and Iesus Christ and therefore must thou continually wrestle as long as thou liuest here in the flesh not onely with the infirmities of flesh and bloud but against principalities against powers and against spirituall wickednes against worldly gouernours the Princes of the darknesse of this world all inuisible And thinke not thy chiefest conflict to be with the visible men of this world but looke euery houre to be assayled by one spirituall enemie or another and when thou feelest any motion in thy heart to any kinde of sinne thinke thou presently now I must either fight or be foyled for there is no string away Sathan hath swift wings he will ouertake thee and finde thee out goe where thou wilt and that thou findest in thy selfe by the present horrour of thy conscience for thy sinnes which hee layes before thee as in an vgly glasse shewing them to be so monstrous as they be vnto thee as hell it selfe Be not yet dismayed take hold of Christ though not with thy hand as the woman in the Gospell yet with thy heart fasten vpon him with a liuely faith and hold him fast for nothing preuailes with him nor against Sathan and sinne but a strong and liuely faith in Iesus Christ. In this assurance stand fast be not afraide though thou be guilty of many and great sinnes so was Dauid and many worthy men of olde yet they obtayned pardon and were through the merites of Christ imputed righteous The mercy of GOD wrought vpon their sinnes for if all men were of them selues righteous needing no repentance how should the mercies of God appeare what auayled then the death and merites of Christ Why should he be reputed a Redeemer a Sauiour or wherefore should he be called a Mediatour if there were no sinne or sinners Hee came not to call the righteous such as feeling no sinne in themselues hold themselues iust but hee came in deede to call sinners to repentance and to saue through his bloud such as feele and acknowledge their sinnes Therefore be thou not afraid though thou feele thy sinnes burthensome vnto thee hee euen Christ came to ease them if thou faithfully beleeue in him And thinke not but faith and true repentance can and will turne Gods iustice into mercy his anger into fauour and his most heauie displeasure into loue euen into that loue wherewith God loueth his dearest children freely for he loueth none that loue not him and none can loue him but such as he loueth for to loue God and to be beloued of God are of God alone And they to whom he vouchsafeth this heauenly fauour to loue him are filled with all fulnesse of whatsoeuer may make them assured of their saluation quieting and pacifying their afflicted consciences and giuing them inward setled peace Therefore if thou haue and feele an inward godly sorrow that thou hast offended so louing a God and hast in thy selfe a desire to be reformed and to be reconciled to God Thou needest not feare for the loue of God towards thee is not absent neither are thou altogether destitute of thy loue towards him And therefore whatsoeuer Sathan doth suggest against thee beleeue him not beleeue thy Redeemer he is the truth he euen he doth assure thee that at what time so euer thou shalt repent thee of thy sinnes from the bottome of thy heart the Lord will put them out of his remembrance He is the truth that hath promised this and he will assuredly performe saluation euen to thee though thou be a grieuous sinner if thou truly repent and faithfully beleeue that thy sinnes are pardoned in his bloud who is also the way he hath traced out before thee and for thee a perfect example of righteousnesse patience and obedience walke in it then as he is also the life he shall be thy life and mauger sinne Sathan and death thou shalt liue and liue for euer Pray therefore vnto GOD faithfully and feruently and he will assuredly ease thee euen here of that heauie burthen wherewith thy conscience seemeth to be grieuously afflicted and oppressed And for thy further instruction and helpe if thou be so ignorant as not knowing how to pray to thy comfort thou mayst vse the Prayer following or according to the measure of that grace which God hath giuen thee sigh and groane inwardly to God who accepts euen inward desires to repent and to be reconciled to God as if they were prayers in deede so it be in faith from the heart or thou mayest vse any other godly prayer which may best expresse the sorrow of thy heart for thy sinnes the forgiuenesse of them and the assurance of thy saluation A Prayer for the forgiuenesse of sinnes that afflict the weake conscience of a sinner OEternall euerliuing and most louing Lord God in Iesus Christ towards them that feare thy name and walke vprightly before thee and a seuere Iudge vnto impenitent sinners who onely knowest the thoughts and secrets of all hearts from whose all-seeing eye no sinne or sinners can be hidden Consider Lord that I was originally made to thine owne Image in righteousnesse and holinesse and that I became corrupt and consequently sinfull by his transgression in whom I was first made holy and doe confesse my selfe O Lord one of and the worst of all the cursed seede of him in whom all posterities became accursed and I cannot conceale the corruption which I haue had receiued from them by whom I was begotten and borne and that this corruption now become mine hath begotten and brought forth so many and monstrous sins in me as I am not onely not worthy to be called thy Sonne but ashamed to be knowne to be the worke of the hands of so great so gracious and so righteous a God for my sinnes O Lord are so great so hainous so odious and so many in number as haue so farre ouergorged my corrupt heart so infected my wretched soule with the filthinesse of them that I feele euen the stink of them so loathsome vnto mine own guilty Conscience as I cannot but holde my selfe detestable in thy sight Mine Iniquities are gone euer mine head a burden too heauie for me to beare O wretch that I am how dare I come into thy presence such a trayne and troope of intollerable sins accompaning me Thou canst not Lord but obserue see and seeing and obseruing my hainous sinnes how can I but feare that thou in Iustice wilt not only put me back and reiect me and my praiers but worthily and deseruedly confound me I haue an accuser a Iudge and an executioner within me I am Arraigned and condemned euen by the accusation and witnesse of mine owne guilty Conscience the horror whereof hath beene and is such as hath made mee affraid to seeke to thee whome I haue so deeply offended for pardon lest that in thy fury and in the seueritie of thy Iustice thou shouldest leaue me to the will of him
of my corrupt heart that though they may begin to worke sin in me Lord suppresse them before they come to execution Disperse Lord and dispell all the clouds of ignorance and errors that darken mine vnderstanding and giue me wisedome rightly to know thee and thy Sonne Christ and what he hath done for my soule and through thy grace restraine me this day from that thou hast commanded me to shun and let me doe nothing but what may please thee then whatsoeuer I shall thinke speake or determine shall be to thine owne glorie profitable to my selfe and others Preserue me from the secret and hidden snares of Satan who is restles to allure me to sinne inticing me to imbrace the vanities of the world and to yeeld to the lusts of mine owne corrupt nature But Lord as I haue by thy prouidence past the darkenesse of this night doe now enioy the joyfull benefit of the light of this day so let me this day auoide all the workes of darkenesse and as the day doth administer light vnto my corporall eyes the better to doe the works offices of my calling so let the light of thy Spirit O Lord shine in my soule that I may walke in the light of thy truth in true obedience to the good example of others Thou hast allotted me a calling in this life giue me power wisedome rightly to performe it my best endeuours can little preuaile without thy blessing and direction and therefore I humbly pray thee to prosper whatsoeuer I take in hand this day Blesse mine vnderstanding O Lord that I may rightly know and be able truely faithfully to performe what belongeth vnto my place and calling Blesse the health of my body the strength and continuall vse of my limbes senses which of them selues are weake and may soone decay without thy blessing Increase O Lord and confirme my faith grace wisedome and obedience euerie day more and more that I may euerie day more and more dye vnto sinne and be made stronger and more perfect in righteousnesse Heale O Lord all my corporall and spirituall infirmities and dispose my heart that I may be euerie day more and more mindfull that this my life is short and that this day may be my last day and let me so walke this day as if it should be the last day of this my mortall life that I may be assured of the immediate entrance into that life which is eternall with Christ my Redeemer And vntill that last day shall come O Lord I intreate thee in the name of Iesus Christ that this day and all the rest of my daies and nights may be prosperous and blessed vnto me the day for the performance of my calling the night for my rest vntill I come to my finall and perpetuall rest with thee and thy Sonne to whom with thy blessed Spirit I ascribe all honour praise and glory Amen Lord◠euermore increase my faith A Prayer to be said before a man goes to his nightly rest O Gracious Lord God heauenly Father the keeper and preseruer of all that come vnto thee for succour I haue been through thy great mercie and prouidence kept preserued defended fed sustained and relieued this day now come to an end and now as the night succeedeth the day and the darkenes the light so I knowe O Lord that death will succeede my life and the graue my bed Lord thou madest in the beginning light and darknes night day morning euening and all to thine own glorie to the vse of wretched man who in the beginning turned his light into darkenesse that darkenesse hath ouershadowed al that haue proceeded of his corrupt seed among whom O Lord I am so bemisted and blinded with that originall darkenes as I cannot see nor truely conceiue the light of thy most sacred word without that spirituall light shining from thine illuminating Spirit Thou madest two lights O Lord to endure for euer the Sun to gouerne the day and the Moone to giue light in the night yet doe not these lights O Lord direct our feete in the wayes of righteousnesse nor our pathes in obedience but rather lead vs to the occasions to sin but it is the supernaturall light O Lord that proceedeth from the brightnesse of thy louing countenance that directeth aright those that are thy children of the light By this light O Lord guide me that the night of ignorance ouer shadowe me not from beholding thy louing countenance which is more pretious more sweete vnto me then all earthly delights The day-light wherein I should onely followe with godly diligence in my calling to serue thee turneth into the darkenes of my minde without thy spirituall light how much more will the darkenesse of the night miscarrie my corrupt hart into idle and vngodly thoughts especially by the temptations of the Prince of darkenes when thy light faileth me For such O Lord is the nature of my polluted heart that it neuer resteth to infuse euill imaginations into my mind especially in my night wakings and in my sleepe to trouble me with sundrie euil vngodly dreames wicked phantasies showing thereby the fruites of my sinfull nature Therefore gracious Father I finding in my selfe thou knowing mine imperfections better then my selfe I come in all humblenesse praying thee to assist me with thy grace that I may conuert my heart from the euils whereunto it is enclined and onely incline and frame it to the sincere seruice of obedience to thee and to dedicate my mind will and affections in my night wakings either to meditate of thy word or in making my faithfull prayers vnto thee I cannot O Lord through the weakenesse of my corrupte nature subsist without cōpetent rest sleep yet I know thou slumbrest not nor sleepest but with thee the day and night are alike light and in thy prouidence and loue hast an eye ouer all that are thine whether they sleep or wake Giue therefore command O Lord vnto thy heauenly watchmen to keepe me and all that I haue from danger this night so will I lay mee downe vnder the shadowe of thy protecting winges to take my rest this night faithfully cōmending my soule and body and all that belong vnto me into thy most powerfull and fatherly tuition so shall I not feare what Satan or any malicious instrument of his shall practise or plot against me And in this assurance O Lord confirme my faith from night to day and from day to night that all the dayes and nights of my life may be rightly spent in a holy and sanctified conuersation to thy glorie and mine own comfort vnto the end of all my nights and dayes through Iesus Christ my Sauiour and Redeemer Amen Lord encrease and confirme my faith this night and euermore A PATH-VVAY TO GODLY PATIENCE IN all manner of Afflictions AFliction heere in this life is vnto the Godly as it were a Schoole to learne them Patience A most
And therefore not to think it strange when any crosse or affliction befals vs But rather thereby to take occasion to call our selues daily to accompt what we haue done against the Commandements of God and to acknowledge that for those sins that we haue done God corrects vs. Let vs beware that we bee not found of the number of those whom neither Gods angrie countenance which appeareth in the seueritie of his punishments nor his fatherly chastisements and instructions contained in his word can reclaime from committing sinne nor from whom Gods gentle correction can draw hearty confession of them and true repentance for them We must also consider that it is not enough for vs to confesse our sinnes barely to God for hee knoweth them better then wee our selues but with our confession wee must acknoweledge that God may iustly condemne vs for them And therefore wee must ioyne with the confession of our sins true and sincere repentance for them which yet auaileth not without a liuely faith in taking hold of the blood and merites of Iesus Christ in whome and for whose sake our sins are pardoned And this faith must bee certaine it must be an assured confidence of the promises made in Christ in whom a sinner truely penitent and faithfully confident is iustified and neither by our bare confession or best workes but by the meere mercy of God in his Sonne As there is no man but sinneth daily So hee must daily confesse his sinnes to God and truely repent them not as Iudas Kayne Iudas confessed he had sinned betraying the innocent blood and repented but not in faith his repentance was a desperate sorrowe not for the sinne hee committed but for the horror of his reprobabation So did Kayne confesse his sinnes My sinnes are greater then I am able to beare but he tepented not to the obtaining of mercie Confession of sinnes and repentance without faith auaileth not It auailed not Pharaoh though hee confessed the righteousnesse of God and his owne and his peoples sinnes But Peter confessed his sinnes and repented with tears So did Marie Magdaline and their repentance is recorded by the holy Ghost to teach all posterities how to bewayle their sinnes a right They were great sinners yet through faith and repentance obtained pardon which to the comfort of greatest sinners sheweth that there is yet place of repentance and acceptation into Gods fauour for them vpon sincere repentance God himselfe affirmeth that He desireth not the condemnation of a sinner but rather that he repent and be saued And againe hee saith Haue I any desire that the wicked should dye or shall he not liue if he returne from his euill wayes And what is it to returne vnto God but true repentance for our sinnes And we are to consider that that repentance which is perfect indeed is ioyned with the keeping of Gods Commandements and none can say or assure himselfe that his confession of his sinnes and his repentance is accepted of God vnlesse he adde all his desires to fulfill the Lawe of God for the breach whereof God afflicteth his owne dearest children with sundrie crosses to preuent his cursses which hee inflicteth either here vpon the disobedient and vnrepentant to cause his owne to auoid sin by the example of his seuere iudgements whereby hee beginneth here to punish them or reserueth his punishments of them vntill his finall condemnation of them Markes of repentance are contrition and vnfained sorrow for sinne committed ioyned with a liuely faith in Christ for pardon of them and a setled desire and purpose euer hereafter to walke in a holy feare to displease God againe by our sinnes namely by the outward breach of Gods Commandements for the committing of things contrary to the Lawes of God is that sin we should repent vs of which by reason of our corrupt nature we cannot but coÌ„mit without the especiall grace of God which although it be the free guift of God it is not obtained without liuely faith and prayer in Christ by whose stripes we are healed and for whose sake we are heard and in whose blood we are washed from our sinnes But sorrow of heart may be great and yet auaile vs nothing as it did not Kayne Iudas Esau vnlesse true faith bee ioyned therewith Sorrow indeed may cast vs downe which if it bee not in an humble and faithfull acknowledgement of our vnworthinesse to be called or accepted as the children of God by reason of our sinnes it may proue desperate And therefore sorrow for sinne and faith in Christ to be pardoned ioyned together will assure vs that God is our God and that wee are his people that he is our Father and that wee are his sonnes and daughters If then we finde in our selues the burthen of our sinnes truely and plainely confesse them to God and heartely repent them we cannot but through faith in Christ assure our selues that our sinnes are pardoned and hauing an inward assurance thereof we must acknowledge that these graces proceede of no other thing then of the meere merites and mediation of our alone and onely Sauiour Iesus Christ who disdaineth not to call vs thus receiued into the Communion of the Saints of God brethren whom God knewe before the world was predestinated to be made like to the Image of Iesus Christ adopted in him and by whom we haue redemption in his blood euen the full forgiuenes of all our sinnes through his grace wherewith hee hath made vs freely accepted of God Now then we being through the grace of God made the Sonnes of God brethren and coheires with Christ shall wee thinke that he will not also furnish vs with the spirit of his Son which dwelling in vs we shall be able faithfully to cry Abba Father and what is that but to teach vs how to pray to God his heauenly Father in his owne name Therefore Whatsoeuer we shall aske the Father he will grant it vs for his sake so we aske according to his will in a liuely faith and waâ—â—â— not for he that wauereth is like a waue of the sea tost with the wind Though therefore our Tribulations be great and our afflictions many waies grieuous yet seeing they proceed from so louing a Father we may not thinke them to be inflicted vppon vs in displeasure but in a Fatherly regard of our soules health Which as sinne hath impaired so his gentle chastisements are as wholsome medicines to heale it And as no Physicke be it neuer so salutarie for the health of the body is sauorie to the Palat So Gods corrections howsoeuer they are sent as eyther Antidotes to preuent sinne or Medicines to cure it They are not pleasant to Flesh and Blood for the time But as corporall physicke though harsh in the tast hauing it working in an vnsound sound body begetteth health and is then much commended with many thanks to the
if thou were one whom Sathan had in his owne power hee would permit thee to rest quietly he would not disturbe thee but finding thee to be inwardly enclined to seeke the Lord praying for pardon in his Sonnes merites which hee cannot endure without roaring and raging against thee suspecting that he hath lost thee now altogether though thou were somtimes something seruiceable or rather according to naturall corruption slauâ—shly enclined to his workes of darknesse before the Lord in fauour visited thee with his fatherly corrections to reclayme thee from Sathan and sinne to make thee his obedient Sonne and the more thou declinest from him and his tentations and the more thou louest and enclinest to serue God with a pure heart the more will hee euer seeke to molest thee and if it were possible to driue thee to dispaire But feare not whatsoeuer he shall obiect against thee or lay vnto thy charge though when he seeth thee weakest hee will trie his strength against thee most Beleeue that when thou art weakest God is strongest for thee and Sathan though hee dare to tempt the dearest children of God as he did Christ himselfe yet he trembleth when he seeth Christ with his holy Spirit assisting thee and by his merites layd hold on by a liuely faith comforting thee feare him not therefore but encline thine heart vnto God and know that this thy sicknesse hath not fallen vpon thee by chance or by Sathans malice It came euen by Gods meere prouidence in loue to correct thee here in the flesh to call thee home vnto him that thou perish not with them whom Sathan hath subdued that haue not walked in the feare of the Lord whome Gods louing corrections could not reforme A greater mercy of God can not be obserued then to draw a sinner out of the power and slauery of sinne and Sathan by a gentle hand to make him hiâ— owne Coheire with Iesus Christ his Sonne and it is the end of this his correcting thee Repent thee therefore of thy former sinnes and beleeue sted fastly that in and through the bloud and merits of Christ thou shalt assuredly be saued and so shalt thou finde that this enemie of thine will giue ouer further to pursue thee As touching the forgiuenesse of thy sinnes how haynous so euer they be in quality or how many so euer in number they shall not be imputed vnto thee Thou hast beene already taught that all afflictions of whatsoeuer kinde doe proceed and are inflicted vpon vs for sinne and especially for the neglect of hearing the word of God and practising what it teacheth And yet not alwayes simply for sinne but sometimes that the glory of God may the more appeare especially in healing the sicke Lazarus dyed and yet Christ said that his sicknesse was not vnto death not so vnto death but that hee knew hee could and would raise him againe though hee were foure dayes dead and buried And therefore was his sicknesse and death onely that the glory of God might be seene by raising of him and the faith of his Disciples be the more confirmed but we must impute our sicknesses and all other crosses as layde vpon vs for our sinnes and learne by the example of good Hezekias to turne our selues vnto God and to mourn not so much for our sicknesse as for our sinnes Thou therefore that art thus afflicted in body and no doubt in minde also repayre vnto God in liuely faithfull and earnest prayer aboue all things for the pardon of thy sinnes for prayer if it be feruent is the most euident argument that thou art the childe of God and preuaileth much for where true saith is there necessarily followeth true repentance faith and repentance for sinne and offending God are inseperable And if thy repentance be serious it will either produce outward teares or inward griefe for your sinnes though teares be not alwayes ready not verball prayers powerfull especially in a sick man whose powres are commonly so shaken with the force of the disease as griefe of the heart can hardly wrest teares from the eyes or words from the lips yet with God it shall be accepted both sufficient prayers and preuailing teares if thou finde such griefe in thy heart for thy sinnes and such a desire to be reconciled vnto God in Christ as may but moue inward and silent sighes vnto God who respecteth more the holy disposition of the heart then any outward action or gesture of the body it shall bee sufficient though some outward showe of faith and repentance be necessary for the satisfaction of such as visite a sicke person if he can but showe it by the tongue in speaking though weakely confessing his sinnes lifting vp his hands or eyes it may argue the inward heart wel prepared and that hee wanteth not the spirit of God And therefore if your sicknesse be so violent as that you cannot showe verball tokens of the working of Gods spirit in you whereby they that come to visite you cannot witnesse for you your sorrow by your outward coÌ„fession It is enough that God knoweth it by your inward true sorrow of heart It was enough that God saw that good King Hezekiah in his sicknesse inwardly bewayling his sinnes though hee could not with plaine termes vocally and with fluent words as hee was wont but inwardly to mourne like a Doue and to chatter like a Crane very weakely and obscurely yet God vnderstoode him and accepted his weake vtterance as a most earnest and effectuall prayer So that if it come to passe that thy weakenesse become such as thou canst not vocally and verbally pray as by thy sicknesse it may come to passe though thou be in present perfect memory thy heart though neuer so faint may yet haue a feeling of Gods mercies and may shew it selfe powerfull to God though it seeme weake vnto men for God is absolute in vnderstanding can and doth conceiue the meaning of thy heart farre better then in thy best strength thou canst thy selfe vnderstand it As for thy present sick estate thou must not be carelesse of it but after prayer for pardoÌ„ of thy sinnes thou mayest craue restitution of thy bodily health if God who can restore it thinke it fitter for thee then death and thou art not only not forbidden but commaunded to seeke the lawfull helpe of the Physician prouided that thou depend not so vpon the Art of the Phisician as to exempt and neglect thy prayer to God for a blessing vpon it for if God giue not a Diuine working vnto the physick howsoeuer it may seeme to worke it may helpe one part and hurt another A cluster of Figges healed Hezekiah and the washing in Iordan the Leaper yet neither the Figges nor the water of their owne nature cured their diseases it was God gaue the vertue to both and therefore whether thine infirmitie be inward or outward with the meanes vse prayer that God may giue
prayor to God in his Sonne Christ who shed his blood for thee and thereby able to wash thee from thy bloody sinne if thou truely repent and doest faithfully and feruently praye for pardon and if thou be destitute of the power to pray of thy selfe thou maist vse the former prayer made for a man grieued in conscience for the hainousnesse of his sinnes or this short confession and prayer following and that often vntill thy conscience become at peace with God and then howsoeuer both the Lawe of God and men condemne thee for the facte and that thou suffer death for the same take it with godly patience for better it is for thee to suffer here a temporall death for thy sinne then to carrie the burthen of a tormenting conscience not suspected to thy graue which though man doe not shall accuse thee when it will be too late to crye for mercie A Prayer for a man imprisoned guiltie of murther O Lord God whose mercies are aboue all thy workes and yet I wretched creature haue not deserued the least part of the same but rather vtter confusion both of body and soule not onely for my manifold and grieuous sinnes committed euen from my youth but aboue all other of my grieuous sinnes I feele the heauy burthen of this one sinne this capitall and crying sinne in thy seuere Iustice impardonable the wilfull taking away of the life of thine innocent creature whose blood cryeth against mee as did that guiltlesse blood of Abel crye against his murtherous brother Kayne who was reiected by thee by reason of his impenitency deale not so with mee deare father I praye thee I am heartely forty for my wicked facte and doe acknowledge it to be most hainous yet not exceeding thy mercy which as farre as the heauen is aboue the earth so is thy mercie aboue thy Iustice and as farre as the East is from the West so farre canst thou put this my grieuous sinne from mee which though it be as red as blood yea blood it selfe yet is the blood of that Lambe Iesus Christ of more then sufficient efficacie and vertue to make it white as snowe O cast mee not vtterly out of thy fauour though I be a most grieuous sinner for my soule is heauy within mee my heart is cast downe I dare not looke vp vnto heauen where thou sittest a seueate Iudge and I tremble to thinke how grieuously I haue offended thee I am fallen O Lord I am fallen into the hands of my most deadly enemie Satan that pursues mee with deadly hatred he he O God prouoked mee to this vngodly deede and now he seekes to draw me to dispayre of thy mercie into whose hands O Lord I cast my selfe knowing that there is yet mercie with thee and in Iesus Christ perfect Redemption I am also fallen into the hands of men whose Lawes I haue by this mine vngodly facte wilfully broken by whose Lawes I am condemned and that worthily and there is none to comfort me but thou alone against whom especially I haue committed this bloody sinne for which as I doe acknowledge to haue deserued the death not onely of my wretched body but also of my most sinfull soule so I beleeue that the death of my body shall be a sufficient satisfaction to the Lawe of man and the griefe and sorrowe of my truely repenting heart through the preuayling death of my Sauiour Iesus Christ shall bee a satisfaction to thy Iustice. And as I doe acknowledge that I haue deserued to dye so I beseech thee Lord to prepare me therevnto with Patience faith firme and constant assurance of thy mercy that I fainte not at my approaching death but may bee assured that as thou forgauest the Theef vpon the Crosse receiuedst him into Paradice so thou wilt receiue my soule in the merites of Christ my Sauiour when through death it shall leaue my sinfull body which graunt gracious Lord God for his sake that dyed for penitent sinners among whome I cannot but confesse I am the greatest and the greater shall thy mercy appeare Lord confirme my faith in thee to the end and in my end Amen For such as are imprisoned for committing any offence against the Lawes of the Kingdome deseruing death AS the Lawes and Ordinances of Kingdomes are many to meete with the sinnes and transgressions of men which are infinite so the causes of mens restraynts imprisonments and punishments are not to bee named or numbred yet euery man commonly knowes the offences that deserue the same and haue not yet the grace or power to auoide the committing of them Thou art in prison knowne or vehemently suspected of some grieuous facte committed against the Lawes deseruing the executing sword of the Magistrate vpon life or member thy case is hard and dangerous deserued death or some other seueare punishment hangeth ouer thy head at the pleasure of the Iudge It behoueth thee therefore to looke into thine owne heart and to examine thine owne conscience strictely whether thou be guiltie or not of the cryme laid vnto thy charge or of any other grieuous cryme which thou hast long concealed for God many times doth punish an offender for some wicked facte formerly committed and neuer discouered by the suspition of a cryme and punisheth it as the acte done and therefore if thou feele thy selfe guiltie of any grieuous offence commited against God by the breach of the Lawes of man which thou hadst cleane forgotten if thou be after vniustly accused or suspected of another which if thou were guiltie of it deserued as seueare punishment as the former and thou receiue it though in that thou be innocent yet in Gods Iustice this thy punishment is for thy former offence iust He that wittingly or wilfully disobeyeth the Lawes of man is guiltie of the breach of the Lawe of God by whom Magistrates that establishe Lawes for ciuile gouernment of their subiects are set and appointed and haue their authoritie and power to punish offendors from God and therefore should euery soule submit it selfe to the powers ordained by God And seeing thou hast highly offended these Lawes fit it is that thou shouldst be apprehended restrained of thy raunging libertie whereby thou maist not onely offend others but bee a meane to intice others to thy example of sinning Receiue therefore thine imprisonment and punishment with patience murmure not against the Magistaate that thus in Gods steed and as his Minister correcteth thee who if hee had let thee runne on further in thine impieties the greater had beene thy sinne and the greater would haue beene thy finall punishment whereas now thou mayst haue time to examine thy life past and to repent thee of thy sinnes and to seeke to God in Christ for pardon and therefore hast thou rather cause to thanke God for thine imprisonment then to grudge that hee correcteth thee so shalt thou make profit of thy restraint in redeeming thy former ill spent time and learne
whereunto thou knowest my weake nature is enclined And thou Lord well knowest what a malicious and subtill aduersarie I haue Sathan that endeuoureth to draw me to rebell and to kick against thy fatherly corrections suggesting vnto me that they proceede of thy finall hatred towards me and coueteth to feede my carnall enclination with the vaine pleasures and delights of the world and the lusts of my corrupt heart and to reiect the yoke of thy gentle chastisements But Lord thou hast taught me to know and I haue found him as in deede he is a lyer an enemie a tempter O giue mee wisedome to obserue and strength to withstand all his tentations and aâ—lurements that I may onlâ—â—elie vpon thy prouidence mercie and goodnes wherein I know that all the troubles and afflictions which I now endure and that thou shalt hereafter impose vpon me are the true and infallible tokens of thy loue towards me And therefore shall neither my hope nor my patience in suffering be weakened notwithstanding his malice Though I should walke through the valley of death yea if Death were instant before me I will not feare for thou art with me in all my dangers to succour mee Thy rod thy staffe they comfort me Affliction and sorrow may endure for a little time and then coÌ„meth ioy Thy dearest children O Lord endure troubles but as they come of thee so are they eased againe by thee Thou hast sent me great troubles O Lord and many aduersities haue befalne me but not without thy prouidence and thou hast hether-vnto sustained me in them all I will therefore goe forward in thy strength who hast hether-vnto vpholden me by thy power And therefore my trust and sure confidence is that I shall neuer perish in whatsoeuer troubles Though sorrow and heauinesse vnder mine afflictions may seeme to oppresse me and to presse mee downe yet taking perfect holde through a liuely faith of thy neuer-fayling promises I am assured in thy good time to be finally relieued comforted In the meane time O Lord giue mee perfect patience and let my faith neuer faile mee But as thou hast willed me I cast my burthen euen the burthen of my sinnes for which thou correctest me and the troubles which thou inflictest vpon me for my sinnes vpon thee my Christ who hast suffered both for my sinnes and for the punishment of them And hast promised to nourish me to sustaine maintaine and vphold me in all my tryals Lord I haue had experience of thy goodnesse mercie and fauour towards me euer since I was borne by thee I haue beene stayed from the wombe Thou tookest me out of my mothers bowels I haue euer since tasted of thy goodnes thy power hath held me vp thy prouidence hath euermore found out meanes to relieue mee in my greatest necessity to defend me in my greatest dangers to ease mee in my greatest griefe O my God grant that I now may not distrust thine accustomed mercies but may still assure my selfe that when greatest danger shall befall mee that rather then thou wilt leaue me helplesse thou wilt giue thine Angels charge ouer me that I shall not be vtterly out of hope of helpe and that thou wilt send from heauen and saue me Thou hast promised to couer the faithfull euen with the wings of thy protection I beleeue Lord therefore I pray that thou wilâ— sustaine me and deliuer me out of some of my troubles I embrace thy chastisements O Lord with a thankfull heart knowing that that man is blessed whom thou correctest Be not therefore far from me O my God though I be compassed about with many troubles Though feare possesse my soule confirme my faith I shal not faint Thou hast promised not to be farre from them that call vpon thee faithfully let not therefore faith faile me O Lord and then lay what thou wilt vpon me for I know thee to be my Lord that hast made me my strength that hast hether-vnto sustayned mee my Redeemer that hast saued me and he that will for euer preserue me Amen Lord encrease my faith FINIS Patience beareth all things Patience brooketh not a repining heart Patience is neuer idle Patience a marke of the Childe of God Psal. 38. 15 Where no triall is Patience cannot appear Rom. 5. 3 4 Afflictions make not a Patient maÌ„ miserable but rather honorable Carnall men think Patience sottishnes Patience findes comfort in the end 2. Kin 18. 〈◊〉 2. Sa. 16. 〈◊〉 Why God sendeth his children troubles Heb. 12. 11 God limiteth our afflictions Iob 5. 6. Seuerall kindes of afflictions Luc 21. 1. We ought to imbrace whatsoeuer God layeth vpon vs. Afflictions Medicines for sinnes Good thinges become euill to the wicked Afflictions the crowne of the godly Gods children haue least rest in the world Iob 5. 17. Luk. 21. 19. Heb. 12. 6. Reu. 3. 19. God correcteth none but for sinne Sinne causeth afflictions No man is here punished according to the merit of sin Psa. 19. 12. Psal. 32. 5. No man can hide his sinnes from God 1. Io. 1. 9. The entrance into Gods fauour is to confesse our sinnes God doth not punish euery man a like Mat. 26. 75. 2. Sam. 12. 13. Though God forgiue our sinnes hee keepes vs in awe by some crosse Ver. 14. Beware of hardnes of heart We must with confession of our sinnes ioyne repentance in faith Math. 27. 34. We must daily confesse our sinnes because wee daily sinne but not stay vpon confession as Kaine and Iudas did Pro. 9. 27. Io. 11. 2. Ezec. 18. 32. Ver. 23. What true repentance is Markes of true repentance Sorrow for sinne and faith in Christ must goe together It is onely the grace of God that worketh repentance Rom. 8. 29. Eph. 1. 5. 6. 7. Wee bee made the sonnes of God in Christ in by whom wee haue power to pray vnto the Father 1. Io. 5. 14. Iam. 1. 6. We ought to take our afflictions patiently because they are sent of God God sendeth sometimes afflictions to make vs to acknoweledge his power with thankefulnesse in remoouing them Gods stripes hurt vs not but heale vs. Iam. 5. 10. They are blessed that suffer with Patience Counterfeit Patience Afflictions here the liuery and badge of Gods children Christ afflictions here in the world Nothing befalleth vs but by the prouidence of God Christ suffered not for himself but for vs. What is required of vs for the release of our sinnes How wee ought to make peace with God Sinne the greatest affliction that can befall a man Sinne a common disease and sickenesse of the soule of euery man Gen. 8. 21. All sinne proceedeth from the corruption of the heart A seruile feare 1. Io. 2. 1. 2. Gods mercies greater then our sinnes Micah 7. 18. 19. Psal. 103. 11. God died for sinners but not for such as dye in their sinnes The means to be eased of sinne 1 Ioh. 4. 14. The bloud of Christ is able to clense the greatest sinner