ever, neither be thou alwaies wrath, least my spirit should fail before thee, and the soul which thou hast made; for the iniquity of my conversation thou wast wrath and smotest me; but for the

abundance of thine own mercies heal me, and restore comforts to me and to my mourners; and give unto me true joy and peace in Jesus Christ our Lord (Isaiah 57. 15, &c.)

51. O Lord I have been long cloathed with filthy garmens, even by the corruptions and pollutions of the flesh: And Satan is standing at my right hand ready to tempt me here, and to accuse and torment me hereafter; But O Lord I beseech thee to say unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee O Satan, even the Lord that hath chosen his servant rebuke thee: And take away the filthy garments from me, and say unto me, behold I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will cloath thee with change of rayment, even with the wed∣ding-garment, the righteousness of that immaculate Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ; so shall I appear before thee with comfort, stand before thee with confidence, and re∣main before thee with joy for evermore, (Zach. 3.)

52. O Lord thou hast left me a Promise of entering into thy Rest, O let me not come short of it and not enter into it; But since

I have a great high-Priest that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, an high-Priest touched with the feeling of my infirmities, let me through him come boldly to the Throne of grace, that I may obtain Mercy, and find Grace to help in time of need, (Heb. 4.)

53. O Lord my strength and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, I desire to come unto thee from the ends of the earth, where I have inherited lyes and vanity, and things wherein there is no profit; but I beseech thee cause me to know thy hand and thy might, and take not away thy peace from me, even loving∣kindness and Mercies, Jer. 16. v. 19, 21, & 5.

54. O Lord the Hope of Israel, let no dis∣tress whatsoever make me forsake that blessed. Hope which thou hast given me; for all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from thee shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the Lord the Fountain of living waters: O Lord I have often forsaken thee by my sins, yet let me not be ashamed, because I return again to thee by my Re∣pentance;

O Lord I have often departed from thee by my transgressions, yet let me not be written in the earth, because I now at last thirst for thee the Fountain of living waters: Heal me O Lord and I shall be healed, save me and I shall be saved; so shalt thou be my praise now and for ever∣more, Jer. 17. 13, 14.

55. O Lord my soul is heavy, and my body is sick unto the death; But do thou bring me health and cure, and reveal unto me abundance of peace and truth; cleanse me from all mine iniquities whereby I have sinned against thee, cause my captivi∣ty to return, and have mercy upon me, ac∣cording to thine infinite mercies in Jesus Christ, (Jer. 33. 6, 8, 26.)

56. O Lord thou hast added grief to my sorrow, for I have fainted in my sighing, and I find no rest; yet dost thou forbid me to add sorrow to my own grief, and to say, wo is me now, because that which thou hast built thou hast broken down; and that which thou hadst planted thou hast plucked up, even this whole Land; Therefore thou forbiddest me to seek great things for my self, for behold thou hast

brought evil upon all flesh, and how shouldst thou not bring evil upon my flesh, which is the most sinful of all? O then suffer me not to be a seeker of mine own discontents, rather then of thy re∣dresses, whiles I look after great and good things, in such miserable and wretched times, but make me thankful that thou hast hitherto given me my life as a prey unto me in all places whether I have gone, that remembering what thou hast given me, I may not repine for what others have taken from me; assuring my self, that there is yet another life to come which thou wilt give me, not as a prey that I should fear losing it, but as an inheritance that I should long to possess it in thee and with thee for ever, Amen. Jer. 45. 3, 4, 5.

57. O Lord bring my soul out of this pri∣son of the flesh, and the shackles of sin and misery, that I may wholly and entire∣ly give thanks unto thy holy Name for all thy Mercy and great Deliverances, and most especially for this the greatest of all, That thou wilt deliver me from my self, from the burden of mine own flesh, from the bondage of mine own corruption,

from the thraledom of mine own body: And wilt set me at liberty that I may do nothing else but serve thee, whose service is perfect freedom, and whose wages are life, and light, and joy, in beholding thy presence for evermore; for I earnestly de∣sire only those Mercies wherein thou dost infinitely delight, who lovest to shew Mercy to penitent sinners in the Son of thy love, our blessed Lord and Saviour Je∣sus Christ.

58. O Lord pour not out thine indignation upon me, blow not against me in the fire of thy wrath, but deliver me from this brutish and burning disease; or if thou wilt in thy Justice make my body as fewel for the fire, yet in mercy deliver my soul from the everlasting burnings, (Ezek. 23. 31, 32.)

59. Grant Lord that I being risen with Christ, may seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God; that I may henceforth set mine affection on things above, not on things in earth; alwaies remembering that I am dead, and my life is hid with Christ in God, and alwaies rejoycing, that

when Christ who is my life shall appear, then shall I also appear with him in glory, (Col. 3. 1, 2, 3, 4.)

60. Lord make my tongue sing of thy praises whiles I have breath; and when I shall be breathless, make my heart bear two parts, to fill up that blessed Harmony; that my soul may praise thee whiles it is in the state of union with my natural bo∣dy; and much more when it shall be in the state of separation from it, and shall be joyned in consort with the holy An∣gels, and with the beatified spirits: And most of all, when it shall be in the state of re-union again with that same body be∣ing made spiritual: That I being at last all spirit, both in soul and body, neither my heart may be wearied in thinking, nor my tongue in speaking thy praises to all eternity, Amen.

61. I will thank thee O Lord my God with all my heart, and I will praise thy Name for evermore; for great is thy Mercy towards me, and thou hast delivered my soul from the neathermost hell, and wilt receive my soul into the highest heavens, there to give thee thanks and praises for evermore.

62. All the daies of my appointed time will I wait till my change come, (Job 14. 14.) Lord grant I may so wait, that I may re∣ceive my wages, and that my change may come seasonably, speedily and happily: A seasonable change not to find me unpre∣pared for it: A speedy change to deliver me from the pains of sickness, and from the pangs of death: And a happy change to let me in to the fruition of thy glory and eternal life, Amen.

63. By thine unknown sufferings, O my blessed Redeemer, intercede for me in all my pains and sufferings, that I may find Mercy and obtain Relief: And make me alwaies remember and confess that my sins are far above my sufferings, so shall I suffer patiently; and that thy Mercy is far above my sins, so shall I suffer comfortably, and hope for a joyful end of all my suffer∣ings.

64. Lord grant that my conversation may from henceforth be in heaven, that my soul may be prepared to go thither, and know how to busie it self there; that I may with joy look for the Saviour, the

Lord Jesus Christ from thence, who shall change my vile body, that it may be like his glorious body, according to the work∣ing whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself, (Phil. 3. 2.) O Lord work that blessed change in my soul, to subdue all its carnal affections by a heavenly con∣versation, before thou workest that miser∣able change in my body, to subdue its na∣tural constitution by an unnatural destru∣ction: And according to that mighty working whereby thou art able even to subdue all things unto thy self, in the first place subdue all my sinfulness.

65. Lord speak the word only and thy ser∣vant shall be whole; speak the word of comfort in my distress, and the greatest comfort in my greatest distress: say effatha to my heart that it may be opened to re∣ceive thee; say effatha to the heavens that they may be opened to receive my soul; yea say unto my soul thou art my salvation, for thou only who art All-suffici∣ent, canst speak unto my soul, and thou on∣ly who art All-merciful, wilt speak com∣fort to it: And though for my sins thou art justly displeased, yet for thine own Mercies thou wilt not long continue in that

displeasure; for thou hast proclaimed thy self to be the Lord, The Lord God, mer∣ciful and gracious, long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping Mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, and transgression, and sin: Lord say unto me thy unworthy servant, that my sins are forgiven me, and that I may go hence in peace, for my faith hath saved me, even that faith whereby I wholly trust in the Merits and Mercies of thy eternal Son Je∣sus Christ.

66. Hear my prayer O Lord, and consider my desire, hearken unto me for thy truth and righteousness sake, and enter not in∣to Judgement with thy servant, for in thy sight shall no man living be justified; And let not mine enemy persecute my soul; and (if it be thy will) let not my disease smite my life down to the ground, nor lay me in the darkness, as men that have been long dead; But if it be thy pleasure to torment and to destroy my body, yet let not my spirit be vexed within me, nor my heart within me be desolate: But make me so remember the time, and thy works past, that I may be comforted in the time and thy works to come; that stretching forth

my hands and lifting up my heart unto thee, I may lay hold on thee by a lively Faith, Hope and Love, and at last come to enjoy thee by a blessed vision, comprehen∣sion and fruition; And my soul gasping •…•…nto thee as a thirsty Land, may be satisfi∣ed with the dew of thy heavenly blessings for evermore.

67. O Lord remember that I am the work of thy hands, the image of thy counte∣•…•…ance, the price of thy blood; And have mercy on me as thy work, as thy image, and as thy purchase; for the paternal bowels of God the Father that created me; for the bleeding wounds of God the Son that redeemed me; and for the unutter∣•…•…ble groans of God the Holy-Ghost that sanctifieth me, O Lord hear, O Lord for∣give, O Lord strengthen me in my sickness, receive me at my death, and acquit me in the Judgement, Amen.

68. Hear me O Lord, and that soon, for my spirit waxeth faint, hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit; O let me hear thy loving∣kindness late in the evening of this life, and betimes in the morning of Eternity,

for in thee is my trust; shew thou me the way that leadeth in the truth, and unto the life, for I lift up my soul unto thee: Deliver me O Lord from mine enemies both corporal and spiritual, for I flie unto thee to hide me; Let thy loving Spirit lead me forth out of this Land of unrighte∣ousness, and lead me into the Land of righteousness: Quicken me O Lord for thy Name sake, (and then most, when I shall be nearest death) and for thy righte∣ousness sake bring my soul out of all her troubles that I may give thanks unto thee, with those blessed spirits which lived here in thy fear, departed hence in thy favour, and now are with thee in eternal joy and glory, (Psal. 143. v. 7, &c.)

69. Deal thou so with me O Lord God, ac∣cording to thy Name, that in the greatest bitterness of my soul, I may both see and confess that sweet is thy Mercy: O deliver me, for I am helpless and poor, and my bo∣dy is tormented without me, and my heart is wounded within me, (Psal. 109. ver. 22, 23.) but be thou ease to my body, and joy to my heart in Jesus Christ.

70. O Lord I confess to thy glory and min•…•…

own shame, that when I call to mind the •…•…oulness of mine own transgressions, I am •…•…shamed; when I call to mind the exact∣•…•…ess and severity of thy Justice, I am afraid •…•…o lift up mine eyes to heaven, or to look •…•…owards the place where thine honour •…•…welleth; But O look thou down upon •…•…e with the eye of pity and compassion, •…•…ho am altogether unworthy to look up •…•…nto thee with the eye of hope and confi∣•…•…ence, and relieve me in my sickness, and •…•…eceive me at my death for thine infinite mercies in Jesus Christ.

71. I will alway give thanks unto the Lord, •…•…is praise shall ever be in my mouth; yea my soul shall make her boast of the Lord, •…•…or I sought him and he heard me; yea •…•…e delivered me out of all my fear: I had 〈◊〉〈◊〉 eye unto him and I was enlightened, I •…•…ave tasted and seen how gracious the •…•…ord is, blessed be my soul for trusting 〈◊〉〈◊〉 him, and blessed be his grace for working 〈◊〉〈◊〉 my soul that trust, to rely and depend •…•…pon his Mercy for evermore, (Psal. •…•…34.)

72. Lord touch my tongue with a coal from •…•…hine Altar, to take away the pollution of

my lips; and touch my heart with the im∣mortal flames of thy love, to take away the deadness and dulness of my thoughts; that both tongue and heart being purged from the filthy dregs of flesh and sin, I may in my greatest infirmities labour to praise thee according to the greatness of thy glories: And because I cannot suffici∣ently praise thee whiles I am in this corru∣pted and corruptible body, take my soul in thy due time away from hence, that I may in thy heavenly Jerusalem sing unto thee acceptable and immortal praises for ever and ever, Amen.

73. Righteousness and equity, O Lord, are the habitation of thy seat; O let righteous∣ness and equity be fixed in my heart, that thou mayest therein fix thy habitation Mercy and Truth shall go before thy face; O let Mercy and Truth be alwaies in my soul, (Mercy to forgive, Truth to be for given) that when my soul shall go out of my body, it may joyfully go before thy face, and rejoyce in thy presence for ever more; for blessed are the people O Lord that can rejoyce in thee, they shall walk in the light of thy countenance; Lord thou hast given me the first part of this blessing

to rejoyce in thee here on earth, O give me also the second part of it, that when I shall go hence, I may walk in the light of thy countenance hereafter in heaven, Amen.

74. Who am I O Lord God, and what is this my house of clay that thou hast brought me hitherto? And this was yet a small thing in thy sight, O Lord God, but thou hast spoken also of thy servant for a great while to come, even for the daies of Eternity; that thou wilt at last bring me to thy self: For thy words sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all these great things, to make thy servant know them and enjoy thee: And now O Lord God, the Word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, establish it for ever, and do as thou hast said; for thou O Lord God hast spoken it, and with thy blessing let the soul of thy servant be blessed for ever, 2 Sam. 7. 18.

75. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant Mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead; to an inheri∣tance

incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for us: O Lord let me not fear being deprived o•…•… my earthly inheritance by death, whiles 〈◊〉〈◊〉 find in my self the work of this Regenera∣tion, and cherish in my self the hope of this resurrection: But let me ever be kept by the power of God through Faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time, that I may therein greatly re∣joyce, though now for a season I am in heaviness through manifold temptations, 2 Pet. 1. 3. That the tryal of my faith being much more precious then of Gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, may be found unto praise, and honour, and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.

76. O thou who hast given me the soul of thy Christ and of my Jesus to sanctifie me, the body of Christ to nourish and strengthen me, the blood of Christ to re∣deem me, the stripes of Christ to heal me, the agonies of Christ to comfort and to re∣fresh me, give me also the wounds of Christ to hide me, that thou mayest not Judge me; or the Merits of Christ to cover me, that I may be acquitted in the Judgement: O Lord who didst not despise man trans∣gressing

and falling from thee, do not de∣spise me repenting and returning to thee; but as thou hast opened unto me a door of faith and repentance unto life, so shut not that door against me now I am desirous to enter in by it, and to come to thee; O Lord I believe, help my unbelief: O Lord •…•…repent, increase my repentance; and give unto me that repentance whereby thou wi•…•…t accept me, and that faith where∣by I may receive and embrace thee for ever.

77. The Lord make me faithfully to remem∣ber, and thankfully to consider, and con∣stantly to believe, that he who spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for me, will also with him freely give me all things; or rather, hath already with him freely given me all things that I was capable to receive, and now is en∣larging my capacity, that he may en∣large his own bounteous liberality: He is making me capable of receiving more, that he may freely give more: He hath made me capable of receiving himself, his Son, his holy Spirit, by Faith, Hope and Love; He will now make me capable of receiving and enjoying himself, his Son, his holy Spirit, by vision, comprehension and fruiti∣on;

A vision that shall see him as he is in his excellent glory; A comprehensio•…•… that shall fully receive and firmly retai•…•… him; And a fruition that shall perfectl•…•… enjoy him, and perfectly rejoyce in him One God, Father, Son, and Holy-Ghost world without end, Amen.

78. Abide thou with me O Lord Jesu•…•… Christ, for it is towards evening with me and the day is far spent of this my toilsom and troublesom life; And though my eye be holden that I do not see thee whiles I have sad communications with mine own heart, yet be thou pleased still to tarry with me, and to sit at meat with me, and to bless to me the holy repast of eternity, and mine eyes shall soon be opened to see thee, and my heart shall be opened to re∣ceive thee; And do not vanish out of my sight, till thou hast brought me to see thee in thy heavenly Kingdom, Amen.

79. God be merciful unto me and bless me, and shew me the light of his countenance in my passing through Death, and be mer∣ciful unto me, in bringing me to everlast∣ing life: The Lord bless me and keep me, the Lord make his face to shine upon me,

and be gracious unto me; The Lord lift up •…•…is countenance upon me, and give me •…•…eace: God the Father preserve me in my •…•…assage by his Almighty power: God the •…•…on guide and direct me by his All-seeing wisdom: God the Holy-Ghost assist and comfort me by his All-sufficient Grace and Goodness, and bring me to everlast∣ing life, Amen.

80. Now the God of hope fill me with all joy and peace in believing, that I may abound in Hope, through the power of the Holy-Ghost, (Rom. 15. 13.) And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly King∣dom, to whom be glory for ever and ever, Amen. (2 Tim. 4. 18.)

The sick mans Devotions.

To the Reader,

DEvotion is seldom Cordia•…•… when it is constrained, and i•…•… is commonly constrained, when either Fear or Pa•…•… makes a man devout: For then he may seem to have taken up Sauls resolution, 1 Sam. 13. 12. Therefore said I, the Philistines will now come down upon me, and I have not made supplication unto the Lord; I forced my self therefore and offered a burnt-offering: So is it too too frequently with those men who neglect the motives and means of prayer whiles they are in health, and leave all their

suplications to be made in their sickness, or any other great extremity: for whiles •…•…y vainly fear, lest custom should make •…•…ir prayers uncordial or undevout, they •…•…erably find that compulsion doth indeed •…•…ve them to be so: since therefore either •…•…tom of praying will steal away thy heart, thou fondly thinkest; or contempt of pray∣will harden thy heart, at I flatly averr; now in good time what thou hast to do; a phantastical fear is no excuse for run∣•…•…g into a real mischief: Whiles thou •…•…ishly fearest lest thy heart should be stolen, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 impiously causest thy heart to be harden∣•…•… Consider therefore what the Prophet •…•…uel hath taught thee to say, and do, in thy •…•…resses to thy Maker; since God hath set 〈◊〉〈◊〉 appointed him to direct and guide thee •…•…y Devotions: And do not as Saul did, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 without a Priest, or with a Priest of •…•…e own choosing (perhaps of thine own •…•…ing) offer thy burnt-offering, lest Samuel 〈◊〉〈◊〉 at the end of thy sacrifice, and say unto 〈◊〉〈◊〉 as he said unto him, v. 13. thou hast 〈◊〉〈◊〉 foolishly, thou hast not kept the com∣•…•…dment of the Lord thy God, which he •…•…manded thee; this reproof, as it doth •…•…rly concern thee, so it will undoubtedly si∣•…•…e thee; for when God hath given thee a

sure Guide for thy Devotions, (even such a Church, as neither the wit of man can prove, nor the malice of Devils can make guilty, either of Faction or of Superstition.) If thou wilt not go along with this Guide, but wilt needs gad after thine own imaginati∣ons, thou dost indeed follow Saul in his sin, and art like to follow him in his punishment; thou appeasest not wrath, but provokest it; thou forsakest God, and take heed he forsake not thee: Wonder not then if you find many of Samuels words, that is, much of the Churches dictates, in these Devotions, but know it is because God hath taught Samuel to pray, that he might teach you; And having taught you to pray by Samuels Devotions may perchance not hear your prayers, (eve•…•… as he accepted not Sauls offering) out o•…•… Samuels Communion: However you may certainly by this gleaning of some few grapes see what store of good wine was and is in th•…•… whole Vintage: And I hope you will no•…•… have good wine, only to see and to look upon but also to tast, and to make good use of it Or confess, it is your own wilfulness tha•…•… you, (I will not say, your prayers) are ei∣ther Faint or Dry for not tasting it.

The sick mans confession of his sins.

I Confess unto thee, O Lord God Almighty and most merciful Father, that I have sinned against heaven and against thee, and am not worthy to be called thy Son; nor to have any portion in thine in∣heritance, because I have been hitherto so unthankful for thy Mercy, so unreverent towards thy Majesty, and so undutiful to thine Authority: wherefore innumerable troubles are most justly come upon me, and my sins have taken such hold of me, that I am not able to look up, yea they are

more in number then the hairs of my head, and my heart hath failed me: But O Lord let it be thy pleasure to deliver me, make hast O Lord to help me, and comfort the soul of thy distressed servant, for unto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul, gasping for that Mercy and Forgiveness which thou hast promised to Repentant-sinners, for the Merits of thy dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

Or this.

Almighty God, Father of our Lord Je∣sus Christ, Maker of all things, Judge of all men, I acknowledge and bewail my manifold sins and wickedness, which I from time to time most grievously have com∣mitted by thought, word and deed, against thy Divine Majesty; provoking most justly thy wrath and indignation against me: I do earnestly repent, and am hearti∣ly sorry for these my mis-doings; the remembrance of them is grievous unto me, the burthen of them is intollerable: Have Mercy upon me, have Mercy upon me most merciful Father, for thy Son our Lord Jesus Christs sake; forgive me all that is past, and grant that I may ever hereafter serve and please thee in the new∣ness

of my life, or in the contentedness and patience of my death, to the honour and glory of thy Name, through Jesus Christ our Lord,

Amen.

The sick mans Absolution or Remission of sins, to be pronounced by himself alone, when he cannot have the benefit of a Mini∣ster to absolve him.

HAve mercy upon me O God after thy great goodness, and according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences; wash me throughly from my wickedness, and cleanse me from my sins, and absolve me from the guiltiness of all my transgressions according to the Promise of Mercy by thy Word, the Pur∣chase of Mercy by thy Son, and the Pledges of Mercy by thy holy Spirit, made and given to Repentant-sinners, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy-Ghost,

Amen.

Or this.

Almighty God our heavenly Father,

who of his great Mercy hath promised for∣giveness of sins to all them which with hear∣ty repentance and true faith turn unto him; have Mercy upon me, pardon and deliver me from all my sins, confirm and streng∣then me in all goodness, and bring me to everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

Then likewise he shall say.

O Lord open my heart, that thou mayest open my lips.

O Lord open my lips, and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.

O God make speed to save me.

O Lord make hast to help me, That I may with a thankful heart and with a chearful voice sing and say unto thee,

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy-Ghost,

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be world without end, Amen.

Praise ye the Lord; I praise the Lord.

The sick mans Psalm. (Psal. 6.)

1. O Lord rebuke me not in thine in∣dignation, neither chasten me in thy displeasure.

2. Have Mercy upon me O Lord, for I am weak, O Lord heal me, for my bones are vexed.

3. My soul is also sore troubled, but Lord how long wilt thou punish me?

4. Turn thee O Lord and deliver my soul, O save me for thy Mercies sake.

5. For in death no man remembereth thee, and who will give thee thanks in the pit?

6. I am weary of my groaning; every night wash I my bed, and water my couch with my tears.

7. My beauty is gone for very trouble, and worn away because of all mine ene∣mies.

8. Away from me all ye that work vanity, for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping.

9. The Lord hath heard my Petition, the Lord will receive my Prayer.

10. All mine enemies shall be confounded and sore vexed, they shall be turned back and put to shame suddenly.

Glory be to the Father, &c.

As it was in the beginning, &c.

The sick mans first lesson. Job 19. 25, &c.

I Know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day up∣on the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God; whom I shall see for my self, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another, though my reins be consumed within me.

His first Canticle.

I praise thee O God, I acknowledge thee to be the Lord.

O praise our God (ye people) and make the voice of his praise to be heard.

Which holdeth our soul in life, and suf∣fereth not our feet to slip.

I will go into thy house with burnt∣offerings,

and will pay thee my vows which I promised with my lips, and spake with my mouth when I was in trouble.

O come hither and hearken all ye that fear God; and I will tell you what he hath done for my soul.

I called unto him with my mouth, and gave him praises with my tongue.

If I encline unto wickedness with my heart, the Lord will not hear me.

But God hath heard me, and considered the voice of my prayer.

Praised be God which hath not cast out my prayer, nor turned his Mercy from me.

Praise the Lord O my soul, and all that is within me praise his holy Name.

Which forgiveth all thy sin, and healeth all thine infirmities.

Which saveth thy life from destructi∣on, and crowneth thee with Mercy and loving-kindness.

Praise the Lord O my soul, whiles I live will I praise the Lord, yea as long as I have any being, I will sing praises unto my God.

Lord make me so to praise thee here, whiles it is my duty; that I may exactly know how to praise thee hereafter, when it

shall be my reward: For therefore with Angels and Arch-angels, and with all the company of heaven, do I now laud and magnifie thy glorious Name, because thou hast given me an assured hope, that I shall with them hereafter, evermore praise thee and say, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts; Heaven and Earth are full of thy glory, Glory be to thee O Lord most high.

The sick mans second lesson. John 5. 24.

VErily verily I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life.

His second Canticle.

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for calling me to the knowledge of himself, and to faith in his Son, and to Communion with his holy Spirit: Lord I believe, help thou my unbelief: And grant me so per∣fectly

and without all doubt to believe in thy Son Jesus Christ, that my faith may never be reproved; and my person and my prayers may alwaies be accepted in thy sight through Jesus Christ our Lord,

Amen.

Or this.

In thee O Lord have I put my trust, let me never be put to confusion; but rid me and deliver me in thy righteousness, incline thine ear unto me and save me.

Be thou my strong hold whereunto I may alway resort; Thou hast promised to help me, for thou art my house of defence and my Castle.

As for me I will patiently abide alway; and will praise thee more and more.

My mouth shall daily speak of thy righteousness and salvation; for I know no end thereof.

O what great troubles and adversities hast thou shewed me? and yet didst thou turn and refresh me, yea and broughtest me from the deep of the earth again.

Therefore will I praise thee and thy faithfulness O God, playing upon an in∣strument of Musick; Unto thee will I sing upon the Harp, O thou holy one of Israel,

My lips will be fain when I sing unto thee; and so will my soul whom thou hast delivered; and ever wilt deliver according to thine infinite Mercies in Jesus Christ.

The sick mans Creed, or the Confession of his Faith, by way of prayer.

I Believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth; Grant me Lord so to believe in thee my Father; that as a Father pittieth his own child, so I may find and feel that thou art pittiful and merciful towards me.

Grant me so to believe in thee as my Lord and my God, that I may find the eter∣nal comfort of being thy servant; and that as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters; even so my eyes may wait upon the Lord my God, until he have Mercy upon me.

Grant me so to believe in thee as my Father, God and Maker, that I may al∣waies rely on thy Fatherly Goodness; that I may alwaies submit my self body and foul to thy Almighty power, and that I

may commit my soul unto thee (not only in well-doing, but also in well-suffering) as to my saithful Creator.

Grant me so to believe in Jesus Christ thy only Son my Redeemer, that from this Jesus I may have salvation; from this Christ I may have the holy Unction; from this thy Son, I may have spiritual adoption.

Grant me so to believe in God the Holy-Ghost, that from this God I may be inspired with true godliness, from this Holy-Spirit I may be sanctified, and made a member of the Catholike Church, and both live and die in the Communion of Saints: And that from this spiritual Com∣forter I may be filled with spiritual com∣forts and consolations for evermore, even with the immortal comfort of the For∣giveness of my sins, of the Resurrection of my body, and of the translation of my soul to the life everlasting, Amen.

Or this.

O blessed Lord God, who fillest heaven and earth with the Majesty of thy Glory, and with the Riches of thy Mercy: Let not my sinful soul be empty; but let me evermore be filled with dreadful apprehen∣sions of that great and glorious Majesty

wherewith thou wilt hereafter come to Judge me: And with comfortable appre∣hensions of that great and gracious Mercy, whereby thou hast already come to save me; that I may never want grace to pre∣vent and keep me from sinning; nor Mer∣cy to pardon and forgive me all my sins; nor the testimony of thy holy-Spirit to as∣sure me of that pardon and forgiveness: That though thou kill me, yet I may put my trust in thee, and even at the hour of death may be able to say with a strong heart, though with a weak voice, I believe in God the Father my Creator, in God the Son my Redeemer, in God the Holy-Ghost my Comforter; That this my Father will provide for me health and ease, and all other comforts of this world, as far as they shall condu•…•…e to his glory and to my sal∣vation; And hath provided for me a Portion and Inheritance in the world to come.

That this Redeemer hath redeemed my soul from the bondage of Sin and Satan, and will also at the last day redeem my body from the bondage of death and cor∣ruption.

That this Comforter will not leave me comfortless, when I most want and most

ask his comforts; but that he will be with me according to his Promise, and will keep me in all places whither I go, (of sick∣ness, of life, of death) and will bring me at last to the Land of Eternal rest, for he will not leave me till he hath done that which he hath spoken to me of, Gen. 28. 15. till he hath translated me from his holy Church-Militant, to his holy Church-Triumphant; And to that Com∣munion of Saints whereof he is the only head, who is the King of Saints: And to that blessed company of sanctified spirits, which have mercifully received the for∣giveness of their sins, do earnestly expect the resurrection of their bodies, and do incessantly enjoy the life everlasting,

Amen.

The sick mans Collect for the Day.

O Sweet Jesus, who comest from the bosom of thy heavenly Father, to heal the broken-hearted, to preach delive∣rance to the Captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, and to set at liberty them that are bruised, shew also these thy Mer∣cies at once and together, in shewing Mer∣cy on me, who am now broken and bruis∣ed, and under great blindness and cap∣tivity.

The eye of my soul is so dim by reason of my sins and of my sufferings, that I cannot clearly see thy Merits; The hand of my soul is so weak, that I cannot eagerly reach after them, nor strongly take hold of them: Thus am I a captive under mise∣rable blindness and weakness: But shew thou me the light of thy countenance, and that will recover my sight, and release my captivity: For in thy light I shall see the true light everlasting, and in thy counte∣nance I shall enjoy it: O thou Son of righteousness, which knowest not any going down, and gives•…•… •…•…fe, food, and gladness unto all things, vouchsase to shine into my

mind, that I may not either through the weakness of the flesh, or the assaults of the Devil, any where stumble to fall into im∣patience or infidelity, or any other grie∣vous sin, but may be able to stand stedfast∣ly through thy supporting, and to walk on constantly in the way of Piety and of Pa∣tience, till by thy good guiding and con∣ducting, I may at last come to the life ever∣lasting: As thou still holdest open the eyes of my weak body to behold the light of nature, so be pleased daily more and more to open the eyes of my sinful soul to behold the light of grace, till thou bring me to enjoy the light of glory, there to glorifie and praise thee for ever,

Amen.

The sick mans Collect for Peace.

O God which art the Author of our peace for thine own Mercies sake, but the Author of our troubles only for our sins; Give unto me thy unworthy servant that peace which this wicked world cannot give, and which this tumultuous

and troublesom world cannot take away; and defend me in all the assaults of my af∣flictions both corporal and spiritual, that I surely trusting in thy defence, and whol∣ly submitting to thy providence, may not fear the power of any adversity whatso∣ever, through the might and for the media∣tion of Jesus Christ our Lord,

Amen.

The sick mans Collect for Grace.

O Lord our heavenly Father, Al∣mighty and everlasting God, which hast safely brought me (through many dangers, and troubles, and diseases) to the beginning of this dangerous and desperate sickness, defend me in the whole continu∣ance of the same with thy mighty power; and grant that herein I may fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger, whereby I may become either impenitent∣ly sinful, or uncomfortably miserable; But that all my doings and all my suffer∣ings being ordered by thy Governance, I may alwaies do that which is righteous in

thy sight, and suffer that which may be profitable for mine own salvtion, through Jesus Christ our Lord,

Amen.

The sick mans Letany.

O God the Father of heaven, and of all Mercies, have Mercy upon me a miserable sinner: And grant that in the greatest extremities and anguishes of my body, I may find the greatest comforts and refreshments of my soul: Grant that when I am most tormented in my flesh, I may be most relieved in my spirit: That though my loins are filled with a sore dis∣ease, and there is no whole part in my body, yet my soul may magnifie the Lord, and my spirit may rejoyce in God my Saviour; for he hath regarded my low and miserable estate, and he will relieve it.

O God the Son Redeemer of the world, and of my sin-sick and sinful soul, have Mercy upon me a miserable sinner; and take away all my sins, that thou mayest

take away all my miseries: As thou hast made me a happy Believer, so also make me a joyful partaker of thy Redemption: and then most especially, when I shall most feel my self as it were swallowed up of grief and destruction, through the pains and torments of my increasing sickness, or the pangs and horrours of my approach∣ing death: Be thou my comfort in di∣stress, my strength in weakness, my health in sickness, my joy in sadness: Be thou my life whiles I am living, and my Resur∣rection from the dead: that though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I may fear no evil; for thou art with me to conduct me through the dan∣gerous downfalls of that valley; to direct me through the dismal darknesses of that shadow; and to sustain me in the dread∣ful dissolution of that death: O thou who now sittest on the right hand of God making intercession for me, reject me not when I am making intercession for my self; for through thy death I hope for life; through thy life I hope for glory; through thy glory I hope for eternal glory: And in that hope do I now commend my spirit into thy hands, for thou hast redeemed me, O God thou God of truth: And

thou wilt save me O God thou God of Mercy, because I have believed thy truth, and do rely upon thy Mercy: Therefore do I wholly resign my self, body and soul unto thee, submitting them both to thy good will and pleasure either for life or death; beseeching thee to Receive my soul and to Restore my body; and to grant that I may be able to stand upright in the dreadful Judgement, being support∣ed by the arm of thy All-sufficient Merits and All-saving Mercies, to bless and praise thee O my blessed Redeemer, world with∣out end.

O God the Holy-Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son, have Mercy upon me a miserable sinner, and give unto mean assurance of thy Mercy, that thou mayest give unto me an abatement of my misery: O thou which art the Comforter of thine Elect, give unto me daily more and more the heavenly comforts of mine Election; and in the greatest agonies and distresses of my body, transfix my soul with the most joyful apprehensions and the most firm perswasions of thine everlasting Love and undeserved Mercies towards me in Jesus Christ: That neither the appre∣hensions of a sad and miserable life, nor

the fears and terrours of an uncomfort∣able death, may ever be able to affright my soul, nor to disturb that sweet peace, res•…•… and repose which my spirit now hath and desireth to have in thee the God of spirits who givest unto those souls that are o•…•… thy Communion, the antepast of eternity the blessed anticipation of immortal joy 〈◊〉〈◊〉 O my God, my Stay, my Comforter, unto thee do I flie for the comforts of immor∣tality: Like as the Hart panteth after the water-brooks, so panteth my soul after thee O God: My soul thirsteth for God even for the living God; when shall 〈◊〉〈◊〉 come to appear before God? when shall I drink my fill of the waters of life to quench my thirst? O let my tears no longer be my meat day and night, whiles mine own troubled thoughts say unto my soul, Where is now thy God? for surely my God is in heaven; whatsoever pleaseth him that doth he in heaven and in earth 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and though for a while in the evening of this life I have sadness upon earth, yet in the morning of eternity I shall for eve•…•… have joy in heaven, Amen.

O Holy, Blessed and Glorious Trinity three persons and one God, have Mercy upon me a most miserable and wretched

sinner, and therefore most miserable and wretched, because a sinner: because I have sinned against heaven, and against thee the God of heaven: But since thou hast given me grace through the confession of a true faith to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of the Divine Majesty to worship the Unity; I beseech thee that through the stedfast∣ness of this faith, I may be absolved from all my sins, and also be defended from all adversity, which livest and reignest, one God world without end, Amen.

Remember not Lord mine offences, nor the offences of my fore-fathers, neither take thou vengeance of my sins: spare me good Lord, spare me thy most afflicted, but most unworthy servant, whom thou hast redeemed with thy most precious blood, and be not angry with me for ever.

Spare me good Lord.

From this and all other evil and mis∣chief of my body, from the more afflictive and contagious sin of my soul, from the crafts and assaults of the Devil, either against my body or against my soul; from

the fear of thy wrath, and from the sen∣tence of everlasting damnation,

Good Lord deliver me.

By thine agony and bloody-sweat, help and assist me in all mine agonies: By thy Cross and Passion, make me conquerer in all my sufferings: By thy precious death and burial, sweeten my death, and sanctifie my grave: By thy glorious resurrection and ascention, raise me up again at the last day, and glorifie me; and by the coming of the Holy-Ghost give unto me now amidst the torments of my life, and the terrours of my death, the immortal comfort of a blessed resurrection to eternal glory; And in this my distress, by this thy special as∣sistance help and comfort,

Good Lord deliver me.

In all time of my tribulation and adver∣sity, which thou hast now sent me: In all time of my wealth and prosperity, if thou shalt be pleased once again to send it me, in the hour of my death, and in the day of Judgement,

Good Lord deliver me.

I that am a sinner, do beseech thee to

hear me O Lord God; And that it may please thee to rule and govern thy holy Church universally in the right way: And to deliver this thy distressed and oppressed Church from all her sins, and from all her troubles, and to restore her to her former Truth and Peace,

I beseech thee to hear me good Lord.

That it may please thee to let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, and the Son of man whom thou hast made so strong for thine own self, and so will not we go back from thee; O let us live, and we will call upon thy Name; Turn us again, O Lord God of Hosts, shew us the light of thy countenance and we shall be whole,

I beseech thee to hear me good Lord.

That it may please thee to defend and strengthen all Bishops and Ministers of thy Church; That notwithstanding the manifold oppositions, contempts and persecutions of disobedient and gain∣saying people, they may still uphold thy true and lively Word, and thy holy and blessed Sacraments; and by their preaching, and administring, and their li∣ving,

and dying, may set them forth and shew them accordingly,

I beseech thee to hear me good Lord.

That it may please thee to be a Father to the Fatherless, whom my sins have help∣ed to make so, and whom my repentance cannot, but thy Mercy can relieve: To be a husband to the widow, a comfort to the comfortless, and to relieve all that be desolate and oppressed, and to shew thy pity upon all exiles, prisoners and captives, especially those that suffer imprisonment and captivity, or banishment for the cause of righteousness, for the Doctrine of a Catholick Faith, or for the duties of a Chri∣stian life,

I beseech thee to hear me good Lord.

That it may please thee to have Mercy up∣on mine enemies, persecutors, and slander∣ers, to turn their hearts, and to forgive their sins, and to save their souls; and to make me forgive, as I desire to be forgiven; and to make me desire to be forgiven, as I stand in need of forgiveness; and to make my waies to please thee, that thou mayest make mine enemies to be at peace with me,

I beseech thee to hear me good Lord,

That it may please thee to give us all true repentance, that thou mayest forgive us all our sins, not only our negligences and ignorances, but also our perversnesses and profanesses, and to endue us with the grace of thy holy Spirit, that we may lay aside our own animosities, self-interests and worldly advantages, and joyn toge∣ther with one heart and mouth to praise thee, and to glorifie thy holy Name, not looking after fond pretences and fading va∣nities, but looking for that blessed hope, the glorious appearing of the great God, and of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,

I beseech thee to hear me good Lord.

Son of God, I beseech thee to hear me. O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world, take away my sins also, inwhom alone there is a world of sin; and grant me thy peace, and have Mercy upon me: O Christ hear me, and as thou camest to redeem me when I was utterly lost, so I beseech thee suffer me not to be lost now thou hast redeemed me.

Lord have Mercy upon me. Christ have Mercy upon me. Lord have Mercy upon me.

And remember me according to the fa∣vour that thou bearest unto thy people; O visit me with thy salvation, that I may (once more if it be thy will) see the fe∣licity of thy chosen, and rejoyce in the gladness of thy people, and give thanks with thine inheritance, through Jesus Christ our Lord,

Amen.

The sick mans Benediction.

BLessed be the Lord God, even the God of Israel, which only doth wonderous things.

And blessed be the Name of his Majesty for ever; and all the earth shall be filled with his Majesty; and my soul shall be fil∣led and revived with his Mercy, Amen, Amen

The Lord Jesus be within me to strengthen, without me to assist, before me to direct, behind me to defend and protect, beneath me to uphold and sustain, above me to receive my soul.

Let the power of the Father preserve

me, the wisdom of the Son guide and én∣lighten me, the operation of the Holy-Ghost quicken and revive me in my passage through the gates of death, and bring me into everlasting life.

The blood that ran from the wounded heart of my blessed Saviour, which hath purchased for me abundance of grace in my life, of comfort in my sickness, and of hope in my death, wash my soul from sin and from iniquity, that it may be present∣ed without spot or blemish before the righteous Judge of men and Angels, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy-Ghost,

Amen.

The sick mans Valediction.

LORD I am willing to forsake all to follow thee; O let me follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth: I willingly forgive all men, and heartily desire all men to forgive me; that though I came into this world hating my God, yet I may not go out of it hating my Brother: for God

(with whom I hope to dwell when I go from hence) is love, and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him, 1 John 4. 16.

I follow after, to apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Je∣sus.

This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth to those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all, Amen. Phil. 3. 12, 13, 14.

The sick mans Preparation for his Depar∣ture.

I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand, 2 Tim. 4. 6.

Now therefore I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee: that I may find grace in thy sight, and

consider that I am one of thy people.

And he said, my presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.

And he said unto him, if thy presence go not with me, carry me not up hence; for wherein shall it be known here that I have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with me?

And the Lord said, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken, for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.

And he said, I beseech thee shew me thy glory; so saith my soul O Lord; and be∣cause no man shall see thee and live, I de∣sire to die, that I may see thee, Exod. 33. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18.

Unto him that is able to keep me from falling, (into the pit of everlasting de∣struction) and to present me faultless be∣fore the presence of his glory with exceed∣ing joy, do I recommend my soul, even to the only wise God our Saviour, to whom be glory and Majesty, dominion and pow∣er, now and ever, Amen. Epist. of Saint Jude, v. 24, 25.

The Lord shall preserve me from all evil; yea, it is even he that shall keep my soul.

The Lord shall preserve my going out, and my coming in, from this time forth for evermore, Amen. Psal. 121. 7, 8.

The sick mans Departure or Dismission.

ARise ye and depart, for this is not your Rest, because it is polluted; it shall destroy you, even with a sore de∣struction, Micah 2. 10.

Return unto thy Rest O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee.

For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.

I will walk before the Lord in the Land of the living, Psal. 116. 7, 8, 9.

There remaineth therefore a Rest to the people of God. Heb. 4. 9.

Lord I willingly go out of this world, that I may enter into that everlasting rest, Amen.

I have set God before me, he is at my right hand, I shall not fall;

Therefore my heart is gland, and my glo∣ry rejoyceth, my flesh also shall rest in hope;

For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption.

Thou wilt shew me the path of life; in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore, Amen. Psal. 16. 8, 9, 10, 11.

To me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

I have a desire to depart, and to be with Christ.

Lord now lettest thou servant depart in peace, that he may rest in hope, rise in joy, and reign in glory,

Amen.

A sick mans Resignation.

Psal. 31. 5.

Into thine hand I commit my spirit; thou hast Redeemed me, O Lord God of Truth.

THere is nothing more the duty of a good Christian, then whiles he lives to possess his soul in patience, and when he shall die, to resign his soul in comfort. And indeed, he must possess his soul in patience, that he may resign it in comfort: He must possess his soul in patience, as not being fully contented,

much less fully delighted, with his present •…•…ndition in this world; wherein he can∣•…•…t but see very much to trouble him, but •…•…thing at all to satisfie him: Help Lord, •…•…h the Psalmist, (Psal. 12. 1.) in great •…•…ation of his heart; and we may gather threefold reason why he is so vexed; 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the godly man ceaseth, the faithful fail, •…•…d they speak vanity: Defectus sanctitatis 〈◊〉〈◊〉 affectu, veritatis in intellectu, sanctitatis 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…ffectu, saith Alensis. The defect of holi∣•…•…ss in the will, of truth in the understand∣•…•…g, of innocency in the action: This is •…•…e threefold defect that makes the good •…•…ristian possess his soul, not in delight as •…•…on choice, but only in patience as upon •…•…cessity; because he wants holiness in his •…•…ill, and cannot love God; because he •…•…nts truth in his understanding, and •…•…not know God; because he wants in∣•…•…grity in his action, and cannot honour •…•…od as he is bound and desires to do. This the reason that he possesseth his soul, not delight but in patience; and the trouble •…•…at he finds in his possession, makes him 〈◊〉〈◊〉 think himself of a Resignation: The •…•…ssessing his soul in patience whiles he •…•…es, makes him Resign his soul in com∣•…•…t when he is to die: And here we have

the form of that comfortable Resignatio•…•… Into thy hands I commit my spirit, thou ha•…•… redeemed me, O Lord God of truth. I hop•…•… no man will say, that this set form of th•…•… Resignation of his soul, doth stint Go•…•… Spirit, which teacheth him how to Resig•…•… his own: For sure we are, that he use•…•… this same form, of whom it is said, G•…•… giveth not the spirit by measure unto hi•…•… John 3. 34. And if a set form did not co•…•…∣fine the spirit in him who received it not b•…•… measure, much less can it confine the spir•…•… in us, who have it measured from him Well may set forms teach us rightly t•…•… commend our own spirits to God, but the•…•… cannot possibly make us confine his Spirit. Had there been any such inconveniency 〈◊〉〈◊〉 using of set forms, the Spirit of Go•…•… would not have provided us so many se•…•… forms of Prayers and Praises in the Psalm and other parts of the Text: so that no ob∣jection can be made against set forms o•…•… Prayer, as such, which may not be retorte•…•… to some undervaluing, if not underminin•…•… of the Scripture it self, the very light o•…•… our eyes, the breath of our nostrils, and th•…•… joy of our hearts: We may not then hear∣ken to this objection, above all the rest unless we will say, That the Spirit of Go•…•…

did intend to confine himself: Or the Son •…•…f God did intend to confine his own Spi∣•…•…it in us, when he absolutely prescribed a •…•…t form in his own most holy Prayer, com∣•…•…anding it to be said, Luke 11. 2. when ye •…•…ray, say, Our Father: nay yet more, un∣•…•…ess we will say, that the Son of God did •…•…ntend to confine his own Spirit in himself, when he used this very particular form, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Into thy hands I commend my spirit, Luke 23. 46. For it is the very same Greek Text in both places, and the very same translation in the vulgar Latine, though we in English have seemed to make a Ver∣bal, but not a Real difference: And there∣fore it is evident, that our blessed Saviour by using this set form, hath sanctified it for our use, and taught us thereby how to Resign our souls to him that gave them; And indeed, the Spirit of God had suffici∣ently sanctified it before; so that now we have this Resignation doubly sanctified to us by the spirit, and by the Son of God; so happy a thing is it for us seriously to consider, and much more sincerely to love it, to give it a place in our meditations, and much more in our affections; And indeed it doth challenge both; nothing so fit to

busie our contemplations as these words, Into thine hand I commit my spirit; nothing so powerful to work upon our affections as these words, Thou hast Redeemed me O Lord God of truth: But since good Medi∣tations do produce good affections, and good affections do increase good medita∣tions; it is manifest that God hath joyned them together, and therefore we may not put them asunder. And indeed the whose verse concerns one and the same thing, considered in it self, and in its cause; Resig∣natio, Resignationis causa; The Resignation of the soul, and the cause of that Resigna∣tion; The Resignation of the soul, Into thy hands I commit my spirit; The cause of that Resignation, Thou hast Redeemed me O Lord God of truth: The Resigna∣tion of his soul is as ours should be, re∣markable for its seasonableness, for its ful∣ness, for its willingness, Resignatio Oppor∣tuna, Plena, Voluntaria; It is first opportune or seasonable; secondly full or plenary; thirdly free or voluntary: First it is an op∣portune or seasonable Resignation; for he was now in great danger, and in greater distress; Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me, v. 4. He was al∣ready partly ensnared, and did fear lest he

might in time be wholly entangled in the miseries and mischiefs of this sinful life, if he should retain his soul too long, and that makes him think of Resigning it: He well understood his dangers and his distresses, and that made him look towards his De∣liverer, and after his Deliverance: Tis not unseasonable at any time to resign our souls to God; for he may call for them when he pleases, and we ought to be rea∣dy at his call; But it is most seasonable, when we see our selves either in imminent danger, or in irremediable distress; then it is proper to follow the example of Eliah, 1 Kings 19. 4. He requested for himself that he might die; and said, Satis est nunc Do∣mine, Accipe animam meam; It is enough now O Lord, take away my life: It is enough for me in regard of this world, saith R. David; It is enough for this wicked world; for I have lived too long to see so much wickedness, and to be able to redress none, and yet desirous to stay longer to help increase All; Thus far in effect a Jew could go; but let Christians go farther in their Gloss, and say more∣over, It is enough for thy glory, and enough for my salvation: It is enough for thy glory, for thou hast miraculously pre∣served

me in my life; it is enough for the good of mine own soul, for thou hast made me sensible of, and thankful for thy miraculous preservation: And when can I better desire thee to take my soul, then now it actually hath this sense of thine un∣deserved Mercies, and this thankfulness for them? Yet Tremelius, seeking for the reason of this prayer out of the tenth verse, thus pithily enlargeth his Gloss; Abjectio Tui Foederis, Cultus Tui Destru∣ctio, Prophetarum tuorum coedes, & mei per∣secutio, faciunt ut mortem expetam: That the children of Israel have forsaken thy Covenant, thrown down thine Altars, slain thy Prophets with the sword, and seek my life to take it away; These things that have hitherto made me weary of life, do now make me even desirous of death: Nor may we think so Religious a Prophet would have carried with him the guilt of Impatience, much less of Uncharitableness to his grave: For it was the indispensable necessity of Gods Truth, and the un∣feigned zeal of Gods glory, that extorted from him this most grievous complaint; And indeed, when the true Religion and worship of God is in danger or in distress, though we our selves be in neither, yet is it

not fit for us to admit of the comforts of this world; then if any say, Fear not, for thou hast a Son, thou needest not be trou∣bled that the Philistims have gotten the conquest over Israel, for thou art in a hap∣py condition, thou hast a goodly inheri∣tance, and a Son to inherit after thee; yet must thou not answer, neither regard it, un∣less thou wouldest have a weak dying wo∣man rise up against thee in Judgement, 1 Sam. 4. 20. Then must Ichabod be all thy saying, that is, where is the glory? not where am I, what will become of me, or of my Family? But where is my God, where is his glory? For if the glory be de∣parted from Israel, how can a true Israelite desire to abide in it? Thine eyes are not opened to see thine own and other mens wickedness; thine heart is not opened to be sorry for it, and to repent of it, unless thou be ready in such a case as this, to cry out and say, Wo is me, that I am constrained to dwell with Mesech, and to have mine ha∣bitation among the Tents of Kedar, Psal. 120. v. 4. This was the method of his prayer, who questionless prayed with Gods Spirit, Psal. 119. First, Give me understand∣ing according to thy Word, v. 169. Then, Deliver me according to thy Word, v. 170.

till he had a right understanding of his mi∣sery, he knew not how to pray for his de∣liverance: But as soon as he fully saw the one, he could not choose but heartily pray for the other: Resignatio opportuna; This Resignation of his soul was opportune and seasonable; that is the first.

And as his Resignation was opportune and seasonable, so it was also full and ple∣nary; In manus tuas; Into thy hands: as if he had said, I desire to reserve nothing in mine own hands, but do resign all into thine: The Common-Law is very careful that a Resignation be whole and entire, without any reservation: And Navarr tells us, that he that hath anothers Resig∣nation, must be very cautelous in allowing him any thing out of his living, for fear there may be a suspition of a Simonaical contract: (Potest quotannis Resignanti quid Donare, si id faciat ob Amorem Dei principaliter coram Deo, absque tamen ullo pacto: And again, Gratitudinem erga Re∣signantem Caute exercere debet, ne praesuma∣tur id facere ob Confidentiam;) Will not ehe Law be satisfied without a full Re∣signation, and do we think God will be satisfied without it? Or what were it for him to accept of part of thy soul, but to

allow himself to be but half a God? Thou must therefore either Resign all to him, or keep all to thy self: For thou canst not divide the Sacrifice, unless thou wilt divide the Deity: And since thy All to him is no∣thing, thou canst not give him less then All, but thou must profess him worthy of less then nothing: He hath required All thy soul, and All thy might, and All thy strength; and it is a most abominable un∣dutifulness, and a more abominable un∣thankfulness, not to give him what he re∣quires, since thou canst not give him what he deserves; Therefore it must be a full Resignation, Resignatio Plena; that is the second.

And indeed it will be full, if it be free; it will be Plenary if it be Voluntary, which is the third condition, Resignatio Volunta∣ria; it must be a free and a voluntary Resignation; [I commit my spirit,] If I would reserve any thing to my self, it should be my spirit; the innermost part of my self, but I also commit that; and as I commit it into thy hands to dispose as thou pleasest, so I freely commit and commend it to thy disposal: A man may renounce his property upon Compulsion, but he Re∣signs it properly upon Choice or Election.

And so do good men give up their souls to God, freely and willingly, whereas wicked and ungodly men do it against their wills; Thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee, Luke 12. 20. As if it were taken away by force, not volun∣tarily Resigned; which was a great sin in him, that he did not willingly resign his soul to God, who created it; but a much greater sin in thee, if thou do not willing∣ly resign thy soul to the Son of God who Redeemed it, and who alone can save it; especially when he himself hath taught thee this form of a Resignation; whence it was that in the Gospel on Palm-Sunday, the Priest in the Latine-Church was to make a stop when he had read these words, Jesus when he had cryed again with a loud voice, yielded up the Ghost: He was here to pause, and to say his Pater Noster, Ave-Marie, and In manus tuas Domine Com∣mendo spiritum meum, before he proceed∣ed to the next verse; As if it were Un∣christian-like in us not to Resign our souls to our Saviour Christ, when we see him as it were Resigning his soul, meerly to pre∣pare a place for ours: I ask then, Darest thou trust thy soul in thine own hands? Is it not already much the worse for thy

keeping so long; and will it not still be worse if thou keep it longer? Canst thou resign it now as pure as thou didst first re∣ceive it, and will it not contract the greater impurity, the longer thou deferrest and de∣layest thy Resignation? Consider that Saint Paul saith, It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, Heb. 11. 31. wherein every word hath its weight, a weight too heavy to lay upon thy soul: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, It is the most terrible of all ter∣rours, for it is spoken of death: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, To fall: None are properly said to fall into Gods hands at their death, but they that would needs keep themselves out of his hands during their life: They then fall into his hands, because they did not be∣fore deliver their souls unto him; whereas those that desire to live unto God, do wil∣lingly give themselves into his hands, and do still continue in his hands whiles they are here, and so cannot be said to fall into his hands when they go from hence: Those only that go out of his hands in their life, are truly and properly said to fall into his hands at their death: And they find how fearful a thing it is to fall into his hands; because they find him a living God: He seemed to them as it were asleep before;

and his own good Spirit complaining that he had so long born with such miscreants, useth their own words in his complaint, Psal. 44. 23. Awake, why sleepest thou O Lord? Nay he seemed to them little less then dead, Psal. 14. 1. The fool hath said in his heart there is no God: It is in the Hebrew, there is no Judges; if a God to see him (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) yet not a Judge to punish him; They either thought him as it were asleep in not re∣garding their wickedness, or as it were dead in not revenging it: But now they find him a waking and a living God: That his eyes are open to see them, and his hand stretched out to reach them: and therefore they must needs be infinitely troubled, that they are against their wills, fallen into his hands.

For though King David chuseth rather to fall into the hands of God then of men, 2 Sam. 24. 14. yet is it only in regard of this, not of the next life: In this life he would not willingly fall into the hands of men, of ungodly, unpeaceable, unpla∣cable men, for their tender mercies are cruel, Prov. 12. 10. But in the next life, he would not fall into the hands of God: And it is an admirable observation of Saint

Chrysostom upon that plave, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 We that are under perse∣cution fall into the hands of men; but they that are our persecutors fall into the hands of God; And this of the two is the more terrible fall. O my God, though thou let me fall into mine enemies hands, yet let him never fall into thine: Draw thou near to him in Grace and Mercy, and draw him near to thee by Faith and Repentance: Be thou reconciled unto him, that he may be reconciled unto thee, and willingly give himself into thy hands: For it is so fear∣full a thing to fall into thy hands, that I cannot but pray against it, even for my greatest persecutors: I cannot hate mine enemy so far as to wish him that mischief: O then let me not so far hate my self, as to bring it upon mine own soul: Let me willingly commit and commend my spirit to thee every day, that being in thy hands all my life, it may not fall into thy hands at my death: Not fall into thy hands as a Malefactor that fled from thee, to be Judged and Tormented: But be received into thy hands as a child that flies to thee to be pardoned and protected: For when we have said all, and tried all that we can

say, this is the only way to be a good Chri∣stian, and that according to the first and best patterns or presidents that have been given us of Christianity; for so its said of Barnabas and Paul, Men that have hazard∣ed their lives for the Name of the Lord Je∣sus Christ; It is more in the original, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; Qui tradiderunt animas suas; Men that have gi∣ven or delivered up their souls for the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ: He that will be a good Christian, must endeavour to be as ready to deliver up his soul to Christ, as he desires Christ should be ready to receive it: And we are very much encouraged so to do; for we cannot be so ready to give our souls, as he is ready to take them, which puts me on the second general part of my text, (for I am willing to form my thoughts upon this argument into a fare∣well-Sermon for a Vale to the world) Re∣signationis causa, the cause of this Resigna∣tion, for thou hast Redeemed me O Lord thou God of Truth: Wherein we have indeed two causes; First the fulness of the Redemption, For thou hast Redeemed me. Secondly, the faithfulness of the Redeemer, O Lord thou God of truth.

First, the fulness of the Redemption; for

it had a threefold fulness; a fulness of Ex∣cellency, a fulness of Appearance, a fulness of Redundancy; which is Bonaventures distinction concerning our blessed Saviour, (lib. 3. sent. dist. 13.) Quod est loqui de Plenitudine secundum Excellentiam, & se∣cundum Apparentiam, & secundum Re∣dundantiam: We may speak of the fulness of Christ according to its Excellency, ac∣cording to its Appearance, and according to its Redundancy; for Christ had a ful∣ness of Excellency from his first concepti∣on; And he had a fulness of Appearance from the discent of the Holy-Ghost upon him; for then his excellent holiness was made apparent to all the world, by the testimony of the Father and of the Holy Spirit: And he had a fulness of Redun∣dancy from the time that he sanctified his disciples and servants, by the communica∣tion and participation of his holiness: And this same threefold fulness is in this Re∣demption; A fulness of Excellency or Per∣fection in the nature of it; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, hast Redeemed; A fulness of appearance or manifestation from the Author of it, Thou, thou hast Redeemed; And a fulness of Re∣dundancy from the subject of it, me, Thou hast Redeemed me. First there is a fulness

of Excellency or Perfection in this Redem∣ption from the nature of it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Thou hast Redeemed; So saith the Master of Greek Criticisms, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. This word is properly used concerning the Re∣demption of Captives, that are Redeemed with a price: For they that are otherwise delivered then by a price, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, are said rather to be Rescued then to be Redeemed: (Eustath. in Iliad. a.) Here is then a Redemption as excellent as the price that was paid for the Captives, and that was the blood of the Eternal Son of God: A price that was infinitely more worth then all the whole Creation both in heaven and in earth, which hath in truth no other preciousness but what it hath from this price; is no farther precious then as it is sprinkled with this blood.

Secondly, A fulness of appearance or manifestation in this Redemption from the Author of it. Thou, thou hast Redeemed; Thou whom God hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds, and who art the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, Heb. 1. 2, 3. This heir of all things came to make us par∣takers of his inheritance: The same God

that made the world by his Power, and governed it by his Wisdom, Redeemed it by his Mercy: He that was the bright∣ness of the glory of God, and the express image of his person, was pleased to make himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and being found in fashion as a man to humble himself, and be∣come obedient unto death, (Phil. 2. 7.) That by his death he might destroy death, and by his rising to life again, might re∣store to us everlasting life: But that's the third fulness in this Redemption; A ful∣ness of Redundancy, from the subject of it; Me, Thou hast Redeemed Me; Thou, Me: Heaven and Earth are meet together in the Mysterie; But Heaven and Hell are met together in the Mercy of this Redem∣ption: God and Man in the Mysterie, but God and sinful Man in the Mercy of it: Me in my Nature was a great mysterie; but Me in my Sins was a far greater mer∣cy. Thy love did seek me when I did not deserve it; Thy care did keep me when I did not observe it; O let neither Love nor Care forsake me now I do desire it: And indeed thou hast promised not to forsake us; And that is the second Reason we are so willing to Resign our selves to thee, the

faithfulness of our Redeemer, O God thou God of Truth: Thou art power∣ful in thy performances as God, and faith∣ful in thy Promises as the God of Truth: As none can resist thy power in perform∣ing, so none may distrust thy truth in pro∣mising: It was thy Mercy that made thee promise, but it is thy Truth that maketh thee keep thy promises: Mercy and Truth are together in God, as Cruelty and False∣ness go together in man; Though I have no right to thy Mercy from it self, yet I have a right to thy Mercy from thy Truth; And thine own Holy Spirit hath taught me to claim this Right, Heb. 13. 5. For he hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee; He said it to Joshua, yet will have me believe, he said it to me; for though that promise in its occasion was particular, and concerned only Joshua and those with him, Josh. 1. 5. yet in its document it was uni∣versal, and concerned all the faithful ser∣vants of God that should be to the end of the world; for that promise was made to Joshua as Leader of the people, and therefore belonged in common to him and to them, even to the whole Church of the Jews: And by the same reason belongs to us now as it did to them, even to the

whole Church of the Gentiles; For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek, or Gentile; For the same Lord over All, is rich unto all that call upon him, Rom. 10. 12. If we call upon him as Joshua and the Israelites did, we have the same interest in his promises as Joshua and the Israelites had; He will be as rich in Mercy to us, as he was to him and to them; or else in vain hath his Apostle said, For whatsoever things were written afore-time, were written for our learning, that we through patience and com∣fort of the Scriptures, might have hope, Rom. 15. 4. Where is the comfort of the Scriptures if it be not in the Promises? or what promise can be the ground of our hope like this, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee? A promise which he made in Mercy, as Lord over All, and therefore rich in mercy to All that call upon him; But a promise that he keepeth in truth, as being the same Lord over All; That is, one and the same constantly in himself, and therefore not diverse in his Word, nor in his Promises: O God thou God of truth: As God, thou art a Creditor to All by thy Mercy, All borrow of it, All depend on it, All are obliged to it: But as a God of Truth thou art a Debtor to All, that is,

to All that call upon thee; for the Pro∣mise, though it be universal, yet it is condi∣tional. Thou art a Debtor to All by thy Truth: they have an Interest in thy Pro∣mise, claim it as their Right, look to it as their Treasure, look on it as their Com∣fort: Debitor fidelitatis, non Justitiae, God is to man a Debtor of faithfulness, though not a Debtor of Justice: A Debtor of faithfulness, because of his own Word, though he cannot be a Debtor of Justice, because of mans Merit: As he is God, he hath provided Mercy, (for as is his Maje∣sty, so is his Mercy) But as he is the God of truth, so he hath moreover assured it: In this assurance did Saint Paul comfort himself, 2 Tim. 1. 12. For I know whom I have believed, and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed un∣to him against that day; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Depositum meum servare; God is contented to be our Depositarius or Trustee, to keep that which we commit to him, so it be worth his trust, or fit for his keeping: And nothing is fit for his keep∣ing, which hath relation to this day, or any thing of this world; but only that which hath relation to that day, or to the world to come: Therefore I may com∣mit

nothing else to him as to my Deposita∣ry or Trustee, but only my soul, which alone can remain and a bide till that day: And if I commit my soul unto him against that day, he will see it then forth-coming as safe as I can desire, and more safe then I can deserve: This is the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, The Depositum, Saint Paul speaks of; And the word used by him is a Noun derived from the Verb used in my Text, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, I will Depose, Into thy hands will I Depose my spirit; Saint Pauls 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, wholly a∣grees with this 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, his Depositum with this Deposing; The thing that he commits to Gods trust, is, his spirit, his soul, which he commits into his hands, as the only Trustee of souls: And it is much to be observed, that the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in the Greek Text, is not in the Present, but in the Future-Tense, so that it is to be rendered, not I do depose, or commit, or commend, but I will depose, or commit, or commend my spirit; to shew to us mans uncessant Dutifulness, and Gods uncessant Faithfulness. First mans uncessant Duty∣fulness; for this act of Resigning the soul, is a continued act; it is a thing long in doing before it can be well done; It re∣quires great preparations, greater delibe∣rations,

and greatest Resolutions; And af∣ter all our Preparations, and Delibera∣tions, and Resolutions, it is still a motion that is rather in fieri, then in facto esse, ra∣ther compleating, then compleated; that hath more perfection from the time to come, then from the time present or past; more perfection in the Purpose, then in the Performance; in the Resolution, then in the Execution; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 I will commit: No man can so fully Resign him∣self to God as he ought; and though our blessed Saviour could and did, yet to teach us this Document of humility, he also speaks as if he had not done it; for he saith, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as well as David, I will commit; As if something were still behind, something still more in the Resolu∣tion then in the Execution: For though the grace of union in Chirst was infinite, the grace whereby he took his humane soul; yet the habitual grace was not infinite, the grace whereby he resigned his soul; But God is infinite, as in himself, so also in his Obligation; and an infinite Obligation requires an infinite Satisfaction, which to a Finite nature must needs be rather in the Purpose then in the Performance, for which cause our blessed Saviour himself thought

fit to say, not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 I do commit, but I will commit my •…•…pirit: O Lord let me never think I can •…•…o too much, when thine own Son hath •…•…ught me that I can never do enough: He said I will do it, when he had done it; •…•…hall I say, I have more then done it, when cannot do it? Did he speak by way of •…•…xtenuation in his works, and shall I •…•…hansie a Supererogation in mine? Did •…•…e seem to intimate something less in his •…•…erformance then was in his Obligation; •…•…nd shall I dream of Performing more then was Obliged? O let me never come to •…•…at height of Impiety as to neglect my •…•…uty, much less to that height of Impu∣•…•…ence as to over value it: Let me never •…•…y, I Do, or Have done; but only I will •…•…o, accounting it thy greatest mercy to my •…•…oul, that thou givest the will to do; and •…•…he greatest security of my soul, that thou •…•…cceptest the will for the deed.

Secondly, Gods uncessant faithfulness; for David could not have said, I will com∣mit, by a continued act of giving, if he •…•…ad not believed Gods uncessant faithful∣ness in a continued act of receiving; Gods faithfulness is as everlasting as himself: And that makes him look upon his trust as

never fully discharged, but as alwaies new∣ly undertaken; And he would have us be∣lieve that he is as careful of it, and as faithful in it, as if he did every moment newly undertake it; for this same 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in the Future-tense, which doth shew mans continued act in resigning his soul to God, doth also import Gods con∣tinued act in receiving souls that are re∣signed unto him; that he is alwaies ready to Receive them, and alwaies as careful to Retain them, and will be as faithful to Re∣store them: He Receives them by his Mer∣cy, he Retains them by his power, (non•…•… is able to pluck them out of his hands, Joh•…•… 10. 28.) He will Restore them by his Truth; And he will Restore them infinite∣ly better, then he can Receive them; con∣trary to all other Trustees, who generally Receive much better then they Restore•…•… Never any man gave his spirit to God in his life-time, though but for an instant, b•…•… an holy Contemplation or Affection, bu•…•… he received it again much better then he gave it: How much more shall he that gives him his spirit at his death by a full and free Resignation, receive it again infi∣nitely better at the last Resurrection Wherefore let us pray unto him that h•…•…

will be pleased to make us ready to resign •…•…ur souls to him without reluctancie, and •…•…areful to resign them without spot or •…•…emish, being throughly washed by the •…•…ars of our own Repentance, and by faith 〈◊〉〈◊〉 our Saviours blood, that so he may •…•…ceive them into his Mercy, and sanctifie them by his grace, and satisfie them with •…•…is glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord •…•…nd only Saviour, to whom with the Fa∣ther and the Eternal Spirit, be ascribed all •…•…onour and glory, be performed all boun∣•…•…en duty and obedience, from this time •…•…orth and for evermore, Amen.

Quod de te per te loquimur, da transeat ad te, Utque tui simus, nos age, solus habe.

FINIS.