The safegard of the soule Declaring sundry soueraigne salues tending to the comfort and saluation of the same: very necessarie to bee learned and obserued of all men, and at all times, but chiefely in the extremitie of sicknes, and grieuous pangs of death. Composed by Lawrence Bankes, preacher of the word of God: and parson of Staunton, in the county of Glocester.

A pithy Prayer for a Pati∣ent being pained with Sicknes.

IT is thou, O Lord, onely to whom all power and praise belongeth. It is thou that raignest in heauen in glorie, in earth in mercy, & in hel in iudgment. It is thy voice, O Lord, whereunto both the seas and windes are obedient. It is thy name, O Lord God of Hosts, that maketh all the Diuels in hell to tremble and quake: and they can doe nothing without thy permission. Thou bringest

downe to hell, and raisest vp againe. Thou pluckest downe the mighty from their Throne, and exaltest the humble and meeke. Thou makest both poore and rich, strong & weake. Thou sendest sicknes, and restorest health againe in thy good time. Thou gi∣uest life, and takest it away at thy pleasure. O Lord, whose maiestie and might no creature is able to with∣stand, neither in heauen, earth, or vnder the earth: Thou that hast made the Sea and the dry land, and all things therein contai∣ned: Thou that knowest

our weaknesse, and what metall wee bee made of: haue regard vnto the work∣manship of thy hands: Pierce the heauens, O Lord, and giue eare vnto our prayers, which with sorrowfull hearts, trickling teares, bowed knees, and vnfained lips we powre out before thy presence. We acknowledge (O Lord) our owne frailetie and vnwor∣thinesse, and how that all men liuing are but vanitie, euen as the grasse in the field, which to day flourish∣eth, and to morrow withe∣reth away, as the smoke in the furnace, the bubble in

the water, or the could that swiftly passeth away and is no more seene: So soone also fedeth away our time, and our yeeres come to an end. Thou onely (O Lord) knowest the number of our dayes, and appointest vs our bounds which we can∣not passe. We confesse (O most mercifull God) that wee haue sinned against heauen, and against thee, and are no more worthy to be called thy children, no nor to tread vpon the earth, or to haue the light of the Sunne to shine vpon vs: but rather to bee burned with fire, drowned in the

waters, swallowed vp of the earth, ouerwhelmed with mountaines, or deuoured with wilde beasts & fowles of the ayre. Our transgressi∣ons and sinnes are so great, so grieuous, and many in number, wherewithall wee haue and doe dayly offend thy Maiestie, both in thought, word, and deed, that our weake conscien∣ces being loden and bur∣thened with the remem∣brance of them, are afraid to approch into thy pre∣sence, for feare of thy wrath and iust iudgement. Yet (O Lord) forsomuch as thy mercy is aboue all thy

workes, and because thou art a gentle & pitifull God, long-suffering, and full of compassion, and wouldest not the death of a sinner, but rather that hee conuert and liue. We are there∣fore the bolder not of our selues, but in the name of thy deare Son Iesus Christ (with whom thou art well pleased) to call vpon thee for mercy and comfort: That it would please thee of thy gracious goodnes to forgiue and blot out of thy remembrance all our sinnes and wickednes, and neuer hereafter to impute them vnto vs. Regard not

(good Lord) our deserts which is death and damna∣tion, but be mindfull of thy louing promises in Iesus Christ our Sauiour, who in all temptations of the Di∣uell, the World, and the Flesh, is our onely Rocke, and sure stay and defence, and neuer shrinketh from those which be wrapped in woe and misery. Comfort (O Lord) this thy Seruant, vpon whom thou hast laid the scourge of sicknes, and rod of visitation, as a sure token and pledge of thy loue, and fatherly good wil towards him: for whom thou louest, those thou cor∣rectest,

not to destruction, but to amendment and sal∣uation. Thou hast promi∣sed, that wheresoeuer two or three are gathered to∣gether in thy name, thou wilt grant their requests. We (therefore thy humble seruants) here assembled according to thy blessed commandement, doe cry and call vpon thee with fer∣uant hearts, to be mercifull to this thine afflicted crea∣ture, that it would please thee eyther to release his smart and pain in thy good time, and so to restore him to his former health, or else to grant him aboundantly

the graces of thy holy Spi∣rit, that with patience and meeke mind he may abide such tryall, as it shall please thy godly Maiestie to lay vpon him: That neither the tyrannie of Satan, griefe of sicknes, loue of the world, terrour of hell, infirmitie of the flesh, remembrance of sinne, or feare of death, withdraw him from thee, and thy sweet promises in his Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ, who came not for the iust, but to call sinners to repentance. So guide him (good Lord) by thy blessed Spirit in his great and last iourney, that pas∣sing

quietly all troubles of this transitorie world, and this painefull pilgrimage once ended, he may safely by thy mighty power bee conducted to the Hauen of continuall quietnes and rest, which is the Kingdom of Heauen, & there reigne with Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob, and all the holy com∣pany of Angels and Saints in perpetuall ioy and safe∣ty, which thou hast prepa∣red and promised for all thine elect children, and faithfull seruants from the beginning of the world. Grant this (O heauenly Fa∣ther) which wee haue

prayed for, in the behalfe of this thy poore and pen∣siue prisoner, and all other things necessarie for our saluation, and thy glory, through our Lord and Sa∣uiour Iesus Christ: In whose holy name, wee be∣seech thee from the bot∣tome of our hearts, saying, Our Father which art in Heauen, &c.