until time returns again, and tells the minutes backwards, so that yesterday shall be reckoned in the portions of the future. 8. In the intervals of sharper pains, when the sick man amasses together all the arguments of comfort and testimonies of God's love to him and care of him, he must needs find infinite matter of thanksgiving and glorification of God: and it is a proper act of Charity and love to God: and Justice too, that he do honour to God on his death-bed for all the blessings of his life, not only in general communications, but those by which he hath seen separate and discerned from others, or supported and blessed in his own person: Such as are, "In all my life-time I never broke a bone, I never fell into the hands of robbers, never into public shame, or into noisome diseases; I have not begged my bread, nor been tempted by great and unequal fortunes; God gave me a good understanding, good friends, or delivered me in such a danger; and heard my prayers in such particular pressures of my spirit." This or the like enumeration and consequent acts of thanksgiving are apt to produce love to God, and confidence in the day of trial; for He that gave me blessings in proportion to the state and capacities of my life, I hope also will do so in proportion to the needs of sickness and my deathbed. This we find practised as a most reasonable piece of piety by the wisest of the Heathens. So Antipater Tarsensis gave God thanks for his prosperous voyage into Greece; and Cyrus made a handsome prayer upon the tops of the mountains, when by a fantasm he was warned of his approaching death. Receive [O God] my Father these holy rites * by which I put an end to many and great affairs: and I give Thee thanks for Thy celestial signs and prophetic notices, whereby Thou hast signified to me what I ought to do and what I ought not. I present also very great thanks that I have perceived and acknowledged your care of me, and have never exalted myself above my condition for any prosperous accident. And I pray that you will grant felicity to my wife, my children, and friends, and to me a death such as my life hath been. But that of Philagrius in Gregory Nazianzen is eucharistical, but it relates more especially to the blessings and advantages which are accidentally consequent to sickness. I thank Thee, O Father, and maker of all Thy children, that Thou art pleased to bless and to sanctify us even against our wills, and by the outward man purgest the inward, and leadest us through cross ways to a blessed ending, for reasons best known unto Thee. However, when we go from our hospital and place of little intermedial rest in our journey to Heaven, it is fit that we give thanks to the Major-domo for our entertainment. When these parts of Religion are finished, according to each man's necessity, there is nothing remaining of personal duty to be done alone, but that the sick man act over these virtues by the renewings of Devotion, and in the way of Prayer; and that is to be continued as long as life, and voice, and reason dwell with us. SECT. X. Acts of Charity, by way of Prayer and Ejaculation; which may also be used for Thanksgiving, in case of Recovery. O my Soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord; my goodness extendeth not to Thee: But to the Saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight. The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and of my cup; Thou maintainest my lot1. As for God, His way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: He is a buckler to all those that trust in Him. For who is God, except the Lord? or who is a rock, save our God? It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfectm. Be not Thou far from me, O Lord: O my strength, haste Thee to help me. Deliver my soul from the sword, my darling from the power of the dog. Save me from the lion's mouth : and Thou hast heard me also from among the horns of the unicorns. I will declare Thy Name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise Thee. Ye that fear the Lord, praise the Lord: ye sons [of God,] glorify Him, and fear before Him all ye sons [of men], For He hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, neither hath He hid His face from him; but when he cried unto Him He heard". As the hart panteth after the water-brooks, so longeth my Soul after Thee, O God. My Soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before the Lord? All O my God, my Soul is cast down within me. Thy waves and billows are gone over me. As with a sword in my bones I am reproached. Yet the Lord will command His lovingkindness in the day-time: and in the night His song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life°. 1 Ps. xvi. 2, 3, 5. m Ps. xviii. 30-32. Ps. xxii. 19-24. Bless ye the Lord in the congregations; even the Lord from the fountains of Israel P. My mouth shall shew forth Thy righteousness and Thy salvation all the day: for I know not the numbers thereof. I will go in the strength of the Lord God: I will make mention of Thy righteousness, even of Thine only. O God, Thou hast taught me from my youth; and hitherto have I declared Thy wondrous works. But I will hope continually, and will yet praise Thee more and more. Thy righteousness, O God, is very high, Who hast done great things. O God, who is like unto Thee? Thou which hast shewed me great and sore troubles shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth. Thou shalt increase Thy goodness towards me, and comfort me on every side. My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto Thee: and my Soul which Thou hast redeemed. Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, Who only doth wondrous things. And blessed be His glorious name for ever; and let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen, Amen r. I love the Lord, because He hath heard my voice and my supplication. The sorrows of death compassed me; I found trouble and sorrow. Then called I upon the Name of the Lord: O Lord, I beseech Thee, deliver my Soul. Gracious is the Lord and righteous: yea our God is merciful. The Lord preserveth the simple: I was brought low, P "Ps. lxviii. 26. 9 Ps. lxxi. 15, 16, 17, 14, 19—21, 23. Ps. lxxii. 18, 19. Return to thy rest, O my Soul: For Thou and He helped me. the Lord hath dealt bountifully with me. hast delivered my Soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints. O Lord, truly I am Thy servant, I am Thy servant, and the son of Thine handmaid; Thou shalt loose my bonds $. He that loveth not the Lord Jesus, let him be accursed t. O that I might love Thee as well as ever any creature loved Thee! He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God. There is no fear in love ". The Prayer. O most gracious and eternal God and loving Father, Who hast poured out Thy bowels upon us, and sent the Son of Thy love unto us to die for love, and to make us dwell in love, and the eternal comprehensions of Thy divine mercies; O be pleased to inflame my heart with a holy Charity towards Thee and all the world. Lord, I forgive all that ever have offended me, and beg that both they and I may enter into the possession of Thy mercies, and feel a gracious pardon from the same fountain of grace: and do Thou forgive me all the acts of scandal whereby I have provoked, or tempted, or lessened, or disturbed any person. Lord, let me never have my portion amongst those that divide the union, and disturb the peace, and break the Charities of the Church, and Christian Communion. And though I am fallen into evil times, in which Christendom is divided by the names of an evil divi Ps. cxvi. 1, 3-8, 15, 16. t 1 Cor. xvi. 22. u 1 John iv. 16, 18. |