A. In resting fully assured, that what God chuses for us is much better than what we could wish for ourselves. In embracing our Sickness and our Pains as Correctives of our past follies, and as proper Methods for our Growth in Grace. In being contented to refer the Continuance and Event of our Sickness to God's good Pleasure, because his infinite Wisdom knows the best Season for our Deliverance; and as he first put us into the World, so he is fittest to judge when we should go out of it. Q. How may we exercise Thankfulness upon a Sick-bed?

A. By acknowledging that we suffer less than we deserve, and that our Sufferings are needful to recover us to a right Mind, being designed by God to do us that Good, and to bring us to that Sense of him and ourselves, which perhaps nothing else would have done. By owning those frequent Allays God gives to our Sorrows, and those great Helps and Supports we receive under them, from the Advantage of our Friends, good Attendance, fitting Medicines, and all other Conveniencies of Life. For in the worst Condition, if we turn our Prospect upon the best Part of it, we shall find Reason to own God's Mercy; and in the best Estate, if we always dwell upon what is grievous, we shall be too apt to make Complaints.

Q. How ought we to exercise our Devotion on a Sick-bed?

A. By desiring the Assistance of a spiritual Guide to offer up our Prayers, and to support our Weakness with the most comfortable Viaticum of the

blessed Sacrament. By spiritualizing all Accidents of our Sickness, making them a Rise for pious and devout Thoughts, which may be sent up in frequent Ejaculations to God, who alone can be our Comfort, under all our Distress. By imploring his blessing upon all the Means we use for our Recovery, and by offering to him all the Pains

we endure, as what we are more willing to suffer than to offend him.

Q. Wherein consists the Happiness of the Death of the Righteous?

4. Not in any Freedom from painful and noisome Diseases; nor in any Exemption from sudden and unforeseen Accidents and Dangers, which often bring the Righteous as well as the Wicked to their Graves. For we see Lazarus, for whom was pre- Luke i. pared a Retreat in Abraham's Bosom, had his Body 19, 20. full of Sores, and ended his Life in a miserable and forlorn Condition; while the rich Man, whose Luxury had kindled for him inextinguishable Flames, only grows sick and dies. Thus the blessed Martyrs expired in Flames and upon Racks, while their cruel Persecutors died in their Beds. So that this Happiness of the good Man's Death must be distinguished by the Temper and Disposition of his Mind, and is founded on a well-grounded Hope and comfortable Expectation of a blessed Immortality, through the Merits of Christ's Death, promised to his sincere though imperfect Obedience. This makes him contented to quit that Body which he hath always mortified, and to leave this World as a strange Land, where he hath been detained a Captive.

Q. What Method may be taken to make ourselves expert in all the devout Acts of a pious Soul upon the Approach of Death?

4. To set apart some Time in our Retirements to fit and prepare ourselves for Death, by a solemn Exercise of all such Virtues as we shall then stand most in need of; that we may not be at a Loss to perform them when we shall be in a weak and languishing Condition: I think the Evenings of such Sundays and Festivals whereon we receive the blessed Sacrament, may properly be dedicated to this Purpose. So that when we really come into the Confines of Death, our Minds may be stored with devout Thoughts, and may readily express

E E

themselves in those pious Acts which we frequently exercised upon such a Prospect.

THE PRAYERS,

I.

For a happy GRANT, O Lord, that as I am baptised into the Eternity. Death of thy blessed Son our Saviour Jesus Christ,

Doctor

Whichcot.

Death.

so by continual mortifying my corrupt Affections, I may be buried with him, and that through the Gate and Grave of Death, I may pass to a joyful Resurrection, for his Merits, who died and was buried, and rose again for us, thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

HELP

II.

me, O God, so to order my Conversation For a happy in the World, so to govern my Spirit, and to lead such a Life, upon which I may safely die. And superadd this to all the Grace and Favour thou hast shewn me all along in Life, not to remove me hence, but with all Advantage for Eternity when I shall be in a due Preparation of Mind, in a holy Disposition of Soul, in a perfect Renunciation of the Guise of this mad and sinful World; when I shall be entirely resigned up to thee my God; when I shall have clear Acts of Faith in God by Jesus Christ, high and reverential Thoughts of thee in my Mind, inlarged and inflamed Affections towards thee: And when I come to leave the World, afford me such a mighty Power and Presence of thy own good Spirit, that I may have solid Consolation in believing, and depart in the Faith of God's Elect. That I may chearfully follow thee into the State on the other Side of Death, of which thou hast given so great an Assurance by the Resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; who hath brought Life and Immortality to Light by the Gospel, and who hath promised to change these our vile Bodies, that they may be fashioned like unto

his glorious Body, according to the Working of his mighty Power, by which he is able to subdue all Things unto himself; to whom with thee, O Father, and Holy Ghost, be all Honour and Glory, World without End.

Amen.

III.

For Pre

for our

GRANT, O Lord, that I may end my Life in Mr. Ketthy Fear and Favour, and receive my Death, when-tlewell. ever it shall approach, not as my Curse, but as my paration Deliverance; as a Rest from my Labours, and an fast End. Entrance upon a Life without Trouble, and without Sin. Remember not against me my manifold Follies, but let them all be done away by thy Mercies, and my blessed Saviour's Merits, and my own true Repentance; that I may come to my last Change without Guilt, and foresee its near Approach without Fear or Impatience. And enable my Soul to strip itself of all fleshly Affections before it leaves my Body, and to be of like Mind and Disposition with the holy Angels, and beatified Spirits, before it goes to keep them Company. And in my last Trial bless my Sick-bed with the Benefit of a spiritual Guide, and with an Opportunity of receiving the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ: that the Strength of that heavenly Food may cheer my fainting Spirits, and carry me with Joy to my Journey's End: Make me then to watch all Opportunities of renouncing my own Will, and resigning myself to thine; and of shewing forth Devotion of Spirit, holy Obedience, Patience, Faith, and humble Confidence in thee; and exercise the same diligently, as my last Labours for Immortality, and for securing thy everlasting Mercy, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

IV.

STRENGTHEN me, O God, in my last Agonies, For Assistand as my Strength decays, let my Pains wear off. ance at the But when my Strength fails, let not my Faith Death

Hour of

fail; even in Death enable me to trust in thee. Deliver me from all violent Disorders of a troubled Fancy, or painful Delusions of my ghostly Enemy. Oh! let him not be able to disturb and terrify me, or any Way prevail against me. Have me in thy Custody, O holy Father! for Nothing can take me out of thy Hands; give thy holy Angels Charge to stand about me, to guard and receive my Soul at my Departure, and to conduct and carry it to the blessed Receptacles of Rest and Peace. If it be thy gracious Will, O Lord, make my Pains short, and my Death easy; at least not extremely tedious or grievous to me. But if thou hast otherwise ordered, thy blessed Will be done; only give me Patience to bear them, and spiritual Comforts under them, and at thine own Time make my Death my Passage to a joyful Resurrection to a blessed and eternal Life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

CHAP. VI.

ROGATION DAYS.

Q. WHAT Fast doth the Church observe at this Season?

A. The Fast of the Rogation Days, which are the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday before Holy Thursday, or the Ascension of our Lord.

Q. Why are they called Rogation Days?

A. From the extraordinary Prayers and Supplications, which, with Fasting, were at this Time offered to God by devout Christians. The Latins called them Rogations, and the Greeks, Litanies. In these Fasts the Church had not only a Regard to prepare our Minds to celebrate our Saviour's Ascension after a devout Manner, but by fervent Prayers and Humiliation to appease God's Wrath, and deprecate his Displeasure so that he might avert those Judgments which the Sins of a Nation deserved, that he