A guide to the Holy City, or, Directions and helps to an holy life containing rules of religious advice, with prayers in sundry cases, and estates ... / by Iohn Reading ...

Directions for the Sick.

CHAP. XXXV,

§. 1. As all afflictions sanctified, so sicknesse profitable for Gods children many waies. §, 2. How it may become so to us. §. 3. Duties of them that visit the sick.

1 THere is nothing constant in this world, but inconstancy and change of all things.a We are borne with a con∣dition of dying:b mortality beginneth with life; ••our sicknesse with our health: we bring it from the wombe, as de∣rived to us from our first parents, from the houre of whose transgression, death tooke date, and in the commencement of sicknesse, he began to dye, accordingc to the sentence, from which he became mortall: and nowd all flesh is grasse: and all the goodlinesse thereof as the flower of the feild: the grasse wi∣thereth, and the flower fadeth, quickly, and certainly, though in∣sensibly: we perceive it soone withered, though we cannot mark by what degrees it changeth: so age and infirmity stealeth on.

2 The good God as he is severe, so is he mercifull:e nei∣ther loosing mercy in his justice, nor his justice in his mercy▪ There is nothing which befalleth the elect, but it hath some good in it,f or by it to them accrewing. Concerning afflictions David saith, it is good for me that I have beene in trouble. The ve∣ry death of the Saints (bitter as it is to flesh and blood) is mercy to themg blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord—) not on∣ly that they rest from their labours, but also in that it is to them the death of sinne and passage to eternall life: and so our h sicknesse is profitable; though it be the rod of an almighty Father, it shall like Moses rod (sometimes in the dreadfull shape of a serpent) serve to divide the bitter waves and open us a pas∣sage to our eternall rest: and so the decayes of these earthly ta∣bernacles shall daily bring us neerer to the repaire of our eter∣nall building in heaven: therefore God sendeth sicknesse upon his dearest children, whom he could as easily have rescued

from death, by a translation, as he did Enoch and Eliah: but hee maketh their sicknesse many waies pro••itable unto them: as by preparing them unto death, by repentance, and calling upon the Lord: by weaning them from the love of this life, by teaching them patience and subjection to the hand of God, whereas im∣patience, like the sea, turneth all that which falleth into it (even the otherwise sweet and comfortable blessings of God) into its own bitter relish: and humility: not to bee prowd of beauty, youth, strength, subject to so many diseases, as pose art it selfe, and overcome the old remedies, with accession of new sicknes∣ses: so that it is true,i Bodily infirmities stir up the vigor of the minde and transmit the strength of body into it—so that it is a kinde of health sometimes to be unhealthy: diseases over∣comming the body: the soule overcommeth sinne, sicknesse, is an harbinger or quartermaster to death, the monitor of our ends approaching, and that which taketh off the bewitching love of this world: the historians tell us of a kinde of fire, which rageth the more, by how much more water thou castest on;k it is quenched only by casting on of dust; it may bee true in the mo∣rall: for such a kind of heat is there in the love of the world: the more thou givest it the more thou in••lamest it: it is quenched only with the dust of the grave, and that which bringeth there∣to. The life of man is like a lovely rivers streame, neere the ri∣sing set with flowrie bancks, plants, houses, pleasant walkes, gar∣dens, sweet meddowes, and delightfull seats: but if you follow it toward the end, you shall ••inde it more and more troublesome, stormy, deepe, dangerous, and so engul••ing into bitternesse: as the Lord permitted Israël to bitter pressures in Egypt, that they might more willingly depart thence toward the promised rest, so is it here: the healthy and prosperous say in their hearts as the Reubenites and Gadites. Numb. 32. 5. when they saw the pleasant Jazer, and the fruitfull Gilead—if we have found grace in thy sight, let this land be given unto thy servants for a possession— they would not goe hence: now God though he give us sweet comforts in the first fruits of his spirit (like clusters from Escol. Deut. 1. 24. 25.) yet he embittereth our worldly delights: our places of pleasure are toucht with some griefe: our beds of rest become places of sicknesse and death. Eden was the theatre for

mans first tragoedie; Christ began his passion in a garden: the easterne people made their sepulchres in gardens, to teach them what may, and must come of their pleasures. Sicknesse maketh the prudent loath sinne in the sense of the bitter effects thereof: the victories of sinne are destructive (if they arel againe intan∣gled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them then the beginning) as it was said in the name of those white sacrifices whichm Marcus Caesar used to offer in his tri∣umphs, if thou overcommest we perish; we truely may say of sin: happy affliction therefore, which maketh us out of love with that, which cannot destroy except it overcome, nor overcome except we love it. Sicknesse awaketh us from security, except we are like thosen sleepy beares, which cannot be awaked, no not with wounds, and stirreth them up to seek the Lord, as hee saitho in their affliction they will seeke me early. Though wicked p Asa in his great sicknesse, sought not to the Lord—Yet to the Saints, sicknesse is a sweet enditer of prayers: as it is writ∣ten q in the day of my trouble I will call upon thee—for thou wilt heare me. How many men for bodily sicknesse were brought to Christ, and had their soules cured; who being in health li∣ved in unbeleefe before? Terrour of conscience, oppression, po∣verty, and sicknesse are profitable for the elect, in that they serve (like those foure bearers of ther paralyticall man) to bring them to Christ.

That thou maist therefore make a right use of thy sicknesse, observe these rules.

1. Search thy heart, and turne unto the Lord in seri∣ous repentance: make thy peace with him quickly: conside∣ring the cause of thy sicknesse thy sinnes:s judge and con∣demne thy selfe for them, that God may acquit thee and ren∣der unto the Lordt that for which he delivereth thee, if thou recover.

2u Set thy house in order and dispose of thy estate which God hath given thee, if thou have not before done it.

3 Use the help of the learned Physitian: but rely on God for the blessing on the meanes: there are divers perniti∣ous errours in this case to be avoided: some to their losse neg∣lect all meanes: these betray their own lives, undervallew Gods

favours, and despise his ordinance in the good creatures made for the reliefe and recovery of the sick, and thew Physitian who is to be honoured: some trust too much to second causes, neglecting the first: so didx Asa: some seeke to evill and un∣lawfull meanes Witches, Charmers, &c. soy Ahaziah sent to Baal-zebub, the idol of Ekron: some as f••olish, if not so wicked, seeke to the unskilfull and ignorant: trusting a pretious life in∣to the hands of those, who without learning or calling, are ma∣ny times venterous murderers, as if God were not the God of wisdome: and what wonder; seeing upon the like hazard, they venture their immortall soule.

4z Watch and pray, as in all estates, so specially in this, that as God hath given thee this warning to prepare thee to meet him, so, that he would sit thee for himselfe, and so san∣ctifie thy trialls, that they may better thee, and make thee rea∣dy for his kingdome: that he would restore thy health, and give thee an heart to make a more thankfull, prudent, and holy use thereof then thou hast formerly dore: to give thee pati∣ence, masure thy trials in mercy, proportion thy strength to the affliction, and to keep thee in life and death as one of his.

5 Endeavour, what humane infirmitie will permit to beare patiently, not stupidly, but in confidence of Gods mer∣cy: For 1. Impatience is but an accession to thy griefe, so much worse then the disease, as the soule is better then the bo∣dy; and the distempers thereof more dangerous, then the bo∣dily. 2. All that we now can suffer, commeth in••initely short of that we shall enjoy in Christ. 3. God can (if he see it best) deliver us from the greatest dangers. 4. He will lay no more upon us, then he will make us able to beare, and give anda is∣sue out of every triall. 5. Our sufferings (if with patience) are to his glory, asb Christ said of some. 6. We mustc through many trials enter into glory. 7.d Christ is toucht with a fee∣ling of our misery. 8. These afflictions are but trialls, and ex∣ercises of our faith and patience. 9. Christ suffered in••initely more for thee. 10. Many of the Saints havee suffered long infirmities. 11. As this earthly house of this tabernacle must, by little, and little, be destroyed, so must our afflictions therein have an end: so that they cannot last long: it is of excellent

use to patience or moderation, to consider well in all temporall interest, how long we can suffer or enjoy. 12. Sicknesse is the soules physick: nothing will amend him whom sicknesse cannot we endure hard things patiently for the cure of the body: and what is the health thereof without the soules health? Of what certainty or continuance is it at our best strength? Are the flowers or bubles more fraile? If we are wise we will not quar∣rell the bitternesse of the medicine so that wee may be recove∣red. 13. Hereby we learne what we owed to God for health, and in recovery, what use to make thereof, which is, that wee be truely thankfull; that we more holily employ the same, know∣ing, that God restored us not to sin: that we accompt it lent us for a time, to prove us: ever remembring that wee must againe be sick and dye: that wee betray not the good health (which God hath restored us, that we might serve him and be blessed) to death, and selfe-destruction, by surfetting, drinking, glutto∣ny, lust; this is no better then selfe-murder: that wee learne in sommer to provide for winter, in the calme against the storme, in health against sicknesse. 14.f God doth herein that which he knoweth best for us, though flesh and blood be impa∣tient: health hurteth many: how much more happily had the theefe, murderer, adulterer been upon his sick bed, then laying wait to sin? Innocentius aegrotaret sceleratè sanus: this good is in sicknesse, it keepeth men more innocent. 15. The hand that smiteth us should make us patient, asg Eli said, it is the Lord, let him doe what seemeth him good: it cannot but bee best which he doth to his children: he cannot erre; who correcteth those he loveth: it ish great anger when he smiteth not: where sin aboundeth without any apparent judgement: as it wasi with Elies sons, who hearkned not unto the voice of their father, because the Lord would slay them.

6 Fix thy soule & affections on the life to come, meditate on the resurrectiō of the dead, & eternall life, where shall be no more sin, death, curse, sicknes, old age, or infirmity: where the tree of life Christ Jesus, is in the midest, to give eternall perpetuity of happines: so shalt thou be more willing to leave this miserable, inconstant world for heaven▪ if God restore thee health, thou wilt pay thy vowes, and spend the remainder of thy life, more cheerfully in his service.

The duties of them that visit the sicke are

1. To remember them of the state of all men in sinne, and what neede they have of the grace in Christ: thereby to move them to repentance, an repaire of all injuries by them done to any.

2 To recount to them the promises of God in Christ, endeavour¦ing to apply them to them: and to exhort them to a chearfull confession of the faith, to their own and others comfort, and confirmation.

3. To be instant with them, that they be reconciled to all, with whom they have had any enmity, or contention.

4. To dispose of their estates for the prevention of future con¦troversies.

5. To comfort them against the feare of death, by those scrip∣tures which have Gods promises for assistance in tryalls; and and a serious pressing of the resurrection of the dead, and state of future glory.

6. To pray with them, and for them.

7. To moove them faithfully to vow (if God restore them) to live more holily and carefully: or patiently to beare their tryalls, and to expect constantly, the salvation and deliverance of the Lord.

A prayer for the sicke.

MOst holy, iust, and mercifull Lord God; we thy unworthy servants (according to thyne own gratious command, and promise to heare us calling on thee in the day of our trouble) now appearing before thee, humbly acknowledge thy fatherly hand smit∣ing us with sicknesse: thy corrections are just and so allayed with mer∣cy, that thy chastisements are few to our numberlesse sinnes: thou mightest sodainly haue smitten us with death (the wages of sinne) and given us no more warning, after our many contempts of thy law threatning, and thy gospell promising, but haue permitted us to a so∣daine perishing in our sins, whome thy long suffering, could not leade home to repentance: now therefore in thy judgment remember mercy: correct us not in thine anger, chasten us not in thy heavy displeasure:

Thy holy sonne Jesus hath taught us to call thee Father: O let his spirit assure us that our afflictions are but fatherly chastisments, smiting that thou maist heale our soules, let them be occasions to make us judge our selves that we may not be condemned with an im∣penitent world: our soules have surfetted on the sweet blessings of health, and it is but just that thou now smitest us, with want there∣of: it is mercy, by these stripes, to shew us our sinnes, and bring us to thy mercy seat, to beg pardon and obtaine remission, thou hast with in••inite & invincible patience, expected our repentance, and amend∣ment: thou hast allured us with every daies favours powred out up∣on us: when that prevailed not, thou doest with greater mercy shew thy justice, and compell us by thy chastisements to come unto thee: we come now, gratious Father, as out-worne prodigalls driven home by necessity: but it is because when thou sawest us far off in our sinnes and miseries, thou madest hast to meet us with thy preventing grace, and embraced'st us with thy fatherly mercy: and what can wee now say more, then that we have sinned against heaven and against thee, and are no more worthy to be called thy sonnes: have mercy on us; turne thy face from our sinnes blot out all our iniquities heale our soules, cloath us with the best robe of thy righteousnesse: make us as the meanest in thy kingdome: doe thy will with us in health or sick∣nesse, life or death, only let us be thine.

It was thy eternall counsaile to redeeme sinfull man, by thy sonne Christ Jesus by his righteousnesse to kill sinnes in the flesh: to give us eternall life by his death: and thou hast accomplished it in the ap∣pointed time: it remaineth only that thou wilt be pleased to apply the assurance thereof to our consciences, that after our afflictions, we may enjoy the quiet fruits of righteousnesse, the end of our faith, sal∣vation of bodies and soules: O Lord we could looke for nothing but rejection from thy gracious presence for ever, if we were to appeare before thee in our deservings; but now that we come in the spotlesse robe of thy sonne Christ his righteousnesse, wee are confident of the blessing; because thou art faithfull in thy promises: for his sake co∣ver our sinnes, let thy justice be satisfied in his merit, seale up the as∣surance of our pardon, by the spirit of truth which cannot deceave us make us fruitfull in all those workes which may give a comforta∣ble testimony to our consciences, that we are thine: give us strength to fight the good fight, finish our course, and keep the faith against the

fallacies of Satan, corruptions of flesh and blood, and seducements of an evill worldt: o continue grounded, and established, that wee may be certaine, that for us is laid up that immortall crowne of Righte∣ousnesse, which thou wilt give at the last day to all that love thy ap∣pearing: meane time make us patient, cheerefully to endure our tri∣alls; give us hearts rightly composed to wait all the daies of our lives, till our changing come.

And now, O gracious Father, though wee are most unworthy to speake unto thee for our selves; yet seeing thou hast commanded us to call upon thee one for another, with promise that the prayers for the righteous shall be available if they be fervent; so that they shall save the sick; that thou wilt raise them up, and if they have commit∣ted sinnes, they shall be forgiven them: we humbly pray thee for this our sick brother, Lord assure him of his sinnes remission by the merits of Christ Jesus, give him that peace of conscience and inward com∣fort of thy holy spirit, which may manifest thy favour and mercy to him. There is nothing impossible to thee which thou wilt doe, heare therefore and have mercy on him: only speake the word and blesse the meanes, that he may be healed: if otherwise thou hast determined, thy holy will be done: Lord who canst make all things happy to thy children, give him patience meekely to beare thy fatherly hand: remember whereof thou hast made fraile man: consider his infirmi∣ty, measure out his tryalls with that tender hand which best know∣eth how to proportion the affliction, to that strength which thy selfe hast given him: O Lord God of all comfort, leave him not comfort∣lesse, but as the outward man decayeth strengthen the inward, suffer not the malicious tempter to cast down, or shake his confidence in Christ Jesus: let not the sonne of violence come neere him: as thou hast all his life time, from his mothers wombe unto this present, given thyne angells charge over him, to pitch their tents about him; so be pleased in this time of tryall to open to him the eie of faith, whereby he may cleerely perceive that they are more and stronger with him, then can be against him. send the holy spirit, the comfor∣ter to his afflicted soule, to bring to memory, and apply all these gracious promises which thou hast made thine elect. Blessed Jesus, who hast therefore taken our fraile nature on thee, that thou mightst have experience of our miseries, who best knowest what it is to dy, having in thyne own death and bitterest passion overcome death

and him that had the power thereof, to deliver us from sinne, and destruction the bitter fruite and effect therof: now appeare his comforter, assuring him of his interest in thy sufferings: give him such a sense of thy mercy, that the gates of hell may never prevaile against it: such experience of the life of thy spirit, and power by which thou didst rise againe from the dead, that hee may certainely know that his Redeemer liveth, and shall at last shew the same power in his resurrection, in which he shall, with the rest of thine elect, at the voyce of the last trumpet, be raised from the dust of the earth, to meet thee in the clouds of heaven, to see thee with those now lan∣guishing eyes, which must at and to the appointed time, be cloased to sleep in thee, that hee may rest from his labours. And now O Lord who hast hid from us the houre of our dissolution, that we might al∣waies expect thee; let thy good spirit, which sleepeth not, set a care∣full watch over every one of our soules, that we may never sleepe without oyle in our lamps, but be ready at thy appearance to enter with thee into thy kingdom, where all sorrow shall cease in the fulnes of joy, faith in the fruition of thy promises, and this state of misery and corruption in a never ending life of glory and immortality. Lord heare and help us, Lord grant us these requests, and whatsoe∣ver else thou knowest more needfull, what thou hast promised, or we should aske, for thy Sonne Christ Jesus sake, in whose words and mediation we conclude our imperfect prayers:

Our Father which art in heaven, &c.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, &c.

Thanksgi••ing for health recovered.

O Lord God gracious and mercifull, aboundant in goodnesse and truth, heaven and earth sound out thy praise, all thy creatures tasting of thy providence, and preservation, praise thee: and what have I more to present thee with them, what can I lesse then my humble and hearty thanks for thy tender mercy toward me, whom thou hast therefore delivered from sicknesse and sorrowes of death, that I might yet live to glorifie thy name among the living; and for the comfort of others, to declare what thou hast done for my poore soule: how thou hast raised me by casting mee down, and healed me, by wounding an afflicted conscience with a ter∣rible sense of thy severe judgements: how thou didst sanctify my sicknesse, by giving me an heart to looke up to thy fatherly hand which smote me, to acknowledge my sinnes, for which thou correct∣edest me; to repent me of the same, assured of thy mercy in Christ Jesus; to resolve and vow to forsake all my sinfull waies; to doe a more holy and faithfull endeavour to serve and please thee.

And now O Lord, I humbly pray thee enlarge my heart and tongue to praise and glorifie thy holy and great name: all things are of thee, and what can any creature give thee, but of thine owne hand? Lord give mee that sacrifice of praise and thankesgiving, which may be acceptable to thee, that I may henceforth, not onely speake, but live thankefully and holily before thee: that I may pay my vowes which I made in my distresse and feare; so that it may be good for me that I have beene afflicted, that I may in all tempe∣rance, and godlinesse make a right use of health restored me, and of the daies which thou addest to my life; to thy glory and the com∣fortable assurance of my conscience, both in life and death. That thou who hast begun to shew mercy, maist be pleased to continue the same in thy gratious preservation of me; so that at my last houre which thou hast appointed me; the former experience of thy mercy may give me a sound hope and full assurance, that thou wilt keepe me unto, and in my end: that when this house of clay shall be dissol∣ved, I shall rest with my Saviour Jesus Christ, untill the time de∣termined,

to raise the dead in him, to the life of glory, in which our Forerunner now sitteth at thy right hand: to whom with thee, (O Father of mercy, and God of all consolation) and the holy spirit, bee rendred all honour, praise, and glory, in Heaven and on Earth, for ever and ever.

AMEN.

A Prayer for the sicke of the Plague.

O Allmighty God great and terrjble in thy judgments, yet of in∣finite mercy and compassion to those who truly seeke thee: wee hum∣bly acknowledge that not only this plague wherein thou now afflictest this land, is due unto our sinnes; but also allother thy severe judg∣ments to our destruction and desolation, and to whome shall we seek for helpe, but to the, whome we haue so continually provoked by our sinnes. O Lord, thou art a God of mercy, and wouldst not destroy but the importunitie of our sinnes, hath put this heavy rod into thy hands: and our iniquities have so much d••faced thy glorious Image in us, that thou maist justly hide away thy face from our miseries, & no more owne us for thy Children: but, O Lord, our onely hope is in the merit and mediation of thy sonne Jesus Christ, whome thou gavest to death for us: it is he, O Lord, who beareth all our names in his secret brest-plate it is he that appeareth hefore thee for us▪ let our petitions ascend to thy throne of mercy like sweet incense from the precious censer of his merits: it is he who standeth betweene the liv∣ing and the dead. O let this plague which now consumeth us be stayed: Lord looke not on our sinnes, but his merits in whome thou art well pleased: for his sake, in whome we beleeve, and whose holy name we beare, say unto the destroying angell it is enough; cause him to sheath the sword againe, and let this plague cease.

Lord God of all consolation comfort all those whom thou hast smitten with the infection: heale them that they may recover, and praise thy glorious name: however thou shalt be pleased to deale with their mortall bodies speake peace to their soules and save them, give them full assurance of thy mercy and their redemption in Christ

Jesus: let thy holy spirit the comforter ever remaine with them, to pr••serue them against all the malitious assaults of the adversary (that he may never make his advantages, on their surrowes, infir∣mities, or the distracting and astonishing violence of their disease: comfort them at the last gaspe, and breathing out their affl••cted soules, with present sense and assurance of the eternall joyes in thy Kingdome, free from death, sicknesse, sorrow, feare, and all the wretched effects of sinne: preserue those whom thou hast hitherto spared let no plague come nigh their dwelling, and make them in their preservation understand, that thou only hast kept them to serve thee more carefully and thankefully; and to shew mercy to those who are visited and shut up. Lord heare and help us: Lord spare thy people and restore us health, that we may glorifie thy name through Jesus Christ our Lord.

AMEN.

A Thanksgiving at the ceasing of the plague.

GRatious God and mercifull Father; we are come before thee with an humble and hearty desire to present an acceptable sa∣crifice, of praise and thanksgiving unto thy holy Majestie for all thy gracious mercies spirituall and temporall bestowed upon us unwor∣thy of the least of them: it was thy free mercy not our merit, that electedst us when we were not, that thou createdst us to thine own holy image: that thou redeemest us; that thou didst sanctify and justify us: that thou hast preserved us, sparing us, when now thy fierce wrath came our against us in a noisome and devouring pesti∣lence; that thou was pleased to regard our teares, and accept our unworthy humiliation: all this was thy free mercy: had we suffered as we have all deserved, not one of the multitude apearing before thee this day, had beene left alive to have praised thee. And now, O thou Saviour of Israel in the time of trouble, and the blessed preserver of man, whose mercies are as the unsounded deeps and can never be drawn dry, give us sanctified bodies and soules, that we may render them (which thou hast redeemed from death) a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto thee. Lord who hast the key of David (who sang

thy praises) opening so, that none can shut; open our lips, that our mouths may shew forth thy praise, that we may now pay all our vows, in our distresse and feare made unto thee. As thou hast put a new song of thansgiving into our mouthes; so give us new hearts, new o∣bedience, new lives and conversations: renew thy covenant with us and with our children, to be our God, and protector, untill thou shalt be pleased to translate us to that Kingdome of thy Sonne; where shall be joy secure from feare of loosing, health without sicknesse, life with∣out death, blessednesse without all measure or end: where we, whose hearts and soules this day praise thee, shall with thy holy angels sing eternall Hallelu-jahs to the glory of thy great name, through the merits of thy holy Son Jesus Christ our Lord: to whom with thee O Father of mercy, and the Holy Ghost the Comforter, be rendred all honour, praise, thanksgiving, and glory, in heaven and earth this day, and to all eternity.

AMEN.

Another forme of thanksgiving on the like occasion.

O Lord God, Father of mercy and compassion, we humbly ac∣knowledge that our sinnes have beene so great and grievous, that when thy wrath went out against us in thy late dreadfull visi∣tation by the pl••gue of pestilence, it might justly have consumed us, the aged with the infant, the mother with the child, untill thou hadst laid our habitations wast, and our cities without inhabitants: but seeing thou hast been pleased to remember mercy in the midst of thy judgements, and to spare our lives from destruction, we can do no lesse (nor more) then present our humble and hearty thankes un∣to thee in the congregation of thy people: what shall wee give thee for all thy mercies? what can we, seeing our goods are nothing unto thee? we have nothing but thankes to returne thee; nor could we that, except thou gavest us hearts and tongues so to doe: Lord make us thankfull: give us that we may give thee again, and be acceptable unto thee: fill our hearts with thy feare and love, and our mouthes with thy praise, let it come up into thy presence, as the sweete

incense from the Censer of the great Angell of thy covenant Christ Jesus. Be thou pleased through his mediation, to smell a favour of rest, that thy severe judgements may be turned to mercies, and fa∣therly corrections for our amendment, that wee may truely profit thereby: that we may feare and reverence thy just judgements, and praise thee for thy elemency and mercy which thou hast shewed unto us in this deliverance.

Particularly we blesse thy holy name, for these thy servants, who now appeare before thee, with their sacrifice of praise end thonkes∣giving, for that thou hast spared and delivered them, from the grave and destruction, which was come up into their houses. Lord now grant them true thankefulnesse, with holy and constant resolutions, to spend the remainder of their daies, to the glory of thy great name and good example of their brethren. And seeing thou hast given us all the same argument of thankesgiving, whom thou hast preserved and kept further off from the noisome contagion; we pray thee also to accept our oblation of praise: set our hearts to meditate, and our tongues to sound out those praises to thy holy name, which wee shall through thy mercy in Christ, sing to thee for ever, in the sacred Quieres of Saints and Angells in thy kingdome of glory: which grant us O good Lord for the same thy sonne our Sauiour Jesus Christ his sake who with thee and the holy spirit, liveth and reign∣eth, one glorious God for ever and ever.

AMEN.

Notes

• a

  Moriendi con∣ditione nasci∣mur. Greg.
• b

  Nasci hic in corpore mortali, incipere aegro∣tare est. Aug. in Psal. 102.
• c

  Genes. 2. 17.
• d

  Isay 40. 6. 7. 1 Pet. 1. 24.
• e

  Aug. in Psal. 100. nec in bo∣nitate miscri∣c••rdi ••perdit ju∣dicii severit•••••••• nec in judic••••••do, &c.
• f

  Psal. 119.
• g

  Rev. 14▪ 13.
• h

  Ips••n aegr••tu∣din••m quam nos ut tetram ac im∣ma••••m belluam fugiendam esse &c. non sin•• magnâ utilitat•• à naturâ 〈◊〉〈◊〉 constitutam, ut homines 〈◊〉〈◊〉, &c. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in delicto dolcrent. Cic. Tusc. q. l. 4.
• i

  —Et verum est: imb••••illi•••• ••••nim carnis, mentis vi∣gore mexacuit, & affectis artubus, v••res corporum in virtutes trans feruntur animo rum: & mihi genus quoddam sanitatis esse vi∣deatur, hominem interdum non esse sanum—quanto imbecil∣lior corpore, tan∣to purior sensu▪ vincentibus car∣nem tuam mor∣bis, mente vicisti. &c. Salvian. ep. 5.
• k

  Nec alio sopi∣tur quam jactu pulveris. Solin. Maltha—aquis ••tiam accendi∣tur terrâ tan∣tum restingui docuêre experi∣menta. Plin. n. h. l. 2. 104 ibid. 106.
• Aquis{que} con∣spersa acriores ••x••itat aestus in∣cendiorum nec remedio ullo qua•• superiacto pul∣vere consopitur Am. Mar••••ll. l. 23.
• l

  2. Pet 2. 20.
• m

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉—Am. Marcel. l. 25.
• n

  Nec uuln••ri¦bus excitari pos∣sunt. Solin. c. 29.
• o

  Hos. 5. 15.
• p

  2. Chr. 16. 12.
• q

  Psal. 86. 7.
• r

  Mark. 2•• 3.
• §. II.
• s

  1. Cor. 11. 30
• t

  Ideo parcit ut corrigaris▪ non us in malignitate per maneas. Au∣gust, in Psal. 100.
• u

  Isai. 38. 1.
• w

  Ecclus 38. 1. &c.
• x

  2 King. 20. 7.
• y

  2 Cing. 1. 2.
• z

  Math. 25. 41.
• a

  Cor. 10. 13.
• b

  Joh. 9. 3. Joh. 11. 4.
• c

  Acts 14. 22.
• d

  Hebr. 4. 15.
• e

  Luk. 8. 43. Luk. 13. 11. Joh. 5. 5. Act. 14. 8. Act. 9. 33.
• f

  Medicus si ces∣saverit curare, desperat liben∣ter, nun•• tor∣menta patiar, ut futura mihi glo∣ria reservetur. Castrut. ep. 38.
• g

  1 Sam. 3. 18.
• h

  lb. Hieron. q. 5.
• i

  1 Sam. 2. 25.
• Rev. 22. 33.
• §. III.