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<DATE>2014-05-23</DATE>
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<NAME>Colm MacCrossan</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
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<ITEM>Proofed and reviewed.</ITEM>
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<VID>206808</VID>
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<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P>INSTRUCTIONS AND DEVOTIONS FOR THE Afflicted and Sick: With &s;ome Help for PRISONERS; Such e&s;pecially as are to be TRYED for LIFE.</P>
<P>Printed in the Year, 1697.</P>
<PB REF="2" MS="y">
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<PB REF="3" MS="y">
<PB REF="3" MS="y">
<GAP DESC="duplicate" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 page">
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</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="to the reader">
<PB REF="4">
<HEAD>To the Chri&s;tian READER.</HEAD>
<P>BEing truly &s;en&s;ible, how ea&s;ily we forget our &s;elves in time of Afflicti|ons and Sickne&s;s, and that <HI>to &s;uf|fer like a Chri&s;tian,</HI> is one of the mo&s;t difficult Tasks, that belongs to our Pro|fe&s;&s;ion; I have therefore concluded, that a little Help will not at all be unwelcome to any under the&s;e Trials; and for that end, have made a &s;hort Collection of &s;ome In&s;tructions and Devotions, which I hope, may be &s;erviceable for the keeping up the Spirit of Chri&s;tianity, under the&s;e Diffi|culties. The Holy Scriptures have fur|ni&s;hed a great part of the Matter for this little Work; and be&s;ides this, I have made u&s;e of the <HI>Following of Chri&s;t. Card. Bona, Alphon&s;us Rodericus, Paradi&s;us animae, Ar&s;dekin,</HI> &amp;c. all mo&s;t approv'd Authors, who have writ on this Subject. If it contributes any thing to the relief of
<PB REF="5"> my Neighbour in his Di&s;tre&s;&s;es, 'tis a Cha|rity I owe him, and will be no le&s;s a Com|fort to me than to him. If it helps him to prepare for a good End, 'tis what I wi&s;h him with all my Soul, having recommen|ded nothing to him, but as I de&s;ire for my &s;elf; and &s;o may I be found at my la&s;t Hour.</P>
<P>I am &s;en&s;ible, the help I here offer him, is not &s;uch as I could de&s;ire, and for this rea&s;on, it has been laid by for &s;ome Years, in expectation of &s;omething more compleat appearing from a better Hand; but &s;ince nothing comes forth to an&s;wer my De&s;ires, and &s;omething &s;eems wanting, I now Pu|bli&s;h this, being per&s;waded, that &s;uch as are in Di&s;tre&s;s, will be contented with this help, till they are provided with better.</P>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="book of prayers">
<PB N="1" REF="5">
<HEAD>INSTRUCTIONS AND DEVOTIONS FOR THE Afflicted, &amp;c.</HEAD>
<P><HI>Q.</HI> WHat is a Chri&s;tian to do, in time of <HI>Sadne&s;s</HI> and <HI>Afflicton?</HI></P>
<P><HI>A.</HI> He ought to have recour&s;e to God, and &s;eek Comfort in him. For that being a time of <HI>Trial,</HI> what &s;hould he do, but beg for Strength from above, that &s;o being call'd forth into the Field of Battle, he may not fall in the Com|bat. Tis God has promis'd to be the Comforter of the Afflicted, the Pro|tector of the Widow, of the Orphan and the Di&s;tre&s;s'd: And where &s;hould
<PB N="2" REF="6"> a Chri&s;tian in the&s;e &s;treights, turn him|&s;elf, but to him, who is the Fountain of all Mercy and Comfort? This is the Command God has given him by the Prophet <HI>David, P&s;.</HI> 49. 18. <HI>Call upon me,</HI> &s;ays the Almighty, <HI>in the day of Tribulation, and I will deliver thee.</HI> And the good effect of this Expedient, the &s;ame Royal Prophet experienc'd; when having in the&s;e words laid open the exce&s;s of Grief, that then oppre&s;s'd his Mind, <HI>Renuit con&s;olari anima mea. My Soul was &s;o dejected, that it refus'd all Comfort.</HI> He pre&s;ently &s;ets down the Cure; <HI>Memor fui Dei &amp; delectatus &s;um. I ca&s;t my thoughts on God, and pre&s;ently I was fill'd with Joy.</HI> Exce&s;&s;ive Grief was his Di&s;temper, and his Re|medy, was in rai&s;ing his Heart to God.</P>
<P><HI>Q.</HI> No Chri&s;tian can doubt, but God is the mo&s;t certain relief of an afflicted Spirit; but there's a great difficulty for a Soul, in time of Trouble and Sadne&s;s, to rai&s;e it &s;elf truly to God; becau&s;e, at that time, 'tis depre&s;s'd and kept down under a certain weight, that weakens the Spirits, and leaves it almo&s;t without Life: 'Tis then in darkne&s;s; and &s;uch a black Cloud generally hangs over it, that God
<PB N="3" REF="6"> is not then in its &s;ight: And how &s;hall he then rai&s;e him&s;elf to his Lord for comfort; when the very trouble, that puts him into the nece&s;&s;ity of &s;eeking it, quite indi&s;po&s;es him for the doing it, leaving him without Life, Motion and Sight?</P>
<P><HI>A.</HI> 'Tis true, the Soul, in tho&s;e cir|cum&s;tances, is &s;omething indi&s;pos'd, and through the corruption of Nature, more inclin'd to lye down under the weight it feels, than rai&s;e it &s;elf up and &s;eek for relief. But this is a weak|ne&s;s a Chri&s;tian by no means ought to yield to, but in&s;tead of this, chu&s;e ra|ther to u&s;e violence with him&s;elf, and force <HI>Nature</HI> and <HI>Inclination</HI> to yield to <HI>Duty:</HI> He is then to &s;ummon up all the Courage he has, quicken his &s;ink|ing Spirits, and make head again&s;t the Enemy, who is then throwing him into Darkne&s;s and Chains. Such &s;ea|&s;onable endeavours as the&s;e, will make an entire change in the Soul; &s;o that whereas it &s;eem'd wholly indi&s;pos'd, through di&s;quiet and trouble, for the &s;eeking its God, it &s;hall now, being thus excited, run to him with greater life, and pour forth it &s;elf into Prayers with more than ordinary fervor.</P>
<PB N="4" REF="7">
<P><HI>Q.</HI> I could gladly be inform'd, how this might be; &s;ince meeting with Trou|bles, Cro&s;&s;es and Di&s;quiets &s;o often, 'twold be &s;ome &s;atisfaction, did I but know how to make them turn to &s;o good account.</P>
<P><HI>A.</HI> There are few but know how to do it, but are unwilling to take the pains: It cannot be done without &s;ome &s;truggling and re&s;i&s;ting the bent of Na|ture; and this being difficult in that State, when the &s;pirits are weakned and ca&s;t down, few have courage to attempt it; and &s;o neglect to make u&s;e of tho&s;e means, which otherwi&s;e they well know, would be beneficial to them. For this rea&s;on, a good Friend is ve|ry nece&s;&s;ary at that time, who, by laying before them the true Motives of Chri&s;tian Peace, Patience and Re|&s;ignation, may help to give them new life, and encourage them to go on in their Duty. But becau&s;e &s;uch a Help cannot be &s;o often at hand, as our frequent Troubles and Di&s;turbances of Mind require; therefore it is very fit, every Chri&s;tian &s;hould be provided with &s;ome Book, which may be pro|per in the&s;e Circum&s;tances, to &s;ugge&s;t to him &s;uch good thoughts, as may contribute to his Peace and help at
<PB N="5" REF="7"> lea&s;t to abate the Storm. A little Rea|ding is very &s;erviceable in this ca&s;e, and a good preparative to di&s;po&s;e the heart for Prayer. And becau&s;e no|thig can be more effectual, than to un|der&s;tand the Nature of Tribulation, and the Rea&s;ons, why God is pleas'd to vi&s;it us with Afflictions, I'll here, in the fir&s;t place, lay the&s;e before you, and then furni&s;h you with &s;ome &s;hort Le&s;&s;ons out of the be&s;t Authors on this Subject, and Prayers, which you may make u&s;e of according as you find them to your purpo&s;e. And this method, I hope you'll find to be &s;ome relief in your Troubles.</P>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>Of Tribulation, and the rea&s;on why God permits it.</HEAD>
<P>TO lay a good foundation in this affair, every Chri&s;tian ought to imprint well in his mind, and often re|flect on the&s;e great Truths, which Faith teaches us: <HI>viz.</HI> 1. That as God has created all things, &s;o he at all times, and even at pre&s;ent, ordains, appoints and governs all. 2. That no|thing happens, whether little or great, pro&s;perous or afflicting, without his Providence. 3. That in whatever
<PB N="6" REF="8"> comes to pa&s;s, in the whole World, he exerci&s;es either his Ju&s;tice or his Mercy. 4. That no Creature has any power, but what comes from him; &s;o that they are all to be look'd on, as the In&s;truments or Mini&s;ters of his De|crees, being, according to the expre&s;|&s;ion of Scripture, as <HI>The Ax in the hand of him that cuts, or as a Staff of him that &s;trikes.</HI></P>
<P>The due con&s;ideration of the&s;e truths by Chri&s;tians, will lay a good ground for their receiving all troubles with a peaceable and re&s;igned mind. For ha|ving con&s;ider'd God as the Soveraign Lord and Governor of all, and his Will as the Supreme Ju&s;tice, they will hence conclude; that it is fit he &s;hould Reign, and we obey; That it is his part to appoint, direct and guide, and ours to follow; That we ought in all things to conform our &s;elves to his Will, and not expect, that he &s;hould &s;ubmit to ours; That his Will being always Ju&s;t, always Holy, it is al&s;o always adorable, always worthy of our Submi&s;&s;ion and Love, however the ef|fects thereof prove har&s;h and trouble|&s;ome: For that only &s;uch Souls as are unju&s;t, can find fault with what Ju&s;tice
<PB N="7" REF="8"> it &s;elf does; whil&s;t the Pious and Good, under all Extremities, and amid&s;t all the repugnancies of Nature, ever cry out with the Prophet: <HI>Nonne Deo &s;ub|ject a erit anima? My Soul, wilt thou not &s;ubmit thy &s;elf to God?</HI> To whom art thou to be &s;ubject but to him?</P>
<P><HI>1&s;t.</HI> This con&s;ideration of the Will of God acting in every Creature, will put Chri&s;tians upon looking beyond Creatures in all their di&s;appointments and cro&s;s events of things; 'twill make them take notice, not only of the Rod, that &s;trikes and cha&s;ti&s;es, but more particularly have regard to the Hand that manages, and the Will that di|rects it; and this will be a great &s;tep in order to a la&s;ting inward Peace. For if Chri&s;tians di&s;cern'd God every where, and look'd on him through all his Crea|tures; if they &s;aw, it is he gives them all the force they have, that it is he who pu&s;hes them forward, to put in execution his eternal Decrees; the the &s;ight of this Ju&s;tice and Power would give a cheek to all their Com|plaints, their Murmurings and Impa|tience. For which of them, in his Pre&s;ence, dares &s;ay, They de&s;erve not what they &s;uffer? Who could
<PB N="8" REF="9"> have any other &s;entiments, than tho&s;e which made Holy <HI>David</HI> &s;ay, <HI>Obmu|tui &amp; humiliatus &s;um, quoniam tu feci&s;ti, I held my peace, and was humbled, be|cau&s;e it was thou, Lord, that did&s;t this.</HI> There's nothing of all that happens to us, but what our Lord does, and who can &s;ay, It is not well? We may hum|ble our &s;elves under his Scourge; but if we complain, what is this, but for Du&s;t and A&s;hes, to &s;et it &s;elf up a|gain&s;t the Almighty, and que&s;tion, if not &s;trive, to rever&s;e his Decrees?</P>
<P>Thus, if we kept our Eyes ever fix'd on this fir&s;t Cau&s;e of all Events, how would this help to moderate and compo&s;e all di&s;quiets of our minds; how &s;hould we then &s;ee in all Evils, mis|fortunes and inju&s;tices, the ju&s;t cha&s;ti&s;e|ments of mens Sins: That all is equi|table and holy, both in regard of God ordaining all things, and in re&s;pect of Men, on whom his Decrees are exe|cuted; &s;o that tho the Mini&s;ters of this over-ruling Will, through their own depravedne&s;s, may be guilty of Inju&s;tice; yet their Inju&s;tice hinders not what they do; from providing ju&s;t and equitable to tho&s;e that &s;uf|fer it?</P>
<PB N="9" REF="9">
<P>In this manner, the di&s;covering the Finger of God's Ju&s;tice touching us in every Trouble, may be as a lenitive to take off the Sharpne&s;s of &s;uch Pa&s;|&s;ions, as in tho&s;e circum&s;tances, are too apt to affect and di&s;quiet the mind. For though Nature be then &s;o unea&s;ie, as to be inclin'd to rebell, yet upon di|&s;cerning the <HI>Will of God</HI> and his <HI>Ju&s;tice,</HI> even in the &s;evere&s;t Trials, mu&s;t it not then nece&s;&s;arily be over-aw'd by that Sovereign Power, and force it &s;elf to a compliance with tho&s;e Orders, which cannot be controll'd; and where it falls into murmurings, impatience and de|jection, it &s;oon experiences, that all this is only adding to that Burthen, which is already its aggrievance, but can be no remedy at all of the Evil?</P>
<P>It may be a farther relief, if we re|flect on &s;ome other rea&s;ons, why God is pleas'd to vi&s;it us with Afflictions. As fir&s;t, that by the&s;e bitter Potions, we may be wean'd from the things of this World, that our affections may be taken off from the&s;e fading Objects, and fix'd on a more la&s;ting Good; that we may be contented, if not De&s;ire, to be di&s;&s;olv'd, and releas'd from this Bani&s;hment and vale of Tears. This
<PB N="10" REF="10"> was the Ble&s;&s;ing accompanied that &s;e|vere oppre&s;&s;ion of the I&s;raelites in <HI>E|gypt,</HI> who being tired and quite b<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="4 letters">n with their &s;lavery, began to cry aloud to God, and de&s;ire to be &s;et at liberty, and were thus prepar'd for the Land of Promi&s;e. How much do we &s;tand in need of Burthens, that we may be thus tired with our &s;lavery! The World, &s;ays St. <HI>Augu&s;tine,</HI> Bitter and unea&s;ie as it is, is yet lov'd; what would it then be, did all things ever &s;ucceed to our wi&s;h? If thus we gree|dily catch at and embrace its Thorns, what &s;hould we do, did it every where abound with Flowers? May not there then be very great Ble&s;&s;ings thus con|vey'd to us, under what we often complain of, as our greate&s;t Misfor|tunes; while we are thus brought to be di&s;gu&s;ted with the World, and made more willing to leave it: Of which God knows, how viciou&s;ly fond we might be, how our heart and affecti|ons might be wholly po&s;&s;e&s;s'd with it, did every thing prove favourable in it?</P>
<P><HI>2dly.</HI> If we con&s;ider, that Afflictions are an Exerci&s;e, by which God trys the Ju&s;t, and makes proof of their Fi|delity. 'Tis an ea&s;ie thing, in words,
<PB N="11" REF="10"> to make profe&s;&s;ion of &s;erving and lo|ving God; but the Sincerity of this Profe&s;&s;ion then appears, when Temp|tation or Tribulation begin to make their a&s;&s;aults; then it is the faithful Servant is di&s;cover'd, when he conti|nues &s;tedfa&s;t under his Trial, when he &s;tands firm and unmov'd, notwith&s;tan|ding all Di&s;quiets and Oppo&s;ition, and lets nothing, however trouble&s;ome, force him from his Duty, or, in the lea&s;t, divide him from his Lord. For as Gold is try'd in the Fire, &s;o are the Ju&s;t try'd in Afflictions. This it was the Angel taught <HI>Toby:</HI> Becau&s;e thou wa&s;t acceptable to God; &s;ays he, there|fore it was nece&s;&s;ary he &s;hould make proof of thy Fidelity. This was the rea&s;on why this holy Man was vi&s;ited with Blindne&s;s. And under this Tryal may Chri&s;tians e&s;teem them&s;elvrs, as often as they perceive tribulations to ari&s;e again&s;t them.</P>
<P><HI>3dly.</HI> We reflect, That <HI>the Rod and Correction give Wi&s;dom.</HI> that the&s;e are often the Means, by which God opens the Eyes of Blind and perver&s;e Sin|ners, &s;oftens the Ob&s;tinate, and quick|ens the &s;tupid and Dull: 'Twas by this expedient <HI>Nebuchedne&s;or</HI> came to
<PB N="12" REF="11"> the knowledge of the ever living God; 'twas by the &s;ame the <HI>Prodigal Son</HI> be|came &s;en&s;ible of his mi&s;ery, and fir&s;t thought of returning to his Father. How many &s;inners have been reclaim'd by this way; and how many are now Saints in Heaven, who mu&s;t confe&s;s, Sickne&s;s, Poverty or Affliction to have been the happy occa&s;ion of their tur|ning their Eyes that way; and that, had they not been thus awak'ned, they might have for ever &s;lept on in Death!</P>
<P><HI>4thly.</HI> If we ob&s;erve, that &s;uffering Troubles with Patience, is a mo&s;t ef|fectual means for obtaining pardon of Sin. <HI>For God is full of Compa&s;&s;ion and Mercy, and in the day of Tribulation he will forgive our Offences.</HI> And there|fore <HI>David</HI> being con&s;cious of his Guilt, and knowing, how beneficial Affliction might be to him, in order to the making his peace with God, and being di&s;charg'd from his Sin, openly made this profe&s;&s;ion: <HI>Ego ad flagella paratus &s;um.</HI> I am waiting for Afflict|ion; I am prepared for the Scourge; I know I have Offended, and am &s;en|&s;ible, the Cha&s;ti&s;ements of God, are the mo&s;t effectual means for re&s;toring me to his Favour. What Chri&s;tian is
<PB N="13" REF="11"> there, that lies not under the guilt of &s;ome &s;in; and if he any ways conceives how in urious this is to his Soul, ought not he ever be prepar'd, with <HI>David,</HI> for the Scourge; willingly accept of all Trouble, as the remedy of his Evil; and never complain of the cruelty of the Surgeon's hand, who Cuts, that he may Cure, and thus &s;trives to pre|vent the Patient's greater Mi&s;ery, and hinder his peri&s;hing under the filth of his Sores</P>
<P>With the&s;e, and &s;uch other con&s;ide|rations, ought every Chri&s;tian be well furni&s;h'd, by the daily reading of good Books, that &s;o they may be ever pre|par'd for making a good u&s;e of all. Troubles, and turning them to the be&s;t advantage. How great a help would it be to us, if in all Di&s;appointments, Inju&s;tices and Afflictions, we could ever behold the Severaign <HI>Will of God,</HI> and the decrees of his <HI>Ju&s;tice?</HI> Who would not then &s;trive to make Nature &s;toop, to his Orders, and go on, without complaint, in that way, where he leads? And if we could ever bear in mind, that the evils we &s;uffer, are to pre&s;erve us from the &s;nares of this World, for the encrea&s;e of our Pati|ence
<PB N="14" REF="12"> and Humility, for the trial of our Fidelity, to make us &s;en&s;ible of our weakne&s;s, under&s;tand our &s;elves, and to deliver us from tho&s;e Sins which other|wi&s;e might be our eternal ruin; how &s;hould we pre&s;erve a cheerful Heart under all Sufferings, and from the pro&s;pect of &s;o manifold a good, ever bear up under all Trials with courage and comfort? We are us'd to &s;ubmit to many little Inconveniencies, when the&s;e are the price of a more valuable Good; and &s;hould not we then labour to arrive to that Chri&s;tian temper, as to e&s;teem all the Afflictions of this World, but as little inconveniencies, when beholding <HI>Eternal Mi&s;ery</HI> and <HI>Happine&s;s</HI> before us, we &s;ee the&s;e may be a means to re&s;cue us from the one, and purcha&s;e the other? If we were &s;o placed, as to have Hell-flames ju&s;t behind us, and before us all tho&s;e Troubles we now meet and complain of as grievous, how cheerfully &s;hould we run through all the&s;e, &s;o to be at a greater di&s;tance from that devouring Fire, and &s;ecure us again&s;t its more important Terrors? If we had a more lively and con&s;tant apprehen&s;ion of this place of Torments, our greate&s;t Affli|ons
<PB N="15" REF="12"> we &s;uffer here, would appear as nothing: Then &s;hould we e&s;teem the Terms very ea&s;ie and comfortable, if for the patient undergoing the&s;e our &s;hort-liv'd and pa&s;&s;ing Trials, we were to e&s;cape tho&s;e, which are to endure for ever; e&s;pecially too, if the goin|ing Heaven be added to the Conditi|ons; how &s;hould we then be more ea&s;ie and contented under all Afflicti|ons, &s;ubmit to them with a more re|&s;igned Will, and never permit our &s;elves to be dejected and &s;ink down as under a Burthen, or give way to melancholy and Sadne&s;s, but ever pre|&s;erve an even and ea&s;ie mind, as is in|deed the great Duty of a Chri&s;tian, from the a&s;&s;ured hopes of the good effect of &s;uch Trials, and the happy fruit to be expected from them?</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>Of Sadne&s;s.</HEAD>
<P><HI>Q.</HI> ANd will not you allow a Chri&s;tian then to be troubled at tho&s;e Lo&s;|&s;es and Afflictions, that befall him, which &s;ome times are &s;o very &s;evere, as to make the greate&s;t Courage and Re&s;olution, yield and give way.</P>
<P><HI>A</HI> I'll tell you; I don't expect Chri|&s;tianity &s;hould de&s;troy Nature, but ra|ther
<PB N="16" REF="13"> moderate and govern it and by holding the Reins, prevent its running into Exce&s;&s;es, to which it violently bends. A tender Mother mu&s;t be al|low'd to mourn and &s;hed &s;ome Tears at the Death of her Children; and as the &s;toute&s;t Man mu&s;t be allow'd to be di&s;compos'd and cry out at any vio|lent and &s;udden Blow that is given him; &s;o in the be&s;t of Chri&s;tians, there will be &s;ome unea&s;ine&s;s, di&s;quiet and grief, at tho&s;e many Misfortunes and &s;trange Accidents, which often happen in the World: But then his care mu&s;t be, &s;o prudently to moderate the&s;e natural and &s;udden Pa&s;&s;ions, as not to let them get po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion of his Heart, and &s;eize him with <HI>Sadne&s;s</HI> and <HI>Melancholy,</HI> that he becomes no longer Ma&s;ter of him: For tho moderate Grief be natural and rational, yet the exce&s;s of it is vicious and by no means warrantable on any &s;core, in a good Chri&s;tian; but to be avoided as a mo&s;t dangerous Evil.</P>
<P>Q. <HI>Why is</HI> Sadne&s;s <HI>and</HI> exce&s;&s;ive Grief, <HI>&s;o dangerous?</HI></P>
<P><HI>A.</HI> Becau&s;e, when it comes to that degree, it is like other violent and vi|cious Pa&s;&s;ions, u&s;urps upon Rea&s;on and Religion, takes the command out of
<PB N="17" REF="13"> their hands, and keeps a Man in a ve|ry unea&s;ie Slavery. 2. Becau&s;e it ve|ry much indi&s;po&s;es a Chri&s;tian, renders him unfit for every Duty, makes him nauceate his Prayers, &s;o that he either &s;ays them without reli&s;h, often leaves them unfini&s;h'd, or quite lays them by: And for other Exercies and obligations, how many delays and put-offs? <HI>Dor|micavit anima mea prae taedio. His Soul is drow&s;ie and a&s;leep, thinks but little and do's nothing;</HI> &s;o that there's a kind of a &s;top put to the whole affair of his Soul. 3. Becau&s;e it repo&s;es him to evident &s;hares of the Enemy, and ma|ny dangerous Temptations, and often draws him into Sin; &s;o that, it may be, there's no other indi&s;po&s;ition of the Soul &s;o &s;erviceable to the Divil as this: <HI>Sub umbra dormit;</HI> when a Chri|&s;tian Soul is clouded with this &s;ort of Darkne&s;s and confu&s;ion, 'tis in this Darkne&s;s the Divil makes his ne&s;t; &s;o that, while in other Temptations he makes &s;ome pa&s;&s;es and attemps, and often go's by, here in this he takes up his re&s;t, and pretends to it as a &s;ecure Po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion. <HI>Sub umbra dormit.</HI> So that if at any time he invites into a Soul &s;even other Spirits wor&s;e than him&s;elf,
<PB N="18" REF="14"> there's danger of its being &s;o here. For as the P&s;almi&s;t &s;ays: <HI>Po&s;ui&s;ti tene|bras &amp; facta e&s;t nox, in ip&s;a pertran&s;ibunt omnes be&s;tiae &s;ilve.</HI> When the Night comes on and Darkne&s;s covers the Earth, then it is the Serpents and all the wild Bea&s;ts for&s;ake their holes and go abroad for Prey: So here, when Grief and Sadne&s;s have brought Night upon a Soul and cover'd it with darkne&s;s, then the old Serpent with other Fiends come abroad and &s;ecurely prey upon all that can be found of good in it. Hence it is that a Chri&s;tian in the&s;e circum&s;tances of Grief, is &s;o ea&s;ily mov'd to Pa&s;&s;ion, becomes peevi&s;h upon every &s;light pro|vocation, and gives trouble to all a|bout him. Hence joalou&s;ie ari&s;es, Su&s;|pition and Malice: Hence &s;pring many vain and unrea&s;onable Fears; Hence di&s;order and Confu&s;ion; and hence it is, he often acts &s;o contrary to all the Rules of Rea&s;on and Di&s;cretion, that he &s;eems to make good what the Scrip|tures &s;ays: <HI>Non e&s;t &s;en&s;us, ubi e&s;t ama|ritudo;</HI> Where Melancholy and exce&s;s of Sadne&s;s have got po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion, there Rea&s;on and Judgment are much pre|judiced, if not ca&s;t out of doors.</P>
<PB N="19" REF="14">
<P>And is it not this temper the Devil makes u&s;e of to drive Men into De|&s;pair, filling them with &s;uch di&s;mal and terrifying thoughts, that they &s;eem to think them&s;elves excluded from all the Mercies of God, and that, as for them, there's no Hopes of Pardon: <HI>No body is &s;o bad at they,</HI> ever runs in their mind; and beholding no Good in them&s;elves, God's goodne&s;s is like|wi&s;e hid from their Eyes? But where this game will not take, that he cannot force them to quit their Confidence in God; how do's he then importune them to &s;eek comfort in dangerous Diver&s;ions and Delights, and under the pretext of relieving the Spirits, turns their thoughts upon &s;uch Ob|jects, which afterwards prove de&s;tru|ctive to all Goodne&s;s, Piety and Chri|&s;tianity? How many temperate Men have hence run into all manner of Ex|ce&s;s? How many into Licentiou&s;ne&s;s; and thus to cure Melancholy, have by degrees, laid a&s;ide both Religion and Rea&s;on? In this manner our &s;piritual Enemy takes advantage of this &s;eem|ingly harmle&s;s indi&s;po&s;ition of the mind, and from &s;o incon&s;iderable a be|ginning, too often brings Ruin upon the whole.</P>
<PB N="20" REF="15">
<P><HI>Q.</HI> If this be the ca&s;e of Sadne&s;s and Melancholy, that it is the Root of &s;o many Evils, 'tis a very dangerous Di&s;temper in|deed. But how &s;hall a Chri&s;tian &s;ecure him&s;elf again&s;t it, amid&s;t &s;o many Mis|fortunes, which often come to his lot?</P>
<P><HI>A</HI> Chri&s;tianity has no other defence again&s;t it, be&s;ides Prayer and laborious Endeavours, which it pre&s;cribes, as proper to be made u&s;e of again&s;t &s;uch an Enemy. And therefore, as often, as any Di&s;po&s;itions or Inclinations be|gin to appear on the mind, as tending towards Sadne&s;s, a good Chri&s;tian ougt pre&s;ently to be fearful and jealous, as of an approaching Enemy, and &s;o take the alarm, as to excite in it &s;elf all po&s;&s;ible courage to make head again&s;t and totally &s;uppre&s;s him, before he gathers &s;trength: He ouhgt then to &s;tand carefull on his guard, and make the &s;ame re&s;i&s;tance as again&s;t the foul|e&s;t of all Temptations; for tho no|thing of &s;in appears, yet there's that which makes way for all &s;in; for as Chri&s;t had his Apo&s;tles, whom he &s;ent before, promi&s;ing he would follow after them: &s;o the Devil has his A|po&s;tles, whom he &s;ends to prepaare his way before him; and among&s;t
<PB N="21" REF="15"> the&s;e, <HI>Sadne&s;s</HI> mu&s;t have its place, as being but too often his Fore-runner. What then &s;hould a Chri&s;tian do, when it begins to &s;hew It &s;elf, but on the one &s;ide, &s;tand up in his own defence, labour re&s;i&s;t and fight again&s;t it, and have recour&s;e to all tho&s;e Motives, proper for the encouraging him to Pa|tience, Submi&s;&s;ion, Re&s;ignation, look on the end of his Calling, the obliga|tion of Chri&s;tianity, the de&s;ert of his Sins, the examples of the Saints, and of their Leader, Chri&s;t our Lord, the reward of patient Suffering, and pu|ni&s;hment of Impatience; and on the other &s;ide, have recour&s;e to Heaven by Prayer, and by pious reading of good Books, &s;o comfort and &s;trength|en his Mind, that however he may have misfortunes enough, to di&s;turb and put him into &s;ome di&s;order for the pre&s;ent, yet that he deliver not him|&s;elf up to dejection and Melancholy, but ever &s;truggle with the evil, and not omit to ca&s;t up &s;ome thoughts to|wards Heaven, even in the greate&s;t ex|tremity, till by degrees he &s;o recover the dominion of him&s;elf, and com|mand of his Pa&s;&s;ion, that he readily &s;ubmit to the Decrees of God's Ju|&s;tice,
<PB N="22" REF="16"> and with cheerfulne&s;s embrace his Will.</P>
<P><HI>Q.</HI> Well, if yielding to Sadne&s;s, may not be allow'd to the &V;nfortunate, may it not be permitted at lea&s;t to tho&s;e Pious Chri&s;tians, who grieve not for this World, but for the next; not for them&s;elves, but for God, whom they earne&s;tly de&s;ire to Serve and Love above all things? there are ma|ny, who&s;e bu&s;ine&s;s is the Salvation of their Souls, and who&s;e Wi&s;hes are to Pray fre|quently, to Repent Heartily, to for&s;ake every thing that can po&s;&s;ibly render them di&s;plea&s;ing to God: And behold, while they are labouring to go on in this Cour&s;e, they meet with &s;o many Di&s;tractions, &s;uch frequent Temptations, and &s;o often fall into tho&s;e Weakne&s;&s;es and Offences, which they purpos'd to avoid, that all things &s;eem to go backward with them: And how can the&s;e choo&s;e but lament the&s;e their fruitle&s;s endeavours, while they &s;ee, in &s;triving to come nearer God, they go farther from him? Sure, if they love God, they mu&s;t needs be troubled at the many hindrances they find in his Service: And if they of|fend him, certainly it mu&s;t be allow'd them to grieve for their Sins.</P>
<P><HI>A.</HI> 'Tis true, if ever Grief be allow|able in a Chri&s;tian, it mu&s;t be for Sin:
<PB N="23" REF="16"> But this grief for Sin, is very different from that <HI>Sadne&s;s</HI> and <HI>Melancholy,</HI> of which we have hitherto &s;poke: For while we are commanded to repent of our Sins, and be heartily troubl'd for having offended God; &s;ee what kind of Trouble this is: This is a Holy Trouble, a Trouble that is Obedient, Affable, Humble, Meek, accompanied with Sweetne&s;s and Patience; a Trou|ble, which, in&s;tead of di&s;couraging the Soul, cheers it up, and incites it &s;eri|ou&s;ly to apply &s;uch remedies as are mo&s;t effective for the preventing all manner of relap&s;e; that is, &s;purs it forward to Penance and Prayers, to Vigilancy and Labour. This is the trou|ble of a Contrite Heart, to which the Holy Scriptures and Church &s;o often invite us; this is the true Chri&s;tian Mourning, which Chri&s;t has promis'd to reward with Bli&s;s. While Sadne&s;s and Melanchaly have quite other ef|fects; ever rendring the Soul &s;tupid and dull, forward and har&s;h, taking off all reli&s;h from Prayer and other exerci&s;es of Penance, di&s;&s;wading her from making u&s;e of them, as being likely to have no effect in her, who&s;e evils are not to be remedied. Thus
<PB N="24" REF="17"> the&s;e betray them&s;elves to be evil Pa&s;|&s;ions of a di&s;temper'd Mind, and no Vertues, whil&s;t they incline it &s;o con|trary to all the Principles of Rea&s;on and Religion, extingui&s;h Hope, and are &s;o injurious to the Goodne&s;s of God: And therefore, as often as a Chri&s;tian ob&s;erves the&s;e motions with|in him, with a &s;ort of Dulne&s;s and Dejection &s;tealing on his Spirits, how|ever it be pretended for his Unworthi|ne&s;s and the foulne&s;s of his Sins, he ought immediately u&s;e endeavours for the &s;haking it off, give no credit to all the fair colours and pretexts, under which it pre&s;ents it &s;elf, but conclude it to be all Impo&s;ture<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> and tho there be a great trouble and di&s;quiet on the Mind, and all pretended for Sin, yet &s;till to &s;u&s;pect, that 'tis more Indi&s;po|&s;ition and Di&s;temper, than true Re|pentance.</P>
<P>For true Repentance takes another way; it fir&s;t indeed repre&s;ents the &s;ins of the Penitent, as contrary to God's Goodne&s;s, to his Will and expre&s;s Command; it &s;hews them in God's Ju&s;tice, to be condemn'd of In&s;olence, Ingratitude and Inju&s;tice: Hence it excites in his heart a Trouble and Sor|row
<PB N="25" REF="17"> for his Unworthine&s;s to &s;o Good a God: But then, Secondly, It never fails to point towards the infinite Mer|cy and Goodne&s;s of his Heavenly Fa|ther, which is ever ready to pardon tho&s;e very Sins, upon his Repenting and For&s;aking them; and here, upon this pro&s;pect and a&s;&s;urance, flows in a certain Comfort upon the Soul, not removing the Trouble for having Of|fended, but &s;o &s;weeting it, as to in&s;pire the mind with new Life and Courage, and pu&s;h it forward to a cheerful under|taking and performance of whatever is proper for making his Peace with God: So that this true Penitential &s;orow for Sin, is ever accompanied with a cer|tain &s;piritual Comfort and Joy, ari&s;ing from the encouragement of God's Mercy: And therefore as tho&s;e, who &s;eem to repent of Sin, and have not that true <HI>Sorrow</HI> as they ought, are wanting in the con&s;ideration of God's <HI>Goodne&s;s,</HI> which they have abus'd, and of his <HI>Ju&s;tice,</HI> which they have pro|vok'd; &s;o likewi&s;e, they, who with the <HI>Trouble</HI> and <HI>Sorrow</HI> of having offen|ded, have not this interior <HI>Comfort,</HI> are mo&s;t certainly wanting in the con|&s;ideration of his <HI>Mercy,</HI> and in the
<PB N="26" REF="18"> <HI>Confidence</HI> they ought to repo&s;e in him.</P>
<P>Thus <HI>Comfort</HI> ever attends the <HI>Trou|ble</HI> of a true Penitent, and bearing up his Spirits, hinders him from falling into Dejection of mind: And a like Comfort he ever pre&s;erves, notwith|&s;tanding all the Snares, by which the Devil labours to ca&s;t him down and draw him into the Darkne&s;s of Melan|choly. For if the thoughts of his <HI>fre|quent Failings,</HI> of his <HI>not being true to his good Purpo&s;es,</HI> &amp;c. pre&s;s on him and begin to &s;eize him with terror; he forthwith endeavours not to lo&s;e his in|terior Peace, but &s;eriou&s;ly re&s;olves to u&s;e the be&s;t of his care for the future to prevent the like; repents of them, as they are an <HI>Offence again&s;t God;</HI> but as they are <HI>Trouble&s;ome to him&s;elf,</HI> re|&s;olves to bear them with <HI>Patience;</HI> knowing it his Duty to bear patiently with his own defects, as well as with tho&s;e of others: Thus has he a <HI>Zeal for Ju&s;tice,</HI> which makes him <HI>hate his Sins,</HI> and that <HI>Patience,</HI> which makes him &s;uffer the <HI>Trouble</HI> of them: Thus he wages a continual War again&s;t his Imperfections, and neverthele&s;s &s;o bears with him&s;elf and them, as not to
<PB N="27" REF="18"> give him&s;elf up to Melancholy and di&s;|couragement; &s;triving ever to be con|tent with that mea&s;ure of Grace, God is pleas'd to be&s;tow on him: And con|cluding that <HI>anxiety</HI> and <HI>di&s;quiet</HI> of Mind, to which he ob&s;erves him&s;elf naturally inclin'd, on the&s;e occa&s;ions, to be nothing better than Pa&s;&s;ion, to be the effects of Impatience and Pride, becau&s;e he is not &s;o con&s;tant and re|gular as he would be.</P>
<P>Again, If he preceives him&s;elf to be in a &s;tate of Coldne&s;s and In&s;en&s;ibility; or that he is &s;o clo&s;ely a&s;&s;aulted with all &s;orts of Temptations, and di&s;qui|eting thoughts, that he cannot begin to Pray, Read, or think of his Soul and Eternity, but pre&s;ently a thou&s;and idle fancies croud about him quite di&s;tract|ing his Mind, and that he cannot re|medy this Indi&s;po&s;ition: He notwith|&s;tanding all this, &s;till labours to pre&s;erve his inward Peace, looks on this as a &s;piritual Affliction, &s;ent him by the ju&s;t hand of God; thinks it his great duty, with all Humility, to &s;ubmit to the&s;e his appointments; and hopes, if he truly humbles him&s;elf and quietly &s;ub|mits to this his Will, he may draw as much profit thence, as if it had pleas'd
<PB N="28" REF="19"> his Divine Maje&s;ty to have fill'd him with more &s;en&s;ible devotion; becau&s;e he con&s;iders, that tho fervent and qui|et Prayer be very acceptable, yet that <HI>re&s;i&s;ting Temptations with Con&s;tancy and Courage,</HI> and <HI>a patient &s;ubmi&s;&s;ion to the &s;tate that God appoints,</HI> is the Exerci&s;e of very good Chri&s;tians, and no le&s;s acceptable to Heaven. Hence it is, that though he often &s;ends up his Sighs to God; &s;aying, <HI>Domine u&s;que quo!</HI> Lord, how long &s;hall I live with|out comfort! Yet he &s;till continues in Peace, re&s;olves more and more to humble him&s;elf, and to admit no Im|patience, in the Darkne&s;s wherein he is left.</P>
<P><HI>Q.</HI> In this manner, I &s;ee you'll not allow of Sadne&s;s or Melancholy in a good Chri|&s;tian, upon any account what&s;oever; nei|ther upon the account of <HI>Exterior Afflicti|ons,</HI> or upon the con&s;ideration of his <HI>Im|perfections, Incon&s;tancy</HI> or <HI>Sin,</HI> or in time of <HI>Temptation,</HI> or <HI>Interior De&s;o|lation;</HI> but conclude it to be every where a Weakne&s;s and Indi&s;po&s;ition of the Mind: And if this be &s;o, may not I here conclude, that great numbers of well-meaning Chri|&s;tians deceive them&s;elves in this Affair, while they indulge them&s;elves in <HI>Sadne&s;s,</HI>
<PB N="29" REF="19"> and think they do no harm? But now, one que&s;tion more, and I leave my &s;elf to your directions: What do you think of &s;uch, as being of a Melancholy di&s;po&s;ition, are of|ten overwhelm'd with Sadne&s;s, and know not why: Would willingly be deliver'd from it, and know not how; And hence, are under great Oppre&s;&s;ions, Di&s;quiets and Terrors, and render'd unfit for every Chri&s;tian duty?</P>
<P><HI>A.</HI> They are truly to be pitied, and mu&s;t con&s;ult how much they &s;tand in need of the Phy&s;icians help; for tho' they are under an Evil, that effects the Mind, yet the Cure of it depends much on the di&s;po&s;ition of the Body. As to the Nature of it, as it falls here under my con&s;ideration; I think 'tis of it &s;elf, very prejudicial to all pro|gre&s;s in virtue, 'tis injurious to Devo|tion, expos'd to many Temptations, and is attended with mo&s;t of tho&s;e ill con&s;equences &s;et down in the begin|ning of this Chapter, as flowing from Sadne&s;s: And it being thus pernicious in it &s;elf, and fatal to all Chri&s;tian, Fa|mily and Per&s;onal Duties, as tho&s;e know too well, by their experience, who are &s;ubject to this Evil; I cannot here omit laying before them the &s;trict
<PB N="30" REF="20"> obligation they are under, of u&s;ing all endeavours to prevent at le&s;t their fal|ling into it: For tho, when they are in the height of this di&s;temper, and are now oppre&s;s'd with the violence of its terrors, they are then, it may be, &s;o di&s;abled, that they can make but very weak re&s;i&s;tance again&s;t it; yet they have much more in their power when they ob&s;erve it to begin to creep upon them; and then it is they ought to &s;tir them&s;elves up, and courageou&s;ly make head again&s;t it, as knowing, that if they do'nt then &s;uppre&s;s it, they are in evident danger of being made Cap|tive by it. How then, are the&s;e bound in their intervals of quiet, to prepare and arm them&s;elves with Patience, Humility and Re&s;ignation? How jea|lous and fearful ought they to be of every little di&s;quieting thought? How ready to check all apprehen&s;ions of in|jury or contempt? How careful to put a &s;top to the earne&s;t workings of their Imagination and Rea&s;oning? How watchful to remove every little Hea|vine&s;s or Dulne&s;s, that begins to &s;eize them? How ought they, in all the&s;e occa&s;ions, &s;trive to deny them&s;elves, &s;tand up again&s;t the Temptation, &s;eek
<PB N="31" REF="20"> &s;ome way to divert the Evil, either by innocent Company, Conver&s;ation, and above all, have recour&s;e to a good Book, to Prayer and &s;eek help from above? For, 'tis not to be que&s;tion'd, but &s;uch timely endeavours would be very beneficial for the preventing the di&s;tempers growing to a head; and I am certain, that if upon the <HI>fir&s;t per|ceiving any Trouble or Heavine&s;s creeping on their Spirits,</HI> they would forthwith con&s;ider it, as an <HI>Affliction from the hand of God,</HI> and &s;o &s;trive to accept it as &s;uch, not only with <HI>Patience,</HI> but, as they are bound, with <HI>Comfort</HI> and <HI>Cheerfulne&s;s</HI> too: The&s;e endeavours would be ble&s;s'd with good effects, and not only be an ea&s;ie, but often a total removal of the Burthen.</P>
<P>In this manner mu&s;t the&s;e labour; and without it they di&s;charge not a good Con&s;cience: For tho in Chri&s;ti|ans of a more ea&s;ie and cheerful Tem|per, a &s;light and pa&s;&s;ing Trouble, a little di&s;content, or other di&s;order may not be very criminal, becau&s;e they ea|&s;ily ca&s;t it off, and are not in that evi|dent danger of falling into the extre|mity of Pa&s;&s;ion; yet in the&s;e it is far otherwi&s;e; for &s;ince every little di&s;qui|et
<PB N="32" REF="21"> in them is but too often the way to a greater, and a &s;mall di&s;turbance in|&s;en&s;ibly grows upon them, till 'tis a|bove their power to ma&s;ter it, and &s;o di&s;ables them, that they are not in a condition of performing well any Du|ty either to God or Man; hence are they bound to be more watchful over them&s;elves, and upon the fir&s;t appea|rance of any Di&s;turbance and Heavi|ne&s;s, make a &s;peedy oppo&s;ition and labour to ca&s;t it off; as looking on it, not as it is incon&s;iderable in its fir&s;t ap|proach, but as it is terrible in all tho&s;e Con&s;equences, which are too likely to attend it, if not prevented by an early re&s;i&s;tance.</P>
<P><HI>Q.</HI> There's too much rea&s;on for this, and I wi&s;h the per&s;ons concern'd would duely con&s;ider it; 'twould be very advan|tageous to the health and quiet both of Bo|dy and Soul. But now you have laid be|fore me the nature of this Di&s;temper and method of the Cure; you mu&s;t in the next place let me know &s;omthing of the Practice of it, and tell me what Devotions and Books are mo&s;t proper for the working this good effect, which you propo&s;e.</P>
<P><HI>A.</HI> All &s;piritual Books are helpful for this end: However, &s;ince &s;ome
<PB N="33" REF="21"> parts of them may be more &s;ea&s;onable and effectual than others, I'll here give you a &s;hort Collection of Devotions and Le&s;&s;ons, which in time of Trou|ble, Di&s;quiet and Sadne&s;s, may be pro|per for the affording &s;ome Relief. And tho a Per&s;on, in tho&s;e Circum&s;tances, finds him&s;elf indi&s;pos'd for this Exer|ci&s;e; yet &s;ince God has promis'd to hear &s;uch as call upon him in time of Tribulation; &s;ince 'tis not only in time of Light and Comfort, but in Angui&s;h and Darkne&s;s, we are commanded to ble&s;s him: <HI>Benedicite Lux &amp; Tenebrae Dominum.</HI> Light and Darkne&s;s, Ble&s;s our Lord. Therefore a Chri&s;tian, not|with&s;tanding all his Interiour De&s;ola|tion and Darkne&s;s, ought to have re|cour&s;e to to God, in the Be&s;t manner he is able; for he that knows his In|di&s;po&s;ition, has goodne&s;s to pardon his Defects and accept his De&s;ires.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="exercises">
<HEAD>An Exerci&s;e in time of Affliction and Sadne&s;s.</HEAD>
<DIV3 N="1" TYPE="exercise">
<HEAD>I.</HEAD>
<P>IN thee, Lord, have I put my Tru&s;t, let me not be confounded for ever; <HI>but</HI> by thy Ju&s;tice deliver me.</P>
<P>Give ear to my Cry; <HI>and</HI> make ha&s;te to help me.</P>
<PB N="34" REF="22">
<P>Be to me a God <HI>and</HI> Protector; <HI>be to me</HI> a place of refuge, and &s;ave me.</P>
<P>For thou art my Strength and De|fence; and <HI>now</HI> for the glory of thy Name, thou wilt guide and &s;upport me.</P>
<P>Thou wilt deliver me from the Snare, that is laid for me, becau&s;e thou <HI>alone,</HI> art my Protector.</P>
<P>Into thy hands I commend my Spi|rit; for thou ha&s;t Redeem'd me, O God of Truth.</P>
<P>Thou hate&s;t tho&s;e who follow Va|nities, who vainly <HI>hope in them.</HI></P>
<P>But, as for me, I have placed my Tru&s;t in our Lord; <HI>and</HI> in his Mercy I will rejoice and be comforted.</P>
<P>Have mercy <HI>therefore</HI> on me, O Lord, becau&s;e my Affliction is great.</P>
<P>My life is con&s;um'd in Sadne&s;s; and my years pa&s;s away in Sighs.</P>
<P>I am become a Reproach among my Enemies and Neighbours, and my Friends flye from me.</P>
<P>I hear the Abu&s;es of many that dwell about me.</P>
<P>Yet, Lord, in thee have I hop'd; I have &s;aid, Thou art my God; and in thy hands is the di&s;po&s;al of all that be|longs to me.</P>
<PB N="35" REF="22">
<P>Re&s;cue me then from the hands of my Enemies, and from tho&s;e that Per&s;ecute me.</P>
<P>Let the light of thy Countenance &s;hine upon thy Servant, and &s;ave me in thy Mercy: Lord, let me not be confounded, becau&s;e I have call'd up|on thee.</P>
<P>O, how great is the trea&s;ure of thy Sweetne&s;s, O Lord, which thou ha&s;t re&s;erv'd for tho&s;e that fear thee:</P>
<P>Which thou ha&s;t prepar'd for tho&s;e that hope in thee!</P>
<P>Thou wilt give them &s;helter in thy pre&s;ence, from the Per&s;ecution of Men.</P>
<P>Thou wilt protect them in thy Ta|bernacle, again&s;t the contradiction of ill Tongues.</P>
<P>Why therefore art thou &s;ad, my Soul? Why do&s;t thou afflict me?</P>
<P>Hope in thy God: <HI>For</HI> he is my Re|fuge and Strength; he is my Helper in all the Tribulations that have en|compa&s;s'd me on every &s;ide.</P>
<P>Therefore I will not fear, tho the whole World be in di&s;order about me.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="2" TYPE="exercise">
<HEAD>II.</HEAD>
<P>To thee, Lord, have I lifted up my Soul; my God, in theee I put my Tru&s;t, let me not be confounded.</P>
<PB N="36" REF="23">
<P>Let me no longer be the &s;corn of my Enemies; for all tho&s;e that hope in thee, &s;hall not be confounded for ever.</P>
<P>Shew me thy Ways, O Lord, and teach me thy Paths.</P>
<P>Lead me in thy Truth, and in&s;truct me; for thou art my God, my Saviour; and in thee have I hoped all the day.</P>
<P>Be mindful of thy Mercies, and of the Goodne&s;s thou ha&s;t &s;hewn from the beginning of the World.</P>
<P>Remember not the &s;ins of my Youth; nor <HI>the failings</HI> of my Ignorance:</P>
<P>But remember me according to thy Mercy; according to thy Goodne&s;s, O Lord.</P>
<P>Our Lord is Sweet and Ju&s;t; there|fore will he be a Guide to tho&s;e that are out of the way.</P>
<P>He will lead the Meek in the way of Ju&s;tice, and teach them his Paths.</P>
<P>All the ways of our Lord, are Mer|cy and Truth, to &s;uch as &s;eek Peace with him and his Laws.</P>
<P>Pardon, Lord, my Sins, for the glory of thy Name, becau&s;e they are very great.</P>
<P>Who is the Man that fears our Lord? To him is our Lord a Guide, in the way he has cho&s;en.</P>
<PB N="37" REF="23">
<P>Our Lord is the &s;upport of all that fear him; and he has promis'd to ma|nife&s;t him&s;elf to them.</P>
<P>My eyes are therefore always lifted up to God: Becau&s;e he will deliver me from the Snare.</P>
<P>Look then upon me, and have com|pa&s;&s;ion on me, becau&s;e I am left alone and in Di&s;tre&s;s.</P>
<P>The afflictions of my heart are ma|ny: Deliver me from my Nece&s;&s;ities.</P>
<P>Have regard to my Weakne&s;s and my Trouble, and pardon all my Sins.</P>
<P>Con&s;ider my Enemies, becau&s;e they are many; and becau&s;e with Inju&s;tice and Malice, they pur&s;ue me.</P>
<P>Pre&s;erve my Soul, and deliver me; let me not be dejected, becau&s;e I have placed my confidence in thee.</P>
<P>The Innocent and Ju&s;t have favour'd me, becau&s;e I tru&s;ted in thee.</P>
<P>Deliver I&s;rael, O God, from all its Afflictions.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="3" TYPE="exercise">
<HEAD>III.</HEAD>
<P>To thee I have lifted up my eyes, who dwelle&s;t in Heaven.</P>
<P>As the eyes of Servants are in the hands of their Ma&s;ters; &s;o are my eyes upon thee, Lord, till thou ha&s;t Mercy on me.</P>
<PB N="38" REF="24">
<P>Have Mercy on me, Lord, have Mercy on me; for 'tis now a long time I am become a reproach.</P>
<P>'tis a long time my Soul has been oppre&s;s'd being the Scorn of the rich, and the Contempt of the proud.</P>
<P>Hear, therefore, O God, my Pray|ers. and de&s;pi&s;e not my Petition: Be attentive to me, and graciou&s;ly hear me: For, behold, I &s;ink under my Trial; I am troubled at the words of my Enemy, and at the Unju&s;t, that per&s;ecute me:</P>
<P>Becau&s;e they have laid crimes to my charge, and in their Anger, have been &s;evere to me.</P>
<P>Therefore is my heart di&s;turbed within me, and the terror of Death has &s;eiz'd me.</P>
<P>Fear and Trembling have &s;urpriz'd me, and I have been cover'd with Darkne&s;s.</P>
<P>And I &s;aid; Who will give me the wings of a Dove, and I will flye away and be at Re&s;t.</P>
<P>I have waited <HI>however</HI> in him, who is my Saviour, who is my help again&s;t all dejection of Spirit and Trouble.</P>
<P>I have cry'd to my God, and my Lord will be my Deliverer.</P>
<PB N="39" REF="24">
<P>At Evening and Morning, and at Noon, will I declare my cau&s;e before him, and he will hear my voice.</P>
<P>He will re&s;cue my Soul from tho&s;e that approach again&s;t me, and &s;ettle me in Peace.</P>
<P>My God will hear me, and he, that is Eternal, will humble my Enemies.</P>
<P>Ca&s;t therefore all thy care upon thy Lord, and he will comfort thee; nei|ther will he permit the Ju&s;t to be Per|&s;ecuted for ever.</P>
<P>My God, I have now laid open my Cau&s;e before thee, and thou ha&s;t &s;een my Tears.</P>
<P>And as thou ha&s;t promis'd, &s;o &s;hall my Adver&s;aries be put to flight.</P>
<P>In whatever day I call upon thee, behold, I find thou art my God.</P>
<P>I have put my hope in my Lord, and I will not fear what Man can do to me.</P>
<P>Have pity <HI>therefore</HI> on me, O God, and be merciful to me; for in thee have I put my Tru&s;t:</P>
<P>And under the &s;hadow of thy Wings will I hope, till this evil is pa&s;s'd away.</P>
<P>Help me, O God, my Saviour.</P>
<P>And for the Glory of thy Name, deliver me, O Lord.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="lessons">
<DIV3 N="1" TYPE="lesson">
<PB N="40" REF="25">
<HEAD>I. LESSON.</HEAD>
<P>WIth Patience let us run the race that is &s;et before us; looking upon Je&s;us, the Author and Fini&s;her of our Faith, who for the Joy, that was &s;et before him, endur'd the Cro&s;s, contemning the &s;hame <HI>thereof,</HI> and is now &s;eated at the right hand of the Throne of God. Think upon him, who &s;uffer'd &s;uch contradiction from Sin|ners, that you be not di&s;courag'd, or dejected in Mind. For as yet you have not made re&s;i&s;tance to Blood, in fight|ing again&s;t Sin. Have you forgot that Comfort, which is &s;poke to you, as to Children? My Son, de&s;pi&s;e not the Correction of thy Lord, and be not ca&s;t down, when thou art Reprov'd by him: For our Lord Cha&s;ti&s;es him whom he loves, and Scourges every one, whom he receives as a Son Be cou|rageous <HI>therefore</HI> under Sufferings; God treats you as his Children: For, what Son is there, whom the Father does not Correct? If you are without Suffering, in which all have had their &s;hare, then are you illegitimate, and not true Children. Be&s;ides, we have had Fathers of our Fle&s;h, who have
<PB N="41" REF="25"> Corrected us, and yet we gave them re&s;pect. Shall we not be much more obedient to the Father of <HI>our</HI> Spirits, and live? For they cha&s;tis'd us as they thought good, and in <HI>order to</HI> this life, which is &s;hort: But God puni&s;hes us as it may be for our advantage; for our being made partakers of his Holi|ne&s;s. No puni&s;hment, while we are under it, &s;eems comfortable, but trou|ble&s;om; but afterwards it brings forth the peaceable Fruit of Ju&s;tice, to &s;uch as have been Exerci&s;ed by it.</P>
<P>Ble&s;&s;ed is he, that &s;uffers Tribula|tion; for when he has been tried, he &s;hall receive a Crown of Glory, which God has promis'd to tho&s;e that love him. As the &s;ufferings of Chri&s;t abound in us; &s;o likewi&s;e through Chri&s;t, our comfort abounds: For if we &s;uffer with him, we &s;hall be glorified with him, and receive the crown of Glory, which God has promis'd to tho&s;e that love him.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="2" TYPE="lesson">
<HEAD>II. LESSON.</HEAD>
<P>BRethren, be not &s;urpriz'd in the &s;everity of <HI>Afflictions,</HI> which are &s;ent you for your Trial, as if &s;ome|thing extraordinary had happen'd to
<PB N="42" REF="26"> you; but rejoice in your having a part in the Sufferings of Chri&s;t, that you may be fill'd with joy in the manife|&s;tation of his Glory. If you are re|proach'd for the name of Chri&s;t, ble&s;&s;ed are you; becau&s;e the honour, glory and power of God and his Spirit re&s;ts on you. But let none of you &s;uffer as a Murtherer, or Thief, or a worker of Evil, or a de&s;igner of your Neigh|bours wrong. But if any one &s;uffers, as a Chri&s;tian, let him not be a&s;ham'd, but glorifie God in this name. For the time is now come, that Jugdment begins in the Hou&s;e of God: And if it begins with us, what &s;hall their end be, who believes not the Go&s;pel of our Lord? And if the Ju&s;t &s;hall &s;carce be &s;av'd; where &s;hall the wicked and &s;inners appear? Wherefore, let tho&s;e that &s;uffer according to the Will of God, commend their Souls in good Works to their faithful Creator.</P>
<P>Let none return Evil for Evil, but overcome Evil with Good; Ble&s;s tho&s;e that Cur&s;e you; for in this are you call'd, that you may inherit a Ble&s;&s;ing: If you &s;uffer for Ju&s;tice. ble&s;&s;ed are you. 'Tis better be afflicted, if God &s;o will, in doing our duty, than &s;uffer
<PB N="43" REF="26"> for our wickedne&s;s: For thus may we inherit a ble&s;&s;ing.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="3" TYPE="lesson">
<HEAD>III. LESSON.</HEAD>
<P>THink not that I came to bring Peace upon Earth: I came not to bring Peace, but the Sword. For I am come to &s;eparate the Son from his Father, and Daughter from her Mother, and the Daughter-in-law from the Mother-in-law; and a Man &s;hall have for his Enemies tho&s;e of his own Hou&s;e. He that loves Father or Mo|ther more than me; is not worthy of me: And he that loves his Son or Daughter above me, is not worthy of me. And he that takes not up his Cro&s;s and follows me, is not worthy of me. He thnt will &s;ave his life, &s;hall lo&s;e it, and that lo&s;es his life for my &s;ake, &s;hall &s;ave it.</P>
<P>Who &s;hall &s;eparate me from the love of Chri&s;t? Shall tribulation, or affliction, or hunger, or danger, or per&s;ecution? The&s;e Evils I overcome through him, who has lov'd us. And I am a&s;&s;ur'd, that neither Death nor Life. nor any things pre&s;ent nor to come, nor any creature &s;hall ever &s;e|parate me from the love of God, which
<PB N="44" REF="27"> is in Je&s;us Chri&s;t our Lord; but that I &s;hall overcome all Evils through him who has lov'd us.</P>
<DIV4 N="1" TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>I.</HEAD>
<P>If it was nece&s;&s;ary that thou Lord, &s;hould'&s;t &s;uffer and &s;o enter into glory, how can I expect to have part in that happine&s;s, unle&s;s I walk in the High|way of the Cro&s;s?</P>
<P>I confe&s;s, thy Judgments are ju&s;t, and that according to truth and ju&s;tice thou ha&s;t humbled me.</P>
<P>I de&s;ire to fulfil the decrees of thy Ju&s;tice, and rather &s;uffer, than tran&s;|gre&s;s thy Will.</P>
<P>I will bear thy Anger, O Lord, be|cau&s;e I have &s;inned again&s;t thee. And if I have receiv'd good things from thy hand, why &s;hall I not with con|tent, &s;ubmit to the evil, with which thou art pleas'd to vi&s;it me?</P>
<P>In all my trouble I will think of thee my Good Je&s;u, who ha&s;t &s;uffered far greater things for me.</P>
<P>I wi&s;h I could with thy Apo&s;tles, &s;uffer Affronts, Reproaches and Po|verty, with a joyful Heart.</P>
<P>I will now endeavour at lea&s;t to &s;uf|fer with patience, whatever evils be|fall me, and this for the love of thee.</P>
<PB N="45" REF="27">
<P>If thou art plea&s;ed to exerci&s;e me with Temptations; if Sadne&s;s or Grief di&s;turb me; if Sickne&s;s or Pains di&s;|order me, I will bear all with courage through the a&s;&s;i&s;tance of thy Grace.</P>
<P>Far be it from me, Lord, to &s;ink in Spirit, or be dejected under the&s;e Tri|als, with which thou art plea&s;ed to ex|erci&s;e me, for my greater good.</P>
<P>With thy help, I will endeavour to overcome all Difficulties, and in thee, my God, will I pa&s;s over this Trouble.</P>
<P>Permit me not, Lord, either for love of Quiet or fear of Trouble, to for&s;ake the way of Vertue and Ju&s;tice.</P>
<P>No, my God, tho I were to &s;uffer all the afflictions and mi&s;eries of the World, yet would I never for&s;ake thee.</P>
<P>But art thou not then a&s;ham'd, my Soul, to be thus di&s;turb'd, and to let trifles afflict me!</P>
<P>Is it not a &s;hame to thy Profe&s;&s;ion, that thou lette&s;t Melancholy and Sad|ne&s;s take po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion of thy Heart, u|&s;urp the place of thy God, and turn him out from thence:</P>
<P>In&s;pire my Heart, O God of &s;trength with new Courage; for behold, I de|&s;ire now to follow thee in every af|fliction; I de&s;ire that no drine&s;s, or de&s;o|lation
<PB N="46" REF="28"> of Spirit, may any more divide me from thee.</P>
<P>I am become as a Bea&s;t of burthen before thee, O Lord my God; thou knowe&s;t the weight that is upon me: O grant I may go under it with Pa|tience, that by the way of the Cro&s;s, I may approach to thee.</P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="2" TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>II.</HEAD>
<P>I offer my &s;elf to thee, O Lord, and here earne&s;tly beg thy Grace, that I may bear all my troubles pith patience with cheerfulne&s;s, and without any complaint.</P>
<P>O, that I had the patience of thy Servant <HI>Job;</HI> the courage and cen&s;tan|cy of thy Martyrs, who have for&s;aken Friends, Goods, Liberty and Life for thee.</P>
<P>I wi&s;h I were worthy and truly di|&s;pos'd to leave all for thee, and in the manner thou plea&s;e&s;t.</P>
<P>Since therefore at pre&s;ent thou vi&s;i|te&s;t me with Correction take not thy Mercy from me: Since thou puni&s;he&s;t my Ob&s;tinacy and Wickdne&s;s, let me inherit thy Promi&s;es: Since thou art plea&s;ed to add to my Troubles, be plea&s;ed likewi&s;e to encrea&s;e my Pati|ence.</P>
<PB N="47" REF="28">
<P>I now know and confe&s;s, that I am a Sinner, that I am nothing; and as I de&s;erve, &s;o I de&s;ire to be e&s;teem'd as nothing.</P>
<P>I now chu&s;e rather to be contemp|tible and little in thy Hou&s;e, than to live amid&s;t the greatne&s;s and pride of Sinners.</P>
<P>Behold therefore, I now ca&s;t my &s;elf, for thy &s;ake, beneath all Men, becau&s;e I am the mo&s;t unworthy of all.</P>
<P>And what have I to de&s;ire, but to &s;uffer and be contemn'd for thy &s;ake, and for puni&s;hment of my Sins?</P>
<P>For I confe&s;s, I have &s;inn'd again&s;t thee, my God, and am not worthy to look up towards Heaven, for the mul|titude and foulne&s;s of my Tran&s;gre&s;|&s;ions.</P>
<P>All Creatures, in their &s;everal de|grees, are obedient to thee, only I am rebellious, and by my Offences, run away from thee.</P>
<P>But look on me again O thou good Shepherd of my Soul; call aloud after me, let me hear thy Voice, and bring me back.</P>
<P>And &s;ince thou invite&s;t all to come to thee, by the way of the Cro&s;s and Self-denial, give me thy Grace, that I
<PB N="48" REF="29"> cheerfully bear my Cro&s;s, and with courage follow after thee.</P>
<P>For I de&s;ire to walk in no other way but thine; to learn no other Truth, but thine; to live no other life, but thine: For thou art the Way, the Truth and the Life.</P>
<P>I be&s;eech thee, therefore, dear Je&s;u, let me be ever mindful of thy Death and Pa&s;&s;ion, and in this, may I ever &s;eek re&s;t and comfort amid&s;t all my Troubles.</P>
<P>Let the thoughts of thy Sorrows, ever fill my Brea&s;t, and then how lit|tle will mine be!</P>
<P>O &s;weet Je&s;u, who with &s;o much joy and triumph, went'&s;t up to Jeru&s;a|lem, there to &s;uffer a mo&s;t cruel Death for me, quicken now my Spirits, that with a cheerful Heart I may &s;uffer all for thee.</P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="3" TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>III.</HEAD>
<P>Alas, my &s;uffering is but little, if com|par'd to my Sins: And when I con&s;ider my Tran&s;gre&s;&s;ions, I &s;ee thy Scourge is ju&s;t; O Lord; but in me I find nothing, whereon to build the hopes of comfort.</P>
<P>'Tis on thy Mercy alone I can de|pend for my &s;upport and a&s;&s;i&s;tance: And in this I will ever tru&s;t; for thy Mercy is above all my Sins.</P>
<PB N="49" REF="29">
<P>I am glad, that in my &s;elf there is nothing, and that in thee alone is all the hopes of my Comfort; in thee, who art my Refuge and Strength.</P>
<P>Thou ha&s;t &s;aid, Lord, Without me you can do nothing: And &s;o it is: What therefore have I to do, but to lift up my Eyes to Heaven, and wait for my relief from thee, O infinite Goodne&s;s!</P>
<P>Be now to me a God and Protector; for&s;ake me not, de&s;pi&s;e me not, O God my Salvation: For tho I am neglected by many, yet thou art my Powerful helper.</P>
<P>I flye to thee, Lord, that by thy heavenly Comfort I may encrea&s;e in Patience, and that hoping in thee, I may not be confounded for ever.</P>
<P>All my Tru&s;t is in thee, good Je&s;u, and all the ground of my Confidence, in thy precious Blood. Thou art my Life and my Hope.</P>
<P>Tho I have many Troubles, and am encompa&s;s'd with Afflictions, 'tis all what is appointed me by thy Provi|dence, and all for my good; and there|fore will I ever hope in thee.</P>
<P>Thy Mercy is great; in this will I place my confidence; and thus only
<PB N="50" REF="30"> &s;hall I find re&s;t for my Soul, and never be di&s;appointed.</P>
<P>Magnifie thy Mercies, Lord, who &s;ave&s;t all that tru&s;t in thee: Pre&s;erve me as the Apple of thy Eye, and un|der the &s;hadow of thy Wings protect me.</P>
<P>'Tis better to tru&s;t in God, than to tru&s;t in Man: 'Tis better to hope in our Lord, than in the great things of the Earth.</P>
<P>O God of Power, happy is he who puts his tru&s;t in thee: By thy Grace I &s;hall overcome all Temptations; by thy Comfort, I &s;hall be born up amid&s;t all Evils.</P>
<P>Behold therefore, I here renounce my &s;elf, and all that I have, or am. I give all into thy hands; I leave all to thy di&s;po&s;al.</P>
<P>If thou take&s;t comfort from me at pre&s;ent, thou can&s;t give me far greater.</P>
<P>If thou vi&s;ite&s;t me with Sadne&s;s, and lette&s;t the darkne&s;s of Night over&s;ha|dow me, I will wait for the return of thy Day: I will ble&s;s thee at all times.</P>
<P>For thou art my God; and as I thank thee for thy Ble&s;&s;ings, &s;o in my Troubles, I will never forget thee.</P>
<PB N="51" REF="30">
<P>Afflictions and Temptations di&s;turb me; but thou art my Salvation, my Rock and my Defence; nothing &s;hall de&s;troy that hope I have in thee.</P>
</DIV4>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="lessons">
<DIV3 N="1" TYPE="lesson">
<HEAD>I. LESSON. <HI>S.</HI> Cyprian. <HI>ad Olymp. Ep.</HI> 7.</HEAD>
<P>SAdne&s;s is the rack of Souls, an Afflict|ion not to be expre&s;s'd, a Judgment more prejudicial than the wor&s;t revenge from an Enemy's hand. 'Tis like a vene|mous Worm, which not only con&s;umes the Body, but eats into the very Soul; 'tis a Moth that feeds on the Marrow and Vitals; a perpetual Executioner, torturing the Soul, and exhau&s;ting her Spirits: 'Tis a continual Night, a thick Darkne&s;s, a Storm and Whirl-wind, an inward Fever, preying upon Life; a Conflict without re&s;t, a Di&s;temper that puts out the Eyes of the Wi&s;e and Learned. The darkne&s;s of Night has no terror like the darkne&s;s of a deject|ed Mind, which is not according to the cour&s;e of Nature, but is gather'd from the di&s;order of unrea&s;onable and unquiet Thoughts; 'tis more cruel than the face of a Tyrant, and is ob|&s;tinate again&s;t all the endeavours of a Friendly hand.</P>
<PB N="52" REF="31">
<P>Enlighten my darkne&s;s, O Lord, a|ri&s;e and be my Deliverer. Command peace in my Soul, and by thy power|ful hand, re&s;cue thy Servant from the weight that oppre&s;&s;es me. Send me help from above, and deliver me from all my Enemies, for behold I am poor and needy. Thou art my God and my helper in the day of Battle, and be&s;ides thee, there's none can re&s;cue thy Servant from the weight that op|pre&s;&s;es me.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="2" TYPE="lesson">
<HEAD>II. LESSON. <HI>S.</HI> Bernard. <HI>ad Ab. S.</HI> Nicas. <HI>Ep.</HI> 32.</HEAD>
<P>WIth good rea&s;on we have com|pa&s;&s;ion for &s;uch of our Friends, whom we &s;ee under any di&s;turbance of Mind: Becau&s;e tho we know not certainly what their end will be, yet we have rea&s;on to be very apprehen|&s;ive on their behalf: For, as in tho&s;e, that are Holy and Vertuous, Tribu|lation works Patience, Patience a Trial, a Trial brings forth Hope, and Hope confounds not: So in the Wicked and Perver&s;e, it is ju&s;t contrary; for Tri|bulation cau&s;es dejection of Mind De|jection brings Di&s;quiet, Di&s;quiet brings De&s;pair, and this overthrows all.</P>
<PB N="53" REF="31">
<P>Give not thy &s;elf to Sadne&s;s, but ca&s;t it far from thee, becau&s;e there is no profit in it. Why art thou &s;ad, my Soul, and why do&s;t thou afflict me? Hope in thy Lord, and place thy Con|fidence in him, and thou &s;halt never be Confounded. Have Mercy on me, O God, and pardon this my Folly and Weakne&s;s; I will now &s;trive to be pa|tient in my Tribulation, and wait for thy Comfort; and thus I &s;hall never be Confounded.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="3" TYPE="lesson">
<HEAD>III. LESSON. C. <HI>Bona, Princip. vit. Chr.</HI></HEAD>
<P>IN this one point con&s;i&s;ts the &s;um of Chri&s;tian Perfection, to receive whatever happens, with a peaceable Mind, as coming from the hand of God; to ca&s;t all our care on him, becau&s;e he watches over us, and nothing befalls us, but according to his Appointment. In this Will of God, is grounded all the quiet and peace of a Chri&s;tian. And tho &s;in be from our &s;elves, and not from him; yet in our Repentance ought we be very careful not to fall into any anxiety or di&s;quiet of Mind. We are to be heartily &s;orry indeed, for having offended our God, and even
<PB N="54" REF="32"> with Tears &s;trive to wa&s;h away our Guilt; but this Sorrow mu&s;t not de|&s;troy our inward Peace; we mu&s;t ear|ne&s;tly beg God's Mercy, who has per|mitted us to fall, that &s;o we might be &s;en&s;ible of our Weakne&s;s, that &s;o we may ever go on with fear, and not deceive our &s;elves, in taking that to be ours, which is only the gift of God. We mu&s;t wait with patience and in a contrite Heart, the grace of Amendment; for he is our Lord, and will come when he plea&s;es. The faith|ful and prudent Servant, de&s;ires, no|thing, but the Will of his Ma&s;ter; and in every thing that happens, he &s;ays from his Heart, <HI>It is &s;o, Father, becau&s;e thus it has &s;eem'd good to thee: Thy Will be done.</HI> I am ready to &s;ubmit to all thy Decrees: Wilt thou that I be in Health, or in Sickne&s;s? Wilt thou re|fre&s;h me with thy Comforts, or cover me with Darkne&s;s? Wilt thou that I Abound, or be in Want? What thou wilt, that I will: Do with me as thou plea&s;e&s;t. This is the temper of a Mind indifferent to all the Appointments of God, that makes a Chri&s;tian ever cheerful and con&s;tant, and &s;ecures him again&s;t all Di&s;quiets.</P>
<PB N="55" REF="32">
<P>Let my Soul be &s;ubject to my God; for who is there that re&s;i&s;ts again&s;t him, and has peace within? If I am to keep peace with all, let me in the fir&s;t place &s;tudy to pre&s;erve my peace with God; for I am but Du&s;t and A|&s;hes, and what can be &s;ufficient to make me rebell again&s;t my Maker? Be thou my help, O my God, and my &s;trength: Support me in all Evils and give me Patience; direct me in my Repen|tance, and while I di&s;tru&s;t in my &s;elf, let me ever con&s;ide in thee; for thus only can I pre&s;erve my Peace with God.</P>
<DIV4 N="1" TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>I.</HEAD>
<P>Lord, I am not worthy of thy com|fort, or that thou &s;hould'&s;t vi&s;it me with thy Pre&s;ence.</P>
<P>Therefore thou deale&s;t ju&s;tly with me, when thou leave&s;t me poor and de&s;olate.</P>
<P>If I could &s;hed Tears to equal the Waters of the Sea, yet I &s;hould not be worthy of thy comfort.</P>
<P>I de&s;erve nothing, but to be &s;courg'd and puni&s;h'd, becau&s;e I have grievou&s;|ly and very often offended thee.</P>
<P>So that when I con&s;ider what is my due, I find my &s;elf unworthy of the lea&s;t of thy Mercies.</P>
<PB N="56" REF="33">
<P>But thou, mild and merciful God, who wilt not, that thy Works peri&s;h, but &s;hewe&s;t the riches of thy Goodne&s;s in the Ve&s;&s;els of Mercy, even beyond all de&s;ert, &s;end relief to thy Servant beyond all that is humane.</P>
<P>For thy comforts, my God, are not like the comforts of Men, which pa&s;s away in words and vain di&s;cour&s;es.</P>
<P>But what have I done, my Lord, that thou &s;hould'&s;t let me partake of thy heavenly &s;weetne&s;s?</P>
<P>I remember not, that I have done any good, but have been ever forward to &s;in, and &s;low to amend.</P>
<P>Tis true, I can't deny it; and if I &s;ay otherwi&s;e, thou wilt &s;tand again&s;t me, and there will be none to plead for me.</P>
<P>What is it I have de&s;erv'd for my Sins, but Hell and everla&s;ting Fire?</P>
<P>And tho I can't &s;ay this without trou|ble, yet for truth &s;ake I will lay open my Sins again&s;t my &s;elf, that &s;o I may obtain thy Mercy.</P>
<P>What &s;hall I &s;ay, mi&s;erable Sinner that I am, cover'd over with confu&s;i|on and &s;hame?</P>
<P>I can &s;ay no other word, but this: I have &s;in'd, Lord, I have &s;in'd; have mercy on me and pardon me.</P>
<PB N="57" REF="33">
<P>Suffer me a little, that I may weep and &s;igh out my Grief, before I go in|to the Land of Darkne&s;s, and be co|ver'd with the &s;hadow of Death.</P>
<P>And yet, my Lord, what cau&s;e have I to complain, if thou for&s;ak'&s;t me?</P>
<P>Or, if thou do'&s;t not that which I de&s;ire, what can I ju&s;tly &s;ay again&s;t it?</P>
<P>This with truth, I can think and &s;ay; Lord, I am nothing, I can do nothing: I have nothing that is good of my &s;elf, but in all things fail and am mi&s;erable.</P>
<P>Thou, Lord, art always the &s;ame, always Good, Ju&s;t and Holy, and di|&s;po&s;ing all things well.</P>
<P>But I am more inclin'd to fall, than to go forwards, and never continue long in one State.</P>
<P>But all things will be better, if thou vouch&s;afe&s;t to &s;tretch forth thy helping hand.</P>
<P>For thou alone can&s;t help me, and &s;o &s;trengthen me, that my countenance &s;hall be no more chang'd, and my heart &s;hall be converted and wholly re&s;t in thee.</P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="2" TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>II.</HEAD>
<P>Lord what have I to tru&s;t in, in all this World; or what is the comfort,
<PB N="58" REF="34"> that all things under Heaven afford me?</P>
<P>Is it not thou, Lord, art my only relief, who&s;e Mercies are without number?</P>
<P>Where has my Soul been well, with|out thee; or where has it been &s;en&s;i|ble of Evil, when thou ha&s;t been with me?</P>
<P>I had rather be Poor for love of thee, than Rich without thee.</P>
<P>I had rather be a Pilgrim on Earth with thee, than po&s;&s;e&s;s Heaven with|out thee?</P>
<P>For there is Heaven, where-ever thou art; and there is Death and Hell, where thou art not.</P>
<P>Thou art the only Good I de&s;ire, and therefore I mu&s;t &s;end forth deep &s;ighs from my heart, cry aloud and pray to thee.</P>
<P>For I have none to tru&s;t in, none that can help me in my nece&s;&s;ities, but only Thou, my God.</P>
<P>Thou art my Hope and my Tru&s;t; thou art my Comforter and mo&s;t faith|ful to me in all my di&s;tre&s;s.</P>
<P>Thou &s;eeke&s;t my Salvation and pro|fit, and turn'&s;t all things to my good.</P>
<P>Altho thou permitte&s;t many tempta|tions to a&s;&s;ault me, and many adver|&s;ities
<PB N="59" REF="34"> to befall me; yet thou ordain'&s;t all for my advantage, who art wont to prove thy beloved Servants a thou|&s;and ways.</P>
<P>And therefore being under the&s;e Trials, I ought no le&s;s to love and prai&s;e thee, than if thou did&s;t replen|i&s;h my Soul with heavenly &s;weetne&s;s.</P>
<P>In thee therefore, my Lord God, I place my whole hope and my refuge: On thee I ca&s;t all my Tribulation and angui&s;h; for I find all to be weak and uncon&s;tant, that is out of thee.</P>
<P>Neither Friends, nor Books, nor Riches, nor place of retreat can de|fend me, if thou thy &s;elf art not my Protector, and my Helper.</P>
<P>For whatever &s;eems to flatter me with the promi&s;es of Peace, affords me no joy or comfort at all, when thou art ab&s;ent from me.</P>
<P>Thou art the only true comfort of thy Servants: To thee therefore I lift up my Eyes, in thee I hope, my God, the Father of Mercies.</P>
<P>Ble&s;s and &s;anctifie my Soul with thy heavenly Grace, that it may become thy abode, and the Seat of thy eternal Glory.</P>
<PB N="60" REF="35">
<P>According to the greatne&s;s of thy Goodne&s;s and multitude of thy Mer|cies, have pitty on me, and hear the Prayers of thy poor Servant.</P>
<P>Protect and keep my Soul, amid&s;t &s;o many dangers of this corruptible life, and by thy a&s;&s;i&s;tance, direct it in the way of Peace.</P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="3" TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>III.</HEAD>
<P>Lord God, holy Father, thy Name be ble&s;&s;ed now and for ever, becau&s;e every thing is done by thy appoint|ment, and whatever thou appointe&s;t is good.</P>
<P>Let thy &s;ervant rejoyce not in him|&s;elf, or in any other thing, but in thee alone; for thou art the only true joy, thou art my Hope and my Happine&s;s.</P>
<P>For, as for me, what has thy Ser|vant, but what he has received, and that without any de&s;ert of his?</P>
<P>All is thine, all is given and all made by thee.</P>
<P>I am poor, and in troubles from my youth: My Soul is often heavy even unto tears; often di&s;turb'd, with tho&s;e Pa&s;&s;ions, that ri&s;e again&s;t her.</P>
<P>The thing I de&s;ire is the joy of Peace: What I earne&s;tly beg, is the Peace of thy Children, fed by thee in the light of thy comfort.</P>
<PB N="61" REF="35">
<P>If thou giv'&s;t me this Peace, the Soul of thy Servant &s;hall be full of heavenly &s;weetne&s;s, and with joy &s;ing prai&s;es to thy Name.</P>
<P>But if thou withdraw'&s;t thy &s;elf, as very often thou art wont, how &s;hall he then run the ways of thy Com|mandments?</P>
<P>O righteous Father, and ever to be prais'd, the hour is now come, that thy Servant is to be Tried.</P>
<P>Behold, Father, it is fit, that in this hour, thy Servant &s;uffer &s;omething for thee.</P>
<P>Mo&s;t adorable Father, now for a &s;hort time I am to be oppre&s;s'd, af|flicted, humbled and di&s;quited with many Pa&s;&s;ions and Infirmities.</P>
<P>So it has been appointed by thee; and nothing happens of all I &s;uffer, but what is according to thy Will and Command.</P>
<P>This is a mercy thou &s;hew'&s;t thy Friends, that they be Afflicted and &s;uf|fer &s;omething in this World for love of thee, in what manner and by whom&s;o|ever thou plea&s;e&s;t.</P>
<P>Without thy Council and Provi|dence, without a Cau&s;e in thee, no|thing happens upon Earth.</P>
<PB N="62" REF="36">
<P>It is good for me, Lord, that thou ha&s;t humbled me, that &s;o I may learn to obey thee, and ca&s;t from me all pride and pre&s;umption of heart.</P>
<P>It is for my advantage that &s;hame has covered my Face, that I may ra|ther &s;eek comfort from thee, than from Men.</P>
<P>'Tis hence I have learn'd to fear thy hidden Judgments, who afflicte&s;t the Ju&s;t with the Wicked, but &s;till with equity and Ju&s;tice.</P>
<P>I give thee thanks, my God, that thou ha&s;t not &s;par'd my Sins; but ha&s;t let me feel the &s;everity of thy &s;courge, both within and without.</P>
<P>There is none under Heaven can comfort me, but only thou, my God, the heavenly Phy&s;itian of Souls, who &s;trike&s;t and heale&s;t, who bringe&s;t me down even to Death, and rai&s;e&s;t me up again.</P>
<P>Thy Arm is &s;tretch'd forth again&s;t me? and let this thy Rod be for my In&s;truction.</P>
<P>Behold, beloved Father, I am in thy hands, behold I bow my &s;elf un|der the Rod of thy Correction.</P>
<P>Strike me now, and make my proud neck and &s;tubborn Will bend under the appointments of thy Will.</P>
<PB N="63" REF="36">
<P>Make me Devout and Humble, that I may be ready to follow every book of thy Divine plea&s;ure.</P>
<P>I recommend my &s;elf and all that belongs to me, into thy hands, to re|ceive the correction thou &s;halt think fit: For 'tis better for me to be cha&s;ti|&s;ed here, than hereafter.</P>
<P>Thou know'&s;t, what is expedient for my good, and what tribulation is nece&s;&s;ary to purge me from the filth of Sin.</P>
<P>Do with me according to thy plea|&s;ure, and de&s;pi&s;e not the &s;ighs of a &s;inful Soul.</P>
<P>Thou art my God, and my deliverer.</P>
<P>Help me in the day of Tribulation.</P>
</DIV4>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="lessons">
<DIV3 N="1" TYPE="lesson">
<HEAD>I. LESSON. <HI>Imitat. Chri&s;ti.</HI> T. 3. C. 25.</HEAD>
<P>CHri&s;t &s;aid to his Di&s;ciples; I leave you my Peace, my Peace I give you; I give you Peace, not as the Wold gives it. All de&s;ire Peace, but few take care to do &s;uch things, as are proper for the obtaining it. My Peace is with the humble and meek of heart. Thou &s;halt enjoy an interior quiet, if thou ha&s;t much Patience: And if thou giv'&s;t ear to me and follow'&s;t my voice,
<PB N="64" REF="37"> Peace &s;hall not be wanting to thee. For the purcha&s;e of &s;o great a good, be very attentive to what thou &s;ay'&s;t or do&s;t: direct thy whole intention to this, that thou may'&s;t plea&s;e me a|lone, and &s;eek nothing out of me Judge nothing ra&s;hly of the words or actions of others; and meddle not with things that belong not to thee, for thus &s;halt thou be little or &s;eldom troubled. But never to feel any trou|ble at all, or to be &s;en&s;ible of no grief, either of mind or body, is not the condition of this life, but of everla&s;ting Re&s;t. Think not therefore thou ha&s;t found true Peace, if thou feel'&s;t no &s;orrow; or that all is well, if thou ha&s;t no adver&s;ary; or that all is per|fect, if thou ha&s;t great Devotion and &s;weetne&s;s: No, Chri&s;tian perfection con&s;i&s;ts not in this, but in offering thy &s;elf entirely to my Will, without &s;eek|ing thy own Intere&s;t or Ea&s;e in great or little; accepting, whether Good or Evil, with an equal countenance, gi|ving thanks alike for both, and being indifferent to all that comes from me. If thy Hope be &s;o firm, and thy Cou|rage &s;o great, that when inward com|fort is withdrawn from thee, thou pre|par'&s;t
<PB N="65" REF="37"> thy &s;elf to &s;uffer yet more, and think'&s;t not of ju&s;tifying thy &s;elf, as if thou de&s;erv'&s;t not to &s;uffer &s;o much; but ever &s;triv'&s;t to prai&s;e my Name in all whatever I appoint for thee, then art thou in the way of Peace.</P>
<P>The days of this life are &s;hort and evil, full of &s;orrow and angui&s;h, where man is di&s;turb'd with many Pa&s;&s;ions, di&s;tracted with vanities and defil'd with Sin. O, when &s;hall the&s;e Evils be at an end! When &s;hall I be deliver'd from this mi&s;erable bondage, and per|fectly rejoyce in thee my Lord, where I &s;hall no more be di&s;tracted with va|nities, nor be defil'd with Sin.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="2" TYPE="lesson">
<HEAD>II. LESSON. <HI>Id.</HI> l. 3. c. 57.</HEAD>
<P>SON, Humility and Patience in time of Adver&s;ity, are more plea&s;ing to me, than much Comfort and Devotion in time of Pro&s;perity. Why art thou then di&s;quieted at every little trouble that befalls thee? Tho it had been much greater, yet thou ought'&s;t not to have been mov'd. Thou art cheerful e|nough, as long as thou ha&s;t nothing to &s;uffer; thou can'&s;t then give advice to others and encourage them by thy
<PB N="66" REF="38"> words: But when any Tribulation &s;ur|pri&s;es thee, then thou art de&s;titute of all Coun&s;el, and without &s;trength! Con&s;ider this thy weakne&s;s, which thou experience&s;t in every &s;mall occa&s;ion, which is yet permitted for thy greater good. Chace away therefore all trou|ble from thy heart, as well as thou can'&s;t; and if it begins to make an im|pre&s;&s;ion, yet &s;uffer it not to deject thee or &s;ei&s;e thy Spirits: Bear it at lea&s;t with Patience, if thou can'&s;t not with Joy. The Storm which is rais'd, will quickly be follow'd with a Calm; and thy inward grief &s;hall be &s;weetned with the return of Grace. I &s;till live, &s;ays our Lord, and am ready to help thee, and give thee greater comfort than be|fore, if thou putte&s;t thy tru&s;t in me, and devoutly call'&s;t on me. Take cou|rage therefore and arm thy &s;elf with Patience, to &s;uffer yet more: All is not lo&s;t, if thou feel'&s;t thy &s;elf often Afficted, or violently Tempted. Thou art a Man, and not God; thou art Fle&s;h and not an Angel: How can&s;t thou ex|pect to continue ever in the &s;ame &s;tate of Vertue, when an Angel has fallen from Heaven, and the fir&s;t Man lo&s;t his &s;tanding in Paradi&s;e? I am he
<PB N="67" REF="38"> who comforts tho&s;e that Mourn, and rai&s;e up &s;uch as know their own weak|ne&s;s, evey to the partaking of my Di|vinity.</P>
<P>Ble&s;&s;ed for ever be thy Sacred Word O Lord, &s;weeter to my Mouth than Honey. What &s;hould I do in my Tri|bulation and Angui&s;h, if thou did'&s;t not vouch&s;afe to comfort me! What mat|ter is it, how much or how long I &s;uf|fer, &s;o that I may but at length arrive at the Haven of Bli&s;s? Be mindful of me and direct me, and now I am in the Narrow way, O God, vouch&s;afe to comfort me.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="3" TYPE="lesson">
<HEAD>III. LESSON. <HI>Ib. c.</HI> 35.</HEAD>
<P>THere is no Security in this Life; as long as it la&s;ts, thou &s;halt ever have need of &s;piritual Armour. Thou liv'&s;t in the mid&s;t of Enemies; and if thou defende&s;t not thy &s;elf with the &s;hield of Patience, thou can&s;t not e|&s;cape long without hurt. If thou take&s;t not care to fix thy Heart on God, and to &s;uffer all for his &s;ake, thou can&s;t not &s;u&s;tain the heat of this Battle, nor obtain the Crown of Victory and Bli&s;s: Thou ought'&s;t therefore with courage,
<PB N="68" REF="39"> force thy Enemies, and make thy way through all that &s;tands before thee; for the Manna is not given but to the Conquerors, whil&s;t Mi&s;ery is the por|tion of the Negligent. If thou &s;eek'&s;t after the deceitful Comforts of this World, how wilt thou find true Re&s;t in the other? be not &s;ollicitous for en|joying much Ea&s;e, but rather to ob|tain great Patience. Seek true Peace, not on Earth, but in Heaven: And for the love of God, be ready to &s;uffer all manner of Troubles, Grief, Tempta|tions, Anxieties, Nece&s;&s;ities, Infirmi|ties, Injuries, Detractions, Reprehen|&s;ions, Humiliations, Corrections and Contempts: For the&s;e are &s;o many &s;teps to Vertue: The&s;e are the Trials and Exerci&s;es of a Soldier of Chri&s;t: The&s;e are the Pearls that make up the Heavenly Crown. Expect not always to have Spiritual Comforts; my Saints had not &s;o; but were tried with ma|ny Afflictions and Temptations, which they indur'd with great Patience, tru|&s;ting not in them&s;elves, but in God; and ever remembring that the Suffer|ings of this Life are a very ea&s;ie Pur|cha&s;e of the Glory to come. Wilt thou have that in an In&s;tant, which
<PB N="69" REF="39"> they obtain'd not but with many Tears and la&s;ting Troubles? Wait for help from above; act with Courage and Con&s;tancy; Fear not; Fly not, but offer Body and Soul for the glory of God; and he will be thy Comfort in Tribulations, and afterwards thy plen|tiful Reward.</P>
<P>This is a hard &s;aying; Deny thy &s;elf, take up thy Cro&s;s and follow Je&s;us: But it will be much harder to hear that la&s;t word; Go ye Cur&s;ed, into everla|&s;ting Fire. How &s;hall I bear everla&s;ting Torments, who am &s;o much di&s;turb'd with Trifles! Give me thy Grace, O God, that with patience I may &s;ubmit to all thy Appointments; and let me &s;uffer here whatever thou plea&s;e&s;t, &s;o I may never hear tho&s;e words recall'd, <HI>Go, ye Cur&s;ed, into everla&s;ting Fire.</HI></P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="prayers">
<HEAD>Prayers in time of Affliction.</HEAD>
<DIV3 N="1" TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>I.</HEAD>
<P>ENlighten me, O God Je&s;u, with the clearne&s;s of inward Light, and cha&s;e away all Darkne&s;s from my heart. Put a &s;top to all my wandering thoughts, and break the force of all tho&s;e Temptations, which violently a&s;|&s;ault me. Stretch forth thy powerful
<PB N="70" REF="40"> Arm and fight for me. Put to flight the wild bea&s;ts my Pa&s;&s;ions, which &s;eek to de&s;troy me. Command the Winds and Tempe&s;ts: Say to the Sea, Be &s;till; And behold, a Calm will follow; there &s;hall be a Peace by the power of thy Word.</P>
<P>My Lord God, be not far from me; my God, have regard to help me; for afflicting thoughts have ri&s;en up a|gain&s;t me, and great Fears darken and torment my Soul; and how &s;hall I e|&s;cape, being thus weak and frail in the mid&s;t of &s;o many powerful Enemies? But ha&s;t not thou promis'd, Lord, to help tho&s;e who call upon thee in Tri|bulation, and give relief to &s;uch as are in Di&s;tre&s;s? Do then Lord, as thou ha&s;t &s;aid, fulfill thy words, and let all evils now be put to flight. This is my hope and only comfort, to flye under the &s;ha|dow of thy Wings; to tru&s;t in thee in all Trouble; to call on thee from my Heart, and wait with Patience, till thou &s;halt &s;uccour me.</P>
<P>Ble&s;&s;ed be thy Name, O Lord, for ever, &s;ince it has pleas'd thee to per|mit this Temptation and Affliction to fall upon me. I cannot e&s;cape it; all I can do, is to have recour&s;e to thee,
<PB N="71" REF="40"> that thou may'&s;t help me, and turn it to my good. Lord, my Soul is now affli|cted, it is not well with me, being much di&s;quieted with this pre&s;ent Grif, that torments me. And now, beloved Father, what &s;hall I &s;ay; I am in great extremity; 'tis now the hour of Combat; &s;ave me, O Lord, in this hour. But 'tis thou ha&s;t permmitted it, for the manife&s;tation of thy Glory, in delivering me from &s;uch Straits. Let it plea&s;e thee then Lord, to &s;uc|cour me; for mi&s;erable wretch that I am, what can I do, and whither &s;hall I go without thee! Grant me Patience Lord, even this time al&s;o. Help me, my God, and then, however Temp|tations pre&s;s heavy upon me, yet I will not fear.</P>
<P>And now, in this condition, what &s;hall I &s;ay? Lord, thy will be done: I have truly de&s;erv'd to be afflicted and griev'd; and certainly I ought to bear it; and would to God, I could bear it with patience, till the Storm be o|ver, and there &s;ucceed a Calm. But thy Almighty hand is able even now, to remove this Temptation from me, and abate its violence, that I &s;ink not under it, as thou ha&s;t often already
<PB N="72" REF="41"> done, O God of Mercy: And the more unable I am to re&s;cue my &s;elf from this evil, the more manife&s;t will thy Power be, in working this Change by thy mighty Arm. O God be then to me a Je&s;us, and deliver me.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="2" TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>II.</HEAD>
<P>O Merciful God, the only hope of my Soul, and my eternal Comfort, who vi&s;ite&s;t tho&s;e with internal Sweet|ne&s;s, who for love of thee, de&s;pi&s;e the &s;atisfactions of this World; &s;o over|rule my Will by thy Grace, that my Soul may find no reli&s;h in the Goods of this Life, but that thou being my only Comfort, every thing el&s;e may be no otherwi&s;e grateful, than as it comes from thee.</P>
<P>Work that happy effect in my heart, as to take off all bitterne&s;s from the Cro&s;s and Suffering, and make them become delightful to me. 'Twas by thy Grace, <HI>Stephen</HI> found Comfort, e|ven in the Stones that were thrown a|gain&s;t him, and <HI>Lawrence</HI> in the Fire, that Con&s;um'd him: 'Twas by thy help the Apo&s;tles found Sweetne&s;s in their Afflictions, and rejoyc'd in their Suffer|ings. O, grant me a large portion of this heavenly a&s;&s;i&s;tance, that I may
<PB N="73" REF="41"> now ta&s;te of that Sweetne&s;s thou ha&s;t prepar'd for tho&s;e that &s;erve thee; that I may not be dejected with the evils that encompa&s;s me; but that receiving all as from thy hand, I may with true &s;ubmi&s;&s;ion, accept all thy Appoint|ments, and rejoice in the accompli&s;h|ment of thy Will.</P>
<P>Behold, therefore, O Ju&s;t God, I of|fer thee all the Troubles, Afflictions, Di&s;quiets, I have hitherto &s;uffer'd, and tho&s;e which at pre&s;ent di&s;turb me, in Union with the bitter Pa&s;&s;ion of thy only Son my dear Redeemer; and I be&s;eech thee &s;o to &s;trengthen me by thy Grace, that I may never murmure at the Scourge, with which thou art pleas'd to vi&s;it me, but with a true re&s;ignation, &s;ubmit to it, patiently &s;uf|fer it for the good of my Soul, and cheerfully offer it to the glory of thy Name.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="3" TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>III.</HEAD>
<P>HAve Mercy on me, O Lord, have Mercy on me a mi&s;erable Sinner, who have ungratefully rebell'd again&s;t thee, and now &s;uffer nothing but what I mo&s;t ju&s;tly de&s;erve. My Iniquities are very great; and tho thy hand af|flicts me, yet how light is thy Puni&s;h|ment,
<PB N="74" REF="42"> if compar'd to the multitude of my Offences! Thou art Ju&s;t, O Lord, and thy Judgment is right, and I con|fe&s;s, there is nothing befallen me, but what is according to the appointment of thy Will; for thou ha&s;t care of all thy Creatures, and with a Fatherly Providence, watche&s;t over thy Ser|vants, who put their Tru&s;t in thee.</P>
<P>But, I mo&s;t humbly be&s;eech thee, not to Cha&s;ti&s;e me according to the mea&s;ure of my Sins, by which I have mo&s;t unworthily provok'd thy Wrath; but according to the greatne&s;s of thy Mercy, which infinitely exceeds my Tran&s;gre&s;&s;ions. Give me a true con|&s;tancy of Mind, and an untir'd Pati|ence under all my Afflictions, that I may ble&s;s thee at all times; that I may never cea&s;e to prai&s;e thy Name; but that under the weight of all my Op|pre&s;&s;ions, I may &s;till rai&s;e up my heart to thee; and that while I humbly bend under thy Rod, I may &s;till with cheer|fulne&s;s rejoice in thee. Have Mercy on me, O Lord, have Mercy on me, and according to the greatne&s;s of my Nece&s;&s;ity, &s;o help me, Lord; for thou &s;ee&s;t my Affliction, thou know'&s;t my Weakne&s;s, and thou alone ha&s;t power to help me, who live&s;t for ever.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="4" TYPE="prayer">
<PB N="75" REF="42">
<HEAD>IV.</HEAD>
<P>O Merciful Redeemer, who ever &s;hew'&s;t thy Goodne&s;s to us, as well in thy Puni&s;hments as in thy Ble&s;|&s;ings, who by outward Cha&s;ti&s;ements, endeavour'&s;t to heal the Corruptions of the Inward Man, and by pa&s;&s;ing Troubles, prepar'&s;t us for everla&s;ting Joys, grant, that now with patience, I may receive the Cup thou ha&s;t put in|to my hand, and drink it in obedience to thy Will. Nature indeed is unwil|ling, and thinks it hard; but thou ha&s;t &s;uffer'd much more for me, and my Sins de&s;erve yet greater Puni&s;hment from thy Ju&s;tice.</P>
<P>But thou know'&s;t my Weakne&s;s, and therefore like the good Samaritan, whil&s;t thou pour'&s;t Wine into our Wounds, which &s;earches and bites, thou generally mixe&s;t it with Oyl, gi|ving ea&s;e by thy interior Comforts, and thus enable&s;t us to go through tho&s;e evils, which otherwi&s;e we could not &s;upport. Since therefore at pre&s;ent, thou art pleas'd to &s;end me this Trial, grant me likewi&s;e the gift of Patience, that I may receive this Trouble with a true Humility, and &s;o re&s;ign'd a heart, that it may be available for the remi&s;|&s;ion of all my Sins.</P>
<PB N="76" REF="43">
<P>Or, if in thy Fatherly Tenderne&s;s, thou &s;halt think this gentle Correction to be &s;ufficient, let this affliction, I be|&s;eech thee, be follow'd with Quiet and Peace; that &s;o, on this double account, I may render thee due thanks, for having with a merciful hand cha|&s;tis'd my Wickedne&s;s, and for relieving my Sorrows with the &s;weetne&s;s of thy Comfort; for puni&s;hing me in thy Ju|&s;tice, and &s;paring me in compa&s;&s;ion to my Weakne&s;s. To thee be Prai&s;e and thank&s;giving for ever.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="5" TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>V.</HEAD>
<P>O God, who re&s;i&s;te&s;t the Proud, and give&s;t Grace to the Humble, de|liver me, I be&s;eech thee, from the Tribulation and Grief, which &s;traiten me now on every &s;ide; for thou alone ha&s;t power to help me, and there's none that can re&s;i&s;t thy Will: Help me, O Lord, and I &s;hall be &s;afe; look with compa&s;&s;ion on my Weakne&s;s, and let not the Enemy have power over me.</P>
<P>Strengthen me, O merciful Lord, by thy Grace, that in all my afflictions, I may keep clo&s;e to thee, that I may Love thee, Fear thee, and Prai&s;e thee. Thy Will be done in me; for thy Judg|ments are Ju&s;t, and what am I, but a
<PB N="77" REF="43"> mi&s;erable unworthy Sinner? Ble&s;&s;ed be thy Name for ever, for thou only know'&s;t what is good for me; and tho I beg of thee not to puni&s;h me accor|ding to my Sins, yet do that, I be&s;eech thee, which is mo&s;t expedient for my Salvation.</P>
<P>O God, who de&s;pi&s;e&s;t not the Sighs of a contrite heart, and ha&s;t promis'd to hear the Prayers of the afflicted Spirit, receive now my Petition, which I offer thee from under the weight of my Oppre&s;&s;ion, and be my defender again&s;t all my Adver&s;aries, deliver me from their Snares, overthrow their Coun&s;els, and &s;tand thou Lord, again&s;t all their attempts; that being re&s;tor'd, to peace, I may for ever prai&s;e and ble&s;s thy holy Name.</P>
<P>Without this thy help, how can I &s;ub&s;i&s;t in this mi&s;erable Life; how can I &s;upport my &s;elf, if I have not thy Mercy and Grace to comfort me? Turn not therefore, Lord, thy Face from me; delay not thy Heavenly Vi&s;ita|tion; let me no longer want the a&s;&s;i|&s;tance of thy Grace, le&s;t my Soul be|come as Earth without Water Teach me, Lord, to do thy Will; teach me to live humbly in thy Sight? for thou
<PB N="78" REF="44"> art the only Wi&s;dom, that can&s;t in&s;truct me; thou perfectly know'&s;t me, and 'tis my de&s;ire truly to know and fol|low thee in all the ways where ever thou art pleas'd to lead me.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="6" TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>VI.</HEAD>
<P>I Prai&s;e thee, O heavenly Father, Fa|ther of my Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t, for that thou art often plea&s;ed to remem|ber me, a poor and mi&s;erable Creature O Father of Mercies, and God of all Comfort, thanks be to thee, who re|fre&s;he&s;t me &s;ometimes, tho unworthy of all Comfort: I ever ble&s;s and glo|rifie thee, with thy Holy Gho&s;t. O God, my Lord, when ever thou art plea&s;ed to come into my Heart, then all that is within me, is fill'd with Joy. Thou art my Glory, and the fulne&s;s of all Comfort. Thou art my Hope and my Refuge in the day of Tribu|lation.</P>
<P>But becau&s;e I am yet weak in thy Love, and imperfect in Vertue, I have need of being comforted and &s;treng|then'd by thee: Vi&s;it me therefore of|ten and in&s;truct me in thy holy Di&s;|cipline Deliver me from my evil pa&s;|&s;ions, and heal my heart of all its di&s;|order'd affections; that being cur'd
<PB N="79" REF="44"> within, I may be prepar'd to Love, couregeous to Suffer, and con&s;tant in holding out to the end in thy Service: that &s;o I may be no more di&s;quieted with Fears, dejected with Sadne&s;s, ter|rified with Temptations, nor weakned with Grief.</P>
<P>O, when will the&s;e evils be at an end! When &s;hall I be deliver'd from this mi&s;erable Bondage! When &s;hall I think, O Lord, of thee alone! When &s;hall I be free from all impediments, in true liberty, without all di&s;quiets, either of Body or Mind! Behold, I am here left as one poor and bani&s;hed, in the land of Enemies, where there is continual War, and endle&s;s Misfor|tunes. Comfort Lord, this my Ban|i&s;hment, moderate my Sorrow, for all my de&s;ire a&s;cends up in Sighs to thee. I profe&s;s, I would gladly fix my heart on the things of Heaven; but tempo|ral Cares and unmortified Pa&s;&s;ions, weigh me down. In mind, I would be above all things; but I am forc'd to be &s;ubject to corrupt Nature, even again&s;t my will. Thus unhappy &s;inner that I am, I fight again&s;t my &s;elf, I am become grievous to my &s;elf, whil&s;t my Spirit &s;eeks after the things above, and
<PB N="80" REF="45"> Nature draws me to things below. Be not therefore far from me, my God; depart not in thy Wrath from thy Ser|vant. Succour me, O everla&s;ting Truth, that nothing may move me from my Duty. Come heavenly Sweetne&s;s, pro|claim peace to my Soul, and abide with me in the mid&s;t of all my Tribu|lation.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="7" TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>VII.</HEAD>
<P>O Merciful and dear Redeemer, be|hold here I an unworthy Sinner. redeem'd by thy precious Blood, flye to thee my God and my Saviour, with an humble, but &s;ervent Heatt. Thou once offerd&s;t thy &s;elf to the Eternal Father, on the Cro&s;s, for my Redemp|tion; and now I, tho unworthy to appear in thy Pre&s;ence, offer my &s;elf wholly to thee, with all that I have, or am, or &s;hall be.</P>
<P>Accept, I be&s;eech thee, dear Je&s;us, this Offering I now make; and from this hour, take my Soul and Body, my Thoughts, my Words and Actions, in|to thy Mercy and Protection, that I may faithfully &s;erve thee, my Re|deemer; and that neither Life nor Death, Plenty, nor Want; neither Temptation nor Peace, Joy nor Sad|ne&s;s,
<PB N="81" REF="45"> Ea&s;e nor Di&s;quiets, may be ever able to divide me from thee.</P>
<P>For this end, I now de&s;ire with all my Soul, to renounce my &s;elf, and that my Will for the future be ever conform'd to thine. I de&s;ire thee to di&s;po&s;e of me and whatever belongs to me, in the manner thou plea&s;e&s;t, and as it &s;hall be mo&s;t for thy glory. And I now de&s;ire to be content with what|ever lot thou ha&s;t appointed for me, whether Good or Evil. And there|fore, as to Sickne&s;s, Poverty, Con|tempt, Grief, De&s;olation, or what o|ther Suffering; may they be all well|come to me, O God, as they come from thy hand: May I &s;ubmit to all, be content with all, and even rejoyce in all; becau&s;e 'tis all the fulfilling of thy Will. In whatever condition I am, may I ever think 'tis well, and de&s;ire nothing to be otherwi&s;e than it is, be|cau&s;e it is according to thy Will. Per|fect, O God, this will in me by thy holy Grace, that thus my whole com|fort may ever be in thee.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="8" TYPE="prayer">
<PB N="82" REF="46">
<HEAD>VIII. In any Publick Calamity.</HEAD>
<P>ALmighty and Everla&s;ting God, Fa|ther of Mercies and God of all comfort, have regard to us mi&s;erable and unworthy Sinners, who in our di|&s;tre&s;s and nece&s;&s;ities, with all humili|ty, &s;eek to thee for help. Thy hand is upon us, and we are &s;everely Af|flicted; Tribulation is on every &s;ide. And we, what &s;hall we &s;ay to the&s;e things, O dreadful Lord! Thou art Ju&s;t, O God, and thy Judgments are unque&s;tionable: The evils with which thou vi&s;ite&s;t us, we confe&s;s to be the ju&s;t Scourges of thy Anger, which we have provok'd. For thou vi&s;ite&s;t our iniquities with thy Rod, and our Sins with thy Scourge, becau&s;e we have &s;o rebelliou&s;ly offended again&s;t thy Di|vine Maje&s;ty: We have &s;in'd, O Lord, again&s;t Heaven, and done Evil in thy &s;ight; by our Iniquities we are be|come unworthy to appear in thy pre|&s;ence, or to lift up our Eyes to Hea|ven.</P>
<P>But look not, O Lord, &s;o much on our wickedne&s;s, as to forget thy Good|ne&s;s; for as thou art Ju&s;t, &s;o thy Mer|cies
<PB N="83" REF="46"> are above all thy Works: And if thou only regarde&s;t our Iniquities, Lord, who &s;hall be able to &s;tand be|fore thee? Moderate therefore, we be&s;eech thee, O merciful God, the rigour of thy Ju&s;tice, and deal not with us according to our Sins, nor puni&s;h us according to our Iniquities; but ac|cording to the multitude of thy tender Mercies turn away thy Anger from us.</P>
<P>We are truly &s;orry for having &s;o grievou&s;ly offended again&s;t thee, and by our tran&s;gre&s;&s;ions provok'd thy Ju|&s;tice; and therefore in a Contrite and humble heart, we now fly to the Throne of thy Grace and Goodne&s;s; and there, pro&s;trating our &s;elves, with our whole tru&s;t in thy infinite Mercies, beg thee to have compa&s;&s;ion in our Mi&s;ery, and not wholly abandon us to the fury of thy ju&s;t Revenge.</P>
<P>Look, we be&s;eech thee, on the face of thy Chri&s;t, who has purchas'd us by his Death; be mindful of the Pro|mi&s;e and Covenant thou ha&s;t made with thy People, and which has been Seal'd with the Blood of thy beloved Son, our Redeemer Je&s;us Chri&s;t: Have regard to the honour of thy Name, which is now invok'd by thy Ser|vants,
<PB N="84" REF="47"> but bla&s;phem'd by thy Ene|mies.</P>
<P>And becau&s;e we are unworthy, of our &s;elves, to be partakers of the ef|fects of thy Goodne&s;s; at lea&s;t for thy own &s;ake, and for the glory of thy Holy Name, be merciful to us, deli|ver us, and forgive us our Sins: Let that thy un&s;peakable Love and Good|ne&s;s move thee, which prevail'd on thee to &s;end thy Only Son for our Redemption. And we be&s;eech thee, by the &s;ame Lord Je&s;us our Redeem|er, by his mo&s;t bitter Pa&s;&s;ion and Death, have regard to our Prayers, hear our Cry, and con&s;ider the Afflicti|on of thy People: For thou alone art our Protector and Deliverer.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="9" TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>IX.</HEAD>
<P>O God, who by Sin art offended, and by Penance pacified, merci|fully regard the Prayers of thy Peo|ple, who make &s;upplication to thee, and turn away the Scourges of thy An|ger, which we de&s;erve for our Sins.</P>
<P>De&s;pi&s;e not, O Lord, thy People calling upon thee in their Affliction; but for the glory of thy Name, &s;end us relief in our Nece&s;&s;ities.</P>
<PB N="85" REF="47">
<P>Look upon us, O God our Prote|ctor, that we, who are appre&s;s'd un|der the weight of eur Mi&s;eries, may, by the effect of thy Mercy, be re&s;tor'd again to Peace, and &s;erve thee with true freedom of Spirit.</P>
<P>Mercifully hear our Prayers, O Lord, we be&s;eech thee, that we who ju&s;tly &s;uffer for our Offences, may, for thy Name &s;ake, be graciou&s;ly de|liver'd.</P>
<P>O God, who know'&s;t our weakne&s;s, and that through the frailty of our Nature we cannot &s;ub&s;i&s;t amid&s;t &s;uch dangers and terrors; Strengthen us, we be&s;eech thee, both in mind and body, that the Evils we &s;uffer for our Sins, we may overcome through the a&s;&s;i&s;tance of thy Grace.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="10" TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>X. In time of Thunder, Lightning, Storms.</HEAD>
<P><HI>Fir&s;t &s;ay the long Litanies, repeating twice tho&s;e words; From</HI> Thunder <HI>and</HI> Lightning: <HI>And the</HI> Our Father <HI>be|ing ended, go on thus,</HI></P>
<P><HI>V.</HI> OUR help is in the Name of our Lord. <HI>R.</HI> Who made the Heavens and the Earth. <HI>V.</HI> Shew us,
<PB N="86" REF="48"> O Lord, thy Mercy. <HI>R.</HI> And &s;ave us by thy Power. <HI>V.</HI> Help us, O God, our Salvation. <HI>R.</HI> And for the glory of thy Name deliver us. <HI>V.</HI> Let not the Enemy prevail again&s;t us. <HI>R.</HI> Nor the Son of Iniquity have power to hurt us. <HI>V.</HI> Have mercy on us, O Lord. <HI>R.</HI> As we have put our tru&s;t in thee. <HI>V.</HI> Lord &s;ave thy People. <HI>R.</HI> And ble&s;s thy Inheritance. <HI>V.</HI> Refu&s;e not thy A&s;&s;i&s;tance to tho&s;e that keep thy Law. <HI>R.</HI> Lord, God of Power, ble&s;|&s;ed is the Man, that places his whole confidence in thee. <HI>V.</HI> O Lord, hear my Prayer. <HI>R.</HI> And let my Cry come unto thee.</P>
<P><HI>Let us Pray.</HI></P>
<P>O God, who by Sin art offended, and by Penance pacified, mercifully regard the Prayers of thy People, who make Supplication to thee, and turn away the Scourges of thy Anger, which we de&s;erve for our Sins.</P>
<P>Defend, O Lord, this thy Hou&s;e, from the Power of Evil Spirits, and by thy command abate the terrors of this Storm.</P>
<P>Almighty and Everla&s;ting God, have compa&s;&s;ion on us, who ju&s;tly now fear
<PB N="87" REF="48"> thy Judgments, and graciou&s;ly hear our Prayers, that &s;paring us in this Storm, and removing the Tempe&s;t, we may hence have rea&s;on to magnifie thy Mercy.</P>
<P>Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t, who did'&s;t once command the Winds and the Sea, and there follow'd a great Calm; give ear to the Prayers of this Family, and grant that by the Sign and Power of Chri&s;t crucified, the fury of this Storm may cea&s;e.</P>
<P>Almighty and mo&s;t merciful God, who heal'&s;t us by thy Puni&s;hments, and by thy Mercy pre&s;erv'&s;t us; grant to thy Servants, that we may be comforted in the return of the Peace we de&s;ire, and enjoy the gift of thy Bounty.</P>
<P>King of Heaven and all-powerful God, who cover'&s;t the Heaven with Clouds, and provide&s;t Rain for the Earth, who commande&s;t the Storms above, and open'&s;t the gates of Hea|ven, who cha&s;e&s;t away Tempe&s;ts, and mak'&s;t the Calm return, who gav'&s;t the Angel charge not to hurt the Earth or Sea or Trees, mercifully hear us, we be&s;eech thee, have compa&s;&s;ion on us in our Fears, and cha&s;ti&s;e us not in thy Anger.</P>
<PB N="88" REF="49">
<P>Command in thy power all the&s;e Terrors to cea&s;e; &s;hew thy &s;elf So|veraign Lord of all, and make them obey thy Word. May thy Holy Spirit now de&s;cend among&s;t us and be our Comforter. May he protect us again&s;t all the de&s;igns of the Enemy; and let none of thy Creatures hurt us, while we hope in thee, and &s;eek for &s;helter under thy Wings; through our Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t thy Son, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></P>
<TRAILER><HI>Here may be added tho&s;e Prayers at</HI> Num. VIII. IX. p. 82, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></TRAILER>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="11" TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>In time of Temptation.</HEAD>
<P>LOrd Je&s;us Chri&s;t, behold the Ene|my makes violent A&s;&s;aults again&s;t me, and if thou com'&s;t not in to my defence, how &s;hall I be able to with|&s;tand his fury! Vouch&s;afe therefore, dear Lord, to take me into thy prote|ction; that &s;o, however weak and in|con&s;tant I am of my &s;elf, yet by the a&s;&s;i&s;tance of thy Power I may be &s;e|cure.</P>
<P>Deliver me, O God, from all my Enemies; for to thee I fly for &s;helter: Teach me do to thy Will, for thou art my God. Be to me a Protection and Place of Defence, and &s;ave me:
<PB N="89" REF="49"> For a violent Storm is ri&s;en again&s;t me; and being now ready to &s;ink, behold, I cry to thee for help. Have com|pa&s;&s;ion therefore on my weakne&s;s, and, as thou did'&s;t to <HI>Peter,</HI> &s;o now merci|fully &s;tretch forth thy hand to me, and &s;ave me from the fury of the Waves. Pre&s;erve me, O God, from the&s;e E|vils, which now cau&s;e di&s;quiet in my Soul; confirm me at lea&s;t, with &s;trength from above, that &s;o, neither flattery nor fears may be ever able to force me from my Duty, but that in all the&s;e Trials I may be ever faithful to thee.</P>
<P>Mo&s;t ju&s;t Lord, I confe&s;s all is done by thy appointment, and if thou &s;halt plea&s;e to carry me on in this Exerci&s;e, and that I be &s;till a&s;&s;aulted again&s;t my will, what have I, mi&s;eralbe Creature, to &s;ay, but, thy Will be done? I know, I de&s;erve no comfort from thee, ha|ving been ever faithle&s;s to thee, for|&s;aking thee my God, and vainly &s;eek|ing to &s;atisfie my own corrupt Nature; therefore am I now ju&s;tly deliver'd up to the&s;e Pa&s;&s;ions, to be buffeted by Satan, and to be puni&s;h'd with the trouble of the&s;e Trials.</P>
<PB N="90" REF="50">
<P>Wherefore beloved Je&s;us, in union of that true Re&s;ignation, wherewith thou offered'&s;t thy &s;elf to the Death on the Cro&s;s, I now offer and re&s;ign my &s;elf to whatever thou ha&s;t appoin|ted for me, either of Suffering or Temptation: But remember, O mer|ciful Je&s;u, how infirm and weak I am: I have nothing of my own to tru&s;t to; and therefore di&s;tru&s;ting wholly of my &s;elf, I repo&s;e all my confidence in thee.</P>
<P>My Lord and my God, receive me in thy Mercy, protect me by thy pow|er, and &s;trengthen me by thy Grace, that I may &s;o bear all Troubles and Temptations, whether within or with|out, go on with that Con&s;tancy, Re|&s;olution and Courage and be &s;o true to my Duty, that even till Death I may never yield, never &s;eek comfort out of thee; but that all may turn to my im|provement in Vertue and to the good of my Soul.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="12" TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>XII. <HI>&V;pon a Child, Friend,</HI> &amp;c. <HI>taking evil ways.</HI></HEAD>
<P>LOrd Je&s;us Chri&s;t, who cam'&s;t into this World to be the Shepherd of our Souls, to &s;eek after the lo&s;t Sheep, and carry him back to the Fold, look
<PB N="91" REF="50"> on this thy Servant with the Eyes of compa&s;&s;ion, and permit him no lon|ger to run a&s;tray after Folly and Vani|ty, but, by the power of thy Grace, force his rebellious Will to &s;ubmit to thy Law.</P>
<P>I confe&s;s, Lord, for my own part, I de&s;erve, for my Tran&s;gre&s;&s;ions, the rigor of thy Ju&s;tice; but &s;pare me however, I be&s;eech thee, in this point, and let not the lo&s;s of &s;uch a Soul, thus dear to me, be the puni&s;hment of my Offences. Thou ha&s;t &s;aid, thou hate&s;t nothing of what thou ha&s;t made, but that thou wilt &s;hew Mercy and &s;pare; let not then this thy Creature and Ser|vant be excluded from thy Promi&s;e; let him not be ca&s;t off as a Reprobate; and tho he has for&s;aken thee, yet thou can&s;t &s;till manife&s;t in him the power of thy Goodne&s;s, and by thy Grace re|claim him from his Evil.</P>
<P>Remember, I be&s;eech thee, that Mercy thou &s;hew'&s;t to <HI>Mary Magda|len,</HI> to <HI>Peter</HI> and to the <HI>Publican;</HI> &s;ee, how all Chri&s;tians daily ble&s;s and mag|nifie thy Name for this thy Goodne&s;s; See how many Sinners have been hence encourag'd to return to thee, in hopes of thy Pardon. Let now this thy Ser|vant
<PB N="92" REF="51"> be one In&s;tance more of thy infi|nite Mercy, and let it not be enough to forgive him, when he repents; but extend &s;till thy Mercy farther, &s;eek after him, call upon him and draw him to Repentance.</P>
<P>Let thy Light &s;hine forth upon him and remove his Blindne&s;s, that he may &s;ee the error of his ways, be &s;en&s;ible of his Offence again&s;t thee, of the Scandal he gives his Neighbour, of the eternal ruin of his own Soul, and of as many others, as are deluded by his Example. Rectify his Affections and over-rule his Will, that he may no longer find charms in the things of this World, but that being truly &s;en&s;ible of all his Follies, he may return to his Duty, and have Courage to deny him|&s;elf and for&s;ake all Sin for the love of thee.</P>
<P>Hear me, O Je&s;us, and let not this thy Servant be lo&s;t, who has been Re|deem'd by thy precious Blood.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="13" TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>XIII. &V;pon any Reprehen&s;ion, Reproach, or fal&s;e Accu&s;ation.</HEAD>
<P>HOw mi&s;erably weak am I, who am thus ea&s;ily di&s;turb'd! I cannot &s;uf|fer a few Words, who ought to have
<PB N="93" REF="51"> courage even to endure Stripes. And, why am I thus infirm, but becau&s;e my heart is yet carnal, and I regard Men more than I ought? If I were dead to the World, and the World were truly crucified to me, I &s;hould be con|tent to be de&s;pis'd and humbled, I &s;hould not value what Men &s;ay of me, but wholly depend on thy Judgment, O Lord, who judge&s;t not according to the Face, but &s;earche&s;t the Heart and Reins.</P>
<P>O Lord my God, the ju&s;t Judge, Strong and Patient, thou know'&s;t my perver&s;ity and weakne&s;s; be thou my Strength and the &s;upport of my Soul, for my own Con&s;cience &s;uffices me not. I ought in every Reproach and Reprehen&s;ion, have hubmly &s;ubmitted my &s;elf and born it patiently: But mercifully pardon me, I be&s;eech thee, as often as I have fail'd herein; and give me now grace of greater Suffe|rance. For thy bountiful Mercy is more available to me, for the obtain|ing of Pardon, than my conceiv'd Ju|&s;tice for the defence of my hidden Con&s;cience. Although my Con&s;cience accu&s;es me not, yet in this I am not Ju&s;tified. For if I de&s;erve not this Se|verity
<PB N="94" REF="52"> on this &s;core, yet I cannot pre|tend it is unju&s;t O God, how many other ways have I de&s;erv'd it from thy hands at lea&s;t, who have &s;o often offended thee; and if thou art now pleas'd to puni&s;h me in this way, why &s;hould I complain? O God, I de&s;ire to accept all as from thy appointment; and I now fall down pro&s;trate under thy Scourge, and Ble&s;s thy Name.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="14" TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>XIV. <HI>When a Friend, Child, Relation;</HI> &amp;c. <HI>is &s;eiz'd with Sickne&s;s.</HI></HEAD>
<P>TO thy infinite Goodne&s;s, dear Je|&s;us, I recommend this thy Ser|vant, whom thou art pleas'd to vi&s;it with this Di&s;temper. Take him into thy care, I be&s;eech thee, and be his Phy&s;ician; give a Ble&s;&s;ing to the Re|medies that &s;hall be us'd, and puni&s;h not my Sins in him; but &s;pare him, if it be thy holy Will; I leave him whol|ly in thy hands, and hope, that as thou ha&s;t often comforted the Afflicted, in giving Health to the Sick &s;o thou wilt at pre&s;ent, &s;new thy Mercy to thy Servant, and re&s;tore him again to us. Give him patience in this his Sickne&s;s, and &s;anctifie it to him by thy Grace, that he may accept it as from thy
<PB N="95" REF="52"> hand; and as for me, grant me a true Chri&s;tian Spirit, that I may be perfect|ly re&s;ign'd to thy Will, and confe&s;s thee to be mo&s;t Ju&s;t and Adorable in all thy Decrees. Help us, O Lord, direct and comfort us under thy Scourge, for as thou art Ju&s;t, &s;o thou art Merciful: Shew us then thy Mer|cy, that we may rejoyce in thee.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="15" TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>XV. In any violence of Pain.</HEAD>
<P>HAve Mercy on me O Je&s;us, a mi|&s;erable Sinner, and deliver me from this Pain, which di&s;quiets me; or grant me Patience to bear it, as be|comes my Duty. When I look on my &s;elf, I cannot but confe&s;s, I mo&s;t ju&s;t|lyly de&s;erve all this from thy hands: For what is there of Pain, that is not my due, if I were to be puni&s;h'd ac|cording to my De&s;erts? Are not there many now &s;uffering in Hell, who&s;e Sins exceed not mine? And is it not a Mercy then, that I am thus tenderly Vi&s;ited, while &s;o many others &s;uffer under thy Ju&s;tice, without hopes of Relief. See then my Soul, ha&s;t thou rea&s;on to murmure or complain of the weight of this Scourge: Or rather art thou not oblig'd with thanks, to ble&s;s
<PB N="96" REF="53"> the goodne&s;s of thy Lord? And if thou think&s;t thou art &s;everely dealt with, rai&s;e thy Thoughts a little, and hear that la&s;t Sentance pronounced, of, <HI>Go you accur&s;ed, into Eternal Fire.</HI> O, if thou wert one of that wretched Num|ber, and now in the moment of &s;ink|ing into Hell, would&s;t not thou e&s;teem it a Mercy, to have that &s;ad Doom exchang'd into the Pain thou now en|dur'&s;t? Give thanks then now, and re|member that in&s;tead of this pre&s;ent unea&s;ine&s;s, thy lot might Ju&s;tly have been with tho&s;e, who&s;e Pains &s;hall ne|ver end? Thanks therefore be to thee O Lord, for all thy Mercies, and now withal my Soul, I ble&s;s thy Name, and ble&s;&s;ed be it for ever.</P>
<P>But &s;till I want Patience, I am &s;till unea&s;ie. And is not this becau&s;e thou art infirm and weak, and know'&s;t not the ways of thy Lord? Thou ha&s;t ta|ken thy time to offend, and he now takes his time to puni&s;h thee. Thou ha&s;t often &s;infully indulg'd thy Will, and to plea&s;e thy &s;elf, ha&s;t made light of di&s;plea&s;ing him; therefore is his hand upon thee now; therefore he calls thee to Self-denials, and that's be|come now a Force upon thee, which
<PB N="97" REF="53"> &s;hould have been thy Choice. Neg|lect not then this opportunity put into thy hands, but accept of this Correcti|on to &s;atisfie for all tho&s;e vicious liber|ties, whereby thou ha&s;t hitherto in|jur'd thy Soul and di&s;pleas'd thy God. Offer up every Pain thou feel'&s;t, for &s;uch particular Sins as are thy greate&s;t Burthen; and as often as it returns, let it be &s;till a&s;&s;ign'd to di&s;charge &s;ome old Debt that lyes upon thy hands. O God, 'tis thus I offer it now, and beg thee graciou&s;ly thus to accept it from me: Accept in pardon of all my Sins: Upon this Score, I readily em|brace the Rod, and think they are very ea&s;ie Terms, if thus I may e&s;cape thy anger, and be again re&s;tor'd to Grace.</P>
<P>But, why do I &s;peak of Terms? Thou art my God, and 'tis thy right to Command and Order whatever thou wilt, and 'tis my duty to Obey. This Pain is what thou ha&s;t appointed for me; and am not I mo&s;t mi&s;erable, if I with&s;tand or di&s;pute thy Will? I have many years been &s;aying; <HI>Thy Will be done on Earth, as it is in Heaven:</HI> And now the Trial is come, how un|ea&s;ie am I in &s;ubmitting to theee!
<PB N="98" REF="54"> Change, O God, I be&s;eech thee? this my heart, and let me no longer rebel again&s;t thee; give me a heart ready to &s;ubmit to all thy Orders, and wil|ling to follow where ever thou com|mande&s;t. Behold, I now de&s;ire to of|fer my &s;elf to thee; I confe&s;s thy Judgments are Ju&s;t. And as to all I am to &s;uffer, I accept it in union of all tho&s;e Torments thou endur'd&s;t for me. O, that I could bear all with &s;uch Patience, Humility and Re&s;ignation, that I might truly &s;hew my &s;elf to be thy Di&s;ciple.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="16" TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>XVI. <HI>At the Death of a Friend,</HI> &amp;c.</HEAD>
<P>'TIS thou ha&s;t done this, O Lord, and what have I, mi&s;erable Sin|ner that I am, to &s;ay again&s;t thy De|crees? &s;hall I call in que&s;tion, or com|plain of what thou ha&s;t done? Shall I, poor Worm, lift up my &s;elf again&s;t the hand of the Almighty? He was mine, 'tis true, but he was more thine; and if thou ha&s;t di&s;pos'd of what is thy own, according to thy good plea|&s;ure, what part of a Chri&s;tian is it now to be di&s;turb'd at thy Appointments? In vain have I &s;o many years repea|ted
<PB N="99" REF="54"> to thee my God, <HI>Thy Will be done,</HI> if now, when thou ha&s;t evidently ma|nife&s;ted thy Will to me, I cannot &s;ub|mit to it; is not this a &s;ign, I more admire thy Ble&s;&s;ings than the hand that gave them; and that I more a|dore my own Satisfaction and Con|tent, than the accompli&s;hment of thy Will, which ought to be to us, above all, Adorable?</P>
<P>'Tis true, &s;omething is to be allow'd to Nature and Decency, to mourn and grieve a little, at the lo&s;s of what was &s;o dear; but if this becomes immo|derate, 'tis then the Grief of Unbe|lievers, for Chri&s;tianity allows of no Exce&s;s. This requires of me to mo|derate all my Pa&s;&s;ions, to deny my &s;elf, and not to leave that to be done by Time, which Rea&s;on and Religion ought to do.</P>
<P>Ah, my Soul, &s;hew my &s;elf then a Chri&s;tian now, and let not the lo&s;s of a Creature, put thee in danger of lo|&s;ing thy Creator too. Tho it be dif|ficult to &s;ubmit, yet beg a&s;&s;i&s;tance from above, force Nature to yield to the Lord of all; and now, even again&s;t thy Inclination, cry out, Thou art Ju&s;t, O Lord, in all thy ways; thy Will be
<PB N="100" REF="55"> be done, thy Will be done now, and for ever.</P>
<P>Thus, Lord, I leave my &s;elf, and all in thy hands, de&s;iring truly to hum|ble my &s;elf under thy Rod, and beg, that as it is for the puni&s;hment of my Sins, &s;o it may be for the amendment of my Life. Help me, dear Je&s;us, in this, and be thou my Comforter, both now and to all Eternity. And &s;ee thou my Soul, thou &s;trive to make him &s;o to thee; for if he cannot &s;upply this lo&s;s and relieve thy Soul, is it not becau&s;e the Creature is greater to thee than thy God? O Je&s;u, be now to me my God, my Helper and my Deliverer.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="17" TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>XVII In Trouble of Con&s;cience.</HEAD>
<P>O Merciful Je&s;u, who ha&s;t promis'd to be found by tho&s;e that &s;eek thee, have compa&s;&s;ion on this mi&s;era|rable unworthy Sinner, and fulfil thy Word in me. For behold, I am tru|ly &s;en&s;ible of my own Weakne&s;s and of the truth of what thou ha&s;t &s;aid, That without thee, I can do no|thing; and therefore I now humbly make my addre&s;s to thy Goodne&s;s, be|&s;eeching thee, that thou would'&s;t
<PB N="101" REF="55"> vouch&s;afe to be found by me, that thou would'&s;t give me the grace of &s;eeking thee with a &s;incere heart, that the impre&s;&s;ions of Education may not make me ob&s;tinate again&s;t thy Truth; that neither Intere&s;t or Compliance or any other human re&s;pect whatever may bia&s;s me in my choice; but that looking for thee, with all &s;incerity, I may be rais'd above all the&s;e Con&s;ide|rations, and &s;uffer nothing of Earth to put me out of the way to Hea|ven.</P>
<P>O God, what have I on Earth, and, be&s;ides thee, what have I'in Heaven! Was not I made for thee; and if I lo&s;e thee, is there any thing on Earth, can make me for ever happy! Is there any thing here can recompen&s;e the lo&s;s of my Soul? O Je&s;u, far be it from me, to run this hazard: Thou ha&s;t taught me in thy Pa&s;&s;ion the true worth of a Soul; and when I con&s;ider how much thou &s;uffer'd&s;t, to purcha&s;e happine&s;s for me, do not I there &s;ee, how much I ought to &s;uffer to prevent the ruin of my Soul? O God, permit me not, I be&s;eech thee, to ca&s;t away upon this World, what has co&s;t thee the Blood of thy only Son.</P>
<PB N="102" REF="56">
<P>No, my God, I de&s;ire ever to be thine, and here in thy pre&s;ence I de|clare, thou art to me, above all the World, I renounce all for the &s;ake of thee. Have regard to me therefore at pre&s;ent, and take me into thy Prote|ction; defend me from all delu&s;ions, remove all darkne&s;s from my Soul, and mercifully lead me into thy Truth. If it be thy way, in which I walk at pre&s;ent, pre&s;erve me for ever in it, and let me rather &s;uffer a thou&s;and deaths, than depart from it: But if I have been hitherto in error, deliver me, I be&s;eech thee, from it; open then the way to me, &s;hew me thy paths and guide me into thy Truth, for where thou art, there I de&s;ire to be; I de&s;ire to be in thy way, that I may faithfully &s;erve thee, and that I may find thee at the end of my Jour|ney. Grant me, O God, this my re|que&s;t, for the love of thy only Son; for in thee I put my tru&s;t.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="prayers and lessons">
<P>HEre I have &s;et down a Collection of &s;ome Le&s;&s;ons rnd Prayers, which may give &s;ome relief in time of Affliction and Sadne&s;s; I cannot promi&s;e they will be al|ways &s;aid with this good effect, and yet I
<PB N="103" REF="56"> cannot but hope &s;o far in the Promi&s;es of God, that &s;uch as u&s;e them for this end, will in good time find God their Comfor|ter. He may, &s;ome time, for our greater Trial and Humiliation delay this interior relief, &s;o that a Chri&s;tian, while he ear|ne&s;tly &s;eeks God in Prayer, to be his Comfor|ter in the day of Tribulation, may &s;till &s;ink in Spirit and be cover'd with Darkne&s;s, and have rea&s;on with <HI>David,</HI> to cry out, <HI>Contri&s;tatus &s;um in exercitatione mea.</HI> Yet if he with con&s;tancy holds on, bearing his Trial with Patience, and continuing his Prayers with an a&s;&s;ured Confidence in God, he will at length find all delays abundantly recompenc'd in the fulne&s;s of Grace, and have rea&s;on to give thanks for this method of Providence, which laying Thorns in the way, makes them all bring forth the Fruit of Glory</P>
<P>I here add a <HI>Thanksgiving-Prayer</HI> for &s;uch as have experienc'd God's Good|ne&s;s in being deliver'd from tho&s;e Evils, with which they were oppre&s;s'd; de&s;iring all Chri&s;tians, as they are very &s;en&s;ible of every Trouble that afflicts them, and &s;ollici|tous for Relief, &s;o they would be as careful in returning thanks in having obtained their Reque&s;t. This being a Point, in which too many, and tho&s;e e&s;teem'd Good too, are
<PB N="104" REF="57"> very deficient; &s;o that I fear, 'tis with us, as with the <HI>Lepers</HI> in the Go&s;pel, not above One in Ten, gives due Thanks for the&s;e Ble&s;&s;ings receiv'd. All are earne&s;t in Asking, but very few in Thanksgiving.</P>
<P><HI>In the fir&s;t place ought to be &s;aid the Hymn </HI>Te Deum, We prai&s;e thee, O God,<HI> Then as occa&s;ion &s;erves may be added, </HI>P&s;alm<HI> 65. or 80. or 95. 99. 102. 148. </HI>The Song of the three Children.<HI> Then,</HI></P>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>A Thanksgiving.</HEAD>
<P><HI>V.</HI> BLe&s;&s;ed be the Lord God of our Fathers. <HI>R.</HI> May he be prais'd and glorified for ever. <HI>V.</HI> Let us ble&s;s the Father, Son and holy Gho&s;t. <HI>R.</HI> Let us adore and magnifie him for e|ver. <HI>V.</HI> Ble&s;&s;ed be our Lord in Hea|ven. <HI>R.</HI> Let Prai&s;e and Glory be gi|ven to him for ever. <HI>V.</HI> Ble&s;s our Lord, my Soul. <HI>R.</HI> And forget not thy Afflictions. <HI>V.</HI> Lord hear my Prayer. <HI>R.</HI> And let my Cry come unto thee.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>Let us pray.</HEAD>
<P>O God, who&s;e Mercies are without number, and the trea&s;ure of who&s;e Goodne&s;s is infinite, we render thee
<PB N="105" REF="57"> mo&s;t homble, Thanks for thy Ble&s;&s;ings at pre&s;ent be&s;tow'd on us, be&s;eeching thy Divine Maje&s;ty, that as thou ha&s;t in this granted our reque&s;ts, &s;o thy Mercy may ever abide with us, and prepare us for everla&s;ting Happine&s;s.</P>
<P>O God, who for&s;akes none that tru&s;t in thee, but favourably give&s;t ear to &s;uch as call on thee in their Afflicti|on, we offer thee our mo&s;t hearty Thanks, for the grant of our Petition, and humbly pray thee, to be our Pro|tector again&s;t all adver&s;ities, through our Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t thy Son, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="lesson">
<HEAD>In&s;tructions and Devotions for the Sick.</HEAD>
<P><HI>Q.</HI> WHen a Per&s;on is &s;eiz'd with &s;ick|ne&s;s, what ought to be his chief Concern?</P>
<P><HI>A.</HI> To con&s;ider the State of his Soul, and re&s;olve upon u&s;ing all the means proper for making his peace with God, and putring him&s;elf in that condition, that if Almighty God &s;hall plea&s;e to call him out of this World, he may not be found unprepar'd. No delays ought to be admitted in this Affair; becau&s;e, to prepare for <HI>Dying well;</HI> is a great Work. They who have liv'd
<PB N="106" REF="58"> well, have made the &s;ure&s;t preparati|on for it; and yet even the&s;e too will find enough to do in the time of their Sickne&s;s, for fitting their Souls for this la&s;t pa&s;&s;age; how much more then will tho&s;e have upon their hands, who in their Lives have for&s;aken God, and been wanting to many Chri&s;tian du|ties? As for &s;uch, who have liv'd in <HI>Willful and known Sins,</HI> and on their Death-bed, &s;eem to return to God and ask for mercy, I mu&s;t &s;ay with many Fathers, Their ca&s;e is <HI>very dan|gerous,</HI> if not <HI>De&s;perate;</HI> I can promi&s;e nothing to &s;uch late endeavours, which are very &s;eldom &s;incere; however &s;ince none ought to de&s;pair, I wi&s;h all &s;orts would make the be&s;t u&s;e of their Sickne&s;s, which is a Call from Heaven to prepare for Eternity: Tho&s;e who have liv'd be&s;t, will certainly go on with the greater Confidence in God; and as for the others, Who knows, but God may &s;hew mercy to them?</P>
<P><HI>1&s;t.</HI> Then let the &s;ick Per&s;on, whil&s;t he &s;ends for the Phy&s;ian, or &s;uch as may take care of his Health, remem|ber to call for his &s;piritual Phy&s;itian too, who may help to put his Soul in a good &s;tate.</P>
<PB N="107" REF="58">
<P><HI>2dly.</HI> Let him engage his be&s;t Friends, to di&s;cover to him the danger of his Di&s;temper, as &s;oon as they apprehend any; and de&s;ire them not to flatter him with the hopes of recovery, when in reality there appears none; that &s;o, he may di&s;po&s;e his Soul for what God has appointed for him, and not be &s;urpris'd with &s;uddain and unexpect|ed Death. For 'tis mo&s;t certainly a very unfriendly part, to delude a &s;ick Per&s;on with the&s;e fal&s;e hopes, and on pretext of not di&s;turbing him, to take out of his hands the opportunity, ne|ver more to be recover'd, of preparing his Soul to appear before his Lord; this is a &s;ort of Friend&s;hip very barba|rous and cruel, whil&s;t for the pre&s;erving a &s;hort Peace, is ventur'd the lo&s;s of that which is Eternal.</P>
<P><HI>3dly</HI> If he has not his Will already made (as in Prudence he ought) let him be careful in the beginning of his Sickne&s;s, to call for &s;uch experi|enc'd Per&s;ons, as may help him to make it; that &s;o having &s;ettled all Temporal Affairs, he may wholly ap|ply his thoughts afterwards, without any di&s;turbance, to the care of his Soul. This it is in which many, other|wi&s;e
<PB N="108" REF="59"> good People are very much over|&s;een; neglecting to make their Wills in time of Health, as if they were a|fraid to think of dying, and then put|ting it off &s;till in time of Sickne&s;s; So that, as it too often happens, they ei|ther dye without a Will, or el&s;e make it in &s;uch di&s;order, that they Entail on their Friends and Relations la&s;ting con|tentions and endle&s;s Expences, which might have been prevented by their timely care, and will mo&s;t certainly be &s;everely laid to their Charge, who by their affected neglect have given the occa&s;ion of the&s;e Di&s;orders and Scan|dals.</P>
<P><HI>4thly.</HI> If he be in Debt, or has any Re&s;titution to make, let him take care for the &s;atisfying the&s;e Obligations to the be&s;t of his power.</P>
<P><HI>5thly.</HI> Let him be mindful to forgive all tho&s;e, who have any ways injur'd him, and beg pardon of as many, as he has wrong'd either in word or deed.</P>
<P><HI>6thly.</HI> If the Di&s;temper be dangerous, let him admit but few vi&s;its, &s;ince the Di&s;cour&s;es of mo&s;t People, are only &s;o many di&s;tractions, and help to bring the World in, to one who is going out of it.</P>
<PB N="109" REF="59">
<P>The rea&s;on why the&s;e things ought to be done in the beginning of Sick|ne&s;s, is, becau&s;e many Di&s;tempers un|expectedly fly up into the Head, and deprive a Man of all Rea&s;on and Judg|ment; and where the Di&s;ea&s;e &s;pares the Brain, the Phy&s;ician very often do's not, pre&s;cribing Remedies, which lay him into &s;uch a dozing &s;leepine&s;s, that, it may be, he never more comes truly to him&s;elf again; but go's &s;leep|ing and &s;en&s;ele&s;s out the World. Thus, whether from the Di&s;ea&s;e or the Phy|&s;ick, an opportunity of &s;ettling the&s;e Affairs, lo&s;t in the beginning, proves but too often pa&s;t all recovery; and therefore in Prudence ought not to be neglected.</P>
<P><HI>Q</HI> What method do you propo&s;e to be us'd in time of Sickne&s;s, as mo&s;t proper to prepare a Chri&s;tian for his la&s;t hour, and fit him to appear before his Judge?</P>
<P><HI>A.</HI> There can be no one Method fit for all, but a great deal mu&s;t be left to Di&s;cretion, in compliance to parti|cular Ca&s;es and Circum&s;tances. But however, it being mo&s;t certain, that a Soul without a <HI>True Faith</HI> in God, without <HI>Hope</HI> and <HI>Confidence</HI> in his Goodne&s;s, without <HI>Charity,</HI> without
<PB N="110" REF="60"> a <HI>&s;incere Repentance,</HI> without <HI>Re&s;ignati|on, Patience,</HI> &amp;c. is very unfit to be pre&s;ented before the Judgment Seat, therefore it is ab&s;olutely nece&s;&s;ary, in time of Sickne&s;s, care &s;hould be taken to e&s;tabli&s;h a Soul in the&s;e Vertues; that &s;o being purified from all Sin, it may be found cloath'd in its Wedding Garments, and thus enter into Eter|nity. A good director and Pious Books will be helpful for this end: But for &s;uch as are not better provided, I'll here &s;et down a &s;hort Collection of Devotions, by which it may be in the power of any charitable Friend, to a&s;|&s;i&s;t his Neighbour for the doing this Great Work, which being once well done, will be an Everla&s;ting Ble&s;&s;ing.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>A Prayer in the beginning of any Sickne&s;s.</HEAD>
<P>LOrd Je&s;us Chri&s;t, behold I receive this Sickne&s;s, with which thou art pleas'd to vi&s;it me, as from thy Fa|therly hand: 'Tis thy Will it &s;hould be thus with me, and therefore I ac|cept it; Thy Will be done on Earth, as it is in Heaven. May it be to the honour of thy Holy Name and good of my Soul: for this end I here offer
<PB N="111" REF="60"> my &s;elf, with an entire &s;ubmi&s;&s;ion to all thy appointments; to &s;uffer what|ever thou plea&s;e&s;t, as long as thou plea&s;e&s;t, and in what manner thou plea&s;e&s;t. For I am thy Creature, O Lord, who have mo&s;t ungratefully of|fended again&s;t thee, and &s;ince my Sins have a long time call'd aloud to Hea|ven for Ju&s;tice; why &s;hall I now com|plain, if I feel thy hand upon me? No, my God, thou art ju&s;t in all thy ways; I have truly de&s;erv'd thy Pu|ni&s;hments; and therefore I have no rea&s;on to complain of thee, but only of my own Wickedne&s;s.</P>
<P>But correct me not, O Lord, I be|&s;eech thee in thy Anger; but have re|gard to my Weakne&s;s. Thou know'&s;t, how frail I am; that I am nothing but Du&s;t and A&s;hes: deal not with me therefore according to my Sins, neither puni&s;h me according to my Iniquities; but according to the mul|titude of thy mo&s;t tender Mercies have compa&s;&s;ion on me. Let thy Mercy come mixt with thy Ju&s;tice, and let thy Grace be my &s;upport in my Sickne&s;s Confirm my Soul with &s;trength from above, that I may bear with Patience all the unea&s;ine&s;s, pains, di&s;quiets and
<PB N="112" REF="61"> difficulties of my Illne&s;s; that I may cheerfully accept them, as the ju&s;t puni&s;hment of my Offences: Pre&s;erve me from all Temptations, and be thou my Defence again&s;t all a&s;&s;aults of the Enemy; that in this Sickne&s;s I may no ways offend thee. And if this is to be my la&s;t, I beg of thee, &s;o to direct me by thy Grace, that I may no ways neglect or be depriv'd of tho&s;e Means, which thou ha&s;t, in thy Mercy ordain'd, for the good of my Soul, to prepare it for its pa&s;&s;age into Eterni|ty; that being perfectly cleans'd from all my Iniquities, I may believe in thee, love thee, put my whole Tru&s;t in thee, and through the Merits of thy Death and Pa&s;&s;ion be admitted into the Company of the Ble&s;&s;ed, where I may prai&s;e thee for ever, Amen</P>
<TRAILER>This or &s;uch like Prayers ought to be &s;aid, at lea&s;t in heart, not only in the beginning, but every day throughout the whole time of Sickne&s;s.</TRAILER>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="prayers">
<PB N="113" REF="61">
<HEAD>Several Exerci&s;es, proper in long Sickne&s;s, to be read at times, lei&s;urely and di|&s;tinctly by any Friend, whom the Sick per&s;on may accompany, not in words, but in heart.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>Of FAITH.</HEAD>
<P>I Believe in God the Father, who has made me to his own Image and likene&s;s.</P>
<P>And in Je&s;us Chri&s;t my Saviour, who has redeem'd me by his precious Blood.</P>
<P>And in the Holy Gho&s;t, who has &s;anctified me in my Bapti&s;m.</P>
<P>I believe the Holy Catholick Church and whatever &s;he teaches, as receiv'd from Chri&s;t and his Apo&s;tles. Of this Church I profe&s;s my &s;elf a Member at pre&s;ent, and thus I de&s;ire to dye.</P>
<P>In profe&s;&s;ion of this Faith, I here recite the Apo&s;tles Creed. <HI>I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of Hea|ven,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>All which I under&s;tand in the Sen&s;e our holy Mother the Church has al|ways under&s;tood it.</P>
<P>Thus, O God, I believe; encrea&s;e, I be&s;eech thee, and confirm my Faith.</P>
<PB N="114" REF="62">
<P>With this I de&s;ire to appear before thy Tribunal, where I believe and hope, I &s;hall &s;ee the good things, thou ha&s;t prepar'd in the Land of the living.</P>
<P><HI>For &s;uch as have any doubt, whether they are in the true Church, it may not be unprofitable to make the fol|lowing &s;hort Profe&s;&s;ion.</HI></P>
<P><HI>(I believe in God the Father Almighty,</HI> &amp;c. I firmly hope I am a Member of the True Catholick, Apo&s;tolick Church, mention'd in this Creed: but, if thou &s;ee&s;t, O Lord, that I have been de|ceiv'd in the choice I have made, and that in reality I have taken part with Fal&s;e Teachers; behold here, in thy Pre&s;ence, I renounce the Errors I have profe&s;s'd, whatever they are; I di&s;own the Congegration, by which I have been mi&s;&s;ed; and now lay before thee my mo&s;t &s;incere De&s;ires of becoming a Member of thy True Catholick Church: And did I but know; which in particular it is, I declare, I would this moment be a Member of it. Thou know'&s;t, my God, the &s;incerity of my heart; and to Thee I profe&s;s, I believe all its Doctrins; I now unite my &s;elf to it, and tho to the World I am not
<PB N="115" REF="62"> in union with it, yet before thee, O Searcher of Hearts, I hope I am. Sup|ply now, I be&s;eech thee, all that is want|ing to me, through my own ignorance, and forgive me my Sins, for I dete&s;t them all for love of thee, and hope, through the Death and Pa&s;&s;ion of thy only Son, to be partaker of thy Mer|cy. Forgive me, O Lord, forgive me, for in thee alone I hope and put my tru&s;t)</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>Of HOPE.</HEAD>
<P>THou ha&s;t prepar'd, O Lord ever|la&s;ting Happine&s;s, for tho&s;e that love thee. But how can I expect a part in this reward, who am a mo&s;t grievous Sinner, and from my Child|hood, have ever done evil in thy &s;ight! Ah, my God, while I look on my &s;elf, I am terrified with my Sins, and &s;ee there nothing but rea&s;ons of De&s;pair; and from this &s;en&s;e of my own unwor|thine&s;s, I here declare, I have nothing of my own to tru&s;t to. No, my God, nothing of my own; but all my Hope is in thee.</P>
<P>I confe&s;s therefore my Sins are ma|ny and grievous; but &s;till I tru&s;t in thy Mercy; that through the Merits and Pa&s;&s;ion of my Redeemer Je&s;us Chri&s;t,
<PB N="116" REF="63"> I &s;hall obtain pardon of my Offences, and partake of the Glory of the Ble&s;|&s;ed. Thouha&s;t &s;aid it, O Lord, that thou wilt ca&s;t off none that place their Hope in thee; behold, I hope in thee, let me not be confounded for ever. Tho I were guilty of many more Sins, yet &s;till will I tru&s;t in thee, for thy Mercy is infinitely above all my Ini|quity.</P>
<P>Look therefore on me with the eyes of compa&s;&s;ion, and reject not the Pe|tition of one pro&s;trate at thy Feet. I am Du&s;t and A&s;hes, but, behold I of|fer to thee the Pa&s;&s;ion and Blood of thy only Son; in that I have an infi|nite trea&s;ure of Mercy &s;tor'd up for me: He laid down his Life for Sin|ners, and became a Propitiation for my Offences; tis this I now pre&s;ent to thee; 'tis in this and thy Promi&s;es, I ground all my Hope: And &s;ince I have this to depend on, I will never de&s;pair, but ever pre&s;erve a firm and lively Tru&s;t in thee. Our Lord is my Light and my Salvation, whom &s;hall I fear? Our Lord is my Protector, and and nothing &s;hall hurt me. Our Lord is Merciful and full of Compa&s;&s;ion. As a tender Father has compa&s;&s;ion on his
<PB N="117" REF="63"> Children, &s;o will our Lord &s;hew Mercy to all that fear him; for he knows what we are, and of what we are made. He is &s;weet and tender to all, and his Mercies are above all his Works. He gives &s;trength to the weak, rai&s;es up tho&s;e that fall, comforts the Afflicted, and pardons Sinners. O God, all the&s;e good effects, I hope, thou wilt at pre&s;ent work in my Soul, and &s;o watch over me, that nothing ne|ce&s;&s;ary for my Salvation be wanting to me.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>Of CHARITY.</HEAD>
<P>I Love thee, my Lord God, and 'tis my hearty de&s;ire to encrea&s;e &s;till more and more in thy love; that I may love thee as thou ha&s;t commanded, with all my Heart, with all my Soul, and with all my Strength. Thou art to me, all in all, and out of thee, there is nothing able to help me, or worthy of my Love. O infinite Goodne&s;s, when &s;hall I perfectly love thee? When wilt thou wholly po&s;&s;e&s;s my Heart? When &s;hall I be entirely thine? O let that happy hour come, when thou wilt take full po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion of my Heart, that I may give my &s;elf whol|ly
<PB N="118" REF="64"> to thee. Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t, thou ha&s;t be&s;tow'd infinite Ble&s;&s;ings on me, throughout the whole cour&s;e of my Life; add this one Ble&s;&s;ing more, I be&s;eech thee, to all the former, That I may here perfectly renounce all the unlawful, vain and unprofitable Affe|ctions of this World, and begin now to fix my heart on thee, with a pure and perfect Love, which may abide for all Eternity.</P>
<P>I love thee, O Lord, my Strength; thou art my Defence and my Refuge, thou art my Deliverer. 'Tis good for me to depend wholly on my God, and in him to put my Tru&s;t. For, what is there in Heaven be&s;ides thee; and out of thee, what have I to &s;eek on Earth; As the Hart pants after the Fountains of Water, &s;o does my Soul after thee, O Lord. My Soul thir&s;ts after my Lord, the Fountain of Li|ving Water; when &s;hall I come and appear before the face of my God? Into thy hands I commend my Spirit? thou ha&s;t redeem'd me, O God of Truth. Who &s;hall &s;eparate me from this love of Chri&s;t? Shall Tribulation, or Nece&s;&s;ity? Shall Sickne&s;s, or An|gui&s;h, or Pain? No; all the&s;e I hope
<PB N="119" REF="64"> to overcome, through him that has lov'd us. I hope in my Redeemer, that neither Life nor Death, neither Things pre&s;ent, nor Things to come, neither Flatteries nor Fears, nor any Creature whatever, &s;hall be able to &s;eparate me from the love of God, which is in Chri&s;t Je&s;us our Lord.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>Of PATIENCE.</HEAD>
<P>I Will &s;peak to our Lord, who am but Du&s;t and A&s;hes, and as the Sha|dow that pa&s;&s;es away. Remember, Lord, what I am, and what my Being is: Remember thou ha&s;t made me as Clay, and into Earth I &s;hall return a|gain. Shew not therefore thy Power again&s;t me for what &s;trength have I to bear it; and how &s;hall I, being &s;o weak as I am, hold out with Patience? Why then has my Lord &s;tretch'd forth his hand again&s;t me, let this di&s;order &s;eize on my Spirits, and ca&s;t me on the Bed of Sickne&s;s? But why do I now lift up my head again&s;t Heaven, and appear unea&s;ie under the Decrees of the Almighty? No, I will rather chu&s;e to &s;ay, 'Tis our Lord has given Health and Strength; 'tis our Lord has taken it away; as it has &s;eem'd
<PB N="120" REF="65"> good to our Lord, &s;o it is done, ble&s;|&s;ed be the Name of our Lord. Thus I &s;ay, my God, thus I think: Thou art Ju&s;t, O Lord; thy Judgment is right; I have de&s;erv'd far greater Puni&s;hment than this: Were I to be my own Judge, and the puni&s;her of my own Wickedne&s;s, I could take off nothing of the Evil I now &s;uffer.</P>
<P>I acknowledge, in what I feel, the hand of a tender Father Cha&s;ti&s;ing a rebellious Child; it is not the Arm of a &s;evere Judge puni&s;hing me in the ju&s;tice of his Wrath: But however, this one thing, O merciful Father, I ask of thee, that thou would'&s;t re|member what I am; that I am Frail and Weak; that of my &s;elf, I can do nothing, and how much I &s;tand in need of thy Grace to &s;upport and com|fort me. Grant me, therefore, I be|&s;eech thee, &s;trength to &s;uffer; give me Patience; for this is nece&s;&s;ary for me: Grant this my reque&s;t, and then be|hold, my heart is ready, O Lord, my heart is ready, to accept whatever thou art pleas'd to lay on me, and even to be comforted under thy Scourge. Let it be the effect of thy Mercy, that in Patience I may po&s;|&s;e&s;s
<PB N="121" REF="65"> my Soul. For this end, I will of|ten look on the face of thy Chri&s;t, that by con&s;idering him, who &s;uffer'd &s;o much for me, I may be encourag'd to &s;uffer. He became obedient to death, even the death of the Cro&s;s: But as for me, I have not yet re&s;i&s;ted to Blood, I have yet &s;uffer'd but lit|tle: But how much &s;hall I then &s;uf|fer, when the time &s;hall come, that the pangs of Death &s;eize upon me!</P>
<P>O God, thou art my Strength and my Refuge? on thee I depend for help in the day of Battle: Thou wilt then try me, and thou mu&s;t be then my Comforter thou wilt try me like Gold in the Furnace: &s;tand thou ever by me, and for&s;ake me not in my Nece&s;&s;ities, that &s;o I may be found worthy of thee. I know indeed, the &s;ufferings of this Life, are nothing, if compar'd to that Glory, which &s;hall be reveal'd in us. I know, as Chri&s;t was to &s;uffer, and &s;o enter into Glory; &s;o if a Chri&s;tian be|comes not like his Head, if he pa&s;s not through great Tribulation, he &s;hall never come into the place of Refre&s;h|ment. Behold, my God, I am now under my Trial; thou art pleas'd at pre&s;ent to Vi&s;it me; pre&s;erve me, I be|&s;eech
<PB N="122" REF="66"> thee, that I may hold out with Patience, that I may &s;ubmit to all with a cheerful heart; and that thus imi|tating my Lord and Redeemer, I may at length partake of his Glory.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>Of Re&s;ignation.</HEAD>
<P>LOrd Je&s;us Chri&s;t, thou art my Re|fuge, in thee I believe and put my tru&s;t; thou ha&s;t been my Pro|tector from my Youth; and now I have none to tru&s;t to, none to depend on, but only thee my God. behold then the &s;treights I am now in; I have Life and Death before me; but what to fear or what to hope, I know not; I know not what is expe|dient or be&s;t for me; thou know'&s;t, O Je&s;us: Do with me therefore what thou plea&s;e&s;t; di&s;po&s;e of me as thou know'&s;t be&s;t; for I am thine with all my heart, and into thy hands I &s;ur|render all that I have or am.</P>
<P>In thy hands I leave the ca&s;ting of my Lot, whether for Life or Death: If for Life, behold, I receive it with Thank&s;giving, and re&s;olve ever to ac|knowledge it thy Gift, in living to thee: If for Death, behold, I here bow down my &s;elf, in &s;ubmi&s;&s;ion to the Sentance thou pa&s;&s;e&s;t; if it be &s;o
<PB N="123" REF="66"> thy Will, then, O Lord, thy Will be done; Prai&s;e, Honour and Glory, be to thy Name for ever. In the mean time, I here recommend to thee, all the Affairs of my Soul and Body; protect me, I be&s;eech thee, under the &s;hadow of thy Wings, and pre&s;erve me as the Apple of thy Eye; and &s;o direct me by thy Grace, that I omit no Duty that may be for the welfare of my Soul.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>Another.</HEAD>
<P>O Eternal Wi&s;dom, who di&s;po&s;e&s;t all things, thou ha&s;t at pre&s;ent vi&s;ited me with this Di&s;temper; &s;o order it, I be&s;eech thee, that it may be to the honour of thy Name, and good of my Soul</P>
<P>O Father of Heaven, from whom comes every good Gift, I receive this Sickne&s;s as from thy hands; nothing happens, but by thy appointment, be|fore whom are numbred the very hairs of our Head; thou &s;trike&s;t and thou heale&s;t, 'tis thou give&s;t Life, and thou order'&s;t Death to &s;eize us; but whether we live, or whether we die, we are thine, O Lord; we are thine or ought to be &s;o; O God, make me thine from this moment;
<PB N="124" REF="67"> and let thy Will be now done in me; if I have receiv'd good things from thy hands, why &s;hall I not with pa|tience &s;ubmit to the evil thou permit|te&s;t; which too will not be evil, if I accept it as a ju&s;t Correction of a Child from thy Fatherly hand; for then, e|ven the&s;e very evils will co-operate to my good, and be for the advan|tage of my Soul.</P>
<P>O Lord, I am thy Servant, do with me according to thy Will: Who am I, that I &s;hould &s;tand out again&s;t thee? Who has ever re&s;i&s;ted thee, and been in peace? Behold, I am as Clay in thy hands? turn and fa&s;hion me as thou plea&s;e&s;t, but then let this be the end of all my Sufferings, that I become a Ve&s;&s;el of Honour.</P>
<P>O heavenly Phy&s;ician, who by thy Word, heale&s;t all the di&s;tempers of the Soul, and of the Body too, when 'tis for our good, vouch&s;afe to command, and then my Soul &s;hall be healed; give a Ble&s;&s;ing to the remedies I take, and I &s;hall be re&s;tor'd to Health; for my hope is in thee; and if thou build'&s;t not up this ruin'd Hou&s;e of my Body, in vain do they labour who undertake to repair it. But if this be not thy
<PB N="125" REF="67"> Will, grant me then an humble Pa|tience; for this is a remedy that never fails.</P>
<P>In the mean time, if thou art pleas'd to afflict me, and by bitter and ungrate|ful Potions, try to cure my di&s;temper'd Soul, why &s;hall I refu&s;e and be again&s;t this method? Have not I too often &s;infully indulg'd my Self, humour'd my own corrupt Inclinations, and la|bour'd to plea&s;e my Sen&s;es, even with thy Di&s;plea&s;ure? and if now thou judge&s;t it proper to cure the&s;e evils by their Contraries, and to let Self-denial be the remedy of Self-love; be it &s;o, O Lord; let the Fle&s;h &s;uffer and peri&s;h, &s;o the Spirit be &s;afe; 'twas to humour the Fle&s;h, I have been drawn to Sin; let the puni&s;hing the Fle&s;h, be now the way to Mercy and Pardon. For this end I am content to &s;uffer; O God, whatever I endure, let it be now for the forgivene&s;s of my Sins, only &s;tand thou by me with thy &s;upporting Grace, that I &s;ink not under the Scourge, and then ordain what thou plea&s;e&s;t; here Burn me, here cut me, but &s;pare me at my la&s;t hour, &s;pare me for ever, this &s;uffering is but for a moment; the next Life will be Eternal.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="prayers">
<PB N="126" REF="68">
<HEAD>Prayers in time of Sickne&s;s.</HEAD>
<DIV3 N="1" TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>I.</HEAD>
<P>LOrd, thou art &s;o Merciful, that not only Health and Pro&s;perity, but Sickne&s;s and Sufferings, are the effects of thy Love; give me Grace not to act as a Heathen in the State to which thy Ju&s;tice has brought me; but that as a true Chri&s;tian, I may own thee as my Father and my God, in what|ever Condition I am: For thou art always the &s;ame, tho I am Subject to Change; thou art the &s;ame God, when thou Afflicte&s;t and Puni&s;he&s;t, as when thou &s;ende&s;t Comfort and &s;hewe&s;t Compa&s;&s;ion.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="2" TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>II.</HEAD>
<P>THou ha&s;t given me Health to &s;erve thee, and I have ungratefully converted it to a Prophane u&s;e; now thou &s;ende&s;t me Sickne&s;s to correct me; &s;uffer me not to abu&s;e it, nor to provoke thee by my Impatience I have not well employ'd my Health, and thou ha&s;t ju&s;tly puni&s;h'd me; per|mit me not to &s;light thy Correction, nor rebel again&s;t thy Fatherly hand: I acknowledge the corruption of my Nature, and that it &s;trongly inclines
<PB N="127" REF="68"> me to abu&s;e thy Favours, and make them all fruitle&s;s to me. Grant, O my God, that thy powerful Grace may over-rule my Corruption, and make thy pre&s;ent Cha&s;ti&s;ements profitable to me. I confe&s;s, my heart has been full of the love of the World in time of Health; now I am uncapable of enjoying the World; I wi&s;h this had been the effect of my love of thee; but I am contented to be brought to this through Weakne&s;s of Body; &s;ince I know there is Mercy even in this, and hope it may be the means of bringing me to the love and enjoy|ment of thee.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="3" TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>III.</HEAD>
<P>O God, before whom I mu&s;t give an exact account of all my Acti|ons, at the end of my Life: O God, who leave&s;t impenitent Sinners in the delicious, but criminal u&s;e of Crea|tures. O God, who at the la&s;t mo|ment of my Life wilt take me away from all tho&s;e things in which I have delighted. O God, who at the la&s;t day, wilt con&s;ume Heaven and Earth, and all Creatures; that Men may &s;ee, 'tis only thou Sub&s;i&s;te&s;t; that there|fore thou only de&s;erv'&s;t to be loved, be|cau&s;e
<PB N="128" REF="69"> nothing is permanent but thou. O God, who wilt de&s;troy all vain I|dols, and all the wicked Objects of our Pa&s;&s;ions, I Prai&s;e thee, and will Ble&s;s thee all the remaining days of my Life, ina&s;much as thou ha&s;t been pleas'd to prevent this dreadful day in my behalf, by de&s;troying, as to me, all things, by the Weakne&s;s to which thou ha&s;t brought me. I Prai&s;e thee, and I will Ble&s;s thy Name as long as I live, for that thou ha&s;t been pleas'd to make me unable to enjoy the plea|&s;ures of Health and of the World; for that thou ha&s;t, in &s;ome &s;ort, de&s;troy|ed for my good, the deceitful Idols, which thou wilt ab&s;olutely de&s;troy for the confu&s;ion of Sinners, in the great day of thy Wrath. Grant, Lord, I may Judge my &s;elf now, that thou may'&s;t not Judge me, after the ge|neral de&s;truction thou wilt make of my Life, and of all the World: For, Lord, as at the in&s;tant of my Death, I &s;hall find my &s;elf &s;eparated from the World, &s;tript of all things, &s;tanding in thy Pre&s;ence, to an&s;wer thy Ju&s;tice for all the motions of my heart, grant I may look on my &s;elf in this Sickne&s;s, as in a kind of death, &s;eparate from
<PB N="129" REF="69"> the World, depriv'd of all the Objects wherein I have delighted, &s;tanding in thy Pre&s;ence, to implore of thy Mer|cy the true conver&s;ion of my Heart; that &s;o I may find Comfort, in that thou art pleas'd now to &s;end me a kind of Death to exerci&s;e thy Mercy, before thou &s;ende&s;t me Death effectively, to exerci&s;e thy Judgment. Grant there|fore, O my God, that as thou ha&s;t anticipated my Death, I may prevent the rigor of thy Sentence; and that examining my &s;elf before thy Judg|ment, I may find Mercy in thy Pre|&s;ence.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="4" TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>IV.</HEAD>
<P>GRant, O my God, that I may a|dore in &s;ilence the order of thy wonderful Providence in the conduct of my Life, that thy Cha&s;ti&s;ements may comfort me, and that having liv'd in the bitterne&s;s of my Sins, du|ring the time of Peace, I may ta&s;te the heavenly &s;weetne&s;s of thy Grace, du|ring the Afflictions, with which thou art pleas'd to vi&s;it me. But I acknow|ledge, my God, that my Heart is &s;o harden'd and full of Cares, Di&s;quiets and Thoughts of this World, that nei|ther Sickne&s;s nor Health, neither Di|&s;cour&s;e
<PB N="130" REF="70"> nor Books, neither the Go&s;pel nor Works of Charity, neither Miral+cles nor the u&s;e of the Sacraments, nor all my endeavours, nor tho&s;e of the whole World put together, can contri|bute any thing towards my Conver&s;i|on, except thou art pleas'd to accom|pany all the&s;e things with the a&s;&s;i&s;tance of thy Grace; therefore, my God, I come to thee, Omnipotent Lord, to demand that of thee, which all Crea|tures together cannot give me: I &s;hould not have the confidence to lift up my Voice to thee, if any body el&s;e could help me. But, O my God, the Conver&s;ion of my Heart being a Work, that &s;urpa&s;&s;es the &s;trength of Nature, I cannot but addre&s;s my &s;elf to the Almighty Author and Ma&s;ter of Na|ture and of my Heart: To whom &s;hould I cry, Lord, to whom &s;hould I go, but to thee? Nothing but God can &s;atisfie my expectation: It is God only that I &s;eek for and de&s;ire; and 'tis to thee only I addre&s;s my &s;elf, that my Soul may be prepar'd for the en|joyment of thee. Open my Heart, Lord, enter into this rebellious Place, which has been defil'd with Sin, and Ma&s;ter that infernal Power, which has
<PB N="131" REF="70"> hitherto kept my Heart in &s;ubjection. Lord, take my Afflictions, which the World had &s;tol'n away: This is a Tri|bute, which belongs to thee, &s;ince thy Image is &s;tamped on my Soul. Thou did'&s;t there engrave it, by thy Almigh|ty Hand; but I fear 'tis disfigur'd, if not quite blotted out. But as thou a|lone had'&s;t power to make my Soul; &s;o thou only art able to renew it: It was by thy power only my Soul was &s;tamp'd with thy Image; thou alone art able to re&s;tore it and renew thy decay'd Image, even Je&s;us Chri&s;t my Saviour, who is thy Image and the Character of thy Glory.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="5" TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>V.</HEAD>
<P>O God, how happy is the Soul, that loves thee, in whom alone it is &s;afe to tru&s;t! I find, I cannot love the World, without di&s;plea&s;ing thee, with|out doing injury to my &s;elf; and ne|verthele&s;s the World has been the ob|ject of my Delight. O my God, how happy is the Soul, that delights in thee! How firm and la&s;ting is her hap|pine&s;s; &s;ince her expectation &s;hall not be fru&s;trated, and becau&s;e neither Death nor Life &s;hall ever &s;eparate her from the object of her delight; and
<PB N="132" REF="71"> that the &s;ame moment, which &s;hall plunge the wicked with their Idols in|to endle&s;s Mi&s;ery, &s;hall unite the Ju&s;t with thee in everla&s;ting Glory; and as the one &s;hall be de&s;troy'd, with the peri&s;hable objects, in which they de|lighted; &s;o the others &s;hall abide for|ever in the object, that eternally &s;ub|&s;i&s;ts of him&s;elf, to which they were before united.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="6" TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>VI.</HEAD>
<P>ACcompli&s;h, O my God, the good De&s;ires, thou art pleas'd to give me; be thou the End, as thou art the Beginning. Crown thy own Gifts, for I confe&s;s they are from thee I cannot depend on the Prayers I offer thee, as if there were any thing in them to oblige thee to grant what I ask. I mo&s;t humbly confe&s;s, that having gi|ven my Heart to Creatures, I can ex|pect no Grace, but meerly from thy Mercy, &s;ince there is nothing in me can invite thee to it, and that all the natural motions of my Heart being in|clin'd to the World or to my &s;elf, can|not but di&s;plea&s;e thee. I therefore give thee Thanks, my God, for the good motions thou give&s;t me, and e|ven for that thou give&s;t me, that I give thee Thanks.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="7" TYPE="prayer">
<PB N="133" REF="71">
<HEAD>VII.</HEAD>
<P>TOuch my heart with Repentance of my Sins; for without this in|ward Grief, the outward Evils, thou laye&s;t on my body, will be a farther occa&s;ion of making me tran&s;gre&s;s: Make me fully under&s;tand, that bodi|ly Evils are nothing el&s;e, but the pu|ni&s;hment and figure of the Evils of my Soul. But, Lord, grant, that they may al&s;o prove the Remedy, in ma|king me con&s;ider in the puni&s;hments I feel, tho&s;e which I did not feel in my Soul, altho I was Sick and over-run with Ulcers: For, Lord, the greate&s;t of the&s;e Evils, is this in&s;en&s;iblene&s;s and extream weakne&s;s, that had depriv'd my Soul of all Sen&s;e and Feeling of its own Mi&s;eries: Make me now &s;en&s;ible of them, and that the re&s;idue of my Life may be a continual Repentance of the Offences I have committed.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="8" TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>VIII.</HEAD>
<P>LOrd, I wi&s;h I could with truth &s;ay, my Life pa&s;t has been exempt from heinous Crimes: Whatever there is of truth in it, I confe&s;s it the effect of thy Grace, which has pre&s;erv'd me in dangers. But however this be, I mu&s;t yet acknowledge, that my whole Life
<PB N="134" REF="72"> has been very odious in thy &s;ight, by my continual negligence in thy Ser|vice, by the ill u&s;e of thy Holy Sacra|ments, by de&s;pi&s;ing thy Holy Word and the Motions of thy Spirit, by the Sloth and unprofitablene&s;s of my Thoughts and Words, by the lo&s;s of my Time, by indulging Self-love and all my Pa&s;&s;ions: Thus, Lord, have I been always contrary to thee.</P>
<P>Yea, my God, even to this day I have been deaf to thy holy In&s;pirati|ons; I have judg'd contrary to what thou judge&s;t; I have oppos'd the Max|ims, which thou did'&s;t bring into the World from the bo&s;om of thy Eternal Father, and by which thou wilt Judge the World. Thou &s;ay'&s;t, Ble&s;&s;ed are tho&s;e that weep; but I have &s;aid, Wretched are they, that are &s;orrow|ful. I have &s;aid, Happy are they, that enjoy a large Fortune, that have great Reputation, State and Health: And wherefore have I e&s;teem'd them hap|py; but only, becau&s;e the&s;e advanta|ges give them greater opportunity with ea&s;e to enjoy the things of this World, and be thus in danger of di&s;|plea&s;ing thee? Yes, Lord, I confe&s;s, I have accounted Health a Ble&s;&s;ing,
<PB N="135" REF="72"> not becau&s;e 'tis a means of better &s;er|ving thee and doing good to my Neighbours; but becau&s;e by means thereof I could with greater freedom give my &s;elf to the enjoyment of the things of this Life, and enjoy the dan|gerous Plea&s;ures, which lead to Sin. But &s;hew Mercy to me now, Lord, in rectifying my deprav'd Rea&s;on, and conforming my thoughts to thine; that they may no longer oppo&s;e thy Will; let me now under&s;tand the hap|pine&s;s of &s;uffering, and being unable to act outwardly, let me feel thee within me: For, Lord, thy Kingdom is within thy Children, and I &s;hall find it within me, if I there find thy Spirit and thy Will.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="9" TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>IX.</HEAD>
<P>BUt, Lord, what &s;hall I do to pre|vail with thee to pour forth thy Spirit on this mi&s;erable Clay? I have nothing in me, that can be acceptable in thy &s;ight: I &s;ee nothing, Lord, but only my &s;orrows, that have any re|&s;emblance with thee; con&s;ider there|fore, I be&s;eech thee, the Evils I &s;uf|fer, and tho&s;e that hang over my head. Look with an Eye of pity on the wounds, thy hand has made in me.
<PB N="136" REF="73"> O my Saviour, who becam'&s;t Man, only to &s;uffer, who did'&s;t take a Bo|dy the mo&s;t oppre&s;s'd with &s;uffering, that ever was in the World; accept my Body, not for its own &s;ake, nor for any thing it has, for there's no|thing in it, but what de&s;erves thy an|ger; but for the Pains it endures, which alone can be worthy of thy Compa&s;&s;ion and Favour. Love my Sufferings, Lord, and let my Sorrows invite thee to come and vi&s;ite me. But to fini&s;h the preparation of thy abode; Grant, O my Saviour, if my Body has that in common with thine, that it &s;uffers for my Offences, that my Soul al&s;o may have that in common with thine too, that it may be in Sadne&s;s for the &s;ame Offences; and that &s;o I may &s;uffer with thee, and as thou did'&s;t, in my Body and Soul, for the Sins I have committed.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="10" TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>X.</HEAD>
<P>I Be&s;eech thee, Lord, to joyn thy Con&s;olations to my Sufferings, that I may &s;uffer as a Chri&s;tian. I don't de&s;ire to be free from Sufferings, that's the privilege of the Saints; but I de|&s;ire, not to be abandon'd, to the &s;or|rows of Nature, without the Comforts
<PB N="137" REF="73"> of thy Spirit, for that's the maledicti|on of Jews and Infidels. I don't de|&s;ire the fulne&s;s of Con&s;olation without any Suffering, for that's the Life of Glory; neither do I de&s;ire to be in a fulne&s;s of Evils without Comfort, this is the State of Unbelievers But I de|&s;ire, Lord, to feel the &s;adne&s;s of Na|ture for my Sins, and the Comforts of thy Spirit by thy Grace, for that's the true State of Chri&s;tianity. Let me feel Sadne&s;s and Comfort both to|gether, that I may at length come to that happy State of being fill'd with thy Con&s;olations without any Grief. For, Lord, thou did&s;t let the World langu&s;h without Con&s;olation, before the coming of thy Only Son; now thou comforte&s;t and &s;often'&s;t the Suf|ferings of thy Children by the Grace of thy Beloved Son; and thou wilt fill with perfect happine&s;s thy Saints in the participation of his Glory: The&s;e are the admirable &s;teps, by which thou furni&s;he&s;t thy Works: Thou ha&s;t drawn me out of the Fir&s;t, make me pa&s;s through the Second, that &s;o I may arrive at length at the Third, in which I may prai&s;e thee for ever. Lord, it is what I heartily beg of thee.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="11" TYPE="prayer">
<PB N="138" REF="74">
<HEAD>XI.</HEAD>
<P>SUffer me not, O Lord, to be in that di&s;tance from thee, as to con|&s;ider only my Sufferings, without Re|joycing to &s;uffer both in Soul and Bo|dy. 'Tis a confu&s;ion to me to think that whil&s;t thou did&s;t &s;weat Blood to expiate my Offences, I &s;hould be bent on nothing but Quiet and Ea&s;e 'Tis a greater reproach to me, that ha|ving renounced the World &s;olemnly in the face of the Church, and be+liev'd. that thou becam'&s;t a Sacrifice for my Salvation; that the Plea&s;ures and Sins of the World were the only &s;ubject of thy Sufferings; that the World it &s;elf was thy Executioner, that per&s;ecuted and crucified Thee: and yet, notwith&s;tanding the Faith of the&s;e Truths: that I have all my life been fond of this &s;ame World, and indulg'd my &s;elf in the&s;e &s;ame Sins and Plea&s;ures. Have not I in this embrac'd and cheri&s;h'd the Murtherer of my Father, the Murtherer of my God and Redeemer, that gave him&s;elf to Death to purcha&s;e Life for me, the bore in his Body the puni&s;hment due to my Sins? It is ju&s;t, Lord, and I give thee thanks, that thou ha&s;t put a
<PB N="139" REF="74"> &s;top to &s;uch &s;inful Delights, wherein I re&s;ted under the &s;hadow of Death.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="12" TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>XII.</HEAD>
<P>TAke therefore from me, Lord, the &s;orrow, which Self-love might give me for my own Sufferings? But be pleas'd to ca&s;t me into that &s;orrow, which is comfortable to thine; let my Sufferings in &s;ome mea&s;ure pacifie thy Anger: make them the occa&s;ion of my Conver&s;ion and Salvation. Let me not henceforth de&s;ire health nor life, but that I may employ and end them for thee and in thee. I dont ask Health nor Sickne&s;s, nor Life nor Death, but that thou would'&s;t di&s;po&s;e of my Health and Sickne&s;s, of my Life and Death, for thy Glory and my Sal|vation. Thou only know'&s;t what is expedient for me; thou art the ab&s;o|lute di&s;po&s;er of all things; do what &s;eems good in thy Sight. Give to me, or take away from me, as thou plea|&s;e&s;t; but conform my Will to thine, that in an humble Submi&s;&s;ion and ho|ly Confidence, I may prepare my &s;elf to receive the Decrees of thy Provi|dence, and equally adore all things that proceed from thee.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="13" TYPE="prayer">
<PB N="140" REF="75">
<HEAD>XIII.</HEAD>
<P>GRant, O my God, that in a con|&s;tant Uniformity of Mind, I may receive all &s;orts of Events, becau&s;e I don't know what to ask or de&s;ire, one thing more than another, without a kind of Pre&s;umption, and being an|&s;werable for the Con&s;equences, which thy Wi&s;dom has ju&s;tly hid from me. Lord, I know but one thing; That 'tis good to Serve thee, and ill to Of|fend thee; beyond this, I dont know; which is wor&s;t or be&s;t in any thing. I can't tell which is be&s;t for me, Health or Sickne&s;s, Riches, or Poverty, or any thing el&s;e in the World: The&s;e things neither Men nor Angels can di|&s;cern, being all hid in the Secrets of thy Providence, which I humbly a|dore, but mu&s;t not pre&s;ume to &s;earch into.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="14" TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>XIV.</HEAD>
<P>GRant therefore, Lord, that &s;uch as I am, I may conform my &s;elf to thy holy Will; and that being Sick as I am, I may Glorifie thee in my Suf|ferings: Without them I cannot at|tain to Glory; for thou thy &s;elf, my Ble&s;&s;ed Saviour, would&s;t not chu&s;e any other way. It was by the marks of
<PB N="141" REF="75"> thy Sufferings thou wa&s;t known to thy Di&s;ciples; and 'tis by Sufferings thou al&s;o know'&s;t tho&s;e, who are thy Di&s;|ciples: Acknowledge me therefore, I be&s;eech thee, in the Pains I &s;uffer, both in Body rnd Mind, for the Of|fences I have committed And be|cau&s;e nothing is well-plea&s;ing to God, but what is offer'd up by Thee, con|form my Will to thy Will, and my Sufferings to tho&s;e which thou ha&s;t &s;uffer'd; grant that mine may become thine; unite me to thee, fill me with thy &s;elf and thy Holy Spirit. Enter into my Heart and Soul, to bring thi|ther my Sufferings, and to continue to maintain in me, what is yet behind of thy Pa&s;&s;ion, which thou fulfille&s;t in thy Members, until the full Con|&s;ummation of thy Body; that &s;o be|ing fill'd with thee, it may be no lon|ger I that Live and Suffer, but thou in me, O my Ble&s;&s;ed Redeemer; and that &s;o, having &s;ome little part of thy Sufferings, thou may'&s;t fill me entirely with that Glory, to which they brought thee, and in which thou live&s;t with the Father and the Holy Gho&s;t, World without end. <HI>Amen, Amen.</HI></P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="prayers">
<PB N="142" REF="76">
<HEAD>Prayer's to be &s;aid by &s;uch as a&s;&s;i&s;t the Sick Per&s;on.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<P>LOrd, look on thy Servant with the Eyes of Compa&s;&s;ion, and enable him, by thy Grace, to bear whatever thou art pleas'd to lay on him. He acknowledges in thy Pre&s;ence, his great Weakne&s;s, and that of him&s;elf he is able to do nothing: He there|fore with all &s;incerity, addre&s;&s;es him|&s;elf to thee, that being a&s;&s;i&s;ted with thy Heavenly Grace, he may be pre|&s;erv'd from all the dangers of his own Infirmity. Lord, have regard to thy Servant, who calls upon thee in the day of Tribulation, and let him not be confounded, who de&s;ires to put his whole Tru&s;t in thee. Give him pa|tience in his Sickne&s;s, with which thou art pleas'd to vi&s;it him, that he may receive it with all due &s;ubmi&s;&s;ion from thy Fatherly Hand; that he may accept it as the puni&s;hment of his pa&s;t Sins, and not add to the number of them by Murmuring and Impatience.</P>
<P>Thou know'&s;t, Lord, how frail this poor piece of Clay is, and how little able it is to bear its pre&s;ent Affliction:
<PB N="143" REF="76"> It can Sigh and Groan, and complain and be unea&s;ie, it can offend thee by its Fretfulne&s;s and Impatience; but to bear it with a true Chri&s;tian Sub|mi&s;&s;ion, it cannot come to the lea&s;t degree of this, but by the a&s;&s;i&s;tance of thy Grace. Help therefore, I be|&s;eech thee, this thy Servant, who &s;eeks to thee for help; look upon the De&s;ires of his Heart, and leave him not to him&s;elf who &s;eeks relief from thee. De&s;pi&s;e not the Sighs of the Afflicted, but &s;uccour him according to his Nece&s;&s;ities: Give him inward &s;trength, whereby to bear all the pains and inconveniencies of his Di&s;temper; give him true Humility to bend un|der thy Correction; give him a per|fect conformity to thy Heavenly Will, that all his Sufferings may tend to thy Glory and his own Salvation.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<P>BEhold, thy Servant now acknow|ledges, that thou art Lord of all; that thou art infinitely Ju&s;t, and that thy Will is adorable in whatever thou appointe&s;t: He calls in que&s;tion no|thing that thou do&s;t, but confe&s;&s;es, he de&s;erves all this, and even more than thou now lay'&s;t upon him; he
<PB N="144" REF="77"> knows 'tis his duty to &s;ubmit and ac|cept the Cha&s;ti&s;ements, with which thou art pleas'd to vi&s;it him; but Lord, thou know'&s;t too the frailty of our Na|ture, and how uncapable it is to bear Sickne&s;s and Pain, except thou art pleas'd to &s;trengthen it with thy Grace. Stengthen therefore, I be&s;eech thee, this thy Servant, and let thy heavenly Comforts accompany thy Cha&s;ti&s;e|ments; &s;weeten his Pains with the vi&s;its of thy Grace, and let thy Mercy come with thy Ju&s;tice; leave him not to his own Weakne&s;s, but be thou his &s;upport, that &s;o thou may'&s;t be glorified, and he find benefit in all he &s;uffers.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<P>LOrd, thou ha&s;t often promis'd to help thy Servants, that call upon thee in the day of Affliction: Thou ha&s;t promis'd to heal that which is wounded, to rai&s;e up that which is de|jected, and &s;trengthen, that which is weak; Thou ha&s;t promis'd, that none &s;hall be abandon'd, that put their tru&s;t in thee: We now challenge thee of thy Promi&s;es, in behalf of this thy Ser|vant; for we know thou art faithful to them: Behold then, we pre&s;ent
<PB N="145" REF="77"> before the Eyes of thy Mercy, this our Brother, who being &s;ick, wounded, dejected, and oppre&s;&s;ed both in Soul and Body, &s;tands in need of thy help; he calls upon thee for it, and we joyn with him, in &s;olliciting thy Goodne&s;s to come in to his a&s;i&s;tance. Stretch forth thy hand and help him, let thy heavenly Power defend him, thy Goodne&s;s comfort him and thy Mercy pardon him. Shew thy &s;elf a tender Father, and have Compa&s;&s;ion on his Infirmities.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<P>LOrd, cha&s;ti&s;e not thy Servant in thy Anger, but in thy Mercy forgive him: He acknowledges him&s;elf un|worthy of all thy Favours; but be|cau&s;e thou love&s;t to do good, and can'&s;t not reject the Sighs of tho&s;e that &s;incerely &s;eek thee, he has &s;till a great Confidence in thee and a&s;&s;urance of thy help. He has nothing to fear but his own Sins, and 'tis for pardon of the&s;e he now calls upon thy Mercy. Grant him, Lord, a true Sen&s;e of all his Iniquities, by which he has offend|ed thee, his loving Father and his God: Shew him the foulne&s;s of them, and how di&s;plea&s;ing they have been in
<PB N="146" REF="78"> thy Sight: Teach him now &s;incerely to dete&s;t them and let an un&s;eigned &s;orrow, the effect of thy Grace, &s;o change his Heart, that his Soul being purified from all that Corruption, his Sins may be no longer a barr to thy Ble&s;&s;ings: Create in him, Lord, a clean Heart, and renew a right Spirit within his Bowels.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<P>LEt thy Grace, O Lord, work his Soul into a holy di&s;po&s;ition, &s;uch as may render him acceptable in thy &s;ight. We know not what thou ha&s;t appoin|ted for him, whether Life or Death: We be&s;eech thee to re&s;tore his health, if it be thy holy Will; give a Ble&s;&s;ing to the Remedies he takes, and be thou the Director to tho&s;e, who pre&s;cribe them: without thee nothing can have its de&s;ired effect, and with thy Ble&s;&s;ing, nothing can mi&s;carry: Life and Health are thy Gifts; be|hold our Confidence is in thee; &s;ay but the word, and he &s;hall be whole; Command, and all Creatures &s;hall o|bey thee. Grant the Petition, we now offer thee in behalf of this thy Servant, and re&s;tore him to his former State, that by a new Life he may make
<PB N="147" REF="78"> reparation for all pa&s;t abu&s;es of his Time and Health; be a Comfort to his Friends, and in the Congregation of the Faithful give Thanks for the Ble&s;|&s;ings received from thy hands.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<P>BUt if in thy Providence thou ha&s;t otherwi&s;e appointed it, fit him, we be&s;eech thee, for thy appoint|ments: Make him &s;en&s;ible of his Con|dition, and mercifully deliver him from all the delu&s;ions of vain and de|ceitful Hopes: Take from him all Sol|licitude and Di&s;quiets for the things of this World; permit not the&s;e le&s;&s;er concerns to be a hindrance to the grea|ter, &s;o as to lo&s;e the opportunity thou give&s;t him, of preparing for Eternity. Let thy Grace now flow in upon him, and bring with it all tho&s;e di&s;po&s;itions which are nece&s;&s;ary for his State; re|move all Ob&s;tinacy and Blindne&s;s, all evil Pa&s;&s;ion and Self-love; de&s;troy all &s;inful Habits, and po&s;&s;e&s;s his Heart with true Charity both towards Thee and his Neighbour. Send thy holy Angels to watch over him, protect him under the &s;hadow of thy Wings; be thou his Guard again&s;t all. Enemies, and mercifully pre&s;erve him from Pre|&s;umption and De&s;pair.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<PB N="148" REF="79">
<P>LOrd turn not away thy face from thy Servant, but help him now in the time of di&s;tre&s;s; He has a great Work to do, who is to appear before thee: For how can Du&s;t and A&s;hes; how can Mi&s;ery and Sin &s;tand in thy Pre|&s;ence? 'Tis a difficult task for a poor Soul to be taken out of this World, from the mid'&s;t of its Friends and Ac|quaintance, and to be tran&s;lated to an unknown region of Spirits, there to give an account to an all-&s;eeing Judge of his whole Life, both Thoughts, Words and Actions. O God, if thou regarde&s;t our Iniquities, who can &s;tand before thee? And yet this mu&s;t be; but then it mu&s;t be thy Work, O Lord; to prepare a Soul for this great ap|pearance. Shew this Mercy to thy Servant, and if now thou art pleas'd to call him, let him not go hence un|prepar'd. Give him true Repentance of all his Sins, vi&s;it him with heaven|ly Comforts and by the power of Grace fix his heart entirely on thee.</P>
<P>O God how poor and mi&s;erable is Man: How little can he do in the be&s;t of his &s;trength! Much le&s;s can he do, when di&s;abled by Sickne&s;s, di&s;or|der'd with pains and perplex'd with
<PB N="149" REF="79"> the uncertainty of his future State. This is a time, in which he mo&s;t &s;tands in need of thy help, and if thou for|&s;ak'&s;t him, he mu&s;t certainly peri&s;h. Come in therefore now, we be&s;eech thee, to the a&s;i&s;tance of thy Servant, he lays open his mi&s;ery before thee, he confe&s;&s;es both his unworthine&s;s and weakne&s;s, and begs thee to &s;tretch forth to him thy helping hand. Is not he a Creature, whom thou ha&s;t made? Thou ha&s;t Redeem'd him with the Blood of thy only Son; thou ha&s;t en|compa&s;s'd hlm with many Ble&s;&s;ings: Thy pa&s;t Mercies encourage him to put his tru&s;t in thee: Leave him not therefore now in the time of his. Weak|ne&s;s, but as a loving Farher and pow|erful Protector &s;uccour him in all his wants.</P>
<P>And thou, Lord Je&s;us, who did'&s;t come into this World, to call Sinners to Repentance and to look for the lo&s;t Sheep, admit the Petition of thy Ser|vant, who &s;eeks to thee for help; un|dertake his Cau&s;e, and be thou his Ad|vocate to the Eternal Father. Thou did'&s;t never, while on Earth, &s;top thy Ears again&s;t the Crys of the Mi&s;erable, and thou ha&s;t commanded all that la|bour
<PB N="150" REF="80"> and are heavy-loaden to come to thee for help and refre&s;hment. Look therefore on thy Servant; he confe&s;&s;es him&s;elf a lo&s;t Sheep, who for many Years has gone a&s;tray, he labours under the burthen of his Sins, and has many Mi&s;eries, whereon to Exerci&s;e thy Charity. Receive him now into thy Protection, and let him not peri&s;h, who has been Redeem'd by thy precious Blood. O Father of Mercies and God of all Comfort, have Mercy on thy Servant and &s;upport him with heavenly Comforts, direct his Thoughts and Heart to thee, and let no other Power take him out of thy hands.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="prayers">
<HEAD>Other Prayers to be &s;aid by the &s;ick Per|&s;on, or in his Name.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<P>LOrd, thou art pleas'd to vi&s;it me with Sickne&s;s, vi&s;it me likewi&s;e with thy Grace, and give me Patience in all I am to &s;uffer, that I may not encrea&s;e the number of my Sins by my unea&s;ie and rebellious temper, but by a peaceable &s;ubmi&s;&s;ion to thy Cha|&s;ti&s;ements, make &s;ome atonement for the Sins I have already committed. Lord, 'tis this I &s;incerely de&s;ire to do;
<PB N="151" REF="80"> but when I con&s;ider by great weakne&s;s and how &s;ubject I am to murmur at thy Correction, I &s;ee no hopes in my &s;elf, but all my Tru&s;t is in thee. Help me therefore according to thy great Mercy, and have compa&s;&s;ion on me a mi&s;erable and &s;inful Creature, unwor|thy, I confe&s;s, of all thy Favours: But, Lord, I know thy Goodne&s;s is Infinite, and thou wilt not de&s;pi&s;e the Crys of tho&s;e, who call upon thee in their Affliction. Look on this mi&s;erable Creature and have compa&s;&s;ion on me.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<P>TEach me, O Lord, now to do thy Will, and give me a Heart to comply with all thy appointments. Self-love is unwilling to bend, and e&s;teems it &s;elf unhappy in whatever it &s;uffers: This is the Corruption of my Nature; but, Lord, I know 'tis all &s;ubject to thee, and thy Grace is able to remove the&s;e difficulties. Pour forth thy Grace therefore upon me at pre|&s;ent, &s;often my rebellious Heart, and force it to a compliance to thy holy Will. 'Tis but ju&s;t, that a Creature &s;hould &s;ubmit to its God: And whom &s;hould I obey, but my Lord and Re|deemer? Thou know'&s;t what is be&s;t
<PB N="152" REF="81"> for me; 'tis now thy Will, I &s;hould be &s;ick; nothing of this happens to me, but by thy Order; thy hand is in all the Pain and Unea&s;ine&s;s I feel, Lord, behold, I now bow down in Spirit before thee, I accept of thy ap|pointments; I am in thy hands; do with me as &s;hall &s;eem good in thy Eyes: Lord, thy Will be done.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<P>'TIs rea&s;onable I &s;hould &s;ubmit to thee, whil&s;t I cannot but acknow|ledge even Mercy in thy Correction, and di&s;cover the effects of thy Good|ne&s;s in all thy Providence. For ha|ving abus'd the Ble&s;&s;ing of Heath, as I have done, and made it almo&s;t whol|ly &s;erviceable to Self-love, Pride and this World, 'tis an effect of thy Good|ne&s;s now to vi&s;it me with Sickne&s;s, &s;o to call my Thoughts home to thee and to the con&s;ideration of a better World, for which I was Created. O God, grant me now Grace I may make a true u&s;e of this Mercy and improve it wholly to that end, for which thou ha&s;t de&s;ign'd it. Give me Grace to ac|knowledge my Sickne&s;s to be the ju&s;t puni&s;hment of my Sins: Let my Sick|ne&s;s teach me to know my &s;elf and
<PB N="153" REF="81"> thee, to know my own Mi&s;ery and thy Power and Goodne&s;s: Let me now profoundly humble my &s;elf under thy hands and find Mercy under thy Fa|therly Correction.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<P>O God, when I look back on my pa&s;t Life and con&s;ider my mani|fold Iniquities, by which I have pro|vok'd thy Ju&s;tice, I cannot but admire and prai&s;e thy Goodne&s;s, which has waited for me &s;o long. How many have been cut off in the mid'&s;t of their Sins, and peri&s;h'd everla&s;tingly, with|out time to con&s;ider their Mi&s;ery and repent! And why have not I been of that unhappy number! Lord, 'tis thy Mercy has &s;par'd me and given me now this opportunity of making my Peace with thee. Ble&s;&s;ed be thy Name, O Je&s;us, for this Goodne&s;s to thy un|worthy Servant; Ble&s;&s;ed be thy Name for ever. Ear be it therefore from me to complain of any Unea&s;ine&s;s or Pain, whil&s;t there is &s;o much Mercy in them. Shall I complain of that, which is &s;ent to draw me out of the way to Hell? Shall I complain of that, which is de|&s;ign'd to &s;eparate me from the Ma&s;s of the Damn'd? Lord, I have more rea&s;on to rejoyce and thank thee for it.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<PB N="154" REF="82">
<P>NAture, I confe&s;s, is unwilling to &s;uffer, but I conclude my pre&s;ent Affliction to be mo&s;t rea&s;onable and ju&s;t, e&s;pecially when I reflect, that having been created to love and &s;erve thee, I have hitherto made it my chief bu&s;ine&s;s to love and &s;erve my &s;elf; my whole Life has been a Life of con|tinual Inju&s;tice, whil&s;t knowing my &s;elf to be a great Sinner, and that Self-denial and Puni&s;hment was due to my Offences, I have &s;hut my Eyes again&s;t this Ju&s;tice, and in&s;tead of Pun&s;hing, as I de&s;erv'd, have indulg'd and fa|vour'd my &s;elf in all things: This I have all along &s;ought in my Eating, Drinking and Clothing, and all other ways, throughout the whole cour&s;e of my Life: All my de&s;ign has been to make much of an Offender and Traytor: I &s;ee now, I have been un|ju&s;t in all I have done; 'tis but ju&s;t therefore thou &s;hould'&s;t puni&s;h, whom I have &s;par'd &s;o long.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<P>I Now offer my &s;elf to thy Scourge; all that is within me, has been di&s;|plea&s;ing to thee; let all now &s;uffer, as thou &s;halt think fit; I can call nothing in que&s;tion, that thou do'&s;t, 'tis all
<PB N="155" REF="82"> Ju&s;t and Holy. But, Lord, thou know'&s;t my weakne&s;s, and how little my Pa|tience is: Cha&s;ti&s;e me not therefore in thy Anger, I be&s;eech thee, nor Re|buke me in thy Wrath; but as I ac|knowledge the Ju&s;tice of my Suffering, &s;o give me Grace to bear it: Give me a &s;ubmi&s;&s;ive Heart, that I may cheer|fully conform my Will to thine; that having ungratefully abus'd thy Ble&s;|&s;ings, I may now adore and prai&s;e thee in my Affliction. Remember me, Lord, in all my weakne&s;s, and let thy heavenly Comforts &s;upport me, tho unworthy of all thy Favours. My tru&s;t is in thee, O God; come now to my help and vi&s;it my afflicted Soul; &s;tand by me and be to me a merciful Protector.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<P>I Am &s;en&s;ible, how apt I am to for|get, from who&s;e hand my pre&s;ent Sickne&s;s comes, as likewi&s;e the ju&s;tice of it, and therefore often fall into Im|patience and Dejection, and am unea|&s;ie to tho&s;e about me. But, Lord, I hope, thou, who know'&s;t my weak|ne&s;s, wilt have compa&s;&s;ion on me and forgive the&s;e my Sins. I &s;incerely de|&s;ire to amend the&s;e failings, and hear|tily
<PB N="56" REF="83"> be&s;eech thee to encrea&s;e thy Grace in my Soul, whereby I may ob|tain &s;till greater degrees of Patience and a more perfect &s;ubmi&s;&s;ion to thy Holy Will. I am frail and weak, O God, help me: I am a poor and mi&s;erable &s;in|ner O God, have compa&s;&s;ion on me. Thou delighte&s;t in doing good and re|lieving the Afflicted: See here, Lord, thy poor Creature, &s;ubject to many Mi|&s;eries, whereon to Exerci&s;e thy Chari|ty; &s;hut not thy Bowels again&s;t me, but &s;tretch forth thy hand and help me, that I may for ever ble&s;s thy Name.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<P>I Confe&s;s, Lord, I am too apt to be di&s;turb'd, and my Heart is di&s;tracted with many unprofitable thoughts; the concerns of this World pre&s;s upon me; fears of Death di&s;quiet me; and e|very thing hinders me from compo|&s;ing my Soul in a peaceable &s;ubmi&s;&s;ion to thy ble&s;&s;ed Will: Say the word; Lord, and command a Peace within me: Remove all interior di&s;turbance, &s;uppre&s;s all immoderate Sollicitude and Fears, that I may apply my Soul en|tirely to my pre&s;ent bu&s;ine&s;s, in bea|ring my Sickne&s;s with Patience and endeavouring to put my Soul in order
<PB N="157" REF="83"> for whatever thou ha&s;t appointed for me. Lord, this mu&s;t be thy work, for whatever I propo&s;e, I &s;ee I can do nothing of my &s;elf Teach me now to make a right u&s;e of my Infir|mity, direct my Thoughts and my Heart to do thy Will: Permit me not to lo&s;e this opportunity, le&s;t in neg|lecting this I lo&s;e all.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<P>LOrd, I commit my &s;elf entirely in|to thy hands, de&s;iring thy Will to be fulfilled in me, and I be&s;eech thee, &s;o &s;trengthen me by thy Grace, that I may not only in words, but effectu|ally and with true conformity, em|brace whatever thou appointe&s;t for me. I de&s;ire Health and Ea&s;e, but can't tell whether the&s;e are be&s;t for me: Thou know'&s;t it, O Lord, and therefore &s;u|&s;pending my own de&s;ires, I leave my &s;elf to thy holy di&s;po&s;ition, do with me as thou plea&s;e&s;t. Order every thing be|longing to me, as thou plea&s;e&s;t. But remember, I be&s;eech thee, my Weak|ne&s;s, and leave me not to my &s;elf. I am nothing but Mi&s;ery and Sin; I find Impatience and Rebellion in me, but as for a peaceable &s;ubmi&s;&s;ion and re|&s;ignation of Mind, the&s;e are the Gifts,
<PB N="158" REF="84"> and mu&s;t be the effects of thy Gaace: Pour forth this Grace plentifully up|on me, and teach me to do thy Will.</P>
<P>Thou, O Lord Je&s;us, who ha&s;t &s;uf|fer'd &s;o much, not only for my Re|demption, but likewi&s;e for my Exam|ple, teach me now to follow thy Sa|cred Steps: Obtain for me an humble and &s;ubmi&s;&s;ive Heart, that whatever I am to &s;uffer, I may &s;uffer it in union with thee, with Patience and true conformi|ty to thy Father's Will; and &s;ince thou ha&s;t experienc'd the Infirmity of our Nature, and what difficulty it has in &s;uf|fering; be now mindful of this ex|tream Poverty and Weakne&s;s in me. Thou had&s;t an Angel &s;ent to comfort thee in thy Angui&s;h; if this was ne|ce&s;&s;ary for thee, how much more for me, a poor mi&s;erable and unhappy Sinner. What can I do, if left to my &s;elf? Lord, for&s;ake me not in this day of trouble, but &s;end thy holy Angels to Direct Support and Comfort me: Come thou thy &s;elf and &s;tand by me; for thou art the only Comforter in the time of Di&s;tre&s;s.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="prayer">
<PB N="159" REF="84">
<HEAD><HI>A</HI> LITANY <HI>for the Sick.</HI></HEAD>
<P>LOrd, have Mercy on us.</P>
<P>Chri&s;t have Mercy on us.</P>
<P>Lord, have Mercy on us.</P>
<P>God the father of Hea|ven, <HI>Have mer|cy on us.</HI></P>
<P>God the Son, Redeemer of the World, <HI>Have mer|cy on us.</HI></P>
<P>God the Holy Gho&s;t, <HI>Have mer|cy on us.</HI></P>
<P>Holy Trinity, one God, <HI>Have mer|cy on us.</HI></P>
<P>O God, who de&s;troying the Egyp|tians, did&s;t &s;ave the I&s;raelites, <HI>Have Mercy on thy Servant.</HI></P>
<P>O God, who did'&s;t heal the woun|ded I&s;raelites, by looking on the Bra|zen Serpent, <HI>Have Mercy on thy Ser|vant.</HI></P>
<P>O God, who having Compa&s;&s;ion on thy People, di&s;t'&s;t command the de|&s;troying Angel to &s;heath his Sword, <HI>Have Mercy,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>O God, who by the Prophet <HI>Eli&s;ha,</HI> did'&s;t heal <HI>Naaman</HI> of his Lepro&s;ie, <HI>Have Mercy,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>O God, who by the Prayers of <HI>E|lias,</HI> did'&s;t rai&s;e the dead Child to Life, <HI>Have Mercy,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>O God, who did'&s;t hear the Prayers of King <HI>Hezechias,</HI> and deliver'd him from Sickne&s;s, <HI>Have Mercy,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<PB N="160" REF="85">
<P>O God, who did'&s;t exerci&s;e <HI>Job</HI> with many Trials, and &s;trengthen him with wonderful Patience, <HI>Have Mercy,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>O God, who &s;triking <HI>Toby</HI> with Blind|ne&s;s, for an example of Patience, did'&s;t wonderfully heal him, <HI>Have,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>O Je&s;us, who did'&s;t heal the Ru|ler's Son, &s;ick at <HI>Capernaum; Have,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>O Je&s;us, who by thy Word, did'&s;t cure the Man that had been Di&s;ea&s;ed, eight and thirty Years, <HI>Have,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>O Je&s;us, who did'&s;t re&s;tore to health <HI>Peter</HI>'s Mother-in-law &s;ick of a violent Fever, <HI>Have Mercy,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>O Je&s;us, who even ab&s;ent, did'&s;t rai&s;e up the Cennturian's Servant, <HI>Have,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>O Je&s;us, who did'&s;t give remedy to the Deaf, the Dum and the Blind, who did'&s;t deliver tho&s;e who were po&s;&s;e&s;s'd with Devils, and cur'd all Di&s;ea&s;es, <HI>Have Mercy,</HI> &amp;c:</P>
<P>O Je&s;us, who did'&s;t re&s;tore <HI>Lazarus</HI> to Life and the Widow's Son, <HI>Have,</HI> &amp;c. O Je&s;us, who in thy Agony, did'&s;t &s;weat Blood in the Garden of <HI>Geth&s;e|mani, Have Mercy,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>O Je&s;us, who being to drink the Cup of the bitter Pa&s;&s;ion, did'&s;t &s;ubmit thy Will to thy Father's, <HI>Have,</HI> &amp;c. O Je&s;us, who for us, becam'&s;t obedi|ent
<PB N="161" REF="85"> to Death, even the death of the Cro&s;s, <HI>Have Mercy,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>O Je&s;us, who Expiring, did'&s;t com|mend thy Spirit into the hands of thy Eternal Father, <HI>Have Mercy,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>O Je&s;us, who wa&s;t wounded for our Iniquities, and brui&s;ed for our Tran&s;|gre&s;&s;ions, that by thy Suffering we might be healed, <HI>Have Mercy,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>O Je&s;us, who at the Right hand of the Father, art become an Advocate for Sinners, <HI>Have Mercy,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>W Je&s;us, who art to come to Judge the Quick and the Dead, <HI>Have,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>O Je&s;us, be Merciful; <HI>Spare thy Ser|vant, O Lord.</HI></P>
<P>From all Murmuring and Impati|ence, <HI>Deliver thy Servant, O Lord.</HI></P>
<P>From all Dejection and De&s;pair, <HI>Deliver thy Servant, O Lord.</HI></P>
<P>From all Temptations, <HI>Deliver,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>From all Forgetfulne&s;s of thee, and from all unprofitable Sollicitude, <HI>De|liver,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>From &s;udden and unprovided Death, <HI>Deliver,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>By thy holy Incarnation, <HI>Deliver,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>By that Love, with which thou did'&s;t undertake to be our Redeemer, <HI>Deliver,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<PB N="162" REF="86">
<P>By that angui&s;h of Spirit, which &s;eiz'd thee in the Garden, and by all the Torments in thy Pa&s;&s;ion, <HI>Deliver,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>We Sinners, <HI>We be&s;eech thee, Hear us.</HI></P>
<P>That not having here a permanent City, thy Servant may more earne&s;tly look for that to come. <HI>We be&s;eech thee, hear us.</HI></P>
<P>That this momentary and light Tri|bulation, may work in him an eternal weight of Glory, <HI>We be&s;eech thee,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>That he may not de&s;pi&s;e the Cha|&s;ti&s;ements of our Lord, nor be tired with his Correction, <HI>We be&s;eech thee,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>That he may receive all that comes from the hand of God, and have pa|tience in pain, <HI>We be&s;eech thee,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>That in Sickne&s;s and Affliction, no fooli&s;h word may come out of his Mouth. <HI>We be&s;eech thee,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>That as he has receiv'd good things from the hand of our Lord, &s;o he may with &s;ubmi&s;&s;ion receive evil. <HI>We be&s;eech thee,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>That in proportion to his Trouble, the divine Comforts may now refre&s;h his Soul. <HI>We be&s;eech thee,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>That as the Pa&s;&s;ion of Chri&s;t a|bounds in him, &s;o thy Con&s;olation
<PB N="163" REF="86"> through Chri&s;t, may abound in him. <HI>We be&s;eech thee,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>That looking on Je&s;us, the Author and Fini&s;her of his Faith, who for the Joy &s;et before him, endur'd the Cro&s;s, he may with Patience run the race &s;et before him. <HI>We be&s;eech thee,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>That Chri&s;t having &s;uffer'd for him, he may be arm'd with the &s;ame mind. <HI>We be&s;eech thee,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>That he may not lo&s;e this accep|table time, nor neglect this day of Salvation. <HI>We be&s;eech thee,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>That he may de&s;ire to be di&s;&s;olv'd and be with Chri&s;t. <HI>We be&s;eech thee,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>That his Di&s;temper and the pains he &s;uffers, may co-operate to his good. <HI>We be&s;eech thee,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>That whether he lives, he may live to our Lord, or whether he dies, he may die to our Lord <HI>We be&s;eech thee,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>That neither Life nor Death, things pre&s;ent nor to come, nor any Crea|ture, may &s;eparate him from Chri&s;t <HI>We be&s;eech thee,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>That his life may be for Chri&s;t, and his death be Gain <HI>We be&s;eech thee,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>That if he walks in the &s;hadow of Death, he may fear no Evils, becau&s;e
<PB N="164" REF="87"> thou art with him. <HI>We be&s;eech thee,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>That thou would&s;t enlighten his Eyes, that he &s;leep not in Death, and that the Enemy may not prevail a|gain&s;t him. <HI>We be&s;eech thee,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>That if he dies, thou wilt comfort him with the Promi&s;e made to the good Thief, in the expectation of thy Kingdom. <HI>We be&s;eech thee,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>That thou wilt not enter into Judg|ment with thy Servant, for that no one living can be Ju&s;tified in thy Sight. <HI>We be&s;eech thee,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>That thou wilt not deal with him according to his Sins, nor judge him according to his Iniquities. <HI>We be&s;eech thee,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>That this Hou&s;e of Clay being di&s;|&s;olv'd, he may be receiv'd into thy heavenly Tabernacle not made with hands. <HI>We be&s;eech thee,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>That he may dwell in the Hou&s;e of our Lord for ever. <HI>We be&s;eech thee,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>Lamb of God, that take&s;t away the Sins of the World. <HI>Spare thy Servant.</HI></P>
<P>Lamb of God, that take&s;t away the Sins of the World. <HI>Hear thy Servant.</HI></P>
<P>Lamb of God, that take&s;t away the Sins of the World. <HI>Have Mercy on thy Servant.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="prayer">
<PB N="165" REF="87">
<HEAD>Let us Pray.</HEAD>
<P>LOrd Je&s;us Chri&s;t, I be&s;eech thee, by that love, by which thou did&s;t take upon thee all our Infirmities, that with Patience, this thy Servant may bear his pre&s;ent Sickne&s;s, and &s;uf|fer all the trouble of it, as long as thou &s;halt plea&s;e, with a perfect re&s;ignation to thy ble&s;&s;ed Will; that his Will be|ing united to thine, he may de&s;ire no|thing, but that thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>In time of Pain.</HEAD>
<P>HAve Compa&s;&s;ion on thy Servant, O Lord, and give him Patience in his Suffering; let thy Grace &s;upport him, that he offend thee not in this time of Trial; Remove, we be&s;eech thee, his pain, if it be thy ble&s;&s;ed Will; fail not at lea&s;t to be his Comfort, if thou art &s;till pleas'd to afflict him.</P>
<P>Con&s;ider his weakne&s;s, and lay no more upon him, than he can bear: But what, Lord, can he bear, except thou art pleas'd to help him? Help him, we be&s;eech thee, and let now thy poor Servant, find the comforts of thy Grace, that being deliver'd from all Impatience, he may in true Sub|mi&s;&s;ion glorifie thy Name.</P>
<PB N="166" REF="88">
<P>Grant him true conformity of heart, that he may comply with thy Ap|pointments; that he may bow down under thy hand, that he may acknow|ledge the Ju&s;tice of thy Conection: But Lord, what can he do of all this, if thy heavenly Comforts do not &s;trengthen him in his Pain, and &s;up|port Nature in all its weakne&s;s!</P>
<P>Strengthen him, we be&s;eech thee, to go through whatever thou ha&s;t ap|pointed for him; &s;tand by him, and be his powerful helper; for&s;ake him not in the day of Affliction. Thou now leade&s;t him in the way of the Cro&s;s, teach him to bear his Cro&s;s with Humility and Patience, that he may be a true Follower of his ble&s;&s;ed Redeemer.</P>
<P>Lord Je&s;us, ha&s;t not thou invited all tho&s;e that Labour and are heavy Loaden, to come to thee for refre&s;h|ment? Behold now thy Servant, Af|flicted and Oppre&s;s'd, comes to thee for help; &s;tretch forth thy hand and help him; either lighten his Burthen or encrea&s;e his Patience. Relieve him we be&s;eech thee; Thou who art infi|nite in Mercy, &s;hew Mercy on him.</P>
<PB N="167" REF="88">
<P>Thou, who ha&s;t comforted the Mar|tyrs in their Torments, and refre&s;h'd them with Heavenly &s;weetne&s;s; on the Rack and the Fire; renew now thy ancient Mercies, and bring relief to thy Servant; Temper the Cup thou now give&s;t him to drink, with the comforts of thy Grace, that with the patience of the Martyrs, he may &s;ubmit and &s;uffer as a Chri&s;tian.</P>
<P>Give him a lively &s;en&s;e of all he &s;uffers comming from thy holy hand, that he may &s;uffer with the perfect &s;ubjection of a Creature to his Lord and Creator: Give him a lively &s;en&s;e of his pa&s;t Sins, that he may ac|knowledge all he &s;uffers, to be a ju&s;t Cha&s;eti&s;ement: Give him a lively Faith of future happine&s;s, that he may be &s;upported by Hope.</P>
<P>Lord, look upon thy Servant with Compa&s;&s;ion, and have Mercy on him; moderate his Pains, and &s;uccour him in his Trouble; defend him again&s;t all Temptations, and permit not the Enemy to take any advantage of him in this time of Affliction. Lord, thou know'&s;t all his Weakne&s;s and his pre|&s;ent Danger, have Mercy on him.</P>
<PB N="168" REF="89">
<P>Lord, quiken his Spirit, whil&s;t thou afflict'&s;t his Body; and &s;ince thou per|mitte&s;t all for his good, teach him to make a good u&s;e of his Suffering; teach him to be Humble and Patient, teach him to &s;ubmit. Lord help thy Servant in his Mi&s;ery, and give him Grace &s;o to bear it, that in Patience he may po&s;&s;e&s;s his Soul and obtain Par|don of all his Sins.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>Other thoughts to be &s;ugge&s;ted in violence of Pain.</HEAD>
<P>LOrd, I am an unworthy Sinner, ac|cept of what I now &s;uffer, in par|don of my Sins.</P>
<P>I have often offended again&s;t thee; 'tis but Ju&s;t, I &s;houl&s;t &s;uffer; Lord, thou art Ju&s;t in all thy ways.</P>
<P>The Lord his given me health and &s;trength; the Lord has taken it away.</P>
<P>As it has pleas'd our Lord, &s;o it is done; ble&s;&s;ed be the Name of our Lord.</P>
<P>I have de&s;erv'd yet greater Evils, than what I now &s;uffer; thou art mer|ciful to me even in thy Puni&s;hments.</P>
<P>How many are now &s;uffering in Hell for Sins le&s;s than mine. My pains are nothing in compari&s;on of theirs.</P>
<PB N="169" REF="89">
<P>Lord, I am content to &s;uffer here; but &s;pare me hereafter.</P>
<P>How many cruel Torments did'&s;t thou &s;uffer for my Sins; and can I ex|pect to live without &s;uffering?</P>
<P>Thou offered'&s;t thy &s;elf a Sacrifice for me: Lord, I now offer my &s;elf a Sacrifice to thee.</P>
<P>If Innocence was &s;o &s;everely treated for our Tran&s;gre&s;&s;ions; what mu&s;t the Sinner expect?</P>
<P>I have hitherto follow'd my own ways; teach me now, Lord, to walk in thine.</P>
<P>What a Chir&s;tian am I, if I refu&s;e to follow my Leader? Thou carried'&s;t thy Cro&s;s, and mu&s;t not I carry mine?</P>
<P>How am I thy Creature, if I do not &s;ubmit to thee? How can I call thee, Lord, if I abey not thy Will?</P>
<P>There's nothing of this is fall'n up|on me, but by thy appointment; Lord, thy Will be done.</P>
<P>Lord, look on this poor piece of Clay, and help me in my di&s;tre&s;s.</P>
<P>Thou ha&s;t promis'd to relieve tho&s;e that call upon thee in Tribulation; O God, make ha&s;t to help me.</P>
<P>Thou ha&s;t promis'd, that none &s;hall be confounded, who put their tru&s;t in
<PB N="170" REF="90"> thee. O Lord, in thee I hope, let me not be confounded.</P>
<P>O God, be a Comfort to me, grant me Patience to &s;uffer; grant me, true &s;ubmi&s;&s;ion to thy ble&s;&s;ed Will.</P>
<P>This is now the day of battle, I am call'd forth to Fight; help me, O Lord, that I be not overcome.</P>
<P>Have not I undertaken to be thy Soldier? And mu&s;t I not &s;uffer in thy Cau&s;e?</P>
<P>How much have the Martyrs &s;uf|fer'd? In their greate&s;t Torments they have ble&s;s'd thy Name.</P>
<P>Can I alone expect to be free from &s;uffering? Am I better than all that have gone before me?</P>
<P>Have not I enjoy'd long Peace and Health, while others, far better than me, have been in great mi&s;ery?</P>
<P>Is not this Life a time of Trial; and mu&s;t not I have my Trials too?</P>
<P>Can I expect a Crown without Vi|ctory; and how can I obtain a Victo|ry without Fighting?</P>
<P>Where is my Humility, if I &s;ubmit not to pre&s;ent Troubles? Where is my Patience, if I bear them not?</P>
<P>Where is my Courage, if I lye down and yeild in time of Trial?</P>
<PB N="171" REF="90">
<P>Now is the time to &s;hew my &s;elf a Chri&s;tian: What have all my Profe&s;|&s;ions been, if now I rebel, when thou touche&s;t me?</P>
<P>If I de&s;erve thy Correction, O God, why &s;hould I not &s;ubmit to it?</P>
<P>But cha&s;ti&s;e me not, O Lord, in thy Anger, nor rebuke me in thy Wrath.</P>
<P>Con&s;ider my weakne&s;s, I be&s;eech thee, and have compa&s;&s;ion on me, tho unworthy of all thy Favours.</P>
<P>Thou know'&s;t, I am but Du&s;t and A&s;hes; of my &s;elf I can do nothing; &s;upport me by thy Grace.</P>
<P>For&s;ake me not in my di&s;tre&s;s; be to me a God and Protector.</P>
<P>What am I, but a poor, mi&s;erable Worm? Shew not thy Anger again&s;t me.</P>
<P>I have no help but in thee; thou art my Sanctuary and my Refuge.</P>
<P>Di&s;pile not the Crys of the mi&s;era|ble, but &s;helter me under the &s;hadow of thy Wings.</P>
<P>Take from me all Murmuring and Impatience, &s;uppre&s;s all the Corrupti|on of Nature.</P>
<P>Give me now a willing Heart to drink of the Cup, thou ha&s;t put into my hand.</P>
<PB N="172" REF="91">
<P>Give me patience to go under the Cro&s;s, which thou lay'&s;t upon me.</P>
<P>I know, 'tis by many Tribulations we mu&s;t enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.</P>
<P>I know, tho&s;e, who will be glori|fied with Je&s;us, mu&s;t &s;uffer with Je&s;us.</P>
<P>Teach me now &s;o to bear my pre|&s;ent Sufferings, that they may be &s;er|viceable for my la&s;t End.</P>
<P>All that I can &s;uffer here mu&s;t have an end; this Life is &s;hort, and &s;o are all the Sufferings of it.</P>
<P>The next Life is Everla&s;ting: O, that I could &s;o bear my pre&s;ent Pain, that by my Patience in this, I might e&s;cape that which is Eternal.</P>
<P>If I think the&s;e pa&s;&s;ing Pains &s;o into|lerable; what mu&s;t tho&s;e of Hell be? O God; the&s;e and the&s;e again, rather than to be ca&s;t into Hell.</P>
<P>O God, thou art witne&s;s of what I &s;uffer, and thou ha&s;t prepar'd a Crown for tho&s;e that &s;uffer with Patience; give me Grace to make u&s;e of this op|portunity thou putte&s;t into my hands, that the Faith of tho&s;e everla&s;ting Goods to come, may &s;uppre&s;s all the Corruption of Nature, and keep my Soul in a due Submi&s;&s;ion to thy Holy
<PB N="173" REF="91"> Will. Let my Heart be &s;o po&s;&s;e&s;s'd with the de&s;ire of Glory, as to embrace all that willingly, which may be &s;er|viceable to that end, and never to think my &s;elf unhappy, as long as I am in the way to Happine&s;s. Wel|come tho&s;e Pains, who&s;e Fruit is ever|la&s;ting Re&s;t.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="prayers">
<HEAD>Acts of Repentance, which may be a pre|paration for Confe&s;&s;ion.</HEAD>
<DIV3 N="1" TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>I.</HEAD>
<P>MY Lord and my God, I am a mo&s;t vile Sinner and unworthy to ap|pear before thee; but have Mercy on me and Save me.</P>
<P>O God, my chiefe&s;t Good, how far have I gone from thee by my Sins; how have I dwelt at a di&s;tance from thee, in the region of Mi&s;ery, where I had quite lo&s;t my &s;elf!</P>
<P>Mo&s;t loving Father, I have &s;in'd a|gain&s;t heaven and before thee, and am not worthy to be call'd thy Child; make me as one of thy Servants, and let me now at le&s;t, for every moment of my Life, be faithful to thee.</P>
<P>It grives me, O God, that I have &s;in'd again&s;t thee; I am heartily &s;orry for the many times I have tran&s;gre&s;s'd
<PB N="174" REF="92"> thy Law: But wa&s;h me now I be+&s;eech thee, from my Inquity and clean&s;e me from my Sin.</P>
<P>I dete&s;t now my &s;ins, O Lord, and ab|hor all my wickedne&s;s, I confe&s;s my In|gratitude, and &s;eek refuge in thy Mercy.</P>
<P>Wa&s;h me, Dear Je&s;u, with thy Blood, and purifie my Heart from all the filth of Sin; heal my Soul, that lies maim'd and wounded, and de&s;pi&s;e me not, tho mo&s;t unworthy.</P>
<P>I have wander'd like a Sheep, that's gone a&s;tray; but I hear now thy &s;weet voice thus crying after me; thou ha&s;t gone after many lovers; but return now to me, and I will receive hee yet again.</P>
<P>My Soul is full of angui&s;h and con|fu&s;ion, at the thoughts of my mani|fold Sins, whereby I have offended thee, my merciful Redeemer, whereby I have made my &s;elf a Slave to Hell, and provok'd thy anger again&s;t me.</P>
<P>O, that I had never tran&s;gre&s;s'd thy Commandments, nor fall'n into &s;o great mi&s;ery! O, that I had never find Happy tho&s;e Souls, who have pre|fery'd their Innocence.</P>
<P>Look on me however, O Lord, with the Eyes of Mercy, and blot out all
<PB N="175" REF="92"> my Sins; forgive me what is pa&s;t, and through the Bowels of thy infinite Goodne&s;s, &s;ecure me by thy mo&s;t ef|ficatious Grace, again&s;t all my fallings for the time I have yet to come.</P>
<P>Alas! How &s;lothful and carele&s;s have I hitherto been! I have deferr'd my Repentance, rejected thy helps, contemn'd thy Vi&s;its, been deaf to thy Calls: And now, Lord, what &s;hall I do in the&s;e &s;treights? It grives me, that I have offended thee; Have mercy on me.</P>
<P>Lord be merciful to me a Sinner: Je&s;u Son of the living God; have Mercy on me.</P>
<P>Sovereign Lord of my Life, behold, thou &s;ee'&s;t there's nothing good in me, nor health in my Soul: I am mi&s;era|ble and blind, and without thee, O God, I can do nothing.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="2" TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>II.</HEAD>
<P>My Sins exceed in number, the Sands of the Sea, and I am mo&s;t un|worthy, I confe&s;s, O Lord, of all thy Mercies; but thy Goodne&s;s how|ever is infinite and above all my of|fences.</P>
<P>Thou ha&s;t &s;aid, Lord, there is joy in Heaven for one Sinner that do's Pe|nance:
<PB N="176" REF="93"> Give me now Grace truly to repent, and let Heaven rejoyce in my Amendment.</P>
<P>It is not thou, my God, who wilt not the death of a Sinner, but that he be converted and live? Grant me then now that Spiritual Life, which I want; for behold, O my Lord, I &s;incerely de&s;ire to live.</P>
<P>Thou cam'&s;t, my dear Redeemer, not to call the Ju&s;t, but Sinners to Re|pentance: Behold here a mi&s;erable Sinner before thee; draw me now, I be&s;eech thee, mo&s;t powerfully to thy &s;elf.</P>
<P>Have mercy on me, O God, ac|cording to thy great Mercy, and ac|cording to the multitude of thy tender Mercies blot out my Iniquity.</P>
<P>Sprinkle me with thy Blood, O Je|&s;us, and I &s;hall be made whiter than Snow.</P>
<P>Create in me a clean heart, and re|new a right Spirit within my bowels.</P>
<P>Dear Redeemer of my Soul, how long turne&s;t thou thy Face away from me, and bringe&s;t no relief to my Sorrows.</P>
<P>Behold the Prodigal Child, nay wor&s;e than the Prodigal: Have com|pa&s;&s;ion on me, mo&s;t loving Fathers
<PB N="177" REF="93"> cloth me with thy Grace, and receive me into the Arms of thy Mercy.</P>
<P>Let not thy Blood be &s;pilt in vain for me, my dear Redeemer, but now let it bring forth in me the fruit of a &s;incere Repentance, and open me a way to life everla&s;ting.</P>
<P>Thy Goodne&s;s, I confe&s;s, is great O Lord, who ha&s;t &s;o long &s;par'd this unworthy &s;inner, and with &s;o much Patience waited for his amendment.</P>
<P>What return &s;hall I make for this thy infinite Mercy; but ask this one Mercy to be added to the re&s;t; that now from this moment I may ne|ver offend thee more!</P>
<P>This one thing, I earne&s;tly beg of thee; hear me Lord, I be&s;eech thee; may I now, for what remains of my Life, be entirely thine</P>
<P>Come, Lord, make ha&s;te into my heart, and ca&s;t out from thence what|ever, thou know'&s;t, profanes or defiles that thy Temple.</P>
<P>De&s;troy and root out all that is di|&s;plea&s;ing to thee, and lay in me the foundation of a new Life, either for this World or that to come.</P>
<P>I confe&s;s, I have fin'd; but if thou wilt, thou can'&s;t make me whole Heal thou my Soul, mo&s;t loving Father, heal my Soul.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="prayers">
<PB N="178" REF="94">
<HEAD>Acts of Contrition, and of the Love of God above all things.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<P>UNhappy Sinner I am, who have often had more regard to Vanity and Folly, than to the infinite Good|ne&s;s and Maje&s;ty of thee, my God. Wo to me, who being, on &s;o many Titles, bound with all my Strength, to love, honour and obey thee, I have neglected my duty and cho&s;e rather to offend and break thy Command|ments. Mo&s;t loving Father, who ha&s;t prevented me with ble&s;&s;ings of &s;weet|ne&s;s; who ha&s;t loved me, mo&s;t un|worthy of all thy Favours; what am I, after all, but a wretched and un|grateful Sinner, who have not loved, but mo&s;t grievou&s;ly offended &s;uch a Father, &s;uch a Benefactor! Lord Je|&s;us, thou ha&s;t &s;hed thy Blood, for to clean&s;e and purifie my Soul from the filth of &s;o many Sins; and yet I have &s;till again repeated my Crimes and de|fill'd that Robe of Innocence thou purcha&s;d'&s;t for me. Wo again to me, who have made &s;uch vile returns, for thy infinite Charity and Ble&s;&s;ings be|&s;tow'd on me.</P>
<PB N="179" REF="94">
<P>What &s;hall I do, mi&s;erable Sinner that I am? Whether &s;hall I flee, but to thee my Lord, whom I have of|fended? Thou wilt not de&s;pi&s;e a con|trite and humble heart. Behold then, my God, I here retract all I have hi|therto done again&s;t thee. I am truly &s;orry for the many times I have &s;light|ed &s;o great Goodne&s;s: My Sins now di&s;plea&s;e me, becau&s;e they have been di&s;plea&s;ing to thee: I am troubled for my offences; becau&s;e they have been injurious to thee my God, whom I ought to have lov'd above all things. O, that I had never &s;in'd, never com|mitted any offence again&s;t thee. But &s;till thou commande&s;t me to have a confidence in thy Mercy, becau&s;e thy Goodne&s;s far exceeds all my Wicked|ne&s;s. Have mercy therefore on me, tho a wretched and unworthy Sinner; accept of the Death and Pa&s;&s;ion of thy Only Son in &s;atisfaction for my offen|ces; and have compa&s;&s;ion on one, that puts his tru&s;t and confidence in thee. Wa&s;h me yet more from my Iniquity and clean&s;e me from my Sin; for I know my Inquity and my Sin is always again&s;t me. To thee only have I &s;in'd and done Evil in thy &s;ight. But turn
<PB N="180" REF="95"> now away thy Face from my Sins, and blot out all my Iniquities: Oreate in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right Spirit within my bowels. Ca&s;t me not away from thy Face, and take not thy holy Spirit from me. Re&s;tore to me the joy of thy Salvation and con|firm me with a perfect Spirit.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<P>O Great God, I now de&s;ire to love thee above all things; I de&s;ire to love thee with all my Heart, with all my Soul and with all my Strength. I am heartily &s;orry, that I have ever departed from thy mo&s;t holy Will, and offended thee in Thought, Word or Deed. But now, tho late, I firmly re&s;olve to u&s;e my be&s;t endeavours, for the ob&s;erving thy Law, and through the help of thy Grace, to avoid all Sin. And this for no other motive, than of thy infinite Perfection. of thy Power, thy Wi&s;dom, thy Goodne&s;s thy Mer|cy; that is, for thy own &s;ake, becau&s;e thou art mo&s;t worthy of all love, O mo&s;t Sacred Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Gho&s;t, my God, and my all.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<P>LOrd Je&s;us Chri&s;t, true God and Man, my Creator and Redeemer;
<PB N="181" REF="95"> behold, 'tis now my great trouble, that I have &s;in'd again&s;t thee, becau&s;e thou art my God, and becau&s;e I love thee above all things. I now purpo&s;e to offend no more, but to avoid eve|ry thing, that may be to me an occa|&s;ion of &s;in. I de&s;ign now to confe&s;s all my failings, to make re&s;titution of what I owe; and for the love of thee, I here forgive all tho&s;e, who have injur'd me, or any ways done me wrong; and I beg of thee, O Lord, to forgive them. And as I now with all humility, ask for pardon of all my &s;ins, &s;o I firmly hope through the Merits of thy Death and Pa&s;tion, thou wilt forgive me, and put out of thy &s;ight all the Crimes I have ever com|mitted again&s;t thee: I hope likewi&s;e, thou wilt a&s;&s;i&s;t me now with thy Grace, that, with patience, I may bear all my pre&s;ent troubles, that they may be for the amendment of my life, if thou &s;halt plea&s;e to grant it me; or for the purifying my Soul from all guilt, and making it worthy to appear in thy &s;ight, whenever thou &s;halt plea&s;e to call me hence.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<PB N="182" REF="96">
<P>I Tremble, my God, at the remem|brance of my &s;ins, and am now cover'd with &s;hame and confu&s;ion, while I think of appearing before thee. But have compa&s;&s;ion on me, O Lord, and when thou &s;halt come to Judge, ca&s;t me not off among&s;t the Reprobate. It repents me with all my heart, and I am now griev'd, for the many times I have offended again&s;t thy infinite Goodne&s;s and Maje&s;ty. O God of my heart I now love thee with all the af|fection of my Soul, becau&s;e thou art infinitely worthy of all Love: I love thee, not for my own &s;ake, but for thee alone, my God, who art infinite in Goodne&s;s, in Power and Mercy. To thee I re&s;ign my heart; I de&s;ire to be united to thee, to Prai&s;e thee and glo|rifie thee for ever.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<P>O Good Je&s;u, my God; I wi&s;h I had ever lov'd thee, and that at pre|&s;ent my Soul were fill'd with the &s;in|cere love of thee. I wi&s;h I had never offended thee, and that from this mo|ment I may never offend thee more. But alas! I have gone a&s;tray, like the lo&s;t Sheep; &s;eek thy Servant, O Lord,
<PB N="183" REF="96"> the Shepherd of my Soul, look on me with the eyes of Compa&s;&s;ion, and have mercy on me. For I confe&s;s my &s;ins in thy &s;ight, and am now hear|tily &s;orry for all I have ever committed again&s;t thee, becau&s;e they are di&s;plea|&s;ing to thee, whom I love above all things. I de&s;ire now and &s;eriou&s;ly purpo&s;e to amend, for what remains of my life. I here make an Offering of my &s;elf to thy Holy Will to do or to &s;uffer whatever thou plea&s;e&s;t, and in the manner thou plea&s;e&s;t. I beg pardon of all my &s;ins, and Grace to pre|&s;evere to the end; and I hope to ob|tain this my reque&s;t, through thee my Je&s;us and Saviour, who by thy Tears and Suffering, by thy Pa&s;&s;ion, Cro&s;s and Death, ha&s;t been plea&s;ed to Re|deem me. I flee to thee, my only Hope, I depend on thy Merits, I ca&s;t my &s;elf at thy Feet, and take &s;helter in thy Wounds. I be&s;eech thee to &s;upply all my Imperfections by thy in|finite Love, con&s;ume all my &s;ins in the Fire of thy Charity, and have Com|pa&s;&s;ion on all my failings: Vouch&s;afe thou, my Creator and Saviour, to take full po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion of my heart, be thou my Director and Governour; de|liver
<PB N="184" REF="97"> me from all my wonted imper|fections and mi&s;eries, and unite me perfectly to thy Will, that I may now no more be &s;eparated from thee; but that, whether in Health or Sickne&s;s, in Pain or Ea&s;e, in Life or Death, I may &s;till be entirely &s;ubject to thee, ble&s;s thee in all thou appointe&s;t and give Prai&s;e and Glory to thy Name for ever.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="prayers">
<HEAD>Prote&s;tations to be made in time of Sick|ne&s;s, and may &s;erve as a Preparation to Confe&s;&s;ion.</HEAD>
<P>I Prote&s;t, in the fir&s;t place, that with all readine&s;s of mind, I accept this &s;ickne&s;s from the hand of my Hea|venly Father, and it entirely re&s;ign my &s;elf to his ble&s;&s;ed Will, that if he &s;hall plea&s;e to call me out of this World, the Sentence of death &s;hall be welcom to me; for I de&s;ire to have no exceptions again&s;t his Will, and confe&s;s, that I de&s;erve not only this Sickne&s;s and Death, but even Hell it &s;elf, the ju&s;t Puni&s;hment of my Offences.</P>
<P>I believe the Holy Catholick Church, and the Faith &s;he delivers: in that Faith I now live, in the &s;ame I de&s;ire
<PB N="185" REF="97"> to die: for that end I now repeat the Creed: <HI>I believe in God the Father Al|mighty,</HI> &amp;c. All which Articles I un|der&s;tand in that Sen&s;e, in which the Catholick Church has always under|&s;tood them.</P>
<P>I humbly de&s;ire and beg pardon of all the &s;ins I have ever committed a|gain&s;t the infinite Maje&s;ty of God, a|gain&s;t my Neigbour or my &s;elf, whe|ther in Thought, Word or Deed, or by any Omi&s;&s;ion in the neglect of God's Commandments or Precepts of the Church: of all my known and hidden &s;ins, of the abu&s;e of the Sa|craments, of all the &s;ins I have any ways occa&s;ion'd in others. All the&s;e I humbly be&s;eech Almighty God to pardon, by his own infinite Goodne&s;s and Mercy, by the Merits of Chri&s;t's mo&s;t bitter Pa&s;&s;ion and Death, and by the Prayers of the B. V. <HI>M.</HI> and all the Angels and Saints, who joyn now with me, and are Petitioners before the Throne of God. From this infinite Trea&s;ure of Divine Mercy, I be&s;eech the Heavenly Father to &s;upply all the Defects of my former Confe&s;&s;ions, all my defects in making a due Examen, all my want of true Sorrow and Re|pen|tance,
<PB N="176" REF="98"> and of the little Care I have taken to amend my life; and this one thing I mo&s;t earne&s;tly beg of him, that he will now at lea&s;t grant me a true and &s;incere Contrition of all my &s;ins.</P>
<P>I now from my heart forgive all tho&s;e who have any ways offended or in|jur'd me; I de&s;ire Almighty God to pardon them, and grant them the &s;ame Ble&s;&s;ings I de&s;ire for my own Soul. I beg of my Heavenly Father, that he will imprint this deep in my Soul, that not only in words, but with all my heart, I may repeat this Petition; <HI>For|give me my tre&s;pa&s;&s;es, as I forgive them that have tre&s;pa&s;&s;ed again&s;t me.</HI></P>
<P>With all humility I heartily beg par|don of all tho&s;e to whom I have given any offence, whether by my ill exam|ple, by Words or Deeds, or any other way, whether knowingly or unknow|ingly: and I here offer my &s;elf to make the be&s;t Satisfaction I am able; and be&s;eech God, that he will now bring into my mind the remembrance of all &s;uch as I have any ways hurt or wrong'd, and give me a &s;incere de&s;ire and full power of making ju&s;t &s;atis|faction before my death.</P>
<P>I am wholly uncapable of returning
<PB N="177" REF="98"> Thanks for all the infinite Ble&s;&s;ings the Divine Goodne&s;s has be&s;tow'd on me; however, at thy feet, O Lord, I here acknowledge, in the be&s;t manner I am able, all the favours I have receiv'd, and withall the affection of my Soul, re|turn thee thanks. I beg the ble&s;&s;ed Vir|gin <HI>Mary,</HI> all the Angels and Saints in Heaven, with their Prai&s;e and Thank&s;|giving, to &s;upply my defects, and make &s;ome recompence for my ingra|titude, for which I am heartily &s;orry, and beg thy pardon. I wi&s;h I had the hearts and tongues of all Creatures in the World, that &s;o in &s;ome manner I might endeavour to declare thy Prai&s;e. All ye Works of our Lord ble&s;s our Lord, Prai&s;e and Magnifie him for ever. Give Prai&s;e to our Lord in Heaven, Glorifie his Name all you ble&s;&s;ed Spirits above. Ble&s;s thy Lord, my Soul, let all that is within thee ble&s;s his holy Name. Ble&s;s thy Lord, my Soul, and forget not his Mercies. I will Prai&s;e our Lord at all times, his Prai&s;e &s;hall be ever in my Mouth.</P>
<P>Moreover I here give Thanks and pray for all my Benefactors, whether as to my Soul or Body; e&s;pecially tho&s;e, who have in&s;tructed, Corrected or told me of Faults.</P>
<PB N="188" REF="99">
<P>I prote&s;t, that all my Confidence either of living or dying well, is grounded on the infinite Merits of the Pa&s;&s;ion and Death of my dear Redee|mer, and the Blood he &s;hed for me; this I now offer to the Eternal Father, for the remi&s;&s;ion of all my &s;ins, and in Thanksgiving for all his Benefits. And I be&s;eech Almighty God, that I may be helpt by the Prayers of the Ble&s;&s;ed Virgin <HI>Mary,</HI> my Angel Guardian and all the Saints, that as long as it &s;hall be granted me to live, and mo&s;t e&s;pecial|ly at the hour of my death, by their Charity and A&s;&s;i&s;tance, may be pre|&s;erv'd in me a firm Faith, and a&s;&s;ured Hope, a lively Charity, a true Cou|rage, a profound Humility, an untir'd Patience, and all other Vertues, that are nece&s;&s;ary for the remainder of my Life, and for the hour of my Depar|ture. And therefore for that time I &s;ay now: All you ble&s;&s;ed of God, be mindful of me before the Throne of God, and be&s;eech him, through the Death of his only Son, that, whene|ver my hour comes, I may die in his Grace.</P>
<P>If God &s;hall &s;o permit, that I be a&s;&s;aulted with Temptations in this my
<PB N="189" REF="99"> Sickne&s;s; or at the time of my depar|ture, I will by no means give admit|tance or con&s;ent to them: and there|fore I now at pre&s;ent, for that time declare my abhorrence of all whate|ver evil thoughts, the Devil &s;hall then &s;ugge&s;t to me: for 'tis my &s;incere de&s;ire to be true and faithful to my God, even to the end, and entirely to renounce from this moment, the Devil and all his Works.</P>
<P>La&s;tly, I commend my Soul to God my Creator, who made me of no|thing: to Chri&s;t my Saviour, who re|deem'd me with his precious Blood; to the Holy Gho&s;t, who Sanctified me in the Water of Bapti&s;m. Into thy hands O Lord, I commend my Spirit: Be merciful, O God, to me a &s;inner.</P>
<P>I likewi&s;e declare, that whenever the time comes, that I &s;hall be labouring in my Agony, and &s;hall be then able to &s;peak no more, that I de&s;ire even then to be united to my God in my heart and mind and now, for then, offer to him, my Agony, my Sweats, my Pains and Di&s;tre&s;s, to be United to the Bloody Sweat, to the Grief and Tor|ments of my dear Redeemer Je&s;us Chri&s;t, for the remi&s;&s;ion of my &s;ins,
<PB N="180" REF="100"> and the eternal Glory of his Name: and I de&s;ire all the Holy Angels, whom God has commanded to take care of me, to defend me from the power of darkne&s;s, and all evil Spirits at my la&s;t hour.</P>
<P><HI>Q.</HI> This Preparation for Confe&s;&s;ion and Exerci&s;e of Repentance, is very long: Is it all nece&s;&s;ary for a Sick Per&s;on before he makes his Confe&s;&s;ion?</P>
<P><HI>A</HI> It may not be all nece&s;&s;ary, be|cau&s;e 'tis to be hop'd, there are many live &s;o well, and with Souls &s;o truly di&s;pos'd, that they &s;tand not in need of &s;o long a Preparation: and 'tis mo&s;t certain, there are many others, who through the &s;harpne&s;s of their Di&s;tem|per, or &s;tupifying qualities of their Phy&s;ick, have not time to make u&s;e of it. But 'tis here &s;et down for &s;uch as are under a more tedious Sickne&s;s, and are in a daily nece&s;&s;ity of &s;ome Spiritual helps, to keep their Souls in a due di&s;po&s;ition, and to be ever pre|par'd for the la&s;t Summons.</P>
<P>It may be likewii&s;e very proper for tho&s;e, who, having liv'd &s;omething irregularly, are &s;urpris'd with &s;ick|ne&s;s, when they are very unfit to die. For 'tis very nece&s;&s;ary the&s;e &s;hould en|deavour,
<PB N="181" REF="100"> by frequent and repeated Acts of the <HI>Dete&s;tation of Sin,</HI> of <HI>Re|pentance,</HI> of <HI>Contrition,</HI> of the <HI>love of God, &amp;c.</HI> to change their hearts, and &s;o by degrees remove that indi&s;po&s;i|tion &s;trengthen'd in them through the long habit of &s;in. For &s;ince their thoughts of making their Confe&s;&s;ion in time of Sickne&s;s, is only occa&s;ion'd by their Di&s;temper, there's great rea|&s;on to be jealous of &s;uch Confe&s;&s;ions, and to fear that 'tis only their pre&s;ent Circum&s;tances, and not any dete&s;ta|tion of Sin, or love of God, or any change of heart is the true motive of their pre&s;ent Devotion. And there|fore tho' &s;uch Confe&s;&s;ions may be a &s;a|tisfaction to their Friends, yet God knows how much it will avail them. For this rea&s;on, as often as the Di|&s;tempers will permit, 'tis not fit &s;uch Per&s;ons &s;hould be ha&s;ten'd to Confe&s;|&s;ion, but all care us'd by tho&s;e that a&s;&s;i&s;t them, fir&s;t to prepare them well-to make them &s;en&s;ible, what true Re|pentance is, by often reading and praying, to &s;tir up in their hearts a &s;in|cere abhorrence of their pa&s;t life, quicken their Faith. &s;trengthen their Hope, and bring them in&s;en&s;ibly to
<PB N="192" REF="101"> the love of God, and true Spirit of Penance; by this Method their Re|pentance, tho' late, may be accepta|ble, and they may have rea&s;on to ble&s;s God for the well order'd Chari|ty of &s;uch Friends; when otherwi&s;e, who knows, but they will have as great rea&s;on to cur&s;e tho&s;e, who have accepted their ha&s;ty Confe&s;&s;ions, and flatter'd them with fal&s;e hopes upon an ill grounded and only &s;uperficial Repentance? Therefore I &s;ay, when the Di&s;temper will give leave, great pains &s;hould be us'd for the preparing for, and making this la&s;t Confe&s;&s;ion at lea&s;t a good one, on which Eternity &s;o nearly depends.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="prayers">
<HEAD><HI>Before Receiving the</HI> Holy Communion <HI>or</HI> Viaticum.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<P>O Father of Mercy, and God of all Comfort, behold here thy Crea|ture, made to thy Image, and Re|deem'd by the Blood of thy only Son, de&s;ires to appear before thee. 'Tis by thy Favour I have hitherto liv'd, and now, as for what time remains, I de&s;ire to live to thee; &s;o as to my Death, I de&s;ire to die in thee and for
<PB N="193" REF="101"> thee. I profoundly adore thee, after whom my Soul &s;ighs and thir&s;ts; I cry out to thee, whom I love above all things, O my Re&s;t, my Hope, my Love, my De&s;ire, and all the good of my Heart.</P>
<P>Mo&s;t loving Father, although I am the lea&s;t of thy Children, and un|worthy to be call'd thy Child, becau&s;e I have not honour'd thee as a Father; yet I come with an humble Confi|dence, and ca&s;t my &s;elf into the Arms of thy mo&s;t tender Goodne&s;s and Mercy; being now heartily griev'd for having for&s;aken thee my God, the Fountain of all good, for having de|parted from thee, my loving Father, for having &s;o often forgotten thee, who art ever mindful of me.</P>
<P>O, that I had never offended thee, my God and my All! Accept at lea&s;t this my hearty de&s;ire; and now, while it is the time of Mercy, look on me with Compa&s;&s;ion, and have Mercy on me. For thou know'&s;t, O Lord; that I love thee, or that I &s;incerely de&s;ire to love thee above all things. And I know in whom I place my tru&s;t, that thou art able to &s;ave me, and that thou wilt not de&s;pi&s;e a contrite and humble Heart.</P>
<PB N="184" REF="102">
<P>'Tis likewi&s;e my Hope, that thou wilt not ca&s;t me away from thee, who with &s;o much Love invite&s;t all to thee: Thou ha&s;t &s;aid, <HI>Come to me all you that labour and are heavy loaden, and I will refre&s;h you:</HI> Behold, Lord, I come; receive me according to thy Word, and I &s;hall live, and not be di&s;appoin|ted in my Hope. Deliver my Soul from this Pri&s;on, that I may ble&s;s thy Name.</P>
<P>O happy hour! When I &s;hall be delivered from the Body of this Death: When &s;hall I come to thee my God? When wilt thou come and comfort me? When &s;hall thy Servant depart in Peace? But before I leave this Vale of Tears, I de&s;ire to offer thee a Sacrifice of Prai&s;e, that here af|ter I may Prai&s;e thee for ever.</P>
<P>Wherefore I here pour forth my Soul in Thanks to thee for all thy Ble&s;&s;ings, for my Creation, for my Redemption by the Blood of thy on|ly Son, for the infinite Mercies, whre|by thou ha&s;t &s;o often rais'd me out of &s;in, prevented me by thy Grace, and call'd me out of Darkne&s;s into thy ad|mirable Light. But what return &s;hall make thee, my Lord Je&s;us, the be|loved
<PB N="185" REF="102"> Spou&s;e of my Soul, for thy painful life and mo&s;t bitter death? For the many times thou ha&s;t fed me with thy precious Body and Blood! Here, what &s;hall I &s;ay? This nothing that I am, appeals to thy infinite Goodne&s;s and Love; and, through thy Sacred Wounds, and that Ocean of Mercy flowing from them, hopes to find ac|ceptance, and be &s;ecure. I will drink the Cup thou giv'&s;t me, I will take it ceerfully from thy hand, and drink it with thee, becau&s;e thou ha&s;t fir&s;t drank it for my Salvation.</P>
<P>Accept, Lord, my Heart, which I offer thee, as a Thanksgiving offer|ing for all thy Ble&s;&s;ings; accept all that belongs to me; and thou, my Soul, ble&s;s thou thy Lord, and let thy Prai&s;e continue for ever. As for the World, renounce it all, becau&s;e in thy God thou po&s;&s;e&s;&s;e&s;t all; renounce thy &s;elf, becau&s;e thou art not thy own, but thine, O Lord; O, may I now no longer live, but thou in me: I love thee, O Je&s;us, with all my Heart, and with all my Soul.</P>
<P>Place me therefore near thee; O God, &s;tand take me into thy Protecti|on; and then I will fear no evils, I will
<PB N="196" REF="103"> fear nothing my Enemy can do again&s;t me. And if, through the violence of my Di&s;temper or &s;ugge&s;tion of the Devil, I &s;hould either &s;peak or think contrary to what I do at pre&s;ent; I now revoke and renounce all &s;uch Words and Thoughts, and prote&s;t be|fore thee, my God, and in the pre|&s;ence of all the Ble&s;&s;ed, that I will live and die in the Faith of the Ca|tholic Church, that I place my whole Tru&s;t in God alone, in my Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t and his Merits, and that I love him at pre&s;ent with all my heart, and in his Love de&s;ire to breath out my la&s;t. If any thing &s;hall happen con|trary to this my Profe&s;&s;ion, I here declare my abhorrence of it, I dete&s;t and abjure it: and this I de&s;ire may be acknowledg'd as my La&s;t Will, which I am ready to &s;eal even with my Blood; for 'tis my de&s;ire to die for thee, my God, that I may live to thee, to whom all things live; that I may die in thee, for whom thou ha&s;t been pleas'd to lay down thy life.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<P>O Je&s;u, Saviour of the World, who cam'&s;t to &s;ave Sinners, who ha&s;t call'd all to thee that thou may'&s;t re|fre&s;h
<PB N="197" REF="103"> them; behold here a Sinner comes to thee for relief; Save me, O Lord, for with thee there's a plen|tiful Redemption. I come to thee, from whom I had run a&s;tray, like the lo&s;t Sheep; but thou, O good Shep|herd, who ha&s;t given thy Life for thy Sheep, who cam'&s;t to &s;eek and &s;ave what was lo&s;t, look on thy Ser|vant with Mercy; and receive me into thy Fold.</P>
<P>I come to thee, with my Soul di&s;|order'd with many Pa&s;&s;ions, and co|vered with &s;ores; but thou, Lord, if thou wilt, can&s;t make me whole; heal me then, O Lord, and I &s;hall be heal'd; for thou art the good Samari|tan, the true Phy&s;ician of Souls, who ha&s;t born our Infirmities, and given thy ble&s;&s;ed Body and Blood, for the cure of my Soul. And now, Lord, at this hour it is I &s;tand in need of thy help. For of my &s;elf, what am I but Du&s;t, Weakne&s;s and Nothing: and if thou confirm'&s;t me not with this Divine Food, and &s;trenthen'&s;t me not from above, how can I hold out in the Combat, how &s;hall I re&s;i&s;t the Enemy, and with Patience bear the Trials of Sickne&s;s, the Agonies and Pangs of Death.</P>
<PB N="188" REF="104">
<P>Have mercy therefore on me, come now and &s;hew thy Power in my Soul; cure fir&s;t, I be&s;eech thee all my Wounds, in the forgivene&s;s of my &s;ins, then Comfort my Soul with Di|vine &s;trength, that I may ever Believe and Hope in thee, that I may ever love thee, with true courage, fight a|gain&s;t thy Enemies, and with a per|fect &s;ubmi&s;&s;ion re&s;ign my &s;elf into thy hands; this I de&s;ire may be the di&s;po|&s;ition of my Soul; Come then, Lord, work this good effect within me, that &s;o, as thou ha&s;t Created and Redeem'd me, &s;o I may be thine for ever.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<P>Dear Je&s;us, my Redeemer, I Adore thee with all my heart; I give thee thanks for that infinite Love, which thou &s;hew'd&s;t to poor Sinners, in &s;hedding thy Blood for them on the Cro&s;s; and by thy ineffable Power leaving thy Body and Blood for the Food and Comfort of their Souls; To this Banquet thou art pleas'd now to call me; but woe to me! how &s;hall I approach to it, who have &s;o ungrate|fully offended thee, and liv'd &s;o un|worthy of my Profe&s;&s;ion!</P>
<PB N="189" REF="104">
<P>I acknowledge, O God, that I am a Sinner, that I am mi&s;erable, poor and needy, and therefore now hum|ble my &s;elf under thy powerful hand I appeal to thee, my Je&s;us, who ha&s;t undertaken to be the Advocate and Mediator for Sinners; thou art rich in Mercy, and can&s;t not refu&s;e to appear in their behalf, who put their Cau&s;e into thy Hands. Help me therefore in my di&s;tre&s;s, and lay now before the Father, the price of thy Blood, and infinite Trea&s;ure of thy Merits, and &s;upply hence all my Defects, and e&s;pe|cially my want of preparation in com|ing to partake of this Holy Food. Thou know'&s;t how unworthy I am, and how unfit, through my manifold and grievous &s;ins, to appear before the Judgment Seat of God; I tremble at the thought of that dreadful hour, when all my Sins and Ingratitudes &s;hall be laid before me. What &s;hall I then do, O keeper of Men! What will become of me, if the review of my Life be the ca&s;ting of my eternal Lot! O Je&s;us, let me not go alone to that place of Terrour: come thou into my Soul, accompany it to the Tribunal of God, there let all thy Mercies plead
<PB N="200" REF="105"> for me; for tho', of my &s;elf, I have nothing to tru&s;t to, yet in thy Good|ne&s;s I have comfort. Run, then, my Soul, to the Protection of thy Lord, take &s;helter under his Wings, hide thy &s;elf in his ble&s;&s;ed Wounds, and there, tho' thy &s;ins cry out for Ju|&s;tice, his precious Blood will cry much louder for Mercy; 'tis on this Mercy I depend, in this I hope, and in this Hope I de&s;ire to die; come, my Je|&s;us, enter now into my Soul, and po&s;&s;e&s;s it for ever.</P>
<P>Thou art the true Light, who en|lightene&s;t every one, that comes into this World; enlighten now my Eyes, I be&s;eech thee, that the &s;leep of eter|nal Death may never be my Portion.</P>
<P>Thou art a Fire ever burning, and I am tepid and cold; enflame now my Heart and Reins with the Fire of thy Divine Love: for thou cam'&s;t to bring Fire upon Earth, and why does it not burn?</P>
<P>Thou art King of Heaven and Earth, abounding in Mercy; and I am poor and mi&s;erable: thou know'&s;t what I want, and be&s;ides thee, there's none: that can help me: Help me then, my God, and out of the Trea&s;ures of
<PB N="201" REF="105"> thy Goodne&s;s relieve me in my nece&s;|&s;ities.</P>
<P>Thou art my Lord and my God; behold I am thy Servant, give me un|der&s;tanding, and &s;trengthen my Will; that I may know thy Will and do it.</P>
<P>Thou art the Lamb of God, the Spotle&s;s Lamb, that takes away the Sins of the World; take from me all that is &s;inful, and give me what thou know'&s;t will be plea&s;ing to thee, and beneficial to my Soul.</P>
<P>Thou art my Love and my Joy: Thou art my God and my All; Thou art my Lot and my Inheritance; and 'tis thou alone can'&s;t re&s;tore my Inhe|ritance to me.</P>
<P>O God and my All, let the power|ful force of thy Love &s;ei&s;e and con|&s;ume all that is within me; and &s;o entirely change my Heart, that for the love of thee, I may die to the World, who for love of me wa&s;t plea&s;ed to die on the Cro&s;s; my God and my All.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="prayers">
<PB N="192" REF="106">
<HEAD><HI>After having Receiv'd the Holy Commu|nion, or</HI> Viaticum.</HEAD>
<DIV3 N="1" TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>I.</HEAD>
<P>GLory and Thank&s;giving be to thee, O Lord, who, in thy &s;weetne&s;s has been pleas'd to vi&s;it and refre&s;h my poor Soul. Now let thy Servant depart in peace, according to thy Word.</P>
<P>Now thou art come to me, and I will not let thee go: Now I willing|ly bid farewel to the World, and with joy I come to thee, my God.</P>
<P>Nothing more, O good Je&s;u, no|thing more &s;hall &s;eparate me from thee. Now I am united to thee; in thee I will live, in thee I will die, and in thee I hope to abide for ever.</P>
<P>Now life &s;eems unea&s;ie to me; I de&s;ire to be di&s;&s;olv'd and be with Chri&s;t; for Chri&s;t is my life, and to die will be my gain.</P>
<P>Now I will fear no Evils, tho' I walk in the &s;hadow of Death, becau&s;e thou art with me, O Lord: As the Hart pants after the Fountains of Wa|ter, &s;o my Soul thir&s;ts after thee, O God: my Soul thir&s;ts after the Foun|tain
<PB N="193" REF="106"> of living Water: O, when &s;hall I come and appear before the Face of my God!</P>
<P>Give me now thy Ble&s;&s;ing, O lov|ing Je&s;us, and e&s;tabli&s;h my Soul in everla&s;ting Peace, &s;uch Peace as only thou can'&s;t give, &s;uch Peace as it may not be in the power of my Enemy to de&s;troy.</P>
<P>O that I were once happily united to thee for ever; that I were wholy &s;wallow'd up and buried in thee: O, that my Soul were at re&s;t in thy hap|pine&s;s, and in the enjoyment of thee, my God, for ever.</P>
<P>What have I more to do with the World? And in Heaven what have I to de&s;ire, but only thee, my Lord?</P>
<P>Into thy hands I commend my Spi|rit; receive me, &s;weet Je&s;us, in thee may I re&s;t, and in thy Happine&s;s re|joyce without end.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="2" TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>II.</HEAD>
<P>PRotect me, Lord, again&s;t all my Enemies; and in all dangers ap|pear in my defence: make ha&s;te to help me, O God, and &s;ay to my Soul; I am thy health and thy &s;alvation.</P>
<P>Remember thou art my Father, and have compa&s;&s;ion on my poor di|&s;tre&s;s'd
<PB N="204" REF="107"> Soul; cloth her with all Ver|tues, and feed her with thy Grace; for it belongs to a Father to take this care of his Child.</P>
<P>In thee I live, &s;weet Je&s;us, in thee I de&s;ire to die: both living and dy|ing I will ever profe&s;s, that thou art good, and thy mercy endures for ever.</P>
<P>O &s;weetne&s;s of my Heart, and love of my Soul, take off my Heart and Thoughts from this World, that all my comfort may be in thee.</P>
<P>My God and only Hope; permit me no longer to run from thee: When wilt thou con&s;ume in me all that is corrupt and contrary to thy Will?</P>
<P>Draw me after thee, I be&s;eech thee, that I may cheerfully obey thy Call, and &s;ubmit to thy ble&s;&s;ed Will.</P>
<P>Make me one according to thy own Heart, and let my Soul become now thy habitation for ever.</P>
<P>My Soul without thee is dry, like Earth without Water, moi&s;ten it with the dew of Heaven, and give me now a large Ble&s;&s;ing from the land of the living.</P>
<P>Wound my Heart with thy love, that it may reli&s;h nothing that is
<PB N="205" REF="107"> earthly, but entirely depend on thy Commands.</P>
<P>Hail, dear Redemer, I now de&s;ire to adore thee with the Spirit and af|fection of all thy Elect; I commit to thy direction all the motions of my Soul.</P>
<P>O my Love and my Joy, when will the day of Eternity appear, when laying down this weight of Fle&s;h, I &s;hall joyn with thy Saints in thy ever|la&s;ting Prai&s;e!</P>
<P>O &s;weet Light of Heaven, inflame my Heart with the Fire of Charity; I offer thee all that is within me; let that Divine Flame con&s;ume my Bowels.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="3" TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>III.</HEAD>
<P>O, That I could now give thee, O Lord, all that Honour, Prai&s;e and Glory with which the Angels and ble&s;&s;ed Spirits Prai&s;e and Glorifie thee in Heaven! But becau&s;e I am unable to do this, accept this my de&s;ire at lea&s;t, and good will.</P>
<P>Deliver me, O God from every thing that is contrary to thy Will, and be pleas'd &s;o to di&s;po&s;e my Soul, as may be for thy greater Glory.</P>
<PB N="196" REF="108">
<P>I &s;urrender my &s;elf, O my Creator, into thy hands, and laying a&s;ide all private wi&s;hes, I de&s;ire to depend on thee, as to the whole &s;tate of my Body and Soul, in whatever thou &s;halt plea&s;e to appoint for me.</P>
<P>I ask nothing, but that thy Holy Name be Glorify'd for ever: and if thou wilt plea&s;e to admit me, tho' unworthy, to have a &s;hare in paying thee this homage, ble&s;&s;ed be thy Name.</P>
<P>If it be more for thy honour, that I &s;uffer interior de&s;olation, I accept it from thy hand, O God; becau&s;e I know, 'tis for my good, whatever I &s;uffer in my Soul for love of thee.</P>
<P>O Divine Love, how little art thou known, how little art thou lov'd! Come to me, and if thou no where find'&s;t re&s;t, infu&s;e thy &s;elf wholy into my Soul May the Fire of thy Love, O God, ever burn in my heart, and grow up to &s;uch a Flame, that it may burn and con&s;ume, not only the Sa|crifice, but the Altar too.</P>
<P>Let nothing be now my comfort, but thou, my Lord Je&s;us, and nothing afflict me but my &s;ins, and whatever is di&s;plea&s;ing to thy Divine Maje&s;ty.</P>
<PB N="197" REF="108">
<P>O Ble&s;&s;ed Je&s;u, Life eternal, by whom I live, and without whom I die, grant I may now be united to thee, and that in the embraces of thy holy Love and divine Will, I may re&s;t for ever.</P>
<P>When &s;hall I &s;ee thee, O &s;weet Lord? When &s;hall I appear before thy face. When &s;hall I &s;ee thee in the land of the Living! Till then I &s;igh and bewail my Bani&s;hment, de&s;iring to be di&s;&s;olv'd and be with thee.</P>
<P>How happy are they who eat and drink at thy Table in thy eternal King|dom! They love thee and enjoy thee; but I peri&s;h here with hunger, lying in Du&s;t and Darkne&s;s, and &s;ee not the light of Heaven.</P>
<P>But remove this Veil, O God, and bring me to thy &s;ight; fill my hungry Soul with good things, and grant me my Inheritance purchas'd for me by my Redeemer, and be thou my Po&s;|&s;e&s;&s;ion for ever.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>Before Extream &V;nction.</HEAD>
<P>THou ha&s;t mercifully provided re|medies, O Lord, for all our Ne|ce&s;&s;ities; grant me thy Grace &s;o to
<PB N="208" REF="109"> make u&s;e of them, that my Soul may receive all tho&s;e good effects which thou ha&s;t appointed in their In&s;tituti|on. Now I de&s;ire to be Anointed, as thou ha&s;t commanded me by thy Apo|&s;tle; Grant, I be&s;eech thee, that by this holy Unction and the Prayers of the Church, I may partake of that Spirit, with which Chri&s;t &s;uffered on the Cro&s;s, for thy Glory, and for the de&s;truction of Sin Give me true Patinece to &s;up|port all the pains and trouble of my Di&s;temper; Give me an inward &s;trength to re&s;i&s;t all the Temptations of the Enemy: Give me Grace for the par|don of all my Failings: Give me that true Light, by which I may be con|ducted through the &s;hadows of Death to eternal Happine&s;s; and if my Health be expedient for thy Glory, let this be the means to re&s;tore it. Be|hold, I approach to this holy Ordi|nance, with a firm Faith and Confidence in thy goodne&s;s, that thou wilt not for&s;ake me in this time of my Di&s;tre&s;s, but that thou wilt &s;tand by me with thy Grace, and defend me from all evil, and now prepare my Soul for a happy Pa&s;&s;age.</P>
<PB N="209" REF="109">
<P>My eyes have &s;een Vanities, but now let them be &s;hut to the World; and open to thee alone, my Je&s;us; pardon me all the &s;ins I have com|mitted by my Seeing.</P>
<P>My Ears have been open to Detra|ctions, Profanene&s;s, and unprofitable Di&s;cour&s;es; let me now give ear to thy Word, to thy Commands and thy Call; and pardon me, O Je&s;us, all the &s;ins I have committed by my Hearing.</P>
<P>I have taken delight in the perfumes of this World, which are all nothing but Corruption; let my Heart and Prayers a&s;cend like Incen&s;e in thy &s;ight, and pardon me all the &s;ins I have commmitted by my Smelling.</P>
<P>My Tongue has many ways offend|ed both in Speaking and Ta&s;ting. Now let its whole bu&s;ine&s;s be to cry for Mer|cy: Pardon me, dear Je&s;us, all the &s;ins I have committed by Word, or by any exce&s;s in Eating, or Drinking.</P>
<P>My hands have offended in contri|buting to many Follies, injurious to my &s;elf and my Neighbour; Now let them be lifted up to Heaven, in te&s;ti|mony of a penitent Heart, and pardon me, O Lord, all the &s;ins I have Com|mitted in the ill u&s;e of my Hands.</P>
<PB N="200" REF="110">
<P>My Feet have gone a&s;tray in the paths of Vanity and Sin; now let me walk in thy ways, in the ways thou art pleas'd to lead me, and forgive me, Lord, all the &s;ins I have committed by my di&s;order'd Steps</P>
<P>I have given admittance to impure delights in my heart, and for the plea|&s;ing my Sen&s;es, have tran&s;gre&s;s'd thy Law: Let my heart be now the Tem|ple of the Holy Gho&s;t, and pardon me all the &s;ins by which I have bani&s;h'd thee from my heart, and defil'd my Soul.</P>
<P>By this holy Anointing and the power of thy Grace, O God, forgive me all my Sins, and convert my heart wholly to thee, that I may cheerfully &s;ubmit to death in puni&s;hment of my Offences, and &s;o enter into thy eter|nal re&s;t. <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>After Extream &V;nction.</HEAD>
<P>HEar our Prayers, O God, in be|half of thy Servant, and &s;ince thou ha&s;t &s;hewn this Mercy to him, as to admit him to the helps of thy Church, grant he may partake of the Effects of them, even tho&s;e, which thou ha&s;t
<PB N="201" REF="110"> appointed for the comfort of poor Souls in the day of their di&s;tre&s;s Grant him a full di&s;charge of all his Sins, that whenever he &s;hall appear before thee, the Enemy may find nothing a|gain&s;t him. Stand thou by him, we be&s;eech thee, and be his Protector a|gain&s;t all Evils; let thy Grace comfort him, and heavenly Strength &s;upport him, that however he be weak of him|&s;elf, yet through thy a&s;&s;i&s;tance, he may &s;tand in this day of Trial, and cheerfully &s;ubmit to whatever thou ha&s;t appointed for him. Re&s;tore him to Health, if thou know'&s;t it expedi|ent for him; but if thou ha&s;t ordain'd it otherwi&s;e, grant him a happy Pa&s;|&s;age, and admit him into the number of thy Ble&s;&s;ed; through the Merits and Pa&s;&s;ion of thy dear Son, who li|veth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Gho&s;t, one God, World without end. <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="prayers">
<HEAD>Short Prayers, to be &s;aid di&s;tinctly, and with &s;ome intervals, whil&s;t Death &s;eems to be approaching.</HEAD>
<P>I Adore thee, O Good Je&s;u, who by thy Sufferings, ha&s;t redeem'd the World. Save me now, O my Je&s;us,
<PB N="212" REF="111"> who ha&s;t redeem'd me by thy Blood. Draw me to thee, who ha&s;t promis'd to draw all things to thee: Hold me fa&s;t, and let no power of the Enemy take me out of thy hand: Let no|thing any more divide me from thee.</P>
<P>Merciful Je&s;u, I be&s;eech thee, by thy precious Blood, which thou wa&s;t pleas'd to &s;hed for Sinners, wa&s;h me, purifie me, and clean&s;e me from all my Iniquities.</P>
<P>O Soul of Chri&s;t, Sanctifie me; Blood of Chri&s;t, Purifie me; Body of Chri&s;t, Save me: Water from the &s;ide of Chri&s;t, Wa&s;h me: Pa&s;&s;ion of Chri&s;t, Comfort and Strengthen me. O good Je&s;u, graciou&s;ly hear me; hide me within thy Wounds; be ever with me; call me at the hour of Death; com|mand me to come to thee, that I may take part with thy Ble&s;&s;ed, and prai&s;e thee without end.</P>
<P>My Lord and Creator; my Redeem|er Je&s;us Chri&s;t, I deliver my &s;elf into thy hands, refu&s;e not, I be&s;eech thee, the offer I make; to thee I come, ca&s;t me not away from thee.</P>
<P>Ca&s;t me not away, and take not thy Holy Spirit from me; let not my Wickedne&s;s de&s;troy the work of thy infinite Goodne&s;s.</P>
<PB N="213" REF="111">
<P>Look on me with the Eyes of Mer|cy, my Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t, eternal King, God and Man, who wa&s;t Crucified for Man. Give ear to my Cry, becau&s;e I put my Tru&s;t in thee: Have Mercy on me, who am cover'd over with Mi&s;ery and Sin; Thou who art the Fountain of mercy, a Fountain ever flowing. Hail, Sacred Victim, who for me and the Sins of the whole World, wa&s;t Offer'd on the Cro&s;s.</P>
<P>Hail Generous and Precious blood, flowing from the Wounds of my Cru|cify'd Lord, and wa&s;hing away the &s;ins of the World. Be mindful O Lord, of me thy poor Creature, whom thou ha&s;t redeem'd with thy Blood.</P>
<P>Far be it from me to glory, except in the Cro&s;s of our Lord Je&s;us Chrt&s;t, by whom the World is Crucifi'd to me, and I to the World.</P>
<P>I &s;ee thee, my dear Redeemer, fa|&s;ten'd on the Cro&s;s with thy Arms&s;tretcht forth, and thy Head bowing down, as ready to receive us into thy Embra|ces: I hear thee in words full of com|pa&s;&s;ion, inviting all to come to thee: <HI>Come to me, all you that labour and are heavy loaden, and I will refre&s;h you.</HI></P>
<PB N="214" REF="112">
<P>Behold I come Lord, do with me according to thy Word, and mercifully refre&s;h me: I come weary and tired under the weight of my &s;ins; but deal mercifully with thy Servant, for thou ha&s;t born all our Infirmities on the Cro&s;s, and to obtain pardon for us, ha&s;t laid down thy Life.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="prayers">
<HEAD>To our Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t.</HEAD>
<P>JE&s;us Chri&s;t, fountain of Mercy, have compa&s;&s;ion on thy poor Servant, and help me in his time of my di|&s;tre&s;s. Let thy Death and Pa&s;&s;ion plead for me, and &s;tand betwixt my Soul and thy Ju&s;tice.</P>
<P>I give my &s;elf wholly into thy hands, reject me not. Now, Lord, according to thy good will, &s;hew mer|my to me; command my Soul to be receiv'd in Peace; for thou ha&s;t re|deem'd me, O God of Truth. Lord Je&s;us, let tho&s;e &s;weet words &s;ound in my Ears, <HI>This day thou &s;halt be with me in Paradi&s;e.</HI></P>
<P>Receive me my Crucify'd Je&s;us, in|to thy loving Arms, which were &s;treteh'd forth on the Cro&s;s for me receive me into tho&s;e Embraces of
<PB N="215" REF="112"> thy infinite Charity, and draw my Soul to thee; receive me, good Je&s;u, in thy mercy receive my Soul in peace.</P>
<P>Enlighten, O Je&s;us, my Eyes, that I &s;leep not in death; that my Enemy may never &s;ay, he has prevail'd again&s;t me.</P>
<P>Remember not, O Lord, my Iniqui|ties; let thy Mercies make ha&s;te to prevent me; for, behold, I am poor and mi&s;erable.</P>
<P>Lord Je&s;us, by the merits of thy Sufferings, command me to be receiv'd among the number of thy Cho&s;en Servants.</P>
<P>Enter not Lord, into Judgment with thy Servant; for in thy &s;ight no Man can be Ju&s;tified.</P>
<P>This one thing I ask of our Lord, that I may dwell in his Hou&s;e for ever.</P>
<P>Receive me according to thy Pro|mi&s;e, and I &s;hall live and not be di&s;|appointed of my Hope.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="prayers">
<PB N="116" REF="113">
<HEAD>Other &s;hort Acts, to be repeated now and then one.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayers">
<HEAD>Of FAITH.</HEAD>
<P>LOrd, I Believe, help my Unbelief.</P>
<P>I believe thou art Chri&s;t the Son of the living God. Thou art my Lord and my God.</P>
<P>I believe all thou ha&s;t taught me by thy Apo&s;tles and the Holy Catholick Church.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayers">
<HEAD>Of HOPE.</HEAD>
<P>THou art my Protector, O Lord, in thee have I put my Tru&s;t.</P>
<P>My hope is in thee, let me not be confounded for ever.</P>
<P>Thou art my Defence, O Lord, for&s;ake me not; the time of di&s;tre&s;s is at hand, and there is none to help me, but thou my God.</P>
<P>Pre&s;erve me as the Apple of thy Eye, and under the &s;hadow of thy Wings protect me.</P>
<P>In the &s;hadow of death I will not fear, becau&s;e thou art with me.</P>
<P>I am thine, O Lord, &s;ave me I be|&s;eech thee.</P>
<PB N="217" REF="113">
<P>Save thy Servant, who puts his tru&s;t in thee.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayers">
<HEAD>Of CHARITY.</HEAD>
<P>THou art the God of my Heart, and my Inheritance for ever.</P>
<P>My God and my All; I have no|thing to de&s;ire in Heaven or Earth, but thee.</P>
<P>Thou demande&s;t my Heart, behold, here I give it into thy hands, O God.</P>
<P>Inflame my Soul with thy Love, that I may become a gtateful Sacri|fice to thee.</P>
<P>My Soul thir&s;ts after thee, O God: When &s;hall I appear before thee.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayers">
<HEAD>Of CONTRITION.</HEAD>
<P>HAve Mercy on me, O God, accor|ding to thy great Mercy.</P>
<P>To thee only have I &s;inn'd, and done evil in thy &s;ight:</P>
<P>But a contrite and humble Heart thou wilt not de&s;pi&s;e.</P>
<P>Turn away thy Face from my &s;ins, and blot out my Iniquities.</P>
<P>Enter not, O Lord, into Judgment with thy Servant; for who &s;hall be Ju&s;tifi'd in thy Sight.</P>
<PB N="218" REF="114">
<P>For thy Name &s;ake, have mercy on me, and forgive all my &s;ins.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayers">
<HEAD>Of PETITION.</HEAD>
<P>THou &s;ufferd'&s;t on the Cro&s;s, O Lord, for my &s;ins; let not thy Sufferings be in vain.</P>
<P>Pre&s;erve me, Lord, I be&s;eech thee, becau&s;e in thee have I put my Tru&s;t.</P>
<P>Let my Enemies be turn'd away Backwards, and all tho&s;e that &s;eek my Soul.</P>
<P>Look upon me and have mercy on me, becau&s;e I am poor and mi&s;erable.</P>
<P>Behold my Mi&s;ery and Affliction; for&s;ake me not in my Nece&s;&s;ities, but pardon me all my Offences.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayers">
<HEAD>Of RESIGNATION.</HEAD>
<P>I Here renounce the Devil and Sin, and de&s;ire to be united to Chri&s;t.</P>
<P>Lord, into thy hands I commend my Spirit.</P>
<P>Thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven.</P>
<P>Not as I will, but as thou wilt, O God.</P>
<PB N="219" REF="114">
<P>Give me thy Grace to do what thou commande&s;t, and then command what thou wilt.</P>
<P>I am thy Creature, O God, and 'tis my Duty to &s;ubmit to thy Will.</P>
<P>Behold, I bow my &s;elf down, and make all that is within me &s;toop to thy commands, and the Decrees of thy ble&s;&s;ed Will.</P>
<P>Do here with me as thou wilt, but &s;pare me hereafter.</P>
<P>Lord, I love the beauty of thy Hou&s;e, and the place of thy Abode.</P>
<P>I de&s;ire to be di&s;&s;olv'd and be with Chri&s;t.</P>
<P>Who will deliver me from this Bo|dy of Death.</P>
<P>This one thing I ask of thee, that I may dwell in thy Hou&s;e for ever.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="prayers">
<HEAD>Other &s;hort Prayers.</HEAD>
<P>ETernal Father, I am that unworthy Servant, whom thou ha&s;t &s;o lov'd, as to give thy only Son for me: Shew mercy on me now at this hour, and let not his precious Blood be lo&s;t on me.</P>
<P>Je&s;us Chri&s;t, I am that lo&s;t Sheep, whom thou ha&s;t &s;ought with &s;o much
<PB N="120" REF="115"> pains, and brought back on thy Shoul|ders: I have run a&s;tray like a lo&s;t Sheep; but thou art the good Shep|herd, who giv'&s;t thy Life for thy Sheep: Seek now thy Servant, and let me be lo&s;t no more. Let the Ene|my have no more power over me, but take me into thy protection.</P>
<P>O Je&s;us, I am that mi&s;erable one; who going from <HI>Jeru&s;alem,</HI> fell a|mong&s;t Thieves, was wounded and left half dead: Thou art my Phy&s;ician and that good <HI>Samaritan,</HI> who, having compa&s;&s;ion on me, ha&s;t bound up my Wounds, and heal'd them with thy Blood. Thou ha&s;t born all our Infir|mities, and by thy. Angui&s;h have we been heal'd. Have mercy on me, Lord, in this my la&s;t hour: Lord, make ha&s;te to help me, that my Soul die not and peri&s;h for ever.</P>
<P>O Je&s;us, I am an unhappy Sinner, and guilty of many Crimes: but thou art my Advocate to the Father, and the Propitiation for my Offences. Thou wilt not the death of a Sinner, but that he live. Thy coming into this World was to &s;ave Sinners; have mercy therefore on me in this my ex|tremity. Be now my Mediator and
<PB N="211" REF="115"> Advocate to the Father. O good Je|&s;u, be merciful to me a Sinner. Into thy hands I commend my Spirit.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD><HI>A Prayer of St:</HI> Jerome <HI>in time of Agony.</HI></HEAD>
<P>MErciful Je&s;u, thou art my &s;trength, my refuge, and my deliverer; in thee have I believ'd and hop'd, thee have I loved. Call me now, I be&s;eech thee, and I will an&s;wer. Stretch forth thy hand of mercy to the work of thy hands, and let not me peri&s;h, whom thou ha&s;t redeem'd with thy Blood.</P>
<P>'Tis now time for du&s;t to return to du&s;t, and my Spirit to thee who gav'&s;t it. Open then, Lord, the Gate of Life, and receive me; receive me, mo&s;t merciful Lord, according to the multitude of thy tender mercies; who received&s;t the Thief on the Cro&s;s, and now prepare my Soul for the hearing the &s;ame promi&s;e of Mercy, which he did. I am &s;ick, O Lord, and my life is withering away, therefore I come to thee my Phy&s;ician. Heal me then, my God, and I &s;hall be heal'd: let me not be confounded, becau&s;e I
<PB N="222" REF="116"> put my tru&s;t in thee. In thee have I hop'd, let me not be ca&s;t off for ever.</P>
<P>But who am I, mo&s;t merciful Lord, that I &s;hould &s;peak thus boldly to thee? I am a Sinner; one grown up in &s;in, a rotten Carca&s;s, a Va&s;&s;el of Corruption, and food of Worms. But &s;pare me &s;till, my God, for what a Victory is there in overthrowing me, who am but as du&s;t before the Wind? Forgive me all my &s;ins, and deliver me from my di&s;tre&s;s.</P>
<P>Ari&s;e and help me, Lord, ari&s;e, and let thy Mercy plead for me. Let my Prayer a&s;cend before thee, and &s;tretch forth thy hand to help me: For, be|hold, I am cover'd with &s;in, and have done evil in thy &s;ight. And there's none can heal me, but thou, my God. If thou had&s;t not paid my Ran&s;om, by dying on the Cro&s;s, &s;hould not I have been for ever mi&s;erable? Re|member then, O merciful Je&s;u, that I have a &s;hare in that price, that was paid; 'twas for me al&s;o, tho mo&s;t unworthy, thy Blood was &s;hed; let me therefore have a part in this Mercy.</P>
<P>I confe&s;s, I have many times of|fended again&s;t thee, and therefore am not worthy to be call'd thy Child:
<PB N="223" REF="116"> but turn away thy Face, I be&s;eech thee, from my &s;ins, and blot out all my iniquities. Deal not with me ac|cording to what I de&s;erve, nor cha|&s;ti&s;e me according to my iniquities: but help me, O God my Saviour, and for the Glory of thy Name, deliver me. Now, at this hour, &s;hew mer|cy to me, and whenever I depart, re|ceive me into the number of thy Fa|mily, that I may be one of tho&s;e, who are to prai&s;e thee for ever.</P>
<P><HI>Q.</HI> When a &s;ick per&s;on lies, as to all appearance in&s;en&s;ible, is it to any purpo&s;e to repeat any of the&s;e Prayers in his Name?</P>
<P><HI>A</HI> The&s;e Prayers are principally intended for &s;uch as continue in their Sen&s;es: but however, when a per&s;on lies, as it were, wholy in&s;en&s;ible, it may not be improper to repeat now and then &s;ome &s;hort Sentence of Piety in his Ear: becau&s;e, there are many, upon recovery have own'd, that in their extremity, they have been &s;en|&s;ible of what had been &s;poke to them, tho' they could by no outward &s;ign manife&s;t it to the by-&s;tanders.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="prayers">
<PB N="224" REF="117">
<HEAD>Prayers to be &s;aid by Friends, when the &s;ick per&s;on is in extremity.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<P>LOrd Je&s;us Chri&s;t, we be&s;eech thee by thy bitter Agony and Prayer in the Garden, that thou would'&s;t be plea&s;ed to be Advocate to the Eternal Father, in behalf of this thy Servant: lay before him all tho&s;e drops of Blood, which in that angui&s;h of Spi|rit flow'd from thy Body, and offer them for the Remi&s;&s;ion of all his &s;ins: that &s;o in this hour of extremity he may be di&s;charg'd from that hand|writing which &s;tands again&s;t him; and from all that puni&s;hment, which he fears too ju&s;tly due to his &s;ins. <HI>Our Father, Hail Mary.</HI></P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<P>LOrd Je&s;us Chri&s;t, who wa&s;t plea|&s;ed to &s;uffer death on the Cro&s;s for us, we be&s;ceech thee to offer up all that Angui&s;h and Pains, which thou then endured&s;t, and mo&s;t e&s;pe|cially at the hour of thy death, in be|half of this thy Servant; that they may be accepted in his favour; for the good of his Soul, for the obtaining a happy hour, and for the relea&s;e from
<PB N="225" REF="117"> that puni&s;hment, which he has de|&s;erv'd for his &s;ins. <HI>Our Father, Hail Mary.</HI></P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<P>LOrd Je&s;us Chri&s;t, who had&s;t that love for Man, as to become Man for his Salvation; we be&s;eech thee to &s;hew that thy Charity and Goodne&s;s to the Eternal Father, let that appear for this thy Servant and plead his Cau&s;e, that by this powerful Media|tion he may be freed from all his &s;ins; that he may be &s;afe at the hour of his departure, and find the Gate of Life open to him. <HI>Our Father, Hail Mary.</HI></P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<P>LOrd Je&s;us Chri&s;t, who by thy pre|cious Blood, ha&s;t redeem'd us, we be&s;eech thee to imprint deep in the Soul of this thy Servant the me|mory of thy mo&s;t Sacred Wounds, that having them in his &s;ight, he may be encourag'd to &s;uffer with patience and re&s;olution, and be arm'd again&s;t all the pangs of Death: thus let him cheerfully &s;ubmit to all the difficulties of his Condition; and begin even here to be united to thee, with a love that &s;hall never end.</P>
<PB N="226" REF="118">
<P>Grant him now to partake of the Fruit of thy Holy Incarnation, of thy bitter Pa&s;&s;ion, of thy Glorious Re&s;urrection and admirable A&s;cen|&s;ion.</P>
<P>Grant he may be &s;en&s;ible of the ef|fects of thy Holy My&s;teries and Sa|craments, and of all the Prayers, which are offer'd to thee by the whole Church.</P>
<P>Remember Lord, that thou once wa&s;t in the &s;treits of Death, that in thy extremity thou cried&s;t out to the Eternal Father, commending thy Spi|rit to him, and &s;o expir'd&s;t. Behold now this thy Servant, in his Angui&s;h, cries aloud to thee; &s;tand thou by him, defend and comfort him in this his di&s;tre&s;s, and receive his Soul.</P>
<P>Remember, O Je&s;us, that thy Arms were &s;tretch'd forth upon the Cro&s;s, thy Side was opened, and thy Sacred Head bow'd down: have re|gard now, we be&s;eech thee, to the Soul of this thy Servant, which de|parting out of this World, &s;eeks re|fuge in thee: receive it into thy Arms, give it &s;helter in thy Brea&s;t, and there let it hide it &s;elf, &s;ecur'd from all Enemies, till the Anger of God
<PB N="227" REF="118"> pa&s;s over. Into thy hands we com|mend his Spirit, which has been Crea|ted and Redem'&s;t by thee; de&s;pi&s;e not, we be&s;eech thee, the work of thy hands.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>If the dying Per&s;on be in his Sen&s;es, this may be a good Conclu&s;ion.</HEAD>
<P>NOw let thy Servant, Lord, depart in peace, according to thy Word. But remember, I am but du&s;t, and therefore enter not into Judgment with thy poor Servant; for how can I be ju&s;tify'd in thy &s;ight? I confe&s;s I am unworthy to be admitted into thy Pre&s;ence; but all my hope is in thy infinite Goodne&s;s and Mercy, which is able to purifie my Soul, and clean&s;e me from all my iniquities In this I hope, and with this hope I now beg of thee, that when my Soul is to leave this Body, thou wilt manife&s;t thy Goodne&s;s, and receive it into thy Eternal Kingdom.</P>
<P>In the Confe&s;&s;ion of thy Name, O Lord, I de&s;ire to breath out my la&s;t. Receive me therefore according to thy great Mercy, open to me the Gates of Life, and &s;ecure me again&s;t
<PB N="228" REF="119"> all the power of Darkne&s;s. Let thy hand conduct me into the place of Refre&s;hment, that place thou ha&s;t prepar'd for tho&s;e that fear thee.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>Another.</HEAD>
<P>THou know'&s;t, O Lord, my Life has been fill'd with &s;in and mi&s;e|ry: but thou abounde&s;t in Mercy; and therefore in the Spirit of Humi|lity and a Contrite Heart, I now be|&s;eech thee to receive me, O good Je|&s;u, the life and health of my Soul; for 'tis not in the Confidence of any Ju&s;tice of mine, but only of thy Mercies, that I now make my Addre&s;s to thee.</P>
<P>I am the lo&s;t Sheep, that now re|turns to my Shepherd; I have heard thy Voice, and de&s;ire to follow it. And can&s;t thou now de&s;pi&s;e the cry of thy poor Sheep, who runs to thee for &s;helter; receive him, I be&s;eech thee, into thy Fold. Ha&s;t not thou com|manded all to come to thee? And ha&s;t not thou &s;aid, he &s;hall call upon me, and I will hear him, and I will be with him in the day of Tribula|tion.</P>
<PB N="229" REF="119">
<P>Behold, I call to thee, Lord, in heart at lea&s;t: behold Tribulation is upon me, and there's none to help me, none that can deliver and &s;ave me, but thou my good Je&s;u. And tho' I dare not ask to be of the num|ber of thy Ble&s;&s;ed; yet admit me, Lord, to feed on the Crumbs that fall from thy Table: O, that I were but the lea&s;t in thy Hou&s;e: how much better is that, than to dwell with Sin|ners! Receive me, &s;weet Je&s;us, re|ceive my Soul.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>A Prayer to be &s;aid by the A&s;&s;i&s;tants, in time of Agony.</HEAD>
<P>CHri&s;t Je&s;us, who wa&s;t Crucify'd for our Redemption, we be&s;eech thee, by that Love, which brought thee from Heaven, to have Com|pa&s;&s;ion on the Soul of this thy Ser|vant; forgive him all his &s;ins, and by the Merits of thy bitter Pa&s;&s;ion, &s;a|tisfie for all his Failings, and &s;upply his Defects; let him now experience the multitude of thy tender Mercies, and be &s;en&s;ible how good his Lord is. Di&s;po&s;e now his Soul, by thy Grace, that he may be prepar'd at thy Call, to
<PB N="230" REF="120"> go forth to meet thee. Grant him, we be&s;eech thee, true Patience and perfect Re&s;ignation in his Pains and Angui&s;h Give him a full di&s;charge from all his &s;ins; confirm his Faith, &s;trengthen him in Hope, and perfect his Charity, that departing hence, his Soul may be receiv'd into thy Mercy.</P>
<P>O dear Redeemer, by that di&s;tre&s;s, which thou &s;uffered&s;t on the Cro&s;s, when thou cryed&s;t out to thy Eternal Father, we pray thee, &s;hew Mercy to this thy Servant in his extremity; hear the &s;ighs and de&s;ires of his heart, and &s;ince he cannot now &s;peak for him&s;elf, &s;peak thou for him, we be|&s;eech thee, who art the Eternal Word, and to whom the Father will refu&s;e nothing.</P>
<P>By thy Victory over Death, and the Infinite Merit of thy Pa&s;&s;ion, we beg thee, in behalf of this thy Servant, to have no other thoughts but of Peace, of Mercy and Comfort, and not of Affliction. Bear him up again&s;t all Di&s;tru&s;t and De&s;pair, deli|ver him from his Nece&s;&s;ities, and be his Comforter in this Di&s;tre&s;s. Let tho&s;e Hands which were once nail'd to the Cro&s;s, now plead for him, and
<PB N="231" REF="120"> obtaining his Pardon, conduct him into thy Eternal Re&s;t. <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>The Recommendation of a Soul departing.</HEAD>
<P>LOrd have mercy on us.</P>
<P>Chri&s;t have mercy on us.</P>
<P>Lord have mercy on us.</P>
<P>Holy <HI>Mary, Pray for (him, her.)</HI></P>
<P>All ye Holy Angels and Arch-angels,<HI>Pray for (him, her.)</HI></P>
<P>Holy <HI>Abel, Pray for (him, her.)</HI></P>
<P>All ye Choir of the Ju&s;t, <HI>Pray for (him, her.)</HI></P>
<P>Holy <HI>Abraham, Pray for (him, her.)</HI></P>
<P>St. <HI>John Papti&s;t, Pray for (him, her.)</HI></P>
<P>All ye Patriarch and Prophets, <HI>Pray for (him, her.)</HI></P>
<P>St. <HI>Peter, Pray for (him, her.)</HI></P>
<P>St <HI>Paul, Pray for (him, her.)</HI></P>
<P>St. <HI>Andrew, Pray for (him, her.)</HI></P>
<P>St. <HI>John, Pray for (him, her.)</HI></P>
<P>All ye Holy Apo&s;tles and Evange|li&s;ts, <HI>Pray for (him, her.)</HI></P>
<P>All ye Holy Di&s;ciples of our Lord, <HI>Pray for (him, her.)</HI></P>
<P>All Holy Innocents, <HI>Pray for (him, her.)</HI></P>
<P>St. <HI>Stephen, Pray for (him, her.)</HI></P>
<P>St. <HI>Laurence, Pray for (him, her.)</HI></P>
<P>All ye Holy Martyrs, <HI>Pray for (him, her.)</HI></P>
<P>St. <HI>Sylve&s;ter, Pray for (him, her.)</HI></P>
<P>St. <HI>Gregory, Pray for (him, her.)</HI></P>
<P>St. <HI>Augu&s;tine. Pray for (him, her.)</HI></P>
<P>All Holy Bi&s;hops and Confe&s;&s;ors, <HI>Pray for (him, her.)</HI></P>
<PB N="232" REF="121">
<P>St. <HI>Bennet, Pray for (him, her.)</HI></P>
<P>St. <HI>Francis, Pray for (him, her.)</HI></P>
<P>All ye Holy Monks and Ermits, <HI>Pray for (him, her.)</HI></P>
<P>St. <HI>Mary Magdalen, Pray for (him, her.)</HI></P>
<P>St. <HI>Lucy, Pray for (him, her.)</HI></P>
<P>All Holy Virgins and Widows, <HI>Pray for (him, her.)</HI></P>
<P>All you Saints of God, <HI>make Interce&s;|&s;ion for (him, her.)</HI></P>
<P>Be merciful, <HI>Spare (him, her) O Lord.</HI></P>
<P>Be merciful, <HI>Deliver (him, her) O Lord.</HI></P>
<P>Be merciful, <HI>Deliver (him, her) O Lord.</HI></P>
<P>From thy Anger, <HI>Deliver (him, her) O Lord.</HI></P>
<P>From the danger of Death, <HI>Deliver (him, her) O Lord.</HI></P>
<P>From an ill end, <HI>Deliver (him, her) O Lord.</HI></P>
<P>From the pains of Hell, <HI>Deliver (him, her) O Lord.</HI></P>
<P>From all evil, <HI>Deliver (him, her) O Lord.</HI></P>
<P>From the power of the Devil, <HI>Deliver (him, her) O Lord.</HI></P>
<P>By thy Nativity, <HI>Deliver (him, her) O Lord.</HI></P>
<P>By thy Cro&s;s and Pa&s;&s;ion, <HI>Deliver (him, her) O Lord.</HI></P>
<P>By thy Death and Burial, <HI>Deliver (him, her) O Lord.</HI></P>
<P>By thy Glorious Re&s;urrection, <HI>Deliver (him, her) O Lord.</HI></P>
<P>By thy Admirable A&s;cen&s;ion, <HI>Deliver (him, her) O Lord.</HI></P>
<P>By the Grace of the Holy Gho&s;t the Comforter, <HI>Deliver (him, her) O Lord.</HI></P>
<P>In the day of Judgment, <HI>Deliver (him, her) O Lord.</HI></P>
<P>We Sinners, <HI>be&s;eech thee to hear us.</HI> That thou &s;pare him, <HI>we be&s;eech thee to hear us.</HI></P>
<P>Lord have mercy on us.</P>
<PB N="153" REF="121">
<P>Chri&s;t, have Mercy on us.</P>
<P>Lord, have Mercy on us.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="prayers">
<HEAD>Let us Pray.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<P>DEpart, Chri&s;tian Soul, out of this World, in the Name of God the Father Almighty, who Created thee; in the Name of Je&s;us Chri&s;t, Son of the living God, who &s;uffer'd for thee: In the name of the Holy Gho&s;t, who Sanctified thee: In the name of the Angels, Ach-Angels, Thrones and Do|minations, Cherubins and Seraphins: In the name of the Patriarchs and Prophets, of the Holy Apo&s;tles and Evangeli&s;ts; of the holy Martyrs and Confe&s;&s;ors; of the holy Monks and Ermits; of the holy Virgins, and of all the Saints of God. Let thy place be this day in Peace, and thy abode in holy Sion. Through Chri&s;t our Lord. <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<P>GOd of Mercy, God of Goodne&s;s; O God, who according to the multitude of thy Mercies forgive&s;t the &s;ins of &s;uch as Repent, and gra|ciou&s;ly remitte&s;t the guilt of their pa&s;t Offences, mercifully regard this thy Servant <HI>N.</HI> and grant him a full di&s;|charge
<PB N="124" REF="122"> from all his Sins, who mo&s;t earne&s;tly begs it of thee Renew, O merciful Father, whatever is corrupt in him, through human Frailty, or by the &s;nares of the Enemy; make him a true Member of the Church, and let him partake of the Fruit of thy Redemption. Have compa&s;&s;ion Lord, on his Sighs. Have compa&s;&s;ion on his Tears, and admit him to the Sacrament of thy reconciliation, who has no hope but in thee. Through Chri&s;t our Lord. <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<P>I Recommend thee, dear Brother, to Almighty God, and leave thee to his Mercy, who&s;e Creature thou art, that having paid the common debt, by &s;urrendering the Soul, thou may'&s;t return to thy Maker who form'd thee out of the Earth. Let therefore the noble company of An|gels meet thy Soul at its departure; let the Court of the Apo&s;tles receive thee; let the triumphant Army of glorious Martyrs conduct thee; let the crowds of joyful Confe&s;&s;ors en|compa&s;s thee; let the Choir of ble&s;|&s;ed Virgins go before thee, and let a happy Re&s;t be thy portion in the com|pany
<PB N="225" REF="122"> of the Patriarchs: Let Chri&s;t Je&s;us appear to thee with a mild and cheerful Countenance, and give thee place among tho&s;e, who are to be in his Pre&s;ence for ever. May'&s;t thou be a &s;tranger to all that which is pu|ni&s;h'd with Darkne&s;s, cha&s;tis'd with Flames, and condemn'd to Torments. Let thy wicked Enemy, with all his evil Spirits, depart from thee: May he tremble at thy approach in the company of Angels, and retire into the horrid confu&s;ion of eternal Night. May thy God ari&s;e, and thy Enemies be put to fiight: May all who hate him, fly before his Face. Let them vani&s;h like Smoak; and as Wax be|fore the fire, &s;o let Sinners peri&s;h in the &s;ight of God: But for the Ju&s;t, let them rejoyce and be happy in his Pre&s;ence. May all the Mini&s;ters of Hell be fill'd with confu&s;ion and &s;hame, and let no evil Spirit dare to &s;top thee in thy way. Chri&s;t Je&s;us be thy De|liverer, who was Crucifi'd for thee. Chri&s;t Je&s;us deliver thee from Death, who vouch&s;afed to die for thee: Chri&s;t Je&s;us, Son of the living God, place thee in his Garden of Paradi&s;e; and may he the true Shepherd, own
<PB N="236" REF="123"> thee for one of his Flock: May he ab&s;olve thee from all thy &s;ins, and place thee at his right hand, in the in|heritance of his Elect. We pray, it may be thy happy lot, to behold thy Redeemer Face to Face, to be ever in his Pre&s;ence and in the Vi&s;ion of that Truth, which is the Joy of the Ble&s;&s;ed. And thus placed among tho&s;e happy Spirits, may'&s;t thou be ever fill'd with heavenly &s;weetne&s;s. <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<P>REceive thy Servant, O Lord, into that place, where he may hope for Salvation from thy Mercy.</P>
<P>R. <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
<P>Deliver, O Lord, the Soul of thy Servant from all dangers of Hell; from all Pain and Tribulatien.</P>
<P>R. <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
<P>Deliver, O Lord, the Soul of thy Servant, as thou deliverd'&s;t <HI>Enoch</HI> and <HI>Elias</HI> from the common death of the World.</P>
<P>R. <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
<P>Deliver, O Lord, the Soul of thy Servant, as thou deliver'd&s;t <HI>Noah</HI> in the Flood.</P>
<P>R. <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
<PB N="237" REF="123">
<P>Deliver, O Lord, the Soul of thy Servant, as thou deliverd'&s;t <HI>Abraham</HI> from the mid&s;t of the <HI>Chaldees.</HI></P>
<P>R. <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
<P>Deliver; O Lord, the Soul of thy Servant, as thou deliverd'&s;t <HI>Job</HI> from all his Afflictions.</P>
<P>R. <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
<P>Deliver, O Lord, the Soul of thy Servant, as thou deliverd'&s;t <HI>I&s;aac</HI> from being Sacrificed by his Father.</P>
<P>R. <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
<P>Deliver, O Lord, the Soul of thy Servant, as thou deliverd'&s;t <HI>Lot</HI> from <HI>Sodom,</HI> and the Flames of Fire.</P>
<P>R. <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
<P>Deliver, O Lord, the &s;oul of thy Servant, as thou deliverd'&s;t <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> from the hands of <HI>Pharaoh,</HI> King of <HI>Aegypt.</HI></P>
<P>R. <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
<P>Deliver, O Lord, the &s;oul of thy &s;ervant, as thou deliverd'&s;t <HI>Daniel</HI> from the Lyons Den.</P>
<P>R. <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
<P>Deliver, O Lord, the &s;oul of thy &s;ervant, as thou deliverd'&s;t the Three Children from the fiery Furnace, and from the hands of that unmerciful King.</P>
<P>R. <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
<PB N="238" REF="124">
<P>Deliver, O Lord, the &s;oul of thy &s;ervant, as thou deliverd'&s;t <HI>Su&s;anna</HI> from her fal&s;e Accu&s;ers.</P>
<P>R. <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
<P>Deliver, O Lord, the &s;oul of thy &s;ervant, as thou deliverd'&s;t <HI>David</HI> from the hands of <HI>Saul</HI> and <HI>Goliah.</HI></P>
<P>R. <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
<P>Deliver, O Lord, the Soul of thy &s;ervant, as thou deliverd'&s;t <HI>Peter</HI> and <HI>Paul</HI> out of Pri&s;on.</P>
<P>R. <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
<P>And, as thou deliverd'&s;t that ble&s;|&s;ed Virgin and Martyr St. <HI>Thecla,</HI> from mo&s;t cruel Torments; &s;o vouch&s;afe to deliver the Soul of this thy Ser|vant, and bring it to the participation of thy heavenly Joys.</P>
<P>R. <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="prayers">
<HEAD>Let us Pray.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<P>WE commend to thee O Lord, the Soul of this thy Servant, and be&s;eech thee. Je&s;us Chri&s;t, Re|deemer of the World, that, as in mercy to him, thou bacame&s;t Man &s;o now thou would'&s;t vouch&s;afe to admit him into the number of the Ble&s;&s;ed. Remember, Lord, he is
<PB N="239" REF="124"> thy Creature, not made by &s;trange Gods, but by thee, the only true and living God: For there is no other God but thee, none that can work thy Wonders. Let his Soul find com|fort in thy &s;ight, and remember not his former &s;ins, nor any of tho&s;e Ex|ce&s;&s;es, which he has fallen into, through the violence of Pa&s;&s;ion and Corruption. For although he has &s;inn'd, yet he has &s;till retain'd a true Faith in thee, Father, Son, and Holy Gho&s;t; he has had a zeal for thy Ho|nour, and faithfully ador'd thee, his God, and the Creator of all things.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<P>REmember not, O Lord, we be|&s;eech thee, the &s;ins and Ignoran|ces of his Youth; but according to thy great Mercy, be mindful of him in thy Eternal Glory. Let the Hea|vens be open to him, and the Angels rejoyce with him. Receive, Lord, thy Servant into thy Kingdom. Let the Arch-Angel, St. <HI>Michael,</HI> conduct him, the chief of the Heavenly Ho&s;t. Let the holy Angels of God, meet him, and bring him into the City of the Heavenly <HI>Jeru&s;alem.</HI> May ble&s;|&s;ed <HI>Peter,</HI> the Apo&s;tle, receive him,
<PB N="240" REF="125"> to whom are given the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. May holy <HI>Paul</HI> the Apo&s;tle help him, who was a Ve&s;&s;el of Election. May St. <HI>John,</HI> the beloved Di&s;ciple, interceed for him, to whom God reveal'd the Se|crets of Heaven. May all the holy Apo&s;tles pray for him, to whom was given the power of Binding and Lo|&s;ing. May all the ble&s;&s;ed and cho&s;en Servants of God, pray for him, who in this World, have &s;uffer'd Torments for the name of Chri&s;t: That being deliver'd from this Body of Corrup|tion, he may be admitted into the Kingdom of Heaven, through the A&s;&s;i&s;tance and Merits of our Lord Je|&s;us Chri&s;t, who liveth and reigneth with the Father and the Holy Gho&s;t, World without end. <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
<P><HI>If the Sick Party &s;till continues in di&s;tre&s;s of Agony, it may be proper for the A&s;&s;i&s;tants to continue on in Prayer, &s;aying,</HI> P&s;alm 21. <HI>and</HI> 118.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="prayers">
<PB N="241" REF="125">
<HEAD>The Soul being now Departed, the follow|ing Re&s;pon&s;ory is &s;aid.</HEAD>
<P>COme to his a&s;&s;i&s;tance, all you Saints of God; meet him, all you Angels of God; receive his Soul, and pre&s;ent it now before its Lord. May Je&s;us Chri&s;t receive thee, and the Angels conduct thee to thy place of Re&s;t: May they receive his Soul, and pre&s;ent it now before its Lord.</P>
<P>Re&s;p. <HI>Eternal Re&s;t grant him, O Lord, and let perpetual light &s;hine unto him May they pre&s;ent him now before his Lord</HI></P>
<P>Lord, have Mercy on us.</P>
<P>Chri&s;t have Mercy on us.</P>
<P>Our Father.</P>
<P><HI>V.</HI> And lead us not into Tempta|tion.</P>
<P>R. <HI>But deliver us from Evil.</HI></P>
<P><HI>V.</HI> Eternal Re&s;t grant him O Lord.</P>
<P>R. <HI>And let perpetual light &s;hine unto him.</HI></P>
<P><HI>V.</HI> From the Gates of Hell,</P>
<P>R. <HI>Deliver his Soul, O Lord.</HI></P>
<P><HI>V.</HI> May he re&s;t in Peace.</P>
<P>R. <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
<PB N="242" REF="126">
<P><HI>V.</HI> Our Lord, hear my Prayer.</P>
<P>R. <HI>And let my Cry come to thee.</HI></P>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>Let us Pray.</HEAD>
<P>TO thee, Lord, we recommend the Soul of thy Servant <HI>N.</HI> that be|ing dead to this World, he may live to thee. And whatever &s;ins he has committed through human Frailty, We be&s;eech thee in thy goodne&s;s, mercifully to pardon, through Chi&s;t our Lord. <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>Then for a Conclu&s;ion, may be added the following Prayer for the A&s;&s;i|&s;tants.</HEAD>
<P>GRant, O God, that while we here lament the departure of thy Ser|vant, we may ever remember, that we are mo&s;t certainly to follow him. Give us Grace to prepare for that la&s;t hour, by a good Life, that we may not be &s;urpriz'd by &s;udden Death, but be ever watching when thou &s;halt call; that &s;o with the Spou&s;e, we may enter into eternal Glory, Through Chri&s;t our Lord. <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="lesson">
<PB N="243" REF="126">
<HEAD>Advice upon Recovery</HEAD>
<P><HI>Q.</HI> But if a Per&s;on recover from Sick|ne&s;s, what Devotion may be proper for him, upon his Recovery.</P>
<P><HI>A.</HI> Thank&s;giving is due to Al|mighty God for all his Ble&s;&s;ings, and therefore, when a Per&s;on is rais'd from the Bed of Sickne&s;s, he ought not to omit this Duty; which, I fear, is forgot by too many, who when they are in extremity of Pain or Sickne&s;s, know how to value Health and Ea&s;e, and in the earne&s;tne&s;s of their Wi&s;hes, declare their Sen&s;e of &s;uch Ble&s;&s;ings; and having receiv'd them, think no more of them, or of the Hand that gave them. This is a &s;ort of Ingratitude very unbe|coming a Chri&s;tian Spirit: And hence you may conclude, how much the Method of tho&s;e is to be di&s;approv'd, who, after a fit of Sickne&s;s, Con&s;e|crate their fir&s;t &s;itting up to a Game of Cards, and their fir&s;t going abroad to a Play, or the <HI>Park, &amp;c.</HI> When|as the fir&s;t Fruits of Health ought to be offer'd to God, as his Due, in
<PB N="244" REF="127"> Prayer and going to Church: tho&s;e that do otherwi&s;e, abu&s;e his Gifts; and 'tis to be fear'd, that &s;uch as are hardy enough to do this, as &s;oon as they are receiv'd, will not be more grateful afterwards. This is the Mi&s;ery of two many, who perver&s;ly think, Prayers will do harm, when Cards will not; and there|fore the&s;e get the &s;tart for &s;ome days; when God knows, the Atten|tion at Prayers, is but too often, much inferiour to that of Cards, e&s;pe|cially if we con&s;ider the Time &s;pent in the&s;e; and therefore not likely to be more prejudicial. But the truth is, we are all too apt to favour our In|clinations, and a &s;lender Rea&s;on is &s;ufficient to promote what we have a mind to do: And thus we deceive our &s;elves: When at the bottom there's only this; That we are ready to ven|ture more for our Diver&s;ion, than our Duty: And this makes tho&s;e, who are afraid of their Prayer-Book, to be very bold at their Games.</P>
<P><HI>Q.</HI> What Prayers would you direct them to, by way of Thanksgiving?</P>
<PB N="245" REF="127">
<P><HI>A</HI> Tho&s;e mention'd above: as the Hymn <HI>Te Deum.</HI> We Prai&s;e thee, O God, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> The <HI>Benedicite,</HI> or Song of the Three Children: With other P&s;alms, as &s;et down above, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> The following Prayer likewi&s;e may not be improper.</P>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<P>ALmighty and Everla&s;ting God, I here acknowledge thy Ble&s;&s;ing in the recovery of my Health, and return thee my mo&s;t hearty Thanks for it. I beg thy Grace, for the making a better u&s;e of it, than hi|therto I have done; that I may cor|rect all the Errors of my pa&s;t life, that I may improve in Vertue, by an Example to others, and Sanctifie that Health to thee which is now thy &s;pe|cial Gift: that thus living to thee, I may be ever prepar'd for my la&s;t hour. Through Je&s;us Chri&s;t our Lord. <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="book of prayers">
<PB N="246" REF="128">
<HEAD>INSTRUCTIONS AND DEVOTIONS For <HI>Pri&s;oners,</HI> e&s;pecially tho&s;e, who are condemn'd to die.</HEAD>
<P>SUch Per&s;ons, who either by their Crimes, or fal&s;e Accu&s;ations, or any other ways fall into the hands of Ju&s;tice, and are thrown into Pri&s;on, ought to make an advantage of their misfortune, and improve it to the good of their Souls: Innocence in Confinement may find there the exer|ci&s;e of many Vertues, encourag'd by the Example of Chri&s;t and all his Glorious Confe&s;&s;ors and Martyrs. Guilt in Confinement may find great Mercy attending the Ju&s;tice of its
<PB N="247" REF="128"> Suffering, in the faire&s;t opportunity offer'd for making Attonement for pa&s;t offences. This &s;eems to be the de|&s;ign of Heaven, both as to the one and the other, and it mu&s;t be a very great <HI>Abu&s;e,</HI> not to comply with it, &s;uch as will &s;ully the Innocence of the Cau&s;e on the one &s;ide, and en|crea&s;e the Guilt on the other, and in both render all their Suffering unpro|fitable. Wherefore great Caution is to be us'd by all in the&s;e Circum&s;tan|ces.</P>
<P><HI>Fir&s;t,</HI> In avoiding, as much as may be, the common Contagion of Pri|&s;ons, that is, Ill Company, by which many, who have gone in Innocent, have come out Corrupt and Vi|cious. And becau&s;e the u&s;ual Expe|dient of fleeing &s;uch Conver&s;ations, is here often render'd Impracticable, therefore, is there a nece&s;&s;ity of a more than ordinary Care, &s;uch as may &s;ecure Vertue in the mid&s;t of Corruption, and pre&s;erve a <HI>Lot</HI> in <HI>Sodom.</HI> Guards are doubled in time of Danger, &s;o it mu&s;t be here: for that watchfullne&s;s, which was the Defence of Innocence in other places,
<PB N="248" REF="129"> is not &s;ufficient to with&s;tand the Ene|my here, which by the Advantage of the ground, is now much more powerful.</P>
<P><HI>Secondly,</HI> In avoiding that too ge|neral Practice of Intemperance, which has many times the Authority of Men of Principles to recommend it. The Spirit in Confinement is de|&s;irous of Relief again&s;t all manner of Dejection, which for want of Employment or Diver&s;ion, is there too apt to &s;eize it. Society is the obvious Remedy that pre&s;ents it &s;elf, and wretched Cu&s;tom per&s;uading Men, there's no maintaining this without Drinking; hence this is U&s;her'd in under the cover of Nece&s;&s;ity, or Convenience, and one Evil is made the Remedy of another; and what|ever Checks of Con&s;cience attended the fir&s;t Engagement, Practice &s;oon wears out this unea&s;ine&s;s, and har|dens the Mind again&s;t all Scruples: Thus by degrees the life of a Pri&s;on becomes a life of continual Di&s;&s;ipa|tion, of Intemperance, and of very unbecoming Entertainments, &s;uch as Exclude the Chri&s;tian u&s;e of all their
<PB N="249" REF="129"> Sufferings, and deprive them of all that benefit Heaven has de&s;ign'd for them. Tho&s;e, who con&s;ider the Di&s;po&s;itions, with which all tho&s;e Scourges, which come from the Hand of God, ought to be receiv'd; and that the time of Affliction is the time of Humiliation, of &s;eeking Help and Comfort from God, will ea&s;ily di&s;cover the unrea&s;onablene&s;s of this Method, and that nothing can be more provoking, than to grow wor&s;e under Correction, and then to run into new Di&s;orders, when they are call'd upon to retrench their old ones. Wherefore it mu&s;t certainly be more advi&s;eable, to &s;ubmit to all manner of unea&s;ine&s;s, to &s;eek Reme|dy in Humility and Patience, to oblige Heaven to their A&s;&s;i&s;tance by Prayer and Penance, to Mortifie them&s;elves in all the inconveniencies of their Confinement: There's &s;ome|thing of the Go&s;pel in this Spirit; but the other way is &s;o far from Chri|&s;tian, that it gives Scandal to all Ob|&s;ervers.</P>
<PB N="250" REF="130">
<P>The&s;e Cautions I think needle&s;s for tho&s;e, who look for no other Li|berty, than what the Sentence of Death is to bring them; the appre|hen&s;ions of their approaching end be|ing &s;ufficient Security again&s;t the&s;e mi&s;chiefs, without the help of a Mo|nitor. However to the&s;e, there is &s;omething to be recommended: As,</P>
<P><HI>Fir&s;t,</HI> Not to delay their Prepara|tions for Death, till they have heard Sentence Pronounc'd again&s;t them: For this cannot be excus'd from Neg|lect, and many times proves &s;uch, as cannot afterwards be recover'd; whil&s;t &s;tricter Confinement, after Condemnation, often cuts off many of tho&s;e Opportunities and Helps which they had before; and hinders them from making &s;o good a Prepa|ration as Death requires.</P>
<P><HI>Secondly,</HI> Not to permit their Spi|rits to be &s;eis'd with immoderate De|jection, by reflecting on their Mis|fortune, or the Terrors of Death, For it is very ill Management, to give that time to unprofitable, and it may be, &s;inful Di&s;quiet, which ought to
<PB N="251" REF="130"> be employ'd much more to the pur|po&s;e, in preparing their Souls again&s;t the la&s;t hour.</P>
<P><HI>Thirdly,</HI> For the le&s;&s;ening the&s;e Di&s;quiets, and making the be&s;t u&s;e of their time, that they would &s;e|riou&s;ly con&s;ider the Mercy, that ac|company their pre&s;ent misfortune, which is very great, e&s;pecially to tho&s;e, who&s;e Crimes have brought them into the&s;e Circum&s;tances. For whereas the lives of the&s;e, are gene|rally &s;ubject to great Di&s;orders, and if this Ju&s;tice, that has met them, had not put a &s;top, they might very likely have pur&s;ued their evil ways, and as they liv'd, &s;o likewi&s;e have died unmindful of God and their Salvation, as is the unhappy Fate of too many; now being ap|prehended and confin'd, their wicked Cour&s;e is interrupted, and they have a fair opportunity before them, of Repenting, and making a much better Preparation for another World, than Sickne&s;s will generally allow; in which, either through the &s;hortne&s;s or &s;harpne&s;s of the Di&s;temper, or the
<PB N="252" REF="131"> flattering hopes of Recovery, or want of opportunity and nece&s;&s;ary helps, wicked Men &s;eldom come to a true Repentance; but as Sickne&s;s finds them, &s;o Death generally carries them away. The opportunity therefore of true Conver&s;ion is &s;o much greater before a Violent Death, than a Natural, that, notwit&s;tanding the Unhappine&s;s and Terror, it mu&s;t cer|tainly be acknowledg'd an effect of a mo&s;t Providential Mercy; and I don't que&s;tion, many have come by this way to a true Sen&s;e of their Sins and a happy end, who otherwi&s;e, would have been &s;urpris'd in their Wickedne&s;s, and peri&s;h'd everla&s;ting|ly. It is a Mercy likewi&s;e to all others, &s;ince the certain knowledge of Death obliges them to a much &s;tronger and more undi&s;turb'd Appli|cation, than is generally practis'd, when the time is not determin'd; that Uncertainty, which God has or|dain'd with a de&s;ign of obliging us to a perpetual watchfulne&s;s, being gene|rally abus'd and made the occa&s;ion of very prejudial neglects, even to the hazarding of our Eternal Lot.</P>
<PB N="253" REF="131">
<P>It being thus ea&s;ie to di&s;cover great effects of Mercy, under the misfor|tune of Confinement and Violent Death, it ought to be their Princi|pal bu&s;ine&s;s; who come into the&s;e Circum&s;tances, not to neglect it, but make the be&s;t advantange of it they are able, &s;ince whatever time they then lo&s;e, is irrecoverable U&s;ing therefore all po&s;&s;ible endeavours to &s;uppre&s;s immoderate Solicitude and all manner of Di&s;quiets, they are to con&s;ider their pre&s;ent bu&s;ine&s;s, and permit nothing to take them off it: For this end they are daily to rai&s;e up their Hearts and Hopes to God, and beg him to be their Director, in the Preparation they are to make of appearing before him.</P>
<P>Before Trial they are every day to commit their Cau&s;e into the Hands of God, and endeavour to compo&s;e their Minds, for whatever he &s;hall appoint, as knowing all to depend on him, and that Judges and Jury are only to declare, what he has already Decreed: which may be done thus.</P>
<DIV2 TYPE="prayer">
<PB N="254" REF="132">
<HEAD>A daily Prayer before Trial.</HEAD>
<P>O God, in who&s;e Power are all things, and without Order or Permi&s;&s;ion, nothing happens in this World, I recommend my &s;elf and my Cau&s;e entirely into thy Hands, be&s;eeching thee to appoint every thing belonging to me, as &s;hall be mo&s;t conformable to thy Ble&s;&s;ed Will. I lay before thee my De&s;ires of meeting a favourable Sentence; but if thou know'&s;t this not to be be&s;t for me, do with me as thou plea&s;e&s;t: I am thy Creature, and ought to have no other Will, but thine; and therefore, whatever my De&s;ires are, as to Liberty and Life, I de&s;ire now to renounce all the&s;e, and lay them down at thy Feet, leaving all to the di&s;po&s;ition of thy infinite Wi&s;dom and Goodne&s;s, with an a&s;&s;urance of that being be&s;t for me, which thou &s;halt appoint.</P>
<PB N="255" REF="132">
<P>I know, as the Birds of the Air are in thy Care, as there falls not a Leaf from a Tree, or a Hair from my Head, but by thy Providence; &s;o I likewi&s;e am a part of thy Care, and that nothing &s;hall befal me, but by thy appointment; in this Con|fidence I de&s;ire to re&s;t, as knowing whatever Powers are over me, they are all &s;ubject to thee, and that they cannot move one &s;tep in my Con|cern, but by thy Permi&s;&s;ion; and therefore, whatever they determine, mu&s;t be what thou ha&s;t Ordain'd for me, they being only the In&s;tru|ments of thy Mercy or Ju&s;tice.</P>
<P>Being therefore thus entirely in thy Hands, what have I to doubt, or what to fear? Nothing, O my God, but my &s;elf; and therefore mov'd by the Sen&s;e of my own weakne&s;s, I make my pre&s;ent Addre&s;s to thee, humbly be&s;eeching thy infinite Goodne&s;s to have Compa&s;&s;ion on me, to give me that inward &s;trength and &s;teddi|ne&s;s of Mind, as to Embrace with true Peace and Submi&s;&s;ion, whatever thou &s;halt manife&s;t to be thy Will,
<PB N="256" REF="133"> and that I may receive the Sentence of my Jury, as if pronounc'd by thy Sacred Mouth, &s;ince I acknow|ledge, it is thou that &s;peake&s;t, and determin'&s;t my Lot by them. For this end, I be&s;eech thee to direct both my Judge and Jury, as like|wi&s;e to &s;tand by me, and be my Coun&s;el, to put Words into my Mouth, and help me in my Defence; deliver me from all Solicitude and Surpri&s;e, and permit not fal&s;e Wit|ne&s;&s;es, Prejudice or Pa&s;&s;ion, to pre|vail again&s;t me. Thus, O my God, I leave my &s;elf, both as to Liberty, Life or Death, in thy Hands: I have nothing, but what thou ha&s;t given me, and thou may'&s;t take it away when thou plea&s;e&s;t: Do with me, as &s;hall &s;eem good in thy Eyes: Lord, thy Ble&s;&s;ed Will be done. Confirm me. I be&s;eech thee, in this Di&s;po&s;ition to the end of my Life.</P>
<P>Preparation being thus daily made for Trial, the re&s;t of the day ought to be employ'd in Prayer and other Holy Exerci&s;es for obtaining a true
<PB N="257" REF="133"> Conformity to the Will of God, in which <HI>The Chri&s;tians Daily Exerci&s;e</HI> may be a great help, as containing Devotions very proper for this end: But above all, a principal Portion of every day ought to be &s;et a-part for the Pri&s;oner making his Peace with God, by a &s;incere Repentance and humble Confe&s;&s;ion of the &s;ins of his whole Life, in which the &s;ame Book may be very &s;erviceable, as likewi&s;e that &s;hort Exerci&s;e of Repentance and Contrition &s;et down in the&s;e In&s;tructions, p. 124.</P>
<P>On the day of Trial, he ought in a more particular manner to re|commend his Cau&s;e to God, ear|ne&s;tly importuning him for his Protection and Direction, and bow|ing down in the Spirit of true Hu|mility manife&s;t his Re&s;olutions of Embracing whatever &s;hall appear to be his Holy Will in the Sentence that &s;hall be pa&s;s'd upon him.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="prayer">
<PB N="258" REF="134">
<HEAD>After Sentence of Di&s;charge.</HEAD>
<P>I Return thee Almighty God, mo&s;t hearty Thanks for the favour thou ha&s;t &s;hew'd me, in my deliverance; I accept my Life now again from thy hands, and as I have receiv'd it from thee, &s;o I now &s;incerely offer it to thee again, de&s;iring to live in thy Service, and by my Fidelity in the ob&s;ervance of thy Law, ever to acknowledge the Mercy of what I have receiv'd this day. For this end, I be&s;eech thee, my God, to con|firm me by thy Grace, that &s;o be|ing &s;trengthen'd again&s;t all Tempta|tions, no power of Earth or Hell, may be able to prevail again&s;t me. This is my &s;incere de&s;ire; confirm me in it, and give me per&s;everance in all good, for thy greater Glory, and the &s;alvation of my Soul.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="prayer">
<PB N="259" REF="134">
<HEAD>After Sentence of Death.</HEAD>
<P>O God, thy Will be done. The Lord has given, the Lord takes away; ble&s;&s;ed be the name of our Lord. I received my Life from thy hands, and ought not I to &s;urrender it when thou demand'&s;t of me? Now thou ha&s;t &s;ent me a Summons, and in this manife&s;ted thy Will to me; and as I acknowledge thee to be my Lord, &s;o I know 'tis my duty to o|bey; I wi&s;h I could do it cheerfully and without reluctance; but tho Na|ture be unwilling, yet notwith&s;tand|ing all unwillingne&s;s, behold, I now bow down, and with all po&s;&s;ible &s;ubmi&s;&s;ion, pronounce from my Heart, <HI>Lord, thy Will be done on Earth, as it is in Hea|ven. Lord, thy Will be done on Earth, as it is in Heaven. Lord, thy Will be done on Earth, as it is in Heaven.</HI></P>
<P>And if any thing be wanting in my Heart of that true &s;ubmi&s;&s;ion which I here profe&s;s with my Lips, pour forth thy Grace upon me, and &s;upply by the power of thy holy Spirit, whate|ver
<PB N="260" REF="135"> is wanting through my weakne&s;s: Teach me, I mo&s;t earne&s;tly be&s;eech thee, to do thy Will; and &s;ince my days are &s;hort, let me want none of thy a&s;&s;i&s;tance, which is nece&s;&s;ary in my pre&s;ent Circum&s;tances, for mak|ing a happy end. Thou know'&s;t all my infirmity, and that of my &s;elf I am able to do nothing; but, O God, I believe thy Grace is &s;ufficient for me, and I hope, through thy a&s;&s;i&s;tance to do all. Help me, O Je&s;us, and for&s;ake not this mi&s;erable Sinner, who calls upon thee in the day of Di&s;tre&s;s: Let thy heavenly light &s;hine upon me, and be my Comfort in this day of darkne&s;s: Command a calm within my Soul, and let all be there in Peace: Give me Courage and re|&s;olution, that courage which is the Fruit of thy Holy Spirit, that I may bear up again&s;t all the Terrors of Death: Give me Patience and true conformity of Will, that I may &s;uf|fer all thou ha&s;t appointed for me, as becomes a Chri&s;tian and thy Di&s;|ciple. Help me, O Je&s;us, and be to me a Je&s;us; and permit me not to depart out of this World in thy Di&s;|plea&s;ure.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="lessons">
<PB N="261" REF="135">
<P>THE days after Condemnation, ought to be employ'd by every one, in the be&s;t manner they are a|ble, according to their different Cir|cum&s;tances, in preparing for their la&s;t hour: And in this Preparation, Con|trition and Repentance, ought to have a principal part; &s;o that if be|gun before, it is now to be carried on and fini&s;h'd with all po&s;&s;ible dili|gence; what remains of life being now to be a life of Penance; for this end, the penitential P&s;alms may be a proper Exerci&s;e for every day, with &s;uch other Prayers and Devo|tions as move the heart to a Dete&s;ta|tion of Sin: It may be likewi&s;e ad|vi&s;able to add Mortification to Prayer, and particularly to &s;ubmit to the pre|&s;ent difficulties of their State, in the &s;pirit of Penance, accepting them from the hand of God, as a puni&s;h|ment ju&s;tly due to their &s;ins, and to accompany the&s;e with a voluntary ab|&s;tinence from Wine and &s;trong drink, and even with Fa&s;ting with Bread and Water, if they are able to bear it. In this penitential and humble way,
<PB N="262" REF="136"> they ought daily to make their Peti|tions to Heaven, asking for Patience, for Re&s;ignation, for Contrition, and for a &s;incere love of God, and of their Neighbour, and daily exerci&s;e their Souls in Acts of the&s;e Vertues, in which the <HI>Poor Man</HI>'s <HI>Manuel</HI> may be a great help. But becau&s;e the appre|hen&s;ion of approaching Death may cau&s;e great di&s;turbance, and by im|moderate Solicitude hinder the quiet performance of the&s;e Exerci&s;es, there|fore I de&s;ire them every day to take &s;ome time in con&s;idering the following Points.</P>
<DIV3 N="1" TYPE="lesson">
<HEAD>I.</HEAD>
<P>That we are all born into this World to die; that none are exempt from this Sentence.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="2" TYPE="lesson">
<HEAD>II.</HEAD>
<P>That the difference is not great, whether we die this Week, this Year, or the next. How &s;hort, and even nothing, are all, the Years now pa&s;t!
<PB N="263" REF="136"> The &s;ame it would be, were there yet many more to come.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="3" TYPE="lesson">
<HEAD>III.</HEAD>
<P>If they are to die this Week or the next; is it not the &s;ame with many others? Every Week in <HI>London</HI> carries away near Five hundred Per&s;ons: So many that are now alive, will be gone before the end of the next Week: Their Sentence is already pa&s;t, and will mo&s;t certainly be executed with|out Reprive.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="4" TYPE="lesson">
<HEAD>IV.</HEAD>
<P>The Sentence of Death, whether Natural or Violent, is pronounc'd by the mouth of God, in who&s;e hands we all are, and to whom all are bound to &s;ubmit.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="5" TYPE="lesson">
<HEAD>V.</HEAD>
<P>The great concern is to be prepar'd for it. Where Death meets this Pre|paration, there Death is a Mercy; and
<PB N="264" REF="137">
'tis of little concern, when it comes, or in what manner it comes, whether by Di&s;temper or Violence; tho in re|ality, there is no kind of Death but what is Violent</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="6" TYPE="lesson">
<HEAD>VI.</HEAD>
<P>That to fore-&s;ee the hour of Death, and have time appointed to prepare for it, has a great advantage and a very great Mercy accompanying it.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="7" TYPE="lesson">
<HEAD>VII.</HEAD>
<P>How many of tho&s;e, who are to die before the end of the next Week, will be &s;urpris'd by &s;udden Death, e|ven in the mid&s;t of their Sins, with|out Repentance or the thoughts of Eternity!</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="8" TYPE="lesson">
<HEAD>VIII.</HEAD>
<P>How many, through the violence of Di&s;temper, or faulty delays, will be &s;natch'd away unprepar'd!</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="9" TYPE="lesson">
<PB N="265" REF="137">
<HEAD>IX.</HEAD>
<P>Might not this have been my mis|fortune, had God permitted me to have waited for a natural Death?</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="10" TYPE="lesson">
<HEAD>X.</HEAD>
<P>Might not I have been at length ta|ken off by &s;udden Death or died without Repentance.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="11" TYPE="lesson">
<HEAD>XI.</HEAD>
<P>Can I tell, what ways I might have taken, and whether by my wicked|ne&s;s, I might not have wholy departed from God.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="12" TYPE="lesson">
<HEAD>XII.</HEAD>
<P>It is therefore good, what God has at pre&s;ent ordain'd for me: There is Mercy in the Fore-&s;ight of Death, and in the Time he has given me to prepare for it.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="13" TYPE="lesson">
<PB N="166" REF="138">
<HEAD>XIII.</HEAD>
<P>A Natural Death might have le&s;s Terror, but in that I might have wanted many advantages, which are now granted me.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="14" TYPE="lesson">
<HEAD>XIV.</HEAD>
<P>If my Death be violent, was not that of my Redeemer &s;o too? Did not the Apo&s;tles and Martyrs fini&s;h their Cour&s;e by the hands of Exe|cutioners?</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="15" TYPE="lesson">
<HEAD>XV.</HEAD>
<P>I have in this opportunity of offe|ring my Life a Sacrifice to God, and of being more clo&s;ely united by my Sufferings to Chri&s;t expiring on the Cro&s;s.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="16" TYPE="lesson">
<HEAD>XVI.</HEAD>
<P>If he being Innocent, accepted that Death for my Sins; why &s;hould not
<PB N="167" REF="138"> I accept this, who have been guilty of &s;o many Offences?</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="17" TYPE="lesson">
<HEAD>XVII.</HEAD>
<P>This Death is a Puni&s;hment ju&s;tly due to my Sins; and is it not a Mer|cy, God puni&s;hes me here? May I not hope, that he has not re&s;erv'd my puni&s;hment for hereafter?</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="18" TYPE="lesson">
<HEAD>XVIII.</HEAD>
<P>If I con&s;ider how great a-part of my Life I have taken away from God and mi&s;-&s;pent in Sin; 'tis but ju&s;t he &s;hould take away from me what re|mains; and may be happy in &s;urren|dering it to him.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="19" TYPE="lesson">
<HEAD>XIX.</HEAD>
<P>If I ca&s;t my &s;elf entirely upon the Mercy of God will he not &s;hew me Mercy now and &s;tand by me, as much as if I were to die in my Bed?</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="20" TYPE="lesson">
<PB N="268" REF="139">
<HEAD>XX.</HEAD>
<P>What is my Suffering, if compar'd to the Sufferings of Chri&s;t; to the Torments of Hell, which I de&s;erve; to the Ble&s;&s;ings I have receiv'd; to the Eternal Happine&s;s, which I hope for? All I can &s;uffer is nothing; I ac|cept it all: Lord thy Will be done.</P>
<P>By the&s;e, and &s;uch like Con&s;idera|tions, the <HI>Pri&s;oner</HI> may daily endea|vour to calm all Solicitous and di&s;qui|eting Thoughts, and compo&s;e his Soul both for a &s;incere Repentance and Confe&s;&s;ion of his Sins, and for Recei|ving the Holy Communion, in prepa|ring for which he may find &s;ome help in the Short Exerci&s;e above p 150. And he ought not to fail in receiving this, that from this Bread of Life, he may hope to partake of the Spirit of Chri&s;t, &s;o nece&s;&s;ary in the Time of Suffering, and be interiorly &s;trengthen'd for meeting Death with Courage.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="lesson">
<PB N="269" REF="139">
<HEAD>On the day of Exccution.</HEAD>
<P>HAving employ'd the fir&s;t part of the Morning in Prayer, in Pro|&s;trating him&s;elf with the mo&s;t pro|found Humility and Obedience be|fore God, in &s;incerely offering him|&s;elf, his Life and all to God, in begging all nece&s;&s;ary helps of God, as Patience, true Conformity, of Spirit, Courage, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> and having ca&s;t him&s;elf wholy upon the Divine Mercy and A&s;&s;i&s;tance; when the la&s;t Me&s;&s;enger of Death comes, he ought to look upon him, as bringing news of the Spou&s;e coming, and calling him to go forth and meet him: He ought in Spirit to cry out, <HI>Paratum cor meum Deus, My Heart is ready, O Lord, my Heart is ready:</HI> and bow|ing down, as in Obedience to the Voice of God, go forth with a Spi|rit compos'd, as much as may be, expre&s;&s;iing a Sen&s;e of his Cir|cum&s;tances, and yet with &s;uch a Confidence in God, as not to be
<PB N="270" REF="140"> overwhealm'd or dejected. <HI>I&s;aac</HI> going to be Offer'd a Sacrifice, and Chri&s;t being led as a Sheep to the Slaughter, without opening his Mouth, ought to be the Pri&s;oner's Pattern</P>
<P>Going to Execution he is to rai&s;e his Thoughts to God, in earne&s;tly begging his a&s;&s;i&s;ting and &s;upporting Grace, and exerci&s;ing his Heart in Acts of Contrition, Re&s;ignation, of Hope, Confidence and Love of God, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> As thus.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>Going to Execution.</HEAD>
<P>O God, accompany me, I be&s;eech thee, go along with me and help me now in this my la&s;t hour.</P>
<P>Be to me a God and Protector, and &s;trenthen me by thy Heavenly Grace in this time of my Di&s;tre&s;s.</P>
<PB N="271" REF="140">
<P>Con&s;ider not my unworthine&s;s, for, I confe&s;s, I am a mi&s;erable Sinner, and de&s;erve none of thy Favours.</P>
<P>My Sins have been without number, and multiplied above the Hairs of my Head.</P>
<P>But deal not with me according to my Sins, neither reward me accord|ing to my Iniquities.</P>
<P>But according to the multitude of thy tender Mercies, have Com|pa&s;&s;ion on me, and blot out all my Iniquities.</P>
<P>O Father of Mercies, and God of all Comfort, look down upon this mi&s;erable Creature, and have pity on me.</P>
<P>It grieves me now from my Heart, that I have &s;o often offen|ded again&s;t thee. O that I had never &s;in'd O, that I had never tran&s;gre&s;s'd thy Law.</P>
<PB N="272" REF="141">
<P>All my Mi&s;ery is from my &s;elf; but my Comfort and Relief mu&s;t come from thee.</P>
<P>De&s;pi&s;e not, I be&s;eech thee, the Sacrifice of an Humble and Con|trite Heart, and forgive me all my Sins.</P>
<P>Look not upon me, but upon the Blood and Pa&s;&s;ion of thy on|ly Son, and through the Merits of his Sufferings, &s;hew Mercy to me.</P>
<P>It is in my Redeemer, who laid down his Life for me, I place all my Confidence.</P>
<P>Since he is become my Advocate, and I have his Blood to plead for me, Why &s;hould I fear?</P>
<P>Fear not, my Soul, but &s;eek Re|fuge in thy Saviours Wounds: If thy whole Tru&s;t be there, thou can&s;t not be for&s;aken.</P>
<P>O Je&s;us, in thee, I put my Tru&s;t; O Je&s;us, be now to me a powerful Redeemer.</P>
<PB N="273" REF="141">
<P>Shelter me now under the Shadow of thy Wings, and &s;tand by me in the day of Tribulation.</P>
<P>Thou, O Je&s;us, art the Refuge of the Mi&s;erable, and Comfort of Sinners, vi&s;it me now with Heaven|ly Comforts and Strength, and while the World is again&s;t me, be thou my Defence and &s;upport me.</P>
<P>Remember, I be&s;eech thee, that exce&s;&s;ive Grief which &s;eis'd thee in the Garden, and &s;end now Relief to my &s;inking Spirit.</P>
<P>I be&s;eech thee, by all tho&s;e Tor|ments thou &s;uffered&s;t for the &s;ins of Men, to have Compa&s;&s;ion on me, and help me now in this hour.</P>
<P>Obtain for me that Spirit of Conformity and Meekne&s;s, with which thou carried&s;t thy Cro&s;s to <HI>Mount Calvary,</HI> there to die for our &s;ins.</P>
<PB N="274" REF="142">
<P>I de&s;ire my Soul &s;hould be united to thine, my Suffering and Death to thine, that &s;o my Sa|crifice may be acceptable, which can only find acceptance through thee.</P>
<P>Now, O Je&s;us, I place my &s;elf by thee in the Garden, by thee at the foot of the Cro&s;s, and as there thou did&s;t Offer thy &s;elf to thy Eternal Father, &s;o now I Offer my &s;elf to thee.</P>
<P>I offer my &s;elf to &s;uffer that Death, thou ha&s;t appointed for me, that Death, which is due to my Sins: I &s;ubmit to all the Reproach and Confu&s;ion of it, I hope by Patience and Per&s;everance, through the Merits of my Redeemer, to obtain Pardon of my &s;ins.</P>
<P>Help me, O my God, in this my la&s;t hour; Thou, who ha&s;t &s;trengthen'd the Martyrs in all their Sufferings, &s;trengthen me now in mine.</P>
<PB N="275" REF="142">
<P>Infu&s;e into my Soul a true love of thee, that in perfect Charity I may give up my Soul to thee.</P>
<P>Nothing is hard to a Soul, that truly loves thee; give me now, I be&s;eech thee, O God, this Love.</P>
<P>Is it not my God, that calls me; are they not his Orders I obey? Go on then, my Soul, embrace cheer|fully the Will of thy Lord.</P>
<P>If he demand thy Life, give it into his Hands; he demands nothing, but what is his; &s;urrender it all, and rejoyce in fulfilling his Will.</P>
<P>What is thy Life here, com|par'd to that Life to come? And if he will exchange now this Life of Mi&s;ery into a Life of Joy, where is thy unhappine&s;s?</P>
<P>Lord, thou art Good and Mer|ciful in all thy ways, do with me as thou plea&s;e&s;t: I have no excep|tion again&s;t thy Orders.</P>
<PB N="276" REF="143">
<P>Only give me thy Grace, that nothing be wanting on my part, then do all, that &s;hall &s;eem good in thy Eyes.</P>
<P><HI>Here, as time will permit, it may be proper to add tho&s;e &s;hort Prayers above</HI> p. 173. <HI>fitted for the approach of Death. Tho&s;e Acts of</HI> Hope and Charity, p. 115. <HI>or the Acts of</HI> Con|trition, p. 126.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>At the Place of Execution.</HEAD>
<P>AT &s;ight of it let the Pri&s;oner bow down in Conformity to the Will of God, and then make a new Oblation of him&s;elf, Confe&s;&s;ing and Adoring the Ju&s;tice of God.</P>
<P>As for making Speeches there, e&s;pecially &s;uch as are a burthen to the Memory, I cannot advi&s;e it, be|cau&s;e this mu&s;t be a hinderance to other Thoughts, and takes off the Mind from its better Work,
<PB N="277" REF="143"> in which all lo&s;s is irrecoverable. If any thing be nece&s;&s;ary for pub|lick Satisfaction, or doing Right to others, this is be&s;t left in Writing; be&s;ides this, few Words to expre&s;s his Charity in which he dies, may be &s;ufficient. His chief bu&s;ine&s;s is to &s;peak to God, which he may do thus.</P>
<P>Je&s;us Chri&s;t, Fountain of Mercy, have Compa&s;&s;ion on thy poor Ser|vant, and help me in this la&s;t Mo|ment, help me in this time of Di|&s;tre&s;s. Let thy Death and Pa&s;&s;ion plead for me, and &s;tand betwext my Soul and the Divine Ju&s;tice.</P>
<P>I give my &s;elf wholy into thy Hands, reject me not: Now, Lord, according to thy good Will, &s;hew Mercy to me; command my Soul to be receiv'd in Peace; for thou ha&s;t Redeem'd me, O God of Truth. Lord Je&s;us, let tho&s;e &s;weet Words &s;ound in my Ears, <HI>This day thou &s;halt be with me in Paradi&s;e.</HI></P>
<PB N="278" REF="144">
<P>Receive me, my Crucified Je|&s;us, into thy loving Arms, which were &s;tretch'd forth for me on the Cro&s;s; receive me into tho&s;e Embraces of thy infinite Charity, and draw my Soul to thee: Re|ceive me, good Je&s;u, in thy Mer|cy, receive my Soul in Peace.</P>
<P>Merciful Je&s;u, thou art my Strength, my Refuge and my Deliverer. In thee I believe, in thee I hope, and thee only I de|&s;ire to love. Call me now, I be|&s;eech thee, and I will an&s;wer; &s;tretch forth thy Hand of Mercy, to the Work of thy Hands, and let me not peri&s;h, whom thou ha&s;t Redeem'd by thy Precious Blood.</P>
<P>'Tis time for Du&s;t to return to Du&s;t, and my Spirit to thee, who gav'&s;t it: Open then, Lord, the Gate of Life, and receive me; mo&s;t Merciful Lord, according to the Multitude of thy tender, Mer|cies, who receiv'd the Thief on
<PB N="279" REF="144"> the Cro&s;s, and now prepare my Soul, &s;o hearing the &s;ame Pro|mi&s;e of Mercy, which he did.</P>
<P>Now, Lord, let thy Servant depart in Peace, according to thy Word. But remember, I am but Du&s;t, and therefore enter not into Judgment with thy poor Servant, for how can I be Ju&s;tified in thy &s;ight? I confe&s;s, I am unworthy to be admitted into thy Pre&s;ence; all my hope is in thy infinite Goodne&s;s and Mercy, which is able to purifie my Soul, and clean&s;e me from all my Iniquities. In this I hope, and with this Hope I now beg of thee to manife&s;t thy Goodne&s;s, and receive my Soul into thy Eternal Kingdom.</P>
<P>In the Confe&s;&s;ion of thy Name I de&s;ire to breathe out my la&s;t: Receive me therefore according to thy great Mercy: Open to me the Gate of Life, and &s;ecure me a|gain&s;t all the Powers of Darkne&s;s; let thy Hand conduct me into the place of Refre&s;hment, the place
<PB N="280" REF="145"> thou ha&s;t prepar'd for tho&s;e that fear thee.</P>
<P>Thou know'&s;t, O Lord, my life has abounded in Sin and Mi|&s;ery; but thou abounde&s;t in Mer|cy; and therefore in the Spirit of Humility and a Contrite Heart, I now be&s;eech thee to receive me, O good Je&s;u, the Life and Health of my Soul; for 'tis not in the confidence of any Ju&s;tice of mine, but only of thy Mercies, that I now make my Addre&s;s to thee.</P>
<P>I am the lo&s;t Sheep, that now returns to my Shepherd, I have heard thy Voice, and de&s;ire to follow it: And can&s;t thou now de&s;pi&s;e the cry of thy poor Sheep, who runs to thee for &s;helter? Receive him now, I be&s;eech thee into thy Fold. Ha&s;t not thou commanded all to come to thee; and promis'd to hear and help tho&s;e that call upon thee in the day of Tribulatiation?</P>
<PB N="281" REF="145">
<P>Behold, I call upon thee, Lord; behold Tribulation is upon me, and there's none to help me, none that can Save me, but thou, my good Je&s;u. Save me, O Je&s;us, in this hour.</P>
<P>Chri&s;t Je&s;us, who wa&s;t Cruci|fied for our Redemption, I be&s;eech thee, by that Love, which brought thee from Heaven, to have Com|pa&s;&s;ion on me: Forgive me all my Sins, and by the Merits of thy bitter Pa&s;&s;ion &s;atisfie for all my Failings, and &s;upply all my De|fects. Di&s;po&s;e now my Soul, that it may be prepar'd to go forth to meet thee. Grant true Patience and perfect Re&s;ignation in my la&s;t Angui&s;h; Confirm my Faith, Strengthen me in Hope, and Per|fect me in Charity, that departing hence, my Soul may be receiv'd into thy Mercy.</P>
<P>O dear Redeemer, by that Di|&s;tre&s;s, which thou &s;ufier'd&s;t on the Cro&s;s, when thou cried&s;t out to thy
<PB N="282" REF="146"> Eternal Father, I be&s;eech thee to have mercy on me in my extre|mity, and at the time, when I cannot &s;peak for my &s;elf, &s;peak thou for me, who art the Eternal Word, and to whom the Father will refu&s;e nothing.</P>
<P>O God, be merciful to me a Sinner: O God, be merciful to me a Sinner. Lord Je&s;us, into thy Hands I commend my Spirit: Lord Je&s;us, receive my Soul.</P>
</DIV2>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
<BACK>
<DIV1 TYPE="errata">
<PB REF="146">
<HEAD>ERRATA.</HEAD>
<P><HI>PAge</HI> 8. <HI>Line</HI> 28. <HI>Read</HI> proving, <HI>p.</HI> 13. <HI>l.</HI> 3. <HI>r.</HI> Injurious, <HI>p.</HI> 15. <HI>l.</HI> 26. <HI>r.</HI> Re&s;olu|tion, <HI>p.</HI> 17. <HI>l.</HI> 14. <HI>r.</HI> Expo&s;es, <HI>p.</HI> 20. <HI>l.</HI> 14. <HI>r.</HI> ought, <HI>l.</HI> 20. <HI>r.</HI> ought, <HI>p.</HI> 27. <HI>l.</HI> 12. <HI>r.</HI> per|ceives, <HI>p.</HI> 43. <HI>l.</HI> 17. <HI>r.</HI> that, <HI>p.</HI> 46. <HI>l.</HI> 11. <HI>r.</HI> with, <HI>p.</HI> 89. <HI>l.</HI> 20. <HI>r.</HI> mi&s;erable, <HI>p.</HI> 93. <HI>l.</HI> 19. <HI>r.</HI> humbly, <HI>p.</HI> 139. <HI>l.</HI> 7. <HI>r.</HI> conformable, <HI>p.</HI> 141. <HI>l.</HI> 6. <HI>r.</HI> and, <HI>p.</HI> 149. <HI>l.</HI> 1. <HI>r.</HI> future, <HI>l.</HI> 14. <HI>r.</HI> him, <HI>p.</HI> 150. <HI>l.</HI> 1. <HI>r.</HI> my, <HI>p.</HI> 154, <HI>l.</HI> 13. <HI>r.</HI> puni&s;hing, <HI>p.</HI> 161. <HI>l.</HI> 3. <HI>r.</HI> O, <HI>l.</HI> 23. <HI>r.</HI> unprofitable, <HI>p.</HI> 133. <HI>l.</HI> 12. <HI>r.</HI> Arch-Angels, <HI>p.</HI> 167. <HI>l.</HI> 5. <HI>r.</HI> is, <HI>l.</HI> 21. <HI>r.</HI> if, <HI>p.</HI> 168. <HI>l.</HI> 18. <HI>r.</HI> &s;hould, <HI>l.</HI> 20. <HI>r.</HI> has, <HI>p.</HI> 169. <HI>l.</HI> 21. <HI>r.</HI> obey, <HI>p.</HI> 174. <HI>l.</HI> 18. <HI>r.</HI> thee, <HI>p.</HI> 183. <HI>l.</HI> 15. <HI>r.</HI> per&s;evere, <HI>p.</HI> 184. <HI>l.</HI> 18. <HI>dele</HI> it, <HI>p.</HI> 185. <HI>l.</HI> 19. <HI>r.</HI> to, <HI>p.</HI> 224. <HI>l.</HI> 21. <HI>r.</HI> be&s;eech, <HI>p.</HI> 227. <HI>l.</HI> 4. <HI>r.</HI> redeem'd, <HI>p.</HI> 228. <HI>l.</HI> 13. <HI>r.</HI> life, <HI>p.</HI> 231. <HI>l.</HI> 14. <HI>r.</HI> Patriarchs, <HI>p.</HI> 236. <HI>l.</HI> 20. <HI>r.</HI> Tribu|lation, <HI>p.</HI> 242. <HI>l.</HI> 9. <HI>r.</HI> Chri&s;t.</P>
<PB REF="147">
<PB REF="147" MS="y">
</DIV1>
</BACK>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
