offence be committed seeke reconciliation speedily Take no offence at any mans words or deeds vnlâ—sse they 〈◊〉 to the disâ—â—nâ—â—r of God or the King God hath a hand in whatsoeuer befalleth vs. Because we see not our owne faults God makes other men to obserue them God vseth enemies often times to reclaime vs from sin Lue 6. 27. 28. The greatest hurt we can doe our enemies is to doe them good Rom. 12. 30. Pro. 25. 21. 12. The way to preuent a furious enemy Humane policie or force without the fear of God preuaile not against an enemy God weakeneth the power of the enemies of his children We must vndergoe ignominie and slaunders for a while and after comes glorie God sheweth not his anger when he suffers vs to bee persecuted for the profession of his truth Math. 5. 10. 1. Pet. 4. 14. If we suffer for Christ his Kingdom is ours by promise Christ is persecuted in his meÌ„bers It is an honour to suffer for Christ and he will reward A dangerous thing to reuolt from the truth for feare of corporall punishment Hee that denies Christ before meÌ„ he will denie him before his Father Sufferings are heere short our glory eternall If wee willingly forsake earthly things for Christ we shall receiue heauenly Losse of honor and office for Christ. Hee that willingly suffereth for Christ hath more honor then he that only preacheth it when there is no danger Thinke it no dishonor to suffer for Christ as a malafactor A Martyr for Christ a most glorious title Persecution a most glorious liuery of Gods children God in his loue suffereth his here to be persecuted for his sake The reuolt of others should not cause vs to feare Ill to be indifferent The cause why many are luke-warme They that kill the body cannot touch the soule Good to loose a corporall to finde ahealy life God doth comfort his at the time of their martyrdome In this time of the freedome of the Gospell this discourse may bee thought superfluous A religious King maintaining the Gospell a great blessing Why this treatise may be at this time borne withall The cause of banishment is to be considered An infectious meÌ„ber in a Common-wealth fit to be punished or banished BanishmeÌ„t presupposeth offence or danger It is not alwayes vnlawfull for a man to flie his Countrie Mat. 10. 23. Act. 14. â—16 â— King 17. 3 Cap. 19. 3. Exo. 2. 15. Gen. 27. 43. 44. Not to flie from the truth to false Religion Mat. 26. 56. Not to flie as an euill doer Gen. 4. 11 12. Many commit grieuous offences in hope to flie before they be apprehended Psal. 139. 9. 10. God finds a wicked man out goe where he will A forraine Countrie frees not a wickedman from the Iudgement of God The children of God banished finde Gods fauour euery where Where GOD is with a man there is his home A man may repent his sinnes and serue the Lord in any strange Countrey It was once a note of disgrace for a womaÌ„ to be barren and now many grieue they haue children Pro. 10. 1. and 17. 25. Rebellious children greatest griefe Though parents beget and beare children they cannot make them good Parents may doe their best endeuour but it is in GOD to make good children The duty of godly Parents to pray for their children The society of wicked youth â—he meanes to make many corrupt Rebellious children can make arguments against good Parents out of Scripture Parents may not giue ouer to counsell their children Deut. 21. 18 The auncient punishment of an vngodly sonne Many children for want of publicke punishment grow rebellious Late lamentation of some parents Euill youth a mischiefe to the common welth Foolish mothers most guilty of making ill children All pareuts not to bee condemned though many are A fearefull example of a father too indulgent and children stubborne 1. Sam. 2. 24 A wicked son comes commonly to a shamefull and fearefull end What godly parents should doe when they haue done their best duties to make their children good and cannot A good father not to be taxt for an vngodly sonne Good fathers may haue wicked children Gen. 4. 3. 2. Sam. 15. Gen. 16. 12. Wicked men haue not alwayes vngodly children 2. King 16. â— 3. 23. 2. King 20. 21. 21. 18. 22. 23. Godly parents may haue wicked and wicked parents good children They that mary ought to knowe why mariage was instituted Where formerly men and women were onely maried now boyes and gerles Carnall respects in mariage commonly leade men and women to mary Hasty mariages bring hasty repentance The true course how man and wife should conioyne themselues in holy mariage Not ioyning of hands but hearts in the feare of God Hearts contrarily affected can neuer be ioyned together in the Lord. Discorde betweene man and wife a great crosse Eccl. 25. 1. The loue of man and wife a most pretious oyntment Small matters in these dayes breedes quarels between man and wife Many are the complaints between man and wife WheÌ„ there was but one couple in the world one accused the other much more now A preposterouâ— gouernment where the foot guides the head The Scripture condemnes the woman to be more apt to giue offence then the man The man not excused Wiues often cumbred with idle and vnthriftie husbands Contentious women driues their husbands ofteÌ„ out of the house Pro. 27. 15. Cap. 21. 9. Man and wife ought mutually to examine themselues before they reprooue each other Man and wife must be equally content with their lot Many seem fond in the beginning that quickly growe colde 2. Sam. 13. 1. Pet. 4. 8. Vnequall matches sildome prosper long Pro. 18. 22. 19. 14. Men and women ought to pray to God to direct them before they conclude mariage Gen. 24. 12. The choyse of a wife or husband is a matter of great moment lightly regarded The man is the womans head and the woman a principall member of that head Ephe. 5. 33. Tâ—he loue of a man towards the wife consisteth in comforting her 1. Pet. 3. 7. A man ought not to leaue his wife because of her inâ—rmities Bitternes may moue the meekest woman How the Husband ought to behaue himselfe towards his Wife A mans greatest commendation is to win his wife with meekenes A husband must thus examine himselfe Men most faultie are aptest to abuse their wiues How a husband should behaue him selfe that hath an vnkind wife Wiues complaints are more common then husbands Crosses that men suffer here are infinite Why God afflicteth his children here Psal. 42. 7. One trouble calles for another Psal. 40. 12. Gods children must suffer here Ioh. 15. 20. The godly must looke for tryals If we sinne we shall be punished Iam. 3. 39. 40. Afflictions are not the cause of sorrow but sin that procure them Euery man that feareth not God is a transgressing foole God will trye the graces and guifts hee giueth vs by afflictions God proportions our afflictions according to our faith They are in an ill case that suffer no troubles Men that are not afflicted â—latter themselues that God loues them They that haue no troubles may suspect themselues As long as Sathan findes men to runne on in security hee troubles them not A dangerous case to liue securely The afflictions of the godly are not strange 1. Pet. 4. 12. 13. The naturall man makes no difference betweene iust iudgements and fatherly corrections Great difference in the wisedome of God in easing the godly and the wicked The end why God easeth the troubles of the godly The godly and the wicked may be alike afflicted Men afflicted ought to hold fast by God Wee must waite Gods deliuerie
reforme thee to saue thee Ieremie the most famous amongst the Prophets confesseth that before the Lord touched him with affliction he was like a wilde and vntamed Colte and Dauid the worthiest among the Kings acknowledgeth that before he was afflicted he went awrye And Paul the chiefe among the Apostles thought it his greatest glory to suffer affliction for Christ and many they were that he suffered see 2. Cor. 6. Outward affliction or inward sorrow for thy sinnes hurt thee not the one argues the loue of God towards thee the other thy desire to obay him There is nothing more hurtfull to thee nor more offensiue to God then thine impatience thy murmuring and grudging at Gods gentle chastisements which are the euils of thy minde and most afflict thee whereas true patience in faith is as a brasen Bulworke against all the attemptes and assaults of sinne and Satan the workers of all the crosses troubles calamities in the world Imbrace therefore whatsoeuer befalleth thee with godly patience and the Lord assist thee Thine in Christian good will I. NORDEN The Table of the perticulars contained in this Booke A Prayer for the morning A Prayer before a man goes to his nightly rest 1 A preparation to godly patience page 1 2 Touching sinne the cause of all afflictions the confession and repentance of them and patience in troubles pag 20 3 Comfort for a man afflicted in conscience by reason of his sinnes pag. 47 4 A prayer for the forgiuenesse of most haynous sins that afflict the weake conscience of a sinner pag. 67 5 Comfort for the sick p. 77 6 A prayer to be often said of a sick man or woman 79 7 A prayer to be said for a sick man of faithfull friends that come to visite him 105 8 For such as are oppressed with pouerty and want not impertinent for the rich 112 9 A prayer to be said of such as are oppressed with necessity want of things necessary 133 10 A short prayer to be said of him that is in necessity and want 146 11 Generall counsell comfort for men imprisoned 153 12 Against Treason for which a man is worthily imprisoned 168 13 For such as are imprisoned as guilty or vehemently suspected of murther 173 14 A prayer for a man imprisoned guilty of murther 179 15 For such as are imprisoned for committing any offence against the Lawes of the Kingdome deseruing death 185 16 A prayer to be said of a prisoner accused and like to be condemned to death for some fact against the lawes or to any other corporall punishment 190 17 A prayer to be said of a penitent offender going to his execution or to any corporall punishment 200 18 For such as are imprisoned for debt 205 19 A prayer to be often said of a man imprisoned for debt pag. 216 20 A caueat for cruell creditors that keepe poore men in prison whom they know vnable to pay that for which they keepe them in prison 226 21 Encouragement for such as are enclosed and afflicted with enemies flatterers and their slaunders 241 22 A prayer for a man that hath vndeserued enemies and is subiect to slaunderous tongues flatterers and false friends 253 23 Counsell comfort for him that is persecuted for his constant profession of the Gospell of Christ. 263 24 A prayer for a man persecuted for his faith and profession of the Gospell of Iesus Christ. 281 25 Comfort and encouragement for such as are banished or enforced to liue out of their owne natiue Countrey either for feare of persecution for Gods word or of the furie of enemies that pursue them without iust cause 292 26 A prayer for a man banished frō his natiue Countrey for some crime committed or enforced to forsake it either for feare of persecution or of some mighty aduersary that doth vniustly oppresse him 304 27 Comfort encouragement for Parents that are crossed and grieued at the vngodlinesse and disobedience of their children fit for all Parents to reade pag. 314 28 A prayer to be vsed of godly Parents for the reformation of vngodly and disobedient children and for patience not ouermuch to afflict themselues for the stubbornnesse and disobedience of a wicked son 332 29 A perswasion to patience in the crosses that often fall out betweene man wife fit to be considered of married folkes for their mutuall comfort with counsell to such as intend to marrie 341 30 A prayer to be said by man and wife together or by either of them at any time in priuate 359 31 How the husband ought to behaue himselfe towards his discontented wife 367 32 A prayer to be said often of a man who hath a wife of refractarie conditions 374 33 How the wife ought to behaue her selfe towards her husband though hee be faultie and hard to be pleased 379 34 A prayer for the wife that is vnequally yoked with an vnkinde vnthrifty or an vngodly husband 385 35 A comfortable conclusion shewing the benefit of afflictions to the end we may beare them in what nature or kinde soeuer they befall vs with the more resolute and godly patience 401 37 A prayer for the forgiuenes of sins and for the neglect of our duties in seeking to know God by the hearing of his word and the practise of the same fit daily to be vsed 391 36 A necessary prayer for strength to beare whatsoeuer afflictions with patience and for faith to resist the tentations of Sathan 418 A PRAYER FOR the Morning O Lord GOD heauenlie Father when I doe consider how many wayes and by how many sortes of sinnes I haue offended thee night and day and doe duly call to minde how graciously thou hast kept mee this night how many blessings and fauours I haue receiued of thee without number I am euen astonished at my great ingratitude and doe vtterly condemne my selfe of highest rebellion against thee Many haue beene the dayes weekes months and yeares that thou hast here afforded me to liue and in all the time of my life hetherunto thou hast graciously preserued mee plentifully releiued me continually kept me vnder thy fatherly protection in all my nights and dayes and hast beene euermore watchfull ouer me that I haue from time to time from night to day and from day to night beene euer sustained through thy grace though I haue some times felt thy correcting rod by some crosses for my sinnes yet haue they beene euer easie in comparison of my deseruings and profitable vnto me Lord pardon and forgiue me my sinnes forgiue my manifold offences wash me throughly by the blood of Iesus Christ my Redeemer and clense me from all my pollutions for they are many and I am ashamed that euer I gaue way vnto them But now Lord now though late I pray thee to leade me by thy Spirit in more obedience stay me that I runne not this day into any vnseemely or vngodly actions withholde mine eyes from vanities keepe vnder the vngodly affections
vse the meanes hearing and reading of the word of God practise abstinence from the fulfilling of thy corrupt will which thou canst not obtaine but by repentance and that repentance cannot be but by faithfull prayer which will produce perfect patience wherein if thou wayte the Lords leasure for the time and his pleasure for the meanes assure thy selfe thou shalt be competently and timely relieued for he hath promised neuer to faile those that faithfullyâ— call vpon him and truly obay him And he is most faithfull to performe what hee hath promised As for his power to doe it thou needest not doubt for his power is so absolute that he is able and his loue to his such as he can and will so augment thy least portion that a little oyle in thy Cruse and a small quantity of meale in thy vessell shall not diminish vntill more supply come And as for the feeding of thy chargeable Family he can doe it with the smallest showe of meanes he had but seauen loaues and a few fishes and yet with that little in showe and quantity hee replenished foure thousand men besides women and little children And with fiue loaues and two fishes he fed fiue thousand and that that remained when all were satisfied was more meat then in show then was â—efore they began to eate And can he not feede thee and thine if thou be faithfull seeme thy store neuer so small nothing shall hinder in but sinne infidelity and impatience If thou beleeue faithfully pray feruently and wayte patiently he will doe it Though it may seome vnto thee that they store doth not onely not encrease by prayer but diminish by spending yet beleeue in him that made all things and yet maketh things to supply his childrens wants And although hee doe not with thee and thine as he did for the children of Israell who trauailing forty yeares in the Wildernesse he so preserued their garments and euen the shooes on their feete that they decayed not yet if thou distrust not his power and prouidence as the one decayes hee will supply it with other Thou wilt peraduenture say that these were the extraordinarie workes of God his miracles of olde and no such things are seene in our dayes It is true why are they not seene onely because wee want liuely faith our hearts are dull in beleeuing the eyes of our vnderstandings are darkened and cast to the earth we looke not so into the power nor so beleeue the promises of the Almightie as hee hath made them in his meere loue towards vs. Wee cannot glorifie God more then to trust his word and nothing dishonoreth him more then to thinke that he either cannot or will not performe what he hath promised But wee may not thinke that we shall haue any thing only for the asking for wee cannot so presume vpon an ordinarie friend but before wee presume to aske the supply of corporall things we must be well furnished with spirituall graces which must first and before all things be sought for at the hands of God for he and none but hee can giue them It is the righteousnes of that Kingdome which wee are commaunded aboue all things to seeke And hauing obtained this wee may assure vs that all inferiour and carnall things shall bee administred vnto vs And although carnall men thinke that GOD worketh not myracles now in prouiding for preseruing his children as in the first ages which in deede is a great derogation of the good will the power and prouidence of God as if he were lesse louing or lesse able or of lesse vnderstanding then he was in our Fathers dayes to helpe his children he is Alpha and Omega As hee was yesterday he is to day and will continue the same for euer and therefore if faith faile thee not if thou refraine from euill and doe good if thou seeke helpe at the hands of God in whatsoeuer danger supply is whatsoeuer necessitie and comfort and ease in whatsoeuer crosse or misery rather then God will denie that which he knoweth most necessary for thee he will worke beyond the ordinary course to help thee beleeue in him serue him call vpon him wauer not be constant faint not and thou shalt see assuredly the saluation of the Lord. A Prayer to be vsed of such as are oppressed with necessity and want of things necessarie O Lord my GOD who hast bin euermore mercifull louing and a ready helping Father to all those that haue serued thee with a pure and called vpon thee with a faithfull heart and a patient God euen to greatest sinners among whom and aboue others I acknowledge my selfe to haue deserued the least mercie at thy hands by reason that I haue not only too much neglected my duty in seruing thee but haue in steed thereof too much yeelded my selfe to many vnprofitable forbidden wayes and I know and acknowledge that thou dost most iustly correct me for my sinnes and I thanke thee gracious Father that thou hast remembred me for before I felt thy fatherly rod of pouerty and want I went astray but now Lord I desire to turne me to the keeping of thy commaundements As long as I prospered in the world the vanities of my minde estranged my heart from thee and if I should haue still enioyed what my sinfull heart defired I should still haue gone astray But now Lord I am vnfainedly sorie from my heart that I haue so long followed mine owne corrupt will and in spending so many dayes and yeares in vanities Lord I now returne vnto thee receiue me though as the prodigall Sonne who haue sinned against heauen and against thee and doe acknowledge my selfe vnworthy to be called thy Sonne I am worthily become poore in misery and want and know not to whom to repaire for succour being despised of men and scorned of mine acquaintance by reason of my pouerty which I doe confesse hath not befallen me by chance it is by mine owne wretched deseruings which thou hast obserued and now in loue by this thy fatherly correcting mee put me in minde to consider what I haue beene and I doe confesse that I haue beene vnseruiceable vnto thee and vnprofitable to my selfe and others Therfore dost thou iustly in punishing me and yet thou dealest louingly in correcting me I embrace this fatherly chastisement of thine as an argument that thou wouldest preuent a more seuere iudgement incident to those that run on in their disobedience Lord thou hast iustly depriued mee of the superfluous things of this world which though I cannot but confesse they were deare vnto me yet not so deare as danâ—geros for I now finde that howsoeuer sweet they seemed vnto my carnall minde they bred in my heart many fearefull sinnes which now I feele as pricks in my soule and thy correction seemeth to encrease my feare seeing and feeling it in my minde as it is corrupt heauie and burthensome but when I doe
benefactors to such and such good vses Alas what auaileth this carnall ostentation if your names bee not written in the booke of life First and before all things then reconcile your selues vnto God by a free confession of the wrongs and iniuries you haue done vnto men though peraduenture you may cloake your crueltie by the Lawes of the Kingdome that admit forfaitures all aduantages more in terrour then for the admittance of such extremities as are daily done vnder colour of humane lawfull tolleration The diuine law of God admits no such libertie but commands all men especially the rich to doe good vnto all especially to such as are of the houshold of faith whom as it is not in your wisedomes to distinguish hauing amongst vs neither Iewes nor knowne Pagans or Athiests doe good to all men then shall you not misse some of that heauenly familie so will God reward you As for such as are wicked debtors able to pay and stand out leaue them to the power of the iustice of the Law only helpe the poore and doe your best to relieue the needie so shall you lend vnto the Lord who will become a debtor vnto you if it may be so said in the behalfe of the poore you shall relieue and will recompence you here in this life with competencie and hereafter with eternall glorie Encouragement for such as are molested and afflicted with enemies flatterers and their slaunders MAny troubles and afflictions are incident to the children of God and amongst the rest the feare of and the vexations of enemies is not the least yet necessarie for he that hath no enemie seemeth secure securitie breedes a carelesnesse of godly duties They that haue no changes namely they that fall into no troubles feare not God saith Dauid therefore are enemies necessarie for they will not onely vexe them whome they hate with all manner of euill practises to worke their hurt but will bee diligent obseruers of their liues and conuersations that they may bring them into shame and rebuke among the people And therefore Dauid prayed vnto God To guide him in his wayes because of his enemies Least they taking aduantage of his errors should publish his disgrace By the watchfulnesse of thine enemies thou maist learne to beware how thou walkest whereas if thou hadst none thou mightest runne into many forbidden actions and yet thinke thy selfe vpright It is better to haue many open enemies then one flattering and dissembling friend of thy knowne enemie thou maist beware but by a false friend thou maist be betrayed and yet hardly is a true friend knowne from a flattering enemie they both speake faire and alike which thou maist heare and beleeue both alike they may both offer to doe thee equall offices which thou maist with like acceptance imbrace but their mindes meaning and intentions are hidden and the best way to trye and distinguish them is to make them seuerally acquainted with some slight matter wherein thou maist seeme to haue offended intreating their opinions seuerally whether the offence be not such as thou maist feare some danger thy friend indeed will tell thee that it is indeed dangerous but the flatterer will tell thee tâ—sh it is nothing of him beware that will sooth thee vp in thine euill for he will discouer thy secrets The greatest and most secretst mischiefe that can befall a man is when he knoweth not his enemie from his friend and therefore is an open enemie to be preferd before a false friend by the words of an enemie vttered of thee or to thee thou maist knowe what hee meanes towards thee but by the flattery of a fawning friend thou canst not but be deceiued and fall into the hands of an enemie supposed to bee thy friend Faire speech and flattery deceiue the hearts of the simple And when a flatterer hath his opportunitie hee will bring slaunder vpon him he flattered But be thou vertuous and thou shalt either discouer the flatterer stoppe the mouths of slaunderers or turne their eares from them that heare them Remember how slightly Dauid past ouer the railing of Shemei he tooke it as sent from God from whome seeke thou counsell and hee will either discouer the hidden intentions of the flatterer or withstand the most violent practises of thy open enemie nay if thou relye faithfully vpon him and pray for his defence feruently hee will make thy very enemies thy friends yea bee they neuer so malicious neuer so violent neuer so close in their counsels neuer so politicke in their deuices thou shalt auoid them But beware thou giue no cause of offence to any man as Christ commandeth for woe is pronounced against them by whome offences come and take not offence vpon euery light occasion for so shalt thou neuer be free from being taken as an enemy to others or procure others to bee enemies to thee and if thou feele thy selfe culpable of causing offence thou shalt be worthily branded with the marke of a contentious person whose company neither wil the godly admit nor the wicked desire so shalt thou seeme vnworthy the societie of either If therefore thou haue erred in thy tougue by backe-biting others or gone so astray in the course of thy life as for which thou canst iustly accuse thy selfe or bee iustly accused make speedie reformation and delay not to bee reconciled to them that are offended thereat for thereby thou maist redeeme the good opinion of the good and peaceable which thou hast lost and stoppe the mouthes of the wicked and their slaunders whome thou hast iustly occasioned to speake euill of thee And if thou haue taken offence at any mans words or deeds vnlesse it be in the cause of God or the King thou bewraist thy weakenesse for if thou bee a true and faithfull member of Christ thou wilt beare with reproaches disgraces yea losses by his example rather then to be moued to reuenge for vengeance is the Lords and blessed art thou if for well doing or vndeseruedly thou sufferest these things if for euill it is a iust recompence for thy sinne If therefore thou be reuiled reuile not againe according to the example of Christ if thou be railed on say with Dauid rayled on and cursed by Shemei it may be the Lord hath bidden him and thinke not that any man can speake euill of thee or doe hurt vnto thee but God hath a hand in it either to punish thee in Iustice or to reforme thee in mercie for thou art but a man whose nature is to passe by and to wincke at thine owne and too strictly to marke another mans erronious words and workes And because thou art so dull sighted as either thou wilt not or canst not see thine owne faultes God openeth the eyes and the mouthes of other men to obserue and preach publickly the faultes thou thinkest thou hast committed in secret From hence springs quarels and
keepe youth in according to the discretion of prudent Parents is thought by children a meere slauery and bondage so that Parents are many times as it were at their wits ends how they might best manifest their affections towards them for many of them haue learned now to obiect against their Parents that sharply reproue them for their sinnes that they ought not too much prouoke their children to discontents And againe if they denie them meanes to gad abroad and to spend with their companions what they list that Parents are worse then Infidels if they will not giue maintenance vnto their children Thus the deuill teacheth them Scripture to defend and to maintaine their sinne This is no faigned reproofe of youth in this age I haue heard these their obiections with mine eares grieuous to the heart of a godly Father that seeth and obserueth that the more indulgent he is to an euill Sonne the more lycentious liberty he takes and the more bountifully he shewes himselfe vnto him the more hee presumes and the more hee consumes Yet must not godly Parents desist from or giue ouer the meanes to winne and reclaime a refractarie Sonne according to the counsell of the Preacher In the morning sowe thy seede and in the euening let not thine hand rest for thou knowest not whether shall prosper this or that or whether both shall be a like good Parents must be alike instant and industrious at all times in the morning euen in the infancâ—e of their children they must begin to sowe good seede and at noone namely in their youth to continue it and in the euening when they are come to the estate of men they must not giue ouer It may be God hath appointed this or that time or this or that counsell to take effect If nothing will preuaile with him leaue him to the Law which God by Moses hath ordained for a rebellious Sonne namely If any man hath a sonne that is stubborne and disobedient which will not hearken to the voyce of his Father and to the voyce of his Mother and they haue chastened him and hee will not obay them Then shall his Father and his Mother take him and bring him to the Elders of the Citie and shall say vnto them This our Sonne is stubborne and disobedient and will not obay our admonition then the men of the Citie shall stone him with stones vnto death If this necessary Law were executed at this day youth would be more tractable and obedient to their Parents And now for want of some competent punishment to be inflicted vpon them they haue no feare many of them neither of Parents of God or man And Parents for the most part are so doting ouer their children that they will neither themselues punish them nor willingly suffer the Magistrate vntill they directly fall vnder the sword of Iustice and then there is howling weeping sorrow and heauinesse with wishes Would God hee had neuer beene borne The lenity of Parents and liberty of Children breede many inconueniencies in a good and well gouerned CoÌ„mon-wealth Nay the liberty of youth of all sorts being well considered cannot but be found a mischiefe where it is as now in this Kingdome permitted he that hath but the meanest vnderstanding and is conuersant among the multitude cannot but see it and obserue it Who seeth not that youth as soone as they are able to sin conioyne themselues with such as are more expert in sinning And learne of them all manner of vngodlinesse pride drunkennes whoredome gaming swearing blaspheming And yet many silly Parents winke so long at their impieties that at length they see many times the glory of their children to come to shame And some good Parents would reforme it in time and cannot And many foolish Mothers are most guiltie of their childrens too much liberty and sinne who because they haue borne them of their bodies it may be haue giuen them suck of their breasts they are so tender ouer them as they must want nothing that the fond Mother can shift for As her breasts were open for them when they were in their swadling cloathes now their purses must be open to put them into euery new fashion The Sonne hee must meete such and such his companions at such a gaming or such a Tauerne or such a show and it were a shame for him and discredit to his Parents that he should goe without money in his purse to spend as others doe And poore silly Parents especially the sottish Mother will make meanes to supply his wantonnesse till at length the young nouice turned Gentleman proceedes swaggerer thence raised to a degree higher takes the title Roarer then turnes hee off all feare of Father Mother and all authority The poore Parents sitting sometimes sighing for the intollerable expence of their prodigall sonne then againe they smile to thinke and to heare their flattering neighbours to giue such high commendation of their sonne a proper comly and well clad Gentleman and like to come to great preferment This is the beginning of an vngodly disobedient and stubborne sonne and yet all parents that haue a sonne of vile vicious and dissolute qualities are not guiltie of their sonnes disobedience as the father of the prodigall sonne was who to fulfill the wanton desire of his sonne gaue him a portion without respect of the bestowing of it well or ill how hee spent it appeares viciously and vngodly whereof partly the father was guiltie As at this day fathers and mothers are that feede their children with portions wherewith they purchase often times shame and confusion vnto themselues and griefe and sorrow vnto their parents Thou complainest of an vnthriftie stubborne and disobedient sonne consider how thou hast bred him and brought him vp if thou haue done thy duty towards him in training him as much as in thee laye in the knowledge and feare of God and he hath cast thy counsell behind his backe and kickt against thy godly instructions thou art cleere and his wickednesse and distruction shall fall vpon himselfe But if thou haue beene too indulgent and too fauorable in restraining him from his wicked wayes remember what befell vnto Elie the Priest and to his two wicked sonnes Hophnie and Phineas whome God distroyed in one day and Elie their father hearing of their vntimely death fell backeward from his feate and brake his necke a fearefull example for a father that onely vsed no other meanes of raistraining his sonnes but onely the tender words Doe no more so my sonnes doe no more so A wicked sonne of a good father may liue long in his wicked course of life but commonly he vntimely perisheth and commeth to a fearefull end as too many examples are manifested before our eyes But lest a good man seruing and fearing God truely hauing a wicked and vntamable sonne to whome he hath done all the godly duties of a father in bringing
originally from Sathan who moueth and maketh mariages as farre as in him lyeth betweene vnequals which may import many inconuenient matches not made in the feare and reuerence of God great inequality of yeares and much difference in estates cause often disparagements Houses and riches are the inheritance of Fathers but a prudent and vertuous wife is the gift of God And he that findeth such a one recâ—iueth a fauour from the Lord. But how can any man thinke that God will bestow such a fauour vpon him without asking Abrahams seruant that was but put in trust to get a wife for Isaack his Maisters sonne went not rashly and as the prouerbe is hand ouer head in this weighty businesse as to take the first that came to hand as many doe that conclude the match at the first sight But hee prayed vnto the Lord to send him good speede in the choyse and wayted the Lords prouidence and besought him to shew him certaine probable tokens that the mayde Rebecka was she whom God had appointed for Isaack That businesse which is begun with faithfull Prayer to God seldome or neuer succeedeth ill And aboue all other earthly occasions there is none of higher importance then the choyse of a wife or a husband either of them being an assured crosse or a comfort as long as both of them doe liue And for want of this heauenly beginning faithfull Prayer to God it many times comes to a helliâ—h ending which may be a motiue to stirre vp men and women intending to entertaine this holy estate to craue direction and wisedome from God both for their choyse and peace in that estate And because many already coupled together seeme discontent and afflicted in minde at their mutuall crosses now past reuocation They must be content to make a vertue of necessity namely to vndergoe the burthen that the one vnkindly layes vpon another and to pray either that God will ease it or giue them patience to beare it A Prayer fit to be said by man and wife together or by either of them at any time in priuate O Lord our GOD most mercifull and louing Father in Iesus Christ vouchsafe as it hath pleased thee of thy great mercy to conioyne vs man and wife together according to thy holy institution in the beginning So let our hearts be truly conioyned vnto thee in a liuely faith and true obedience And so frame our affections one towardes another as there appeare no cause of breach of our sincere mutuall duties to the offence of thee But by thy blessing wee may as long as we liue endeuour to preserue and maintaine peace and vnity betweene our selues being a thing pleasing vnto thee Endue vs both Lord with thy grace heauenly spirit that as thou hast by thy holy ordinance of â—wayne now made vs one so our hearts affections and enclinations may be euer one not according to our naturall dispositions but answerable to thy blessed commandements that wee giue no cause of offence each to other and that wee may euer endeuour to continue perfect and mutable in our mutuall loue which we by nature cannot doe for wee are corrupt and sinfull of our selues and alwayes most enclinable to forbidden things We haue also O Lord thou knowest a subtill and malicious aduersarie who striueth to crosse in vs all good desires and to peruert our best duties to raise discordes debates quarels and as much as in him is to breake the band of fidelity which we made each to other before thee He began thou knowest O Lord with the first couple Adam and Heuah It was he that seduced the woman and shee by his meanes betrayed the man and so subuerted their blessed estate of innocencie and made them subiect to all kindes of miseries and their posterities whereof we thy poore seruants are feeble and sinfull members And as he began in malice and subtilty to betray our first Parents So is he alwayes busie to sowe the seedes of debate and strife betweene vs. But Lord preuent him and assise vs by thy power that we may haue power to resist him and all his suggestions and tentations Then as thou Lord hast ioyned vs together nothing shall seperate our mutuall loues but Death And forasmuch Lord as this estate though in it selfe honorable may bring vpon vs many troubles crosses and afflictions incident to marriage estate in the world yet by thy fatherly blessing we shall be able to vndergoe them with patience or to auoyd them with thankfulnes It is not in vs in our wisedomes strength or policies to preuent or auoyde the infinite troubles and vexations which this estate bringeth with it Therfore we humbly pray thee O Lord to endue vs with wisedome froÌ„ aboue that whatsoeuer thou haue determined shall befall vs be it pouerty or plenty sicknesse or health weale or woe we may embrace the one with patience the other with thanks And in both support vs in thy loue guide vs by thy grace protect vs by thy power and prouide for vs in thy prouidence If pouerty or want assaile vs supply our necessities if riches encrease make vs thankfull and alienate our hearts from too much loue of them If sicknesse or any corporall infirmity ceaze vs be thou our Physician to cure vs If health continue leaue vs not in security but giue vs watchfull hearts to wayte the time of thy visitation If the fruits of our bodies encrease encrease to vs the meanes to sustaine them both with corporall spirituall necessaries And prepare vs for the day of our departure out of this mortall life and in the meane time so season vs in all heauenly and diuine knowledge with true faith and perfect obedience vnto thee as that day may be vnto vs the first day of our euerlasting Sabaoth Be thou also wee humbly beseech thee O Lord a continuall guide vnto vs in our calling Blesse vnto vs and vnder our hands whatsoeuer we endeuor to performe in thy feare and let thy blessing be vpon all that appertaineth vnto vs. If enemies seeke to molest vs to trouble vs or to hurt vs preuent them of their euill deuices and graunt that wee giue no cause of offence to any nor be stirred vp to reuenge vpon euery light occasion but vpon all occasions to leaue the reuenge to thee And that we may seeke to maintaine peace with all men to loue our neighbours to comfort the comfortlesse and as farre as thou shalt be pleased to enable vs to hâ—lpe succour and relieue the poore and needie and to doe vnto other men as wee desire other men to doe vnto vs To guide and gouerne our family in thy feare to frequent the places where thy holy word is preached seeking the Kingdome of Iesus Christ and to doe all other holy duties according to thy will vnto our liues end Amen O Lord encrease our faith and our mutuall loue one towards another How the Husband ought to behaue himselfe towards his