The Practice of Piety

O Lord increase his Faith, that he may believe that Christ dyed for him, and that his blood cleanseth him from all his sins: and either assuage his pain, or else increase his patience, to endure thy blessed vvill and pleasure. And good Lord, lay no more upon him, then thou shalt enable him to bear. Heave him up unto thy self, with those sighs and groans, which cannot be expressed. Make him now to feel what is the hope of his Calling: and what is the exceeding greatness of thy Mercy, and power towards ⟨p. 921⟩them that believe in thee. And in his weakness, O Lord, show thou thy strength. Defend him against the suggestions and temptations of Satan,: who (as he hath all his life time) will now in his weakness especially seek to assail him, and to devour him. Oh save his soul; and reprove Satan, & command thy holy Angels to be about him, to aide him, & to chase away all evil, & malignant Spirits far from him. Make him more and more, to loath this world, and to desire to be loosed, and to be with Christ. And when that good hour and time shall come (wherein thou hast determined to call for him out of this present life) give him grace peaceably ⟨p. 922⟩and joyfully to yield up his Soul into thy merciful hands, and do thou receive her into thy mercy, and let thy blessed Angels carry her into thy Kingdom. Make his last hour his best hour: his last words his best words: and his last thoughts his best thoughts. And when the sight of his eyes are gone, and his tongue shall fail to do his office, grant (O Lord) that his Soul may (with Stephen) behold Jesus Christ in Heaven ready to receive him, and that thy Spirit within him, may make requests for him, ¹with sighs, which cannot be expressed. Teach us in him to read and see our own end and mortality: and therefore to be careful to prepare ⟨p. 923⟩our selves for our last ends, and put our selves in a readiness against the time that thou shalt call for us in the like manner. Thus Lord we recommend this our dear Brother (or Sister) thy sick Servant, unto thy eternal grace, and mercy in that Prayer, which Christ our Saviour hath taught unto us.

O Lord encrease his Faith, that hee may beleeue that Christ dyed for him, and that his bloud cleanseth him from all his sinnes: and eyther asswage his paine, or else encrease his patience, to endure thy blessed vvill and pleasure. And good Lord, lay no more vpon him, then thou shalt enable him to beare. Heaue him vp vnto thy selfe, with those sighes and groanes, vvhich cannot be expressed. Make him now to feele vvhat is the hope of his Calling: and vvhat is the exceeding greatnesse of thy Mercy, and power towards