wherein as we haue both come short of our duties through our frailties so we both feele the bitternesse of the breach of our duties eche to other which thou hast commanded O take from mee Lord whatsoeuer iust cause shee may obiect against me in defence of her pretended discontentments and season her heart O Lord with meekenesse humblenesse patience peace and loue Let neither of our naturall infirmities O Lord nor Satans practise and malice moue or make any more contentions quarels or debates betwixt vs but as thou hast made vs by thine holy ordinance one so let our loues mindes and affections be one that wee may henceforth liue louingly peaceably and religiously in thy faith feare and obedience and truely seruing of thee as long as we both shall liue Amen Lord encrese my faith and send vs quietnesse peace and loue for euer more How the wife ought to behaue her selfe towards her husband though he be faultie and hard to be pleased THe complaintes of husbands of their discontents proceeding from the supposed euill of their wiues are not seene so common as are the clamours of wiues against their vnthriftie and vnkind husbands yet it may be if they were equally ballanced there would be no great difference in the weight but that commonly husbands haue more priuiledges ouer their wiues being become wise in thee and righteous before thee not trusting in a seeming and outward and verball holinesse but neuer to rest satisfied vntill I finde the effectuall working thereof in my soule through thy holy Spirit and an assurance through faith that my sinnes and my former neglect through the merits and mediation of my Sauiour Christ according to thy promises in him be freely pardoned and forgiuen me Thou hast taught mee O Lord to praye that I may doe thy will here in earth as thy will is done in heauen and yet such is the corruption of my will that it seemeth to striue to preferre it selfe before thy will by this vntamed and peruerse will of mine I haue done all that I haue hetherunto done as it were to crosse thy will although I haue verbally prayde as thou likewise hast taught mee Not to be led in temptation I haue not onely yeelded to euery temptation offered to moue me to sinne but haue sought many and many times occasions and opportunities to sinne in so much as I haue turned those blessed Petitions which thou hast taught me to make vnto thee for my reformation and consolation into meere wantonesse sinne O heauy is thy wrath and seuere are thy iudgements due vnto me for these my transgressions and wicked deseruings I could not auoyde thy seuere sentence of vtter condemnation were there not mercie with thee aboue thy displeasure and had I not a Mediator with thee and such a powerfull and preuailing Aduocate as can worke peace with thee for me when thou art angrie what should become of me In him therefore O my God worthily offended with me I fall downe before thy foot-stoole in his name for whose sake thou hast promised to heare most grieuous sinners and to pardon greatest offenders and the greater the sinnes are which thou forgiuest the greater appeareth thy mercie my sinnes are great yet farre greater are thy mercies yet Lord I haue not therefore the more presumed vpon thy mercie to commit sinne or to omit my dutie in walking more religiously and vprightly before thee then I haue done Consider Lord that corruption hath seduced me and Satan deluded me and now I finde that I haue gone astray and gladly would I now returne vnto thee neuer to fall backe againe assisted by thy grace and therefore Lord extend the Scepter of thy louing fauour towards me in token of thy reconciliation with me so shall my heart within me now cast down for feare of thy iudgements reioyce and be glad in thee my soule shall cleaue vnto thee and therefore Lord cast the cancelled Bill of my sins out of thy hands into my heart as an acquittance for all my sinnes purged through the blood of that immaculate Lambe Christ Iesus to whom with thee and the holy Ghost be all honor and prayse for euer Lord euermore increase my faith A comfortable conclusion showing the benefit of afflictions to the end wee may beare them in what nature or kinde soeuer they befall vs with the more resolute and godly patience IT is before obserued that God exerciseth all his children with one crosse or affliction or another not all and euerie one alike neither in weight measure or number which to expresse in perticular is impossible for they are without number yet the greatest and most principall are before remembred as a preparatiue for euerie child of God to looke for them and to settle them selues to vndergoe them with patience when they come for euerie child of God may be assured sooner or later to taste of some of them and that when one trouble is past to prepare himselfe for another for commonly when one crosse is gone another comes God will not leaue his children idle and to liue in carnall securitie here lest they should forget him and so turne his fauour into wantonnesse Therefore saith Dauid As one deepe calleth another deepe by the noyse of the waters so one affliction calles for another Sinne calles for sicknesse sickenesse for pouertie pouertie for enemies enemies for contempt vexation and slaunder If thou haue neither sickenesse pouertie enemies nor contempt yet sinne thou hast which calles also for disobedience in thy children disquietnes in thy wife falsehood in thy seruants losse of goods death of thy vertuous children or thy louing wife these are commonly reputed crosses and who is free from them all Be assured if thou be the true child of God one or some or all these will visite thee by turnes Innumerable troubles saith Dauid haue compassed me about on all sides and that is the condition of Gods deerest Saints here to suffer affliction on all sides and to be exercised with temptations of diuers sortes The seruant is not aboue his Lord if they haue persecuted me saith Christ they will also persecute you if Christ had trouble here so must we As Christ through many troubles and persecutions came to glorie so must euery of his Elect drinke of the same cup Through many troubles they must enter into the Kingdome of heauen Hee that will liue religiously and in the feare of God must looke for tryals and troubles in the world and continuall temptations of Satan to drawe him to sinne that by his sinnes he may offend God that if it were possible God might forsake him The most godly haue many sinnes and sinne is the cause of all troubles as appeareth by that which is said before and if we sinne shall we thinke we shall not be punished though not as the meerely wicked in Gods hote dipleasure but in loue and the punishments may seeme alike with
Sauiour Christ and enioy the most amiable sight of him and the societie of the whole company of heauenly Angâ—ls and of thy fellow Martyrs gone before thee and be pertaker with him and them of that glorie that so farre passeth all humane apprehention here as cannot be conceiued or vttered O loose not this most blessed recompence for a little suffering but stand fast and Christ that before thee and for thee suffered infinite greater torments then thou canst suffer or that man can inflict vpon thee shall sende that comforter the holy Ghost to strengthen thee in thy greatest agonies and spirituall distractions he will stand by thee and will show thee his louing and amiable countenance as he did at the death of his faithfull Martyr St. Stephen Wherefore faint not flie not vnlesse thou without breach of thy faith maist auoide the daunger by the prouidence of God by flying from one place or Citie vnto another alwayes commending thy spirit vnto him that gaue it so where soeuer thou bee persecuted hee will receiue it and glorifie it and both thy soule and thy bodie shall be made eternally glorious when all men shall bee iudged according to their faith in Christ. This exhortation I doe confesse may be thought superfluous in this blessed time of peace and freedome of the Gospell for that Gods name be glorified there is neither seene felt or heard of any persecution among vs for the profession of the Gospell of Christ and let all men pray for the continuance of it and for the long life and preseruation of him a succeeding religious Dauid vnder whome by the mercy of God we at this day doe so freely enioy it They are the greatest blessings that God in earth can bestowe vpon vs the free vse of his word and a King so religiously inclined as it alreadie appeareth all his studie and endeauour is to further and to maintarne the true profession and preaching of the heauenly word which his most worthie and religious father left inuiolate Yet it may offende none that this exhortation which may seeme out of date is inserted among other troubles requiring patience for though our generall libertie be such that euery man at his libertie may freely professe the word and vse the meanes for the increase of his knowledge faith and zeale yet may there bee among so great a people of diuers opinions and practises of Religion some priuately oppressed scoffed at and mocked and it may be violently constrained to renounce the truth which in it selfe is a persecution who meclitating on this exhortation may peraduenture bee comforted nothing fearing but by the helpe and prouidence of God any alteration or change of that most holesome and heauenly doctrine which is here amongst vs freely taught and plentifully preached but shall be maintained and defended which God graunt it may be as long as the Sunne and Moone endureth A Prayer for a man persecuted for his faith and profession of the Gospell of Iesus Christ. OEternall mercifull powerfull and euer-louing Lord God in Iesus Christ the onely keeper Protector and maintainer of thy children that suffer here in the world for the true profession of the Gospell of Christ looke downe I humbly beseech thee and behold what man doth vnto me for thy name sake for thou hast assured those that sincerely professe that truth which thou hast taught in thy word in their sharpest and seuerest persecutions to bee either preserued and defended from their tyranny or to be so strengthened by thy grace that they shall be able to beare what soeuer they shall be inforced to suffer In hope and assurance of this thy mercie I reioyce that thou accountest me worthie to bee one though the simplest of the witnesses of the truth of thy word though I acknowledge my selfe to be weake and by mine owne strength vnable to beare what is laid vpon mee for thy sake But as thou hast promised Lord so let me feele the effectuall working of thy holy Spirit in giuing me wisedome to answere the aduersary patience and power constantly to vndergoe whatsoeuer thou shalt admit to bee laid vpon me for thou hast promised that no more shall bee imposed vpon me but by the strength of the same Spirit I shall be able to beare it euen vnto death for thy Christs sake If therefore deare father thou haue so determined that death shall be the end of my tryalls here giue me a willing minde to imbrace it and leaue mee not vnto mine owne power for the flesh is weake but thy Spirit shall ouercome the weakenesse of my carnall parts then shall my spirit and inward faith with patience passe ouer whatsoeuer torments of my outward body Thy presence shall be so sweet as shall swallow vp the sense of my bodies sufferings or so mitigate the same as I shall indure it with patience in hope and assurance of that future glorie promised in Christ prepared with thee in heauen My flesh is dust whereof all the limbes and lineaments of my body are made and as they are dust so I know in thine appointed time they shall againe returne to dust and that by the course of Nature but if thou haue decreed it vntimely to perish by suffering for the profession of thy name it shall bee but for a season and then be restored and my soule redeemed by his blood for whose sake through thy grace I shall bee ready to lay downe my life shall not perish but passe euen from the fire to felicitie from the Crosse to a Crowne from sorrow to ioye from the hands of malicious mortall men to the custodie of louing and eternall Angels O fortifie and strengthen me in the assurance of his merites for whose sake I suffer here which I confesse is nothing worthie of the glorie prepared for them that constantly suffer for the testimonie of a conscience cleare of vaine glorie in suffering yet is this suffering glorious to him whom thou makest truely godly for I confesse Lord it is not the suffering but the cause and mannet of suffering that make the man that suffers a true Martyr indeed The cause thou knowest O Lord is for that I truely and faithfully professe thy name graunt that I may suffer what thou hast determined in perfect patience and true humilitie and that I faint not at whatsoeuer punishment or affliction shall be presented to my weake heart to terrifie me from suffering for I know that thou art then neerest when all worldly comfort seemeth farthest off Let mee not therefore in thy cause bee affraid of the faces of men that set themselues against thee in me for it is not mee they persecute but Christ my Sauiour in me for what aduantage can they haue in taking from me a worme this my wretched life which if they spare it cannot long endure and what is my death O Lord vnto thee if they take it from mee but the weakest witnesse of thy truth the defence whereof
his sonne to goodnesse and to a godly course of life and cannot should be too much discouraged and cast downe through sorrow and griefe that hee should be the father of such a sonne let him but consider that his sonne though wicked is the creature of God knowne vnto him before hee was formed in the wombe his beginning course of life and end determined by God and the meanes and therefore when such a father hath done his vttermost godly endeauour to make his sonne good by counsell and findes contrarie effects of his hope let him onely praye for him The best and last dutie that a louing and well-wishing father can show for the good of his best beloued sonne If this worke not the reformation of his wicked childe hee may cast off all sorrowe and griefe for that he cannot reclaime him and before the world he may iustly disclaime him They therefore that will taxe and condeme such a father for hauing such an vngodly person to his sonne are vncharitable as long as the wickednesse of his sonne proceedes not of any neglect or knowne error of the father Doe we not vnderstand that most godly parents hauing two or more sonnes of equall education and equally instructed that the one proues tractable vertuous religious fearing God and another cleane contrarie Had not Izaak by his wife Rebecha two sonnes borne twinnes Esau and Iaakob the one wicked the other the Elect of God shall wee thinke that Kayne that Reprobate was not as well instructed in the feare of God by Adam his father as Abel was yet the one a murtherer and the other a godly religious and milde man Shall we thinke that Dauid instructed not his sonne Absolon in the feare of God though hee became a rebell against his owne father And what shall we thinke of Ismael the sonne of Abraham the father of the faithfull was it for want of diuine instruction that he became a fierce and cruell man whose hand was against euery man and euery mans hand against him Will any man be so iniurious or so vncharitable to iudge or condemne these godly parents for the wickednesse of their children doth it not hereby appeare that good men notwithstanding all their care diligence to make them good may haue wicked children neither doth it follow that wicked men haue alwayes vngodly children It is God who as hee formes the bodies of good and bad in the wombe so he frames the mindes of such as he intendeth to make the vessels of saluation and giueth them the meanes to become wise in him religious and faithfull in him yet yeeldeth he the libertie of his word equally alike to both but they haue not both equall grace to imbrace and to practise it alike Idolatrous Ahaz had religious Hezekiah good Hezekiah had wicked Manasses wicked Amon had godly Iosiah Iosiah idolatrous Iehoahaz Infinite are the examples in all ages showing that good men haue had wicked children and wicked fathers good sonnes that no man should presume vpon the towardnesse or dispaire of the vngodly beginning of his children but to commend both to the goodnes and prouidence of God in faithfull prayer vsing the meanes leauing the wicked to God in prayer for their reformation and the godly to him for continuance and perseuerance vnto the end in whose secret counsell it is determined what shall be the end of them that feare not God nor reuerence man A Prayer to bee vsed of godly parents for the reformation of vngodly and disobedient children and for patience not ouermuch to afflict themselues for the stubbornesse and disobedience of a wicked sonne O Gracious mercifull powerfull euermore louing Lord God the Creator of all man-kind to whom thou giuest and into whome thou infusest diuers and seuerall portions of vnderstanding wit wisedome and grace and none by nature can attaine vnto the least measure of these blessings but by thee Fathers thou hast ordained to beget and Mothers to conceiue and beare fruite to the increase and multiplication of humane kinde but it is not left vnto the power of parents to propagate grace in their seede Seeing then good Father that thou hast giuen vs power to propagate their earthly and carnall parts yet all formed by thee in the wombe and hast reserued vnto thy selfe the disposition of their mindes and affections So I humbly pray and beseech thee to dispose the inclination of them whome thou hast giuen me power to beget beget in them good and godly desires reforme the vngodly life and conuersation of that disobedient and vagodly son of mine whose behauiour is much grieuous vnto me and I doe confesse that mine owne sinnes haue prouoked thee to anger against me and thy displeasure appeareth in that hee whome I receiued in hope to be a comfort vnto me and the staffe of mine olde age is become not onely disobedient vnto me but as it were rebellious against thee and thy counsell Thou art a God righteous absolutely holy hating iniquitie it cannot be hid from thee how I haue neglected the training him vp in thy feare Yet thou also knowest O Lord that I haue laboured and endeuoured by my best counsell to winne him to the feare and seruice of thee if it haue beene in vaine thou hast wisedome and power to supply in him what is defectiue in me to giue him I haue endeuoured to make him to know thee and to walke in thy wayes but he hath contemned mine instructions and cast my counsell behinde his backe hee will not vnderstand that thou art a God of power to punish him or a God of mercie to comfort him if he returne from his sinnes to the obedience of thee Lord it is onely in thee to reclaime him as thou didst the prodigall sonne whome thou vouchsafedst to receiue vnto mercie after his long going astray whereby it appeareth that no man erreth so farre but thou canst recall him O recall this mine erronious sonne reduce him into the feare of thy great name and make him one of the sheepfolde of thy Saints He is the worke of thine owne hands O Lord though I wretched man begat him in corruption his mother conceiued him in sinne and bare him in miserie yet are these no hinderance to the worke of thy grace in him For what is or hath bin the man that hath not had the like corrupt beginning thine owne begotten Sonne excepted Enoch that walked vprightly before thee Abraham the father of the faithfull Eliah and Iohn Baptist and all thine Elect vessels came by nature of the same corrupt seed as hath this though my vngodly sonne Thou wert pleased to sanctifie these fore-fathers of ours whome if thou hadst left vnto themselues they had beene as this my sonne ready to lift vp their heeles against their parents and thee Lord giue thou grace wisedome faith and obedience vnto this my sonne these are thine and onely thine to giue I indeed haue
God and that our afflictions proceed from his finall anger neuer to bee appeased but these his sugiestions are false let vs not beleeue them let vs beleeue that whom God doth chasten he loueth and therefore we may assure our selues so much the more that we are the children of God by how much we finde these tentations in vs for if we were his as he would sugiest vnto vs that God is angry with vs and wee not his he needed not to trouble vs but he knowing that wee are the Lords hee worketh by all meanes to drawe vs to distrust in God and that the merits of Christ cannot auaile vs. But let vs be strong in the Lord let vs trust constantly and confidently in the merits of his sonne armed with the shield of faith and buckle vnto our selues the sword of the spirit which is the word of God which doth containe most sure promises that he will neuer leaue vs nor forsake vs let vs pray alwayes with all manner of prayer and supplication in the spirit and watch thereunto in a holy patience with all perseuerance So shall wee see the saluation of God his power and prouidence in deliuering vs out of all our troubles of whatsoeuer kinde or such inward comforte as shall make our most bitter and sharpest afflictions sweet and easie And for asmuch as sinne is the greatest and most heauy burthen of misery that any poore childe of God can be afflicted with It is the principall part of a Christian to seeke to be vnburthened of the same not as to bee carelesse in the search of his sinnes and so to feele no burthen for he is like a man sicke vnto death and yet will acknowledge he feeleth no sickenesse at all but he that findeth his sinnes most grieuous vnto him and most deiected for them is nearest vnto pardon so he acknowledge them and in a liuely faith in Christ repent them Comforte for a man afflicted in conscience by reason of his sinnes COnsider first whosoeuer thou art that art troubled in minde 〈◊〉 thy conscience afflicted by 〈◊〉 â—f thy great sins 〈…〉 not thy case alone to be a sinner it is a common disease and sickenesse of the soule originally deriued from the transgression of Adam and remaining in the nature of all his posteritie outwardly shewing it selfe in vngodly wordes and deeds spoken or done against the Law and honor of God and inwardly by the thoughts desires of the heart conceiued against the Law of the spirit And happie is hee that can consider his owne wayes and that can and doth examine and finde out the sinnes which are hidden in his owne heart which to all other men are concealed but not from God The heart is an vnfadomable depth of sinne and rebellion against God and the best man by nature is guiltie of many secret and hidden as well as open and known sinnes for The imaginations of mans heart are onely euill from his youth And many odious sinnes proceede from that corrupte fountaine Such as men are ashamed to reueale and were it possible they would conceile them from God him selfe and therefore they often striue to keepe them in their priuate bosomes vntill they become so heauy burthensome as they can no longer beare them without vnspeakable horror and vnquietuesse of minde vntill they become as a worme so venemous in the Conscience as eateth and deuoureth all peace and comfort of the heart which the Deuill seeketh continually to feed and agrauates the sinnes grieuously in the minde of a poore sinner that he begins to fainte and as it were to sincke vnder the burthen of his afflicted conscience which is the most heauy crosse of all crosses a burrhen importable where it lighteth and it seemeth to bee in some measure thine owne case and is indeed dangerous for that soule that sinneth and perseuereth therein shall dye and it seemeth thou feelest the weight of grieuous sins which makes thee sad melancholicke and heauy which is yet a token that thou art not so dead in sin as that there is no feeling of sinne in thee which may be an argument that there is some life of grace yet in thee and that the spirit of God is not altogether dead in thee for if thy conscience were so feared vp and hardned that there were no sinne felt of thee thy case were farre more dangerous and though thou groanest and grieuest vnder the burthen of thy sinnes it may be onely for feare of the Iudgement of God and his punishments due for thy sinnes which is in it selfe but a seruile and slauish feare But if thou grieue that thou hast offended God by thy sinnes and dishonoured him by thy transgressions this proceedeth of a godly sorrow and so a signe that there is yet place and time for thee to repent turne vnto God therfore despaire not of the mercies of God in Christ who through thy faith if it be liuely and stedfast will be thine Aduocate by whom and by none other or other meanes thou shalt be reconciled to God and not dye in thy sinnes Thy sins are great great and fearefull the iudgements of God for sinne yet greater then both is the mercy of God towards a truly penitent sinner he is much displeased for sinne yet retayneth not he his anger long against a sinner if he returne vnto him for mercy is more pleasing vnto him then Iustice And though he seeme to turne away his louing fauour from thee being a notorious sinner and suffer thee to lye plunged and as it were wallowing in the bloud of thy sinnes and leaue thee destitute of all inward feeling of comfort yet if thou were the most haynous sinner and haue but an inclination an inward true desire to regaine his fauor and be truly sorie that thou hast offended him hee will turne againe and haue compassion vpon thee he will put away thine iniquities and cast thy sinnes into the botome of the Sea for as high as the heauen is aboue the earth so great is his mercie towards them that truly feare him God is iust in deede But if it may be so said he is more mercifull then iust but to none but to such as doe not onely feare and grieue for their sinnes as did Iudas and Esau But to such alone as in a liuely Faith take hold of the merites of Christ who in deede died for sinners but not for such as die in their sinnes as they did There must a reconciliation be made betweene God a sinner before he can assure himselfe of pardon and remission of his sinnes and that must not be delayed it must be to day before to morrow for as life is short and vncertaine and repentance requireth some time to be perfected though there be one example as of the Thiefe vpon the Crosse of suddaine repentance it is not so easie or speedy a worke to be well done there be many
lets which you shall finde in your selfe and many blockes Sathan will lay in your way therefore what you purpose to doe doe it speedily willingly faithfully and fully There is no meanes for you to be eased of the burthen of your sinnes but to cleaue vnto God in the merites of his Christ whome God the Father hath sent into the world to saue all those be they neuer so great and grieuous sinners as doe truly confesse hartily repent and faithfully beleeue the pardon of their sinnes and that they shall be saued through him If therefore thou truly beleeuest in Iesus Christ and appliest his death and merites vnto thy selfe in a full assurance and a setled perswasion that he dyed euen for thee then were thy sinnes neuer so great and haynous in quality neuer so many in number were they as red as scarlet or coloured as purple his bloud euen the bloud of that Lambe shall make them as white as snowe And therefore did Dauid crie wash mee O Lord wash mee and make mee cleane And what should hee wash but his sinnes And wherewith but with the meritorious bloud of Iesus Christ And before you can be thus washed and cleansed before you can haue the terror of your conscience eased and appeased You must confesse and lay open your sinnes before the Lord and say with a feeling and faithfull heart Against thee against thee O Lord onely haue I sinned and done euill in thy sight It must not be a lip confession as to acknowledge thy sinnes with thy mouth and to retaine them in thy heart Such a confession is hypocriticall and encreaseth thy sinnes were thy sinnes neuer so small in thine owne opinion yet oughtest thou to thinke them great and grieuous and so they are for the least sinne that a man commits is the breach of the Law and he that breaketh the least is guilty of the greatest It seemeth thou dost in deede feele already the grieuousnesse of thy sinnes by thy heauinesse and mourning which is a good beginning of repentance but vnlesse thou doe therewith conioyne Faith in the merites and bloud of Iesus Christ and dost truly purpose and endeuour to leade a new life thy repentance will be still imperfect Thou mayest also feare God and yet little profit thee except thou beleeue in the mercies of God in Christ for the deuils themselues feare and tremble at their finall sentence of vtter condemnation To feare God as a Sonne is in deede a most heauenly vertue and is found in none but in the very sonnes and daughters of God for their feare is not so much of the punishment for sinne as for that they haue offended so louing a God by their sinnes But to feare God for the first is to feare him as a Slaue that feares more the whip then to abuse his Maister And this feare proceedeth of the suggestion of Sathan who tempts and allures thee to sinne perswading thee that thy greatest sinnes are but veniall and easily pardoned by saying onely Lord haue mercie vpon me or by some superficiall and light confession And when the sinne is committed he tells thee that thy sinnes are so great and haynous as they can not be forgiuen Agrauating that seruile feare which often drawes silly weake soules to dispaire of Gods mercies Thou grieuest that thou hast sinned because thou hearest that euery sinner shall die And yet thou thinkest it sufficient to thinke yea and to confesse thou art a sinner and Sathan would haue thee goe no further And so farre he will permit thee to goe without hindering thee as he did Kayne and Iudas but when hee sees thee begin to leade a life contrary to that he hath led thee and lulled thee in when he obserueth thee to shew any fruites of true repentance hee will then tell thee it is a needlesse labour for thy sinnes are so great as God will neuer forgiue them though thou repent neuer so mâ—ch Beleeue not this auncient lyer though hee doe perswade thee that thy sinnes are so great as the bloud of Iesus Christ can not preuaile to heale thee of them beleeue him not I say for he himselfe knoweth though to the agrauation and â—ncrease of his owne torments 〈◊〉 Iesus Christ came into the world to saue greatest sinners that repent and beleeue in the merites of Christ of which number because hee knoweth he cannot be he laboureth and vseth his infinite infernall Ministers to draw as many as hee can to his disobedience and condemnation Beleeue him not nor feare him not hee is a lyer in his suggestions and weak in his power and though he doe perswade thee that thy sinnes are so great as cannot be pardoned in the bloud and by the merites of Iesus Christ beleeue the contrary for he himselfe knoweth and hath confessed Christ to be the Sauiour of the faithfull and he that shall finally condemne him and all vnbeleeuers Art thou come to torment vs before the time saith he foreshowing that there is a time appointed for his vtter condemnation at the last day Hee knoweth that Christ came to saue sinners and that without exception of any sinne the sinne against the holy Ghost excepted of which sinne hee is highly guilty and therefore neuer to be forgiuen Take vnto thy selfe therefore a spirituall courage and defie this reprobate lyer this malignant aduersary to his face and tell him in a liuely feeling of the spirit of God in a true and firme faith that thou beleeuest in Christ thy assured Redeemer and hee shall not onely not preuaile against thee but he shall flie from thee And for thy more strength put on the whole armour of God and he will buckle it vnto thee that armed Christ against this common and mortall aduersary who ouercame him and triumphed ouer him hee will arme thee so on all parts that thou shalt not feare to encounter him hand to hand as Christ did Thou shalt combate with him and conquer him as Dauid did Goliah and therefore yeeld not to his tentations feare not his suggestions Looke vp vnto Christ thy Sauiour though hee be in the heauens glorified and hath his Throne of glory there hee will yet be thy safe second here hee will be euer on thy side therefore if through frailty thou shouldest be in some measure foyled as it seemeth thou art be not discouraged he will enter the List for thee and in thy behalfe And as soone as that infernall Champion doth but obserue that thou art seconded by him that hath alreadie conquered him he will not abide the field he will flye and forsake any further pursuit of thee Yet remember that this enemie will seeke and spie all occasions to take thee at any aduantage and will marke whereunto thou art still enclined and according to thy coÌ„mon course of siuning hee will feede thee with occasions to moue thee to offend thy louing God
tentations that I may be able to resist whatsoeuer assaults of the deuill and his Ministers As for mine owne power alas it is euen weakenes it selfe but my hope and strength is of thee I can alledge nothing neither canst thou finde any thing in mee either woorthie or acceptable whereby I might haue hope either to haue my sinnes forgiuen me or to be released or eased of my sicknesse or to be restored to my former health or strength yet I haue hope O Lord that thou in mercie wilt pardon my sinnes in the merites of my Redeemer and that for his sake thou wilt either restore me to health or speedily to end this my grieuous infirmity which if for the grieuousnesse of my sinnes thou thinke sit to lay yet more heauily vpon me strengthen me so much the more with perfect faith and godly patience that I may beare it that the apprehension of death which is something terrible to flesh and bloud daunt me not But that I may rest assured that thou thus rebukest mee not in thine anger nor that thou chastisest me in thy heauie displeasure but rather of thy loue which is better vnto me then life O Father what shall I render vnto thee for all thy benefits for they haue bin infinite towards me And euen this thy fatherly correction I acknowledge not the least for hereby Lord I finde thy gracious purpose to be to reclayme me from my wonted sinnes which without thy mercy cannot but procure not the death of my body only but of my soule also so dearely redeemed by the bloud of thy dearest Son O strengthen Lord strengthen my faith that I may now at the last take such firme assured holde of the merites of Iesus Christ that all my sinnes and vngodly deseruings may be couered and that his righteousnesse may be imputed vnto me I doe confesse O Lord to my shame and griefe that before thou diddest correct me I went awry I followed too much the desires of my corrupt hart But now Lord I doe heartily repent me that euer I offended thee but if it be thy gracious good wil and pleasure and if in thy wisdome thou thinke it fit to restore mee to my former health which I humbly leaue vnto thee I shall endeuour by thy grace to walke more warily and shunne the enticements that haue seduced me and the allurements of Sathan that haue deceiued mee But if thou haue determined this my sicknesse to be my last and finall trouble I shall most heartily embrace it with a longing expectation for the time of my dissolution And when the time commeth accept it with a ioyfull and glad heart and that I may be the more truly and readily prepared at the instant of the departure of my soule from my body wash me throughly and make me cleane that I may appeare before thee in the immaculate roabes of Christs righteousnes and not in mine owne polluted garments of corruption That I may heare that most sweet and comfortable voyce of my Redeemer Come thou blessed of my Father enter into and possesse the ioyes prepared for thee from the beginning of the world which grant gracious Lord God for Iesus Christes sake to whom with thee and the holie Ghost be all honor praise and glory for euer O Lord encrease and euermore and more strengthen my faith and fill my heart with vnfained godly desire to be speedily dissolued that I may liue with thee in heauen Amen A Prayer to be said for a sicke man or woman of faithfull friends that come to visite him or her LOrd God Almighty and Father of incomprehensible mercy we here assembled before thy Maiestie in the name of thy most beloued Son Iesus Christ are bold to present our humble petitions vnto thee in the behalfe of this sicke person lying heere visited with sicknes which thou mightest iustly haue laide and inflicted vpon any of vs as great sinners and haue spared him or her but such hath been thy mercy hetherunto towards vs as to afford vs health expecting the time wherein we cannot auoyde but must taste of the same cup. We acknowledge Lord that thou neuer sendest this or any other crosse or affliction to any no not to such as thou louest best but the end therof though bitter for the time to flesh and bloud is happinesse yet doest thou iustly whatsoeuer thou doest and we acknowledge that sinne is the cause of all thy fatherly visitations And forasmuch as it cannot bee but that this sicke party is oppressed in the weakenes of his body by the strong tentations of that common enemie Sathan who endeuoureth so to lay his sinnes to his charge whereof no man is free that if it were possible he might so farre feare him with thy seuere Iustice for the same as that he might despaire of thy mercies and consequently of his owne saluation Wherefore wee thy weake seruants here assembled doe humbly and hartily pray thee to abandon and abolish that infernall Serpent that his false suggestions creepe not into the heart of this sicke party but arme him or her so with a liuely faith that thy holy Spirit may so possesse his soule that the enemie may finde no place for his tentations Besprinkle his heart so with the meritorious bloud of thy Sonne that the deuill seeing and obseruing a stronger then himselfe to possesse the house of his soule he may be enforced to flie and no further to pursue him Cause Lord that some tokens may appeare in this sick person that his soule and conscience are quieted by the presence of the holy Ghost in him whereby we thy most humble suppliants may receiue some comfort in the fruit of our prayers for him And as touching his sicknes we submit our desires to thine owne will yet if thy good pleasure be so as to restore him to the former health which wee in his behalfe entreate thee to the end that hee and we may glorifie thee for thy great mercie in healing him and that he by this thy fatherly correction may learne to liue the residue of the time that he shall here enioy in new and more perfect obedience But if otherwise thou be pleased to dispose of him namely to take him out of this mortall-life giue him wee humbly pray thee an vnderstanding heart to know and to consider his mortality and the glory to come a sound minde perfect memory with a feeling faith patience and obedience that without feare with cheerefull alacrity hee may surrender his soule vnto thee Receiue it good Father as the soule of an Elect Saint and send his body which must rest and remaine in the earth vntill the generall rising againe of the dead a most ioyfull resurrection that he may then enioy the full perfection of glory with thee both in soule and body which we humbly pray thee in the name of Iesus Christ graciously to graunt and that it would please thee to come quickly and finish the worke which thou hast begun
consider it as it is in thy purpose I finde it to be an ease vnto mine inward part through thine owne gift of faith in beleeuing it to proceed of thy meere loue and of patience to beare it knowing it to be a most wholsome medicine to cure mee of my disease of sinne which in it selfe is mortall Howsoeuer I haue deserued to be more seuerely punished to be brought to a more miserable and poore estate then yet I am yet Lord remember thy mercies and the merites of Iesus Christ thy Sonne and for his sake lay it not ouer heauily vpon mee Leaue mee not altogether destitute of things necessarie for my competent reliefe here but as thou hast iust cause fatherly to correct me So yet graciously protect me preserue me from too great miserie though I deserue not thy mercie yet I haue a meritorious Mediatour with thee for whose sake thou mayest be pleased to mitigate my hard and miserable estate and to giue me patience to vndergoe it with competent foode and rayment and contentment therewith And defend me Lord from the iniuries that vsually thy poore children are enforced here to endure In thee I trust O Lord whose prouidence I hold my chiefest portion for of thee commeth my saluation my safety and sufficiencie Thou diddest create me Lord and madest mee a liuing creature who cannot subsist or continue without such ordinarie meanes as thou hast ordained for humane sustentation which thou affordest vnto the most brute beasts that call not vpon thee how much more vnto them that faithfully aske it of thee I come vnto thee most mercifull Father in Iesus Christ who as thou hast made all things and possessest all things so thou giuest and disposest all things to euery man a portion according as thou thinkest most fit for euery man And therefore forasmuch as thou seest pouerty a fitter portion then riches and want then wealth I accept it with hearty thankfulnes knowing that thou art able to relieue me as well with little as with much And though my portion bee small thou hast promised to nourish me and to sustaine me Thou refreshest the thirsty soules and fillest the hungry with good things and by promise nothing wanteth to them that â—eare thee The meanest of thy creatures which thou hast ordained for the vse of man and the least portion thereof blessed by thee cannot but bee sufficient be it but pulse with Daniel and his fellowes yea the meanest dyet shall so fructifie to the reliefe of my weake body as I in faith feeding vpon the same shall liue thereby and when thou wilt thou canst encrease my portion as thou diddest the oyle and meale of Eliahs Hostice Also consider Lord that pouerty and want not affording for the time competency to supply our great necessity enforceth to borrow and mens harts are hard and Creditours cruell Let me neuer fall into their hands but as thou diddest send a preuailing guest vnto the widow of Sarepta Eliah by whom through thy power and prouidence her little oyle and meale euen wholy consumed was so encreased as she had sufficient not onely for the reliefe of her and her family but to pay her debts with the rest This was thy doing O Lord And thou art still the same God who in my greatest necessity canst raise meanes either by the help of man whom thou somtimes appointest to relieue thy distressed ones or by blessing my lawfull labours and endeuours If they all faile thou hast infinite other meanes reserued onely in thine owne wisedome to helpe in most neede If thou couldest send that raueuous fowle to feede Eliah in his hunger much more canst thou afford ordinary meanes to relieue me and to enable me to pay all men their due a duty required of thee and I cannot performe it but by thee into whose hands I had rather fall then into the hands of cruell and mercilesse men I am vnder thine hand O Lord support me with thy grace strengthen my faith that I faint not that being in thy prouidence relieued I may as I truly doe ascribe vnto thee whatsoeuer comfortable supply I shall enioy at thy hands humbly recommending my selfe and mine estate vnto thy blessing in the name of Iesus Christ to whom with thee and the holy Ghost be all honour praise and thankes for euermore Amen Lord encrease my faith A short Prayer to bee said of him that is in pouertie and want O Eternall God most mercifull and louing Father in Iesus Christ thou hast created me of the dust of the earth and hetherunto sustained my earthly body by earthly meanes which I acknowledge to proceede of thy goodnesse onely and of thy meere blessing without the which nothing can succeed comfortably vnto me but through thy blessing the weakest means shall bee sufficient to sustaine me and for all thy mercies thou requirest onely in mee a liuely faith in thee prayer vnto thee and patient wayting on thee So though my portion be hâ—re pouertie yet as long as thou art pleased to showe thy selfe a louing father towards me I shall be releeued nourrished protected and preserued in my greatest want of the necessaries required for the sustentation of this short momentanie miserable and mortall life Lord I beleeue thy promises made vnto all beleeuers that in their greatest necessities Thou wilt neuer faile them nor forsake them Lord I beleeue confirme my beleefe make mee strong in faith that I may serue thee faithfully and pray vnto thee feruently that so I may vndergoe my troubles and wayte thy gracious pleasure patiently to be supplyed in what I want timely knowing that thou art a God that shewest mercie and yet as a louing father thou correctest thine owne deerest children to retaine them in obedience thou hast corrected me I feele thy rod thy rod of loue not of thy heauy displeasure and wrath for if thou shouldest deale with mee and punish mee according to my merite I could expect no mercy I haue of sended thee I haue sinned against thee and doe acknowledge that pouertie and want though heauy and burthensome vnto flesh and blood cannot be a sufficient punishment for my euill deseruings and were it not that thy mercies doe farre exceede thy souerity I had not onely more deepely beene afflicted but had perished long agone O Lord I acknowledge this thy correction iust and gentle yet consider Lord that I am weake to beare it and therefore I humbly praye thee to support mee with thy hand that I fall not altogether and furnish mee with thy grace that I fainte not I see no humane helpe O Lord whereon to depend or hope there is none to succour mee but thou whome I haue offended and how dare I come boldy to begge of thee whose many and infinite blessings I haue so much and often abused If therefore I should come in myne owne name thou mayst iustly turne thee from me O happy am I that I haue one with thee in whose name I may
that of the wicked but their endes not alike Wherefore then should a man fearing God be sorrowfull for his afflictions seeing he is thereby occasioned to search and to trye his wayes that finding himselfe guiltie of disobedience to God he may the more speedily returne vnto him lifting vp his heart and his hands to him and say I haue sinned and rebelled against thee therefore dost thou worthily punish me Fooles saith Dauid by reason of their trangressions and because of their iniquities are afflicted and is not euery man that feareth not God in the rancke of Dauids fooles nay who is so righteous that hath not committed folly by sinning and who then can be free from affliction If God should not correct vs herâ— for our sinnes he could not but reserue vs for destruction hereafter for such is the vilenesse of sinne and so odious to God as he neuer lets it goe vnpunished in Gods dearest Saincts here for a little space and the obstinate hereafter for euer therefore better to suffer chastisement here for a moment then to be heere free and hereafter perish for euer better to be corrected in the world then to be condemned with the world And we must consider that as we seeme and find our selues endued with a greater measure of guiftes and graces then some other men so we must thinke that God will trye these graces in vs and the power and vertue of them by afflictions and troubles here that through our patient suffering we may be knowne to be what we would be reputed to be for the wicked commonly come not in to such calamities as the children of God doe vnlesse by their wilfull running into miseries and dangers by their impious actions but the godly are not so much agents to procure as patients to suffer their afflictions they are tryed as siluer from the drosse by the fire of tribulation to make them perfect Yet such is Gods great mercie and fauour towards his owne as although he punish them he proportions their afflictions according to their strength and their strength according to the weight of their correction giuing them grace to possesse their soules in patience in greatest crosses causeth them to reioyce in them through the hope of the eternall weight of glory promised Seeing then that all Gods children are to suffer in one kinde or another and they that liue at their libertie and in the pleasure of sinne without trouble in what a lamentable case are they that doe not onely not fall into like affliction but boast of their freedome from all kinde of crosses Are there not some that say I was neuer troubled by Sathan I neuer felt any of his temptatiâ—â— Another I haue neuer 〈◊〉 sicke in all my life A third I knowe no enemie that I haue A fourth I want nothing my corne and Cattle prosper and I haue enough to maintaine me during my life Another boastes of his thriftie children Another of his beautifull buxum and louing wife Doe not many silly men thus foolishly â—latter themselues and thinke that God dealeth thus fauourably with them aboue others as an argument of his loue towards them farre aboue those that are many wayes afflicted but let them consider it well and they shall finde the contrarie for if God indeed loued them he would assuredly correct them for hee chastiseth euery sonne that hee receiueth for euery man is a sinner and for sinne he correcteth Therefore haue such men as are free from troubles greater cause by farre to suspect themselues to be out of Gods fauour then to boast of his loue and to thinke rather that they are vnder the power and slauerie of Satan and that the world the pleasures of the â—lesh haue bewitched them for where Satan is silent he suffers men to sleepe securely he is loath to trouble them out of their secure slumber And hee is content â—hat the world should smile vpon them and to giue them all sensuall content neuer desiring to crosse them And this maketh many poore soules falsly to imagine that they are here euen in Paradise when the deuill hath them Captiues But when it pleaseth the Lord of his great mercie to alter their carnally pleasing condition and to giue them some bitter potion or some precious eye-salâ—e to make them see the danger they stand in by awaking them by his correcting rod And they begin to be sensible of their miserable estate and to encline to repentance Then shall they finde Sathan before silent as a Lambe roaring as a Lyon bereft of his prey labouring by all infernall and â—lattering meanes to retaine them still And where before he seemed not to appeare in his likenesse in vsing any apparent tentations finding them already sufficiently chayned vnto him seeing now his Captiues like to breake loose and to escape They shall finde he will vomte out a floud of hellish tentations after them to bring them backe againe and will leaue no meanes vnattempted neither inward tentations nor outward allurements nor the enclinations of a mans own will to ouerthrow them And where before hee was contented they should be free from troubles and afflictions hee will now worke all the meanes he can to loade them with all kindes of miseries not to make them better but as much as in him lyeth to driue them to despaire in God And as Iobs wife by his instigation said to her husband to curse God and dye So that their case is dangerous that liue securely free from Sathans malice from feeling of their sinnes and from worldly troubles and happy are they that suffer here vnder the gentle hand of God and according to his will Sathans tentations and greatest afflictions are no new and strange things but vnto them onely that haue long beene lulled in the lap of all kindes of pleasures When crosses in deed light vpon them they thinke them strange but vnto the dearest children of God they are and haue beene euer familiar and Gods Elect Saints haue beene euer companions in afflictions Therefore St. Peter to the comfort of all afflicted to the end of the world saith Dearely beloued thinke it not strange concerning the firie tryall which is amongst you to try you as though some strange thing were come vnto you but reioyce in as much as ye are pertakers of Christes sufferings that when his glory shall appeare ye may be glad and reioyce Therefore let euery man comfort himselfe in his proper affliction And consider well the course that Almighty God taketh with afflicted men be they punished in his anger in iustice or chastined in his mercie the naturall man maketh no distinction betweene iust punishments and fatherly corrections hee thinkes the chastisements of Gods children to be of the like nature as are his iust iudgements vpon the wicked And therefore maketh no difference but concludes all vnder one and the same sentence of wicked men because they
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
Psal. 51. Ver. 3. What confession wee must make Iam. 2. 10. Sorrow for sin a good beginning of true repentance yet not perfect without perseuerance in wel doing Sathans illusions 〈◊〉 4. 14. Not to beleeue Sathans suggestions Sâ—â— Iusiâ— Math. 8. 29 Sathan guilty of the sinne against the holy Ghost 1. Ioh. 4. 14. Iam. 4. 7. As Christ triumphed ouer Sathan so shal all beleeuers Euery faith full Christian combating with Sathan hath Christ his second Sathan noting whereunto man is enclined feedes him with occasions to offend Eph 2. We are neuer free from trials Sathan hath swift wings to follow and to tempt sinners Most worthy men haue beene guilty of great sins If there were no sinne there needed no Redeemer None can loue God but such as he loueth Christ is the truth the way and the life Pray God accepteth inward sighs for sinne Sicknes of the soule sicknes of the body great afflictions The soule and body feele one the others sicknesse Sathan in our health tempteth vs to sinne and in sicknesse presents it vnto vs. Sathan is most busie to tempt vs to distrust God when wee are neerest our death The true childe of GOD is most tempted of Sathan wherby he may know that sathan hath no share in him When wee are wâ—akest and Sathan busiest God in Christ is strongest for vs. God sheweth great fauour by drawing vs out of the power of Sathan by sicknesse Exo. 15. 26. The neglect of the word and seruice of GOD a great sin Ioh. 11. 4. 15. Prayer an argument of the child of God The effects of true repentance Fit signes of repentance in a sicke man A sick man may inwardly pray thogh standers by obserue it not Wee may pray for health in our sicknes and seek to the Physician so we depend not more vpon his â—rt theÌ„ vpon Gods blessing To abandoÌ„ cunning men and women so reputed 2. Kings How thankfulnesse should appeare vpon recouery Comfort against death Not to fear death for it frees vs from many troubles and brings vs many blessings How to prepare vs for death How to disâ—ose of worldly things before we die and how to leaue all The ioyes of heauen are inexpressible Why wee should desire to dye Pouerty and want a great affliction Riches and pouerty variable Easier to fall then to rise Riches and pouerty may both proceede of Gods mercie The ground of true prosperity The cause and meanes are to be examined how a man comes poore To get and ryotously to spend is idlenesse it selfe Idlenesse the cause of many sinnes God sends pouerty want to weane vs from sinne that fulnes procured Great difference betweene the rich gluttoÌ„ aud poore Lazarus God dealeth well with vs to take away the meanes that make vs proud Pouerty nor riches make men good or euill Pouerty to some better then riches Men iâ—dged happy and vnhappy according to their welth and want God iudgeth not according to the outward appearance Foode and cloathing a sufficient portion Superfluous foode and rayment haue vndone many God is ready to receiue a prodigall God neuer faileth the faithfull Math. 15. 33. 34. Math. 14. 17 Mar. 6. 38. God can satisfie his children with little Deut. 29. 5. It is a great dishonour to God to thinke he cannot doe now as he did of old for the reliefe of his Before corporall wee are to aske spirituall things Math. 6. 13. God as he was so he is and will be for euer Why God depriueth men of their libertie The Prison a place of libertie to serue God It is a death to a carnall man to bee preuented of his pleasures The minde may bee at libertie when the bodie is imprisoned Many are worse after then before they were imprisoned None is restrained of his liberrie but by Gods Prouidence though man may bee the meanes As all men are sinners so all men deserue câ—rrection If a corporall prison be irksome what may we thinke of the infernall God restraineth men here to giue theÌ„ libertie hereafter The cause of imprisonment is to bee considered Gen. 39. 14 Math. 13. 4. He that is imprisoned without iust cause may reioyce 1. King 22. 27 Most godly men haue beene imprisoned As the cause is so ought the counsell to be Diuers causes of imprisonement What is required of a man imprisoned Treason the most capitall sin A Traytor worthy of most cruell death The Maiestie of a King daunteth a Traitor Traytors bewray their intentions by outward gesture No good subiect will pitie the death of a Traytor Murther a crying sin Act 28. 4. The blood of the murthered cryes against the murtherer The prison is a fit place for a murtherer to repent if he haue any grace It is not sufficient for a murtherer to confesse the fact to God but to men The guiltlesse maybe suspected and suffer for the fact of another not confessed Euery man knowes the offences against the Lawes that deserue death God sometimes punisheth an offendor for some former sin by the suspition of a fault he did not commit The offeÌ„ce of mans Lawe is the offence of Gods The sooner an offender is preuented of his sinne the happier is he Better to suffer here then hereafter Though the Law of God commandeth to owe to men nothing but loue yet there must bee lending owing but there ought to be no defrauding by owing Eccl. 29. 4. Ver. 5. 6. The picture of Bankrupts They that can will not pay are worthilie punished They that willingly would and cannot pay are to bee pityed Fit to examine the cause that driueth a man to borrow A good man may be indebted imprisoned for it and that no argument of Gods displeasure The pleasures whervpon men spend their meanes are nothing but drosse The last fit refuge for a poore man that cannot pay his debts Gen. 39. 14. to 21. Math. 7. 12. Luk. 6. 31. Math. 4. 24. Men ought to doe as they would be done vnto Charity begins at home a prouerbe often ill applied The course of cruell men Some brag to make dice of their poore debtors bones The policy of some creditors How can a cruell creditor pray forgiue me as I forgiue A godly rich mans best vsury They are deceiued that thinke goodnes to consist in goods Pro. 10. 15. 16. If the rich change robes with the poore the poore will be the Gentleman the rich the begger The rich Glutton and poore Lazarus Luk. 19. A worthy example for rich men to follow Good counsell for the rich A dead maÌ„ hath no goods Rich credicoâ—s must not wâ—rke all extremities that humane lawes permits Wilfull able debtors may be enforced Enemies are necessarie Psal. 55. 19. Enemies are better then flattering friends The way to trye a true friend from a flatterer It is a mischiefe not to knowe a friend from a flatterer Rom. 16. 18. The best meanes to auoid slander is to liue vertuously Math. 18. 7. To giue no cause of offence If