A12390:26
Three prayers one for the morning, another for the eveningThree prayers one for the morning, another for the euening
Three prayers one for the morning, another for the evening: the third for a sick-man. Whereunto is annexed, a godly letter to a sick friend: and a comfortable speech of a preacher upon his death bed. Anno. Dom. 1591.Three prayers one for the morning, another for the euening: the third for a sick-man. Whereunto is annexed, a godly letter to a sicke freend: and a comfortable speech of a preacher vpon his death bedde. Anno. Dom. 1591.
London: printed by John Charlewood? for Thomas Man, 1591
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
A Prayer for a sick-man.
A Prayer for a sicke-man.
Almighty God and all merciful Father, which art the Physician of our bodies and souls, in thy hands are life and death, thou bringest to the grave, and pullest back again: we came into this world upon condition, to forsake it whensoever thou wouldest call us, and now the Sumners are come, thy fetters hold me, & none can loose me but he which bound me: I am sick in body & soul, but he hath stricken me which in judgement showeth mercy. I deserved to die, so soon as I came to life: but thou hast preserved me till now, and shall this mercy be in vain, as though I were preserved for nothing? Who can praise thee in the grave? I have done thee no service since I was borne, but my goodness is to come, and shall I die before I begin to live? But Lord thou knowest what is best for all, and if thou convert me, I shall be converted in ⟨p. 19⟩an hour: And as thou acceptedst the will of David as well as the act of Solomon: so thou wilt accept my desire to serve thee, as well as if I did live to glorify thee. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is frail, and as I did live sinfully whensoever thy spirit was from me, so I shall die unwillingly, unless thy spirit prepare me: therefore deer father give me that mind which a sick-man should have, & increase my patience with my pain, and call unto my remembrance, all which I have heard or read, or felt, or meditated to strengthen me in this hour of my trial, that I which never taught any good while I lived, may now teach other how to die, and to bear their sickness patiently: apply unto me all the mercies and merits of thy beloved Son, as if he had died for me alone. Be not from me when the enemy comes: but when the tempter is busiest, let thy spirit be busiest too: and if it please thee to loose me out of this prison, when I shall leave my earth to earth, let thine Angels carry up my soul to heaven, as they did Lazarus, and place me in one of those mansions which thy Son is gone to prepare for me. This ⟨p. 20⟩