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
that hath bene the principall instigator of me to sin and now the chiefe accuser of me for sinne and thinketh that he had and hath such a share in me throgh my former often consenting vnto his inticements that thou my God were not able to take me out of his hands But now holy heauenly and mercifull Father in Iesus Christ through thy grace vndeseruedly working in me I haue found him a deceiuer an imposter an enemye who hath done what lyeth in him to worke my ruyne by my rebelliō against thee throgh his continuall tentations vsing all his impious Instruments to deceiue me the pleasures of the world the lust of mine own flesh which hath bin euer prone to be allured by him And I wretched creature blind in all good thinges neuer obserued what a dangerous course of life I haue to this day walked in vntill now Now deere Father as it hath pleased thee of thine owne free mercie to open the eyes of my sinning soule to see that I haue lōg erred and that all that I haue hetherto done hath bene euill So now seeing mine owne wicked deseruings giue me power to repent me for all my sinns Reforme me O gracious Father reforme mee and by thy grace ease and comfort my grieued hart through the powerfull and effectuall working of thy spirit henceforth in mee that now at the last I may taste of thy goodnesse and rich mercy in Iesus Christ Though I haue nothing in my selfe to moue thee to haue compassion vpon me yet remember that I haue a deseruing and a preuailing Aduocate with thee whose merites may moue thee and his mediation preuaile with thee for me And therfore I haue hope that I shall be pertaker of his all sufficient satisfaction made for all sinners among whome I cannot but acknowledge my selfe the greatest and least deseruing thy fauour O my God I feele my miserable estate I acknowledge the grieuousnesse of my sinnes and that for them thou mayest iustly condemne me but that I haue learned by thine own promises that there is mercie with thee that thou delightest not in the condemnation of a sinner but rather that hee should repent and turne vnto thee and liue Lord haue mercie vpon me haue mercy vpon me for I am weake I feele a burthen of my sinnes that presseth me downe and nothing can raise me but thy mercies in Iesus Christ. O giue me a liuely faith that I may apply the preuailing merites of that sacred Lambe crucified for all beleeuers to the washing away of all my sinnes and to the ease of my guilty conscience heauily burthened therewith so shall my poore afflicted and distressed soule be refreshed my heart now grosly defiled shall be made cleane mine affections now altogether ranging after vnholy things shall be changed into perfect obedience vnto thee and Sathan that hath long and maliciously pursued me with his most violent tentations shal◠flye at the presence of thy holy spirit in me and all my thoughts imaginations desires words and workes shall be sanctified and made holy by the same Spirit O hide not therefore gracious Father hide not from me thy louing countenance but turne away thy face from my sinnes blot out all mine offences out of thy remembrance create in me a cleane heart restore to mee the ioy of thy saluation and stablish me with thy free spirit and let me neuer returne again to my former slauery of sinne and I shall offer vnto thee the vnfayned sacrifice of praise for thine vnspeakeable mercies All honour glory to Christ my Redeemer and to the holy Ghost the obedience of mine vnfayned heart for that he assureth mee of all these incomprehensible blessings Amen Lord euer more and more encrease my faith Comfort for the sicke THe miserable estate of a man perplexed in conscience for his sinnes is the greatest affliction that can befall a man in this life which is the sicknesse of the soule for a wounded conscience who can beare And next to it there is not a greater then is the extremitie of the sicknesse of the body and therefore neede these two sicknesses aboue all other crosses to be especially sought to be eased the first with spirituall the next both with spirituall and corporall comfort They are Twinns borne together and liue together though the one by inspiration the other by propagation And therefore if the soule be diseased the body can not though it may seeme contrary be in perfect health It will shew apparent tokens of the sicknesse of the minde and if the body be ouermuch tormented with the grieuousnesse of sicknesse the soule cannot but feele through a mutuall loue which is between the soule and the body a kinde of griefe and sorrow I will therefore apply vnto thee whome I see to be cast downe by thy bodies infirmity the counsell comforts which may first ease thee of thy inward feares and troubles for it can not be but that Sathan that auncient enemie of al mankinde hath beene busie in the time of thy health to draw thee to sin that by sinne thou mightest offend God that by offending God thou mightest be reiected of him and now finding thee visited by the hand of God with grieuous sicknesse fore-showing either the speedie approaching of death or a gentle forewarning thereof hee cannot be lesse watchfull and diligent in this thine extremity nay farre more then hee was in thy most healthfull estate to trouble thee for when thou wert healthfull and strong thou couldest nor but be by the corruption of thy owne nature proane to sinne And this common enemie of mans saluation worketh vpon our corruption and our ablenesse to sinne And when hee findeth vs most weake in our bodies and our sences and powres labouring against the violence of our infirmities then he commeth and presenteth vnto our guilty consciences the sinnes which he before prouoked vs to commit In the sicknesse of the body hee findeth fit oportunity to trouble vs for although hee knoweth not the time which God reserueth in his owne wisedome and power when any man shall dye yet when sicknesse comes he knowes it is the fore-runner of death and therefore hee knoweth that then or neuer hee must imploy all his Engines and batteries or else for euer rest frustrate of any hope to preuaile And therefore he will solicite thee now to distrust in the mercies of God in Christ and will suggest vnto thee that now thou seest and feelest that GOD is displeased with thee and that hee hath no delight in thee as if thou were his he would haue hee would not torment thee as hee doth and that thou were as good to cast off all thy hope in him as to deceiue thy selfe vainely trusting that hee will yet shew thee any mercy or louing countenance These fearefull assaults it cannot be but thou dost or mayest endure at this thy capitall enemies hands if thou be in deede the true childe of God for
at the iust proceeding of the Magistrate whose Lawes I haue offended nor against them by whome I was found guiltie nor against the Iudge by whose Sentence I am condemned for they are all thy Ministers O Lord and haue done nothing but what thy good pleasure is they should doe And therefore I impute vnto thee O Lord all equitie Iustice and righteousnesse to my selfe nothing but sinne shame confusion O God though thy Iustice requite that sinners should here be punished yet thou reseruest mercie to them that are sorie that they haue offended thee I am sorie O Lord I am sorie that I haue committed the least sinne against thee but this grieuous sinne for which I am inforced to suffer I lament and repent more then death it selfe because I haue thereby dishonoured thee wronged those to whome I rather should haue done my best dutie I haue caused others to sinne by the example of my sinne and haue inticed them that otherwise might haue liued without the danger I haue drawne them into so that I may be said to be guiltie not onely of mine owne blood but of theirs also that haue sinned by my meanes or with mee and deserue like punishment O Lord remember that all men are sinners and there are great and crying sinnes and there are sinnes of infirmitie but Lord the sinnes that I haue committed haue cryed and thou hast heard them they cryed vnto thee for this punishment which thou hast determined iustly to be inflicted vpon me and as the censure is already past vpon me which I cannot auoid so doe I expect the time beseeching thee in the aboundance of thy mercies to giue me constancie to perseuere in a liuely faith vnto the end If my lot Lord be vntimely death and that I see I must suffer for the guilt of my trangressions here let me finde fauour with thee as that Theefe did who suffered for his sinnes and was receiued into Paradice not of desert but of thy free mercie O deale not with me Lord after my merit for then the death of my body or what soeuer corporall punishment were no satisfaction to thy Iustice Haue mercie therefore vpon me O Lord and what course soeuer man taketh with my body receiue thou my soule into thine eternall Paradice My heart is prepared O God my heart is prepared and into thy hands Lord I commend my body to be punished and my soule to be glorified in the merits of Iesus Christ my Redeemer Amen O Lord encrease my faith and confirme it to the end For such as are imprisoned for debte THe Law of equitie which is the Lawe of God requireth that a man should owe nothing to man but loue and good will which is hard at all times for the most of men to performe there must bee as there euer hath bin lending borrowing buying and selling Debitor and Creditor some debters would but cannot paye some haue wherewith will not paye the first may be pityed the other exacted For the same Lawe of equitie giueth lawfull power to a Creditor vpon conuiction to cast him into prison and there to detaine him till he paye it Many thinke that what is lent them is as if they found it making no reckoning to repaye it and so in steed of satisfaction and thankes they bring griefe vnto the Lender But in the same Chapter ver 3. men are aduised that haue occasion to borrowe to keepe their word to deale faithfully and kindely with the Lender so shall their necessities bee alwayes releeued But Men of euill conscience as is there further said standing in neede of another mans helpe will kisse their hand and humble themselues vntill they haue gotten what they desire and when they should repay it they prolonge the time and giue a carelesse answer and though they bee able yet scarse giue the halfe againe or deceiue him of his mony and insteed of thankefulnes and loue they giue him curses rebuke euill words for the good hee hath done them And this is the cōmon course of politicke and wilfull Banckeruptes and euill disposed persons that get what they can into their hands of others mens goods and either voluntarily take shelter in one prison or another intending a forceable moderation and qualification of their debts or else conuey away their goods and estates secretly and fleeth the Country intending to pay nothing at all though their estates be able to discharge their debtes and to leaue competent meanes of the rest to maintaine and releeue themselues by which sinister and too common a dishonest practise many haue vniustly inriched themselues But such fraudulent getting goods come little short of if it equalize not meere roberie though for a while they may smile at and reioyce in their impious pollicie If thou therfore haue or intende thus subtillie to defraude thy Creditors hauing sufficient to satisfie them and in the meane time sufferest thy Creditors to want who peraduenture haue as much need as thy selfe there is not onely no pitie to be had of thine imprisonment but fit a more seuere punishment were inflicted vpon thee especially if thou be of the number of them that will rather spend that in prison or in standing out in Lawe to defraude a Creditor knowing that in equitie it is due then with the same money to make him honest satisfaction or in part But if thy debt haue grown by meere necessitie of borrowing and thou at the time of receiuing it hadst a true sincere and godly purpose to repaye it by probable expected meanes and in the meane time some crosse by the finger of God hath befallen thee whereby thou art indeed preuented of thy true meaning of the performance of thy faithfull promise thou art to bee excused in thy breach and pityed in thine imprisonment not hauing conueniently wherewith to pay and if thy Creditor able to forbeare doe continue the hardnesse of his heart towards thee still detaining thee thinke it a fatherly chastisement vpon thee to inure Patience in thee wherein if thou submit thy selfe to Gods will in working for thee by faithfull prayer thy Patience shall produce the experience of the loue and fauour of God towards thee so shalt thou not need to bee so much ashamed of thine imprisonment as he may be iustly condemned that detaines thee thou maist reioyce seruing the Lord when he shall be sorie that hee dealt so vncharitablie with thee It behoueth thee yet to examine thy selfe and thy life past whether thou haue liued in the feare of God and in godly diligence in thy calling or whether thou hast past thy time in idlenesse in ryoting gaming and company keeping according to the course of too many in this corrupt age and hast beene compelled through thy deserued necessitie to supplie either thine owne vanities or thy poore family to borrow not knowing any meanes nor hauing a godly purpose to repay it if it be so and thy Creditors haue
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
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
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
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
to frame thy heart to more obedience to the Lawes of God and man for the time thou hast yet to spend in this life If God haue ordained the Magistrate in Iustice to take away thy life iustly deseruing it thou through faith by true repentance and prayer maist enioy a farre more glorious life for thy present ignomiâ—ious death If any other punishment be by the Lawes due for thine offence that it may be satisfied with the depriuation of any part of thy body according to the qualitie of thine offence or to inflict any other corporall punishment vpon thy flesh thinke it is in fauour and that God seeth it better for thee to suffer here a little smart then hereafter perpetuall torments and therefore seeing thou hast offended and made thy selfe guilty of crime so seuearely punishable submit thy selfe to the will of God and to the authoritie of the Magistrate in obedience faith and faithfull prayer A Prayer to be said of a Prisoner accused and like to bee condemned to death for some facte against the Lawes or to any other corporall punishment O Mightie omnipotent and most righteous Lord God I acknowledge thy Iudgements to bee iust and thy Wisedome and Prouidence vnsearchable wherein thou hast found me out and discouered my sins which I haue done as I thought in secret but thine all-seeing eye pierceth through the cloudes no darkenesse can hide sinne and sinners from thy presence Lord seeing thou hast found out mine iniquities and brought my grieuous sins to light I doe appeale from thy Throne of Iustice to thy Seate of mercie for I doe confesse that in thy iust Iudgement I am worthy to bee perpetually condeÌ„ned but in thy mercie I may find fauour and in the merits of Christ thy beloued Sonne I may yet be saued though my mortall body here perish Thou hast power O Lord to worke the hearts of the seuearest Iudges of the earth with Iustice to ioyne mercie not to extende the seueritie in punishing of me as the Lawe for mine offence may iustlie require But aboue all earthly Iudges I stand most affraid of thy displeasure which I doe confesse I haue iustly deserued by mine offences many in number but this for which I am now restrayned is not the least yet not so great but thou canst forgiue and pardon it But before I can bee assured of thy fauour in pardoning mine vngodly deseruings for which I lye here vnder thine and the hand of the Magistrate in bandes I must and I doe humbly and heartily seeke to bee reconciled vnto thee But alas what am I dust and ashes what am I a meere worme what am I the vilest of all sinners that thou shouldest vouschafe to accept my reconciliation with thee the Almightie God Creator of heauen and earth betweene whose sinceritie and my sinnes betweene whose goodnesse and my vilenesse and betweene whose greatnesse and my weaknesse is so infinite difference euen as betweene heauen and hell O! how can I thinke that although thou canst thou wilt bee reconciled vnto me that haue so grieuously offended How can I expect any fauour of thee whom by the breach of all thy commandements I haue so highly incensed against me I haue sinned Lord I haue sinned and many wayes transgressed thy Lawes and had it not beene of thy meere mercy I might haue beene as I haue often deserued confounded long agone I doe acknowledge O Lord and thou knowest that this is not the first grieuous offence that I haue committed and therefore were I innocent in this for which I am apprehended and imprisoned I cannot but confesse that I haue deserued the punishment in Iustice due for this But Lord call not all my former sinnes to thy remembrance cast not vp the whole account of all mine impious actions knowing that I am of the seede of him that first was in thy sauour holy and that first rebelled and became and I in him disobedient and rebellious yet as hee fell of himselfe and I in him together with all his posteritie So was the seed of the woman promised to come he is come hath suffered according to thine owne will to reconcile euen me the greatest sinner and all beleeuers into thy fauour againe the shedding of his blood hath made the attonement and he it is yea euen hee alone in whome I beleeue I shall finde thee reconciled vnto me Then Lord doe with my body here which is the actiue part of all my sinnes what seemeth good in thine owne eyes for as one haire of the head of thy children falleth not without thy Prouidence how much lesse can his life bee taken from him without thee My life and my death are in thy hands though the sword be in the Magistrates yet it is not his but thine and he but thy Minister therefore if thou saye strike he striketh if thou saye spare he spareth Seeing therefore Lord I am thus in thy disposing onele and haue learned out of thine owne promises that all things worke worke together for the good of them whom thou hast chosen my sinnes Lord that hath caused mine apprehension mine apprehension mine imprisonment mine imprisonment the knowledge of mine owne wicked deseruing and my deseruing death may all worke together for my good for except I had beene restrained I had not thought vpon but had runne on still in my sinne had I not beene punished I had not felt thy displeasure for my sinnes so should I neuer haue sought to thee for succour and pardon for my sinnes O the incomprehensible depth of thy Wisedome and mercy in thus visiting me for before I was restrained I forgot my selfe thee my selfe what a wretched creature I was and thee what a powerfull and iust Iudge thou art yet louing to them that repent which is also thy guifte I know and confesse my selfe now to be an offender and in danger and that thou art a iust God and an auenger of sinne Lord dispose of mine offending body as it pleaseth thee it is dust turne it to dust when and how thou wilt and punish it in what manner and measure thou wilt yet seasoned with thy compassion As for my soule Lord receiue it when through Iustice by the Magistrate or otherwise it shall be enforced to leaue this my sinnefull body which graunt for Iesus Christs sake Amen Lord encrease my faith and prepare mee â—o obey thee in what soeuer it pleaseth thee here to doe with me A Prayer to be said of a penitent offender going to his execution or to any corporall punishment O Lord God Almightie though thou be iust in punishing thou art mercifull in forgiuing and sauing sinners among whome there is none so great O Lord as I am who haue long liued in the practise of infinite impieties neuer thinking of the danger which now is deseruedly fallen vpon me I am worthily condemned to what thou wilt inflict vpon mee Lord giue me patience to take it without repining or grudging
pursued the Lawe lawfully against thee and by them iustly and in the Iudgement of God thou be committed to this place of restraint thou hast that thou deseruest for to borrow other mens goods to wast them ryotously vpon thine vngodly and wanton delights is most wicked it is too much so to consume thine owne substance but so to consume other mens when thine owne is spent prodigally thou art not fit to haue thy libertie for by thy lewde course of life others are induced by thine example into the same excesse of ryot and fitter it is that the prison should keepe thee in and in order then to corrupt others abroad to the breach of the diuine Lawes of God who in Iustice doth punish thee for thy sinne and yet if this thy restraint may worke reformation in thee it sauours of the loue of God towards thee If therefore thou canst and doest repent thee of the ill spent life and canst and doest faithfully seeke the fauour of God for pardon of thy sinnes in his Christ thou maist imbrace thine imprisonment and not impute it to the seueritie of thy Creditors though they were the meanes vnder God for thy good they nothing lesse intending then to doe 〈◊〉 good but to come by their owne thereby but if thou be one whome God hath a purpose to reclaime from euill to make thee good thy restraint is the beginning of thy happinesse for Happie is the man whome God correcteth They are not strangers from his Couenant of grace but sonnes and daughters whome he doth chasten therefore though thou haue plaide the part of that Prodigall sonne in consuming thy patrimony and thy goods in wantonnesse this thy restraint may call thee home againe to thy louing fathers house and will make thee not a seruant but imbrace thee as a sonne by thy repentance in a true faith What haue all thy pleasures yeilded thee which thou hast so eagerly followed when thou wert at libertie but huske for swyne durt and draffe wherewith Satan feedeth them that followe him hee seasons them with sweetnesse to the fleshly minde yet is that sweetnesse but to fleshly mindes and is meere poyson to the soule wherewith if thou feele thy selfe at any time to be infected thou hast now time to take Physicke to cure thee thou art here in the place where thy heauenly Father hath appointed thee not to destroye thee but to dyet thee and to prepare thee to receiue some bitter Pilles to purge thee from the contagious humours of thy sinnes which the corrupte ayre of wicked companions of thine hath inspired into thee and it may be if thou hadst had thy libertie stil in the open fields of this corrupt worlds delights where thou art restrained for a Peny in comparison it might haue beene a pound so the procuring of thy freedome would haue beene the more hard to be obtained if at all But thou art in prison be thy debte much or little if thou cannot paye it and thy Creditors will exacte the vttermost Farthing what is thy last and safest refuge thou maist appeale vnto the Magistrate but hee cannot but maintaine his Lawes some mittigation by mediation may bee obtayned yet thou must endure the will of thy Creditor whose seuerity may in part against his will be moderated but his heart is in the hands disposing of the Almightie and therefore make thy petitions vnto God confesse thy euill and prophane life acknowledge thy sinnes that haue caused thy trouble repent thee heartily of them bee patient in them and thou shalt see that God who made the heart of thy Creditor can molifie it and insteed of his vttermost seueritie turne it into charitie and bee thou of a meeke spirit and of an humble heart towards thy Creditor and settle thine affections vpon heauen and heauenly things praye faithfully and feruently to God it may please him to worke the meanes to free thee but in his good time Innocent Ioseph lay two yeares in miserable imprisonment falsly accused yet highly beloued of God therefore thinke it not long for God seeth the time fit to deliuer thee better then thou thy selfe But when thou art sufficiently humbled and brought to the true feare of God and obedient to his will thou maist be assured he will let thee goe free A Prayer to be often said of a man imprisoned for debte O Lord my God in Iesus Christ I doe acknowledge that I haue grieuously offended thee by my sinnes which haue so deeply deserued thy displeasure as that thou either thinkest me vnworthy of the libertie and freedome which other men enioy in the world or in thy wisedome that restraint and imprisonment are more profitable for me then libertie I doe confesse indeed that my libertie hath wrought in me many occasions to offend thee and my restraint through thy grace may worke some reformation in me When I was free of this my trouble I did not so walke as I ought to haue done but many wayes abused that freedome which thou affordest me by committing many vnseemely and vngodly actions which thou hast forbidden and by omitting many good and godly duties which thou hast commanded which brought me to necessitie necessitie inforced mee to borrow to supply my wants and borrowing and not repaying procured the dislike of my Creditors and their seueritie in thy Iustice haue brought me into this place of vnsauourie restraint from whence I haue no meanes to bee freed but by thy meere mercy and prouidence onely wherein I know thou art able to deliuer me if thou thinke libertie more profitable for mee I cannot but confesse O Lord that I haue not onely deserued this but a farre sharper punishment for my sinnes yet as thou art a most gracious and louing Father so art thou euer ready to forgiue sinners vpon their hearty repentance and their sinnâ—â— being forgiuen thy propertie is either to remoue altogether or to mittigate their punishment Lord my debtes are out of measure greater to thee then my greatest can bee vnto man and my debtes to thee are encreased by the cause whereby I am become debter in this kinde vnto man But if thou Lord maist be pleased to pardon my debtes whereby I stand indangered to thee my debtes due vnto men shall bee the more easily satisfied and I shall be the sooner deliuered from this my captiuitie for he that is freely forgiuen of thee though he be in bands at the pleasure of men yet is he free in thee and he that is thy free-man hee cannot bee restrained according to the will of man further then thou shalt permit Therefore most gracious Lord God rich in mercie and goodnesse while thy will and pleasure is to permit mee in this place of restraint to remaine graunt that I may euen here enioy the libertie of a godly minde faith in thee obedience to thee and patience in thee with necessary meanes from thee for my reliefe and sustinance for thou seest my
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
the desire of some foraine Potentate in hope of promised reward and fauour or vnder pretence of being acceptably entertained into some supposed Catholicke Societie What gaine either of these the first condigne suspition of falshood and trecherie against him who put him trust to performe a mischiefe at home for how can helesse thinke but that he that hath sworn to be a faithfull subiect to his Soueraigne and will so capitally violate his fidelitie but he will be false to him and so in steed of reward he receiues most deserued disgrace As touching the second sort that vnder coulour of Religion abandon their Countrie in hope of high aduancement in forraine parts are they not scorned of such as are their antients abroad and are they not enforced to aduenture their liues to seduce their owne natiue countrie-men from their allegeance and as much as in them may lye to betraye their owne Countrie to strangers yet thinke them safe by flying away where the Iudgement of God meetes them in euery Countrie Whether shall I goe from thy presence saith Dauid whether shall I flie from thy Spirit Take the sea for thy refuge as Ionas did thinking to flie from God did he not finde him out in the most secret corner of the ship run from land to land from one Nation to another people God will finde thee out among many millions What then doth a forraine Countrie benefite a fugitiue when wheresoeuer he becomes he carryes a hell in his bosome which will torment him in euery place in company and alone the worme of his guiltie conscience will torment him God whome hee so highly offended will appeare a fearefull Iudge vnto him and where God in his anger pursues a wicked man there is no place in the world that can secure him one mischiefe or another one horrible end or another will follow him at the heeles and at length seize vpon him without vnfained repentance and faith in Iesus Christ. As this is true that capitall malefactors cannot hide themselues from Gods iudgements in any remote Region So true it is that such as are banished or doe voluntarily flee some ineuitable danger of vndeserued enemies as Dauid did from Saul if hee depend vpon God shall finde his fauour loue presence and protection euen amongst Barbarians Turkes and Scithians for hee is vniuersall in his power vniuersall in his prouidence vniuersall in his knowledge He obserueth and seeth his whether so euer they be banished and his mercies follow them and compasse them about If they seeke him they shall finde him as Dauid found him in the Deserts of Ziph among the rockes of Engedie wheresoeuer he fled There is no place where God is not present in his mercie or iustice and whosoeuer seeketh him in faith and faithfull prayer findeth him euery where if they pray vnto him he heareth them If then thou be vniustly banished or lawfully escaped danger by sorsaking thine owne Countrey and art in any forraigne and strange Region Be mindfull of the mercies of God towards thee and acknowledge that it is he that hath deliuered thee and who will giue thee meanes to liue among a strange people Then mayest thou thinke it thy home for where a man is well there is his Countrey And admit thou be enfotced to become a seruant or a slaue in forraigne parts for thy reliefe yet if thou truly feare and sincerely serue God thou art his free man Therefore make thou this thy banishment by thy patience a token and mark of thine integrity And if thou remember any grieuous sinne that thou hast committed in thy natiue Countrey thou mayest as well repent it in thy banishment and more freely if it may be so said then in thine owne Countrey for among strangers there is not such oportunity to sinne as among familiars There is no time nor place wherein a righteous man can be barred or preuented of seruing the Lord as well in the Wildernesse as in a Chamber as well in companie as alone for a faithfull heart is neuer idle it serues God as well in prison as in the Temple Serue God therefore in feare be faithfull in him and thou shalt be comforted as well in the place of thy banishment as in thy Fathers or dearest friends house And if God see it expedient for thee he will call thee home againe to the place from whence thou art abandoned to glorifie him A Prayer for a man banished from his natiue Countrey for some crime committed or enforced to forsake it either for feare of persecution or of some mightie aduersarie that doth vniustly oppresse him O Lord God powerfull and onely omnipotent all-seeing and vniuersally wise knowing all things the beginnings proceedings and ends of all men and their actions Thy prouidence and protection reacheth from the heauens to the earth the Sea and to the ends of the world So that none can runne or be enforced to flie vnto the place where thou canst not finde him out in iustice to punish him for his sinnes or in mercy to comfort him for thine owne names sake Lord I acknowledge that I haue grieuously offended thee by the manifold sins that I haue done not onely against thine owne prescript lawes and commandements but also against the Lawes of my Soueraigne which hath incensed thy heauie displeasure against me and in thy displeasure Man is worthily moued to persecute me enforcing me to abandon euen mine owne natiue Countrey for feare of the punishment I haue deserued And now Lord being come into this place of banishment estranged from and abandoned of all my friends familiars and acquaintance conuersing among vnknowne people whose conditions qualities and professions are as yet hid from me I doe most humbly pray thee to be fauourable and a Father vnto me in yeelding me reliefe euen such as thy faithfull seruant Iacob in his flying from his brother Esau desired bountifully receiued at thy hands foode and rayment and moue the hearts of this people among whom I am enforced to liue that I may finde fauour in their sight Thou hast promised neuer to faile nor to forsake any that faithfully trust in thee and that though father and mother and all friends forsake them thou wilt be a father vnto them giuing them their daily bread which implieth all necessarie blessings for soule and body and that all things shall worke together for the good of those that loue thee As the selling of Ioseph his Mistris false accusation his imprisonment all wrought for his aduancement in a strange Land yea among a prophane people So may this my banishment and liuing among a strange people worke by thy blessing to my comfort Thou art vniuersall in thy wisedome vnsearchable in thy prouidence mighty in all thy workes and to whom all people Nations and tongues are subiect work I pray thee that I may either returne to mine own natiue Countrey in peace and safety or that I may enioy here or
wheresoeuer thou shalt be pleased to dispose of mee meanes to sustaine mee Thou art euery where Lord and raignest and rulest ouer all people thou possessest and disposest all things for all men The whole earth is thine the whole masse of gold and siluer is thine the Cattell vpon all the mountaines and in all the valleyes vpon the earth are thine and thine to giue Thou gauest Abraham and Lot portions of lands and Heards of Cattell in aboundance in a land wherein they were strangers Thou blessedst Iacob constrained to flee a poore man only with a Scrip and a Staffe and thou broughtest him againe to the place from whence he was constrained to flee with mighty Droues Lord how mercifully diddest thou worke for Ioseph abandoned from father mother and friends solde as a Slaue falsly accused guiltlesse imprisoned yet at last made the chiefe vnder a strange King of a mighty people When Eliah was enforced to flee from Ahab the King such was thy fatherly care of him that rather then hee should want his necessary foode thou appointedst the very Rauens to bring him foode morning and euening And cōmandedst a poore Widow to feede him in Sareptha And because she was poore thou through thy power and loue of thy seruant vouchsafedst to encrease her little oyle and meale neere totally consumed into so great a quantity as shee had not onely sufficient aboundantly to releeue her selfe and her family in the extreame dearth and famine But to pay her debts with the remainder When Dauid was enforced to flee from the fearefull fury malice of Saul thou diddest not leaue him destitute of necessaries euen in the very mountaines and desert places O my God how can I but assure my selfe of thy like power ouer mee thy loue towards me and thy prouidence for me hauing receiued so many sweet testimonies of thy helping so many whom in their banishments thou hast sustained and relieued in former times Thou art the same God and of the same power and prouidence therfore Lord forsake not mee in this place where I am a stranger where I haue no friend no meanes of any constant assurance to be relieued Lord let not my sinnes hinder the worke of thy mercies towards me but pardon all my sinnes and blot out all mine offences through the bloud of my Sauiour Iesus Christ whose merites extendeth to the saluation of all beleeuers through the whole earth O embrace mee Lord with the armes of thy mercies euen here where I am a stranger keepe me vnder the shadowe of thy winges teach mee wisedome that euen here I may seeke thee and finde thee and may receiue here such reliefe and comfort as I here giue glory to thy holy name for thine vndeserued fauor towards me Amen Lord encrease my faith Comfort and encouragement for Parents that are crossed and grieued at the vngodlines and disobedience of their children fit for all Parents to reade AMong the Iewes it was a reproach and a kinde of shame for a woman to be barren and now in this our age many men and women that haue begotten and borne children become grieued and ashamed that euer they begat or bare them by reason of their disobedience and vicious liues Children are the gift of God and a great blessing and comfort to godly Parents if they be good and vertuous if they feare God and walke in his wayes and then can they not but obay their Parents A wise and a godly sonne maketh a glad father but a foolish and wicked sonne is a heauines to his mother When children proue wicked disobedient rebellious and refractarie it is the greatest griefe vnto godly and religious Parents that any earthly crosse or affliction can yeeld for as the comfort is great vnto a man to beget sonnes and daughters whom God hath chosen to encrease the Kingdome of Christ So contrarily a greater griefe there cannot be vnto him then to obserue his children enclined to be members of Sathan or Antichrist Especially when a godly Father hath endeuoured through a godly and religious care to educate a sonne in the true feare and knowledge of God yet to see him to proue wicked and vngodly But thou that art thus afflicted through the wicked and irreligious course of a rebellious sonne after all the good meanes thou hast vsed to reduce him to obedience the feare of God Consider with patience that although God haue giuen thee power to be his Father in begetting him and to his Mother to beare him yet neither thou in begetting nor shee though she nourished him in her womb did giue him either forme or life How much lesse canst thon or she forme or frame his minde to vertue and godlinesse thou mayest giue good wholsome counsell vnto his eares but thou canst not infuse grace and goodnesse into his heart yet it is thy duty to doe thy best endeuour to giue him good and godly counsell with faithfull prayer to God that hee will so water the seede as it may bring forth good fruit and more the most godly Parents cannot doe It is with Parents in their desires to make their children fruitfull in godlinesse as it is with the husbandman that couets a fruitfull haruest who manures his ground soyles it ploughes it sowes it harrowes it and as neere as he can keepes and preuents the vermine from deuouring the seede sowne yet it is not his labour skill and diligence that can make it spring vp he cannot forme the blade nor infuse the graine into the eare Nor so preuent the vermine but that they will deuoure some of the seede neither can the most godly Father by his best counsell make good an vngodly Sonne Hee may sowe the good seede of the feare of God vpon the ground of his heart hee may harrow it with sharpest and seuerest threates and may endeuour to preuent venemous vices that offer to choke the good seede that hee hath sowne But if his heart be stonie thornie or neere the high way of the common sinnes of this world All his labour care and diligence will proue in vaine he must leaue the infusion of grace into his heart vnto God and to worke the practice of godlinesse in him to whom a godly Father becomes a daily and faithfull petitioner that he will driue away Sathan and the swarme of his wicked instruments from deuouring the good seede and from sowing the tares of sinne and the weedes of vngodlines in him This corrupt world is so full and fraught with wicked and ly centious youth that as soone as a young man or Mayde hath liberty to enter into the companie and societie of wantons and vngodly youth they become commonly so infected with their manners as they drinke in all kindes of vices as it were wine making them many times so drunken with vanities by examples and lewd enticements as the best counsell of wisest Parents cannot make them truly sober againe And to
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
discontented Wife IT is before shewed and there is none that is or ought to be of either sex ignorant that the man and the wife are of two distinct persons made one entire misticall body The man the head of the woman and the woman a principall member of that head whom she ought to obay In the head is or ought to be reason wisedome iudgement and all other gifts whereby it may rightly guide and direct the inferiour members and the whole body Therfore thou man that hast taken a wife and made her a member of thine owne body thou art bound to loue her with a perfect loue according to the counsell of the counsell of the Apostle who spake by the spirit of God Let euery man loue his wife as himselfe And this loue consisteth in cherishing her in giuing her competent maintenance in defending her from danger as thou thy selfe desirest to cherish maintaine and defend thine owne person Thou must dwell with her thou must doe vnto her all such duties as that holy estate whereunto you haue beene both called and as the faith plighted each to other requireth And thou husband thinke not that because she is the weaker and made subiect vnto thee that thou therefore shouldest neglect her or tiranize ouer her but to be so much the more tender ouer her by how much she is weaker Thou must loue her as Christ loueth the Church whereof thou art a member and gaue his life for it And thinke not that because thy wife hath some infirmities that therefore it is lawfull for thee to loathe her or leaue her for if Christ should so deale with his Church or with thee a member of it as to cast it or thee off for the blemishes of it who could be loued of him Let not therefore euery fault that she commits in her weakenesse cause thee to be bitter vnto her in words gesture or deedes for by this meanes thou mayest cause the meekest woman to become like one of the furies But dwell with her as a man of knowledge in passing by her infirmity for if thou loue her thou wilt not obserue at least reproue all that shee doth through weakenes against thy liking If her faults be wilfull and in thine opinion grosse and intollerable such as by nature thou seemest not to be able to beare Shew not in thy hastines a more grosse infirmity in being too furious but reproue her with meekenesse admonish her gently Let thy corrections be comfortable counsell strike her not for it is the greatest reproach in the world for a man to beate his wife And it is the way in deede though she loued thee before to cause her to hate thee And what gaynest thou by thy seuerity but a heape of coales vpon thine own head If thou canst reclaime her by counsell thou shewest great wisedome If thou canst beare with her faults so they be not capitall against God thou shalt be commended of all good men for thy patience If neither reproofe nor counsell nor conniuencie will bring her to obay thee yet art thou not to leaue her But consider seriously with thy selfe whether the cause or some great part of it be not in thee whereby shee is moued to speake or doe that whereat thou takest offence Art thou not a Gamester art thou not Prodigall of thy purse art thou not idle in thy calling art thou not often in Tauernes Ale-houses in lewde and suspicious companies consuming that vpon strangers which should maintaine thine estate and family when peraduenture thy wife and children languish in penurie at home hast thou not or dost thou not purpose to make away some things that thy wife brought thee goods or lands against her will If any of these occasions moue her thou hast reason to beare with her and more reason to reforme thy selfe for commonly men thus giuen ouer to these vngodly courses are most apte to abuse their wiues if thou be innocent free from these and thy wife through her vnciuile and immodest cariage towards thee doe abuse thee and neither counsell nor kindnesse gentle intreatie nor seuerest threates will calme her thou must sit downe by it in silence and saye It is my crosse and I will beare it The best course thou canst take to remoue this inconuenience is for thee to giue good example to liue vertuously to serue God and to praye with her and for her to repent thee of thy sinnes vnfainedly and suffer these domesticall and houshold crosses patiently Be not wilfull nor too wise in thine owne conceite as to thinke thou canst tame thy wife more by tyrannie then tractability search and peraduenture thou shalt finde thine owne faultes as great or greater then hers If thou could as well see thine owne as thou obseruest hers thou wouldest acknowledge thine owne sinnes hath caused her to become a trouble vnto thee reforme therefore what is amisse in thee and thou shalt finde a comfortable issue of thy good endeauours and prayer A Prayer to be said often of a man who hath a wife of refractarie conditions O Gratious Lord God mercifull and euer-louing Father in Iesus Christ who hast the disposing of all hearts the working and setling of all good affections in man and wife the one towards the other Thou art the Father of all that loue thee the keeper and helper of all that come vnto thee in a liuely faith who receiue comfort of thee in whatsoeuer trouble or affliction I humble my selfe before thee and pray thee in the name of Iesus Christ to pardon and to forgiue me my sinnes the ground of all my troubles the greatest whereof O Lord I finde to be the vnquietnesse of my wife and her infirmities thou gauest her me and I tooke her for a helper but thou seest she showeth her selfe rather a crosse then a comfort vnto me to the griefe of my heart and the more by reason we offend thee by our contentions Lord consider her weakenesse and her infirmities and giue her wisedome and grace to reforme them The corruption of nature O Lord is strong in vs both in her to commit things grieuous vnto mee in me too great and vnaduised reproofe of her Lord vouchsafe vnto vs both thy holy Spirit worke in vs conformitie and obedience to thy will patience to beare one the others weakenesse I cannot Lord excuse or cleere my selfe of deseruing thy iust displeasure towards me by reason of mine owne sinnes but must and doe confesse my selfe worthily crossed by her that should haue bin my comfort for how can I expect obedience of her that is by nature weake when I my selfe that shoulde showe more strength obey not thee O Lord reforme in me whatsoeuer thou seest imperfect then maist thou in mercie be pleased to reforme her We came not together Lord without thy prouidence wee were conioyned by thee and by thee commanded to loue and to cherish one the other
vs in obedience And it is he that works Patience to beare them and nothing hindreth inward comfort in outward crosses but murmuring grudging and impatience in them Afflictions indeed though they doe proceed of Gods fauour seeme nothing pleasant to the fleshly minde yet as St. Paul saith they bring in the end the quiet and comfortable fruite of righteousnesse to them that are exercised with Patience to beare them They bring through faith eternall glory in the end not as the cause but through Faith in him that suffered for vs and before vs a testimonie that God so loueth vs in his Sonne as to make vs in some measure like him by suffering with him and for his sake And when we haue suffered as much as the malice of Sathan or his Instruments by the permission of God can inflict vpon vs yet cannot our suffrings amount to the thousandth part of the best mans euil deseruings And yet many complaine of the greatnesse of their troubles that neuer either examine the haynousnesse of their sinnes or that they are sent of God to make them to know that God is angry with their sinnes and by his corrections seeketh to draw them to repentance and amendment of life If we did truely consider and duely weigh that it is God alone that measures out all our afflictions the length breadth and depth of them by his owne hand in his absolute wisedome and that neither Sathan nor the malice of man hath any further share in inflicting them vpon vs then they are limited in his prouidence did consider as Iâ—b saith that afflictions spring not of the caâ—â—h though many times by earthly men yet all of God we could not but with a most liuely and firme Patience imbrace them as sent from him What are the afflictions which can befall vs in this life They are indeed of many and sundrie sortes yet may be all reduced into these heads The griefe of the minde for sinne sickenesse of the body enemies losse of goods slanders of our good name imprisonment banishmeÌ„t which is the most heauie yet most comfortable persecution for the constant acknowledgement and profession of the Gospell of Christ vngodly children not the least crosse and houshold disquietnesse betweene man and wise the most vngodly many other branches are dependant on euery of these But what and of what nature or kinde soeuer they be they are all determined by God so to befall vs as he hath limited and none of them but haue befallen Gods dearest children And therefore let no man attribute whatsoeuer befals him to Fortune Chance or Ill-lucke common vngodly phrases vsed not by the ignorant onely but too often by such as stand much vpon their diuine knowledge A haire falleth not from our head by chance but by the prouidence of God And shall we ascribe matters of farre more yea of greatest moment vnto a cause that is not for there is neither fortune chance or lucke as they are commonly taken that haue any share in these things and therefore can they not be the cause of our troubles to which there can be no certaine euent ascribed But the will wisedome power and prouidence of God worketh according to his owne good pleasure all things vnder the Sunne Therefore ought all men to reuerence him and to suffer themselues to be guided and gouerned by him and not onely not to murmure and grudge at his corrections but to imbrace with an humble heart and patient minde whatsoeuer hee in his wisedome shall thinke sit to be laid vpon them vsing no sinister violent or forbidden meanes to be eased and not to goe before the good pleasure of God to be eased for as hee layes them vpon vs he knowes the time and meanes to remoue them wherein wee are to followe the example of Noah who as hee was shut vp into the Arke by God so would he not come forth without him neither should we that are afflicted by him seeke to be eased but by him Affliction in it selfe and of it owne nature is indeed a heauie burthen euen to a minde well qualified as it is the punishment of sinne But as God changeth the nature of it in making it the medicine to cure the sinnes of his children they become light whose crosses and corrections he sanctifieth by his grace and maketh those bitter waters sweet So that through faithfull patience his dearest children canne with comfort digest them But contrarily they bring forth in the wicked the poysonous fruites of impatience murmuring grudging and many times very blasphemies In so much as to them euen good things become euill and they become worse by that whereby the children of God are made better and therefore saith God vnto the wicked that through punishment would not amend Wherefore should yee bee smitten any more for ye fall away more and more Whereby wee are taught not to repine at the continuall prosperitie of the wicked that suffer not like troubles as the godly doe here for God seemeth to wincke a while at their wickednesse and forbeares to punish them suffering them to enioy their profits their pleasures and carnall delights here that hee may giue them their iust recompence of condemnation hereafter that refuse his chastasements here Happie are they therefore that suffer here with faithfull and filiall patience though in showe it be ignominious and in the censures and opinions of carnall and worldly men base yet is it indeede the Crowne of their glorie here howsoeuer they seeme to be neglected and reiected in the world worldlings by their true faith perfect patience humilitie and prayer they are sustained supported and in their greatest troubles deepest dangers distresses and wantes comforted and releeued and obtainning at his hands whatsoeuer small comfort they atribute it wholy and altogether to his meere mercy goodnesse and prouidence not vnto selfe wisedome policie or fortune They acknowledge their owne wisedome to bee but foolishnesse their policies friuolous and fortune a meere heathenish inuention They see and feele their owne weakenes they obserue their owne blindnesse they finde they can doe nothing of themselues towards the remouing of their miseries nor supplying of their wants but repaire vnto and relie onely vpon God in faithful prayer and wayte with patience for and receiue timely supplie By troubles and afflictions they finde the worlds inconstancie humane ficklenesse and that in the world the dearest children of God haue least rest They are tossed hether and thether one trouble followes another as the drops of raine whereby also the pride of corrupt nature in the godly is humbled their confidence in worldly meanes abated their security abandoned They finde that fulnesse bred sinne and sinne procured Gods displeasure and in his displeasure hee punisheth the wicked and correcteth the godly and neither but for sinne yet the one in his Iustice the other in mercie And therefore saith Iob to encourage the godly to
patience Blessed is the man whom the Lord correcteth refuse not therefore the chastisements of the Almightie Though therefore we be compassed about on all sides with many miseries let vs not fainte but in patience possesse our soules As Christ himselfe teacheth for Whom the Lord loueth he chasteneth and scourgeth euery sonne that hee receiueth Then are chastisements testimonies of Gods loue towards vs and therefore they that cannot abide to bee corrected showe themselues bastards and not the sonnes of God As many as I loue I rebuke and chasten Reuel 3. 19. Doth a father correct his sonne without a faulte it were iniurious and doth God correct his children that sinne not there is none but sinneth therefore none but deserue correction seeing then that sinne is the cause of Gods corrections let euery man examine himselfe and take with thankeful patience his Fatherly chastisements in what manner soeuer they befall him Touching sinne the cause of all afflictions the confession and repentance thereof and patience in troubles FOr asmuch as sinne is the cause of all our afflictions and that there is neither crosse or any kinde of trouble that befall vs but sinne causeth it In vaine it is to hope for remedie reliefe or ease vntill wee haue in some measure vnburthened vs of our sinnes for as an old house pulled downe to bee rebuilt must be rid of all rotten materials and rubbish before any good and sound foundation can be laid so before wee can receiue any inward comfort or outward release of our troubles we must cast out of our hearts and clense our soules of all the filthy loathsome dregs of sinne that lurke in them that can we not doe but by a strict and serious examination of our hearts and to call to minde how wee haue spent the time past and then shall euery man finde cause enough why God in his Iustice might inflict vpon vs in steeede of our light afflictions which are but his Fatherly corrections his most heauie iudgements seuearest punishments and in steed of our temporall and momentanie miseries cast vs into perpetuall torments Knowing then that the cause of our calamities to bee our sinnes and hauing vpon due search found out our long hidden iniquities can we but acknowledge that God hath not dealt with vs nor afflicted vs according to the measure and multitude of our wicked deseruings But as a louing father hee hath by his gentle chastisements as it were onely wincked at and beckened vnto vs to put vs in minde onely of our faults least by continuing in them and multiplying of them he should haue cause in steed of gentle corrections to vse his Iustice therefore hauing found in our corrupte hearts our vngodly and impious inclinations which haue begotten in vs infinite actuall sinnes we may not any longer couet to conceale them but heartily plainely and faithfully acknowledge them vnto God though we cannot call all our antient sinnes and the faults we haue committed long agoe to our remembrance for Who can vnderstand all his faults saith Dauid yet Dauid him selfe confessed his sinnes to God sometimes in generall sometimes in particular he did not hide his iniquities but confessed them against himselfe and was not ashamed to set them down in many of his Psalmes to teach vs if occasion be to discouer our sins for the satisfaction of men but especially vnto God as Dauid did who forgaue the punishment of his sinne Yet had he afflictions still not as punishments but as fatherly physicke to keepe his heart and affections in more due obedience and though Dauid said he did not hide his sinnes from God it is not therefore to bee collected that he could or any man can hide his sinnes from him howsoeuer couertly and secretly they commit them But who so confesseth them not he intendeth to hide them as much as lyeth in him from God that seeth them and thereby doubleth his offence But who so acknowledgeth his sinnes vnto him he is faithfull and Iust to forgiue them and to cleanse him from all his vnrighteousnesse To acknowledge our sinnes then is the very entrance into Gods fauour which being obtained not by the confession of our sinnes but in and through a firme faith in Iesus Christ through whose merites we may freely aske and assure our selues of the remission of our sinnes for he hath promised to doe it who is most faithfull and iust in his word and that doth Dauid approoue saying I confessed against my selfe my sinnes vnto the Lord and hee forgaue the punishment of my sinne He forgaue him as not to punish him in the seueritie of his Iustice though he remembred him with his gentle corrections often as hee doth his deerest children yet not all a like some hee chastiseth after a most milde manner some more sharpely yet fatherly as he findeth men docible and tractable or refractarie and hard to bee reformed for some are more and sooner reformed with a sharpe looke of the Lords countenance then some with many stripes As Peter when he had thrice denyed his Master Christ Christ but turned his face towards him at the crowing of the Cocke it was rebuke enough he went suddenly forth and wept bitterly in token of his repentance Some againe will hardly remember their sinnes vntill it be said vnto them Thou art the man as Nathan tolde Dauid who before that had slept in his sinne of adultrie and murder a whole yeare neuer thinking of it But when he was admonished from God by a parable then he confessed his sinnes and repented them saying I haue sinned against the Lord Ioyning with his confession sorrow and repentance for his sinnes And the same mouth that reproued him for his sinne and that he should dye for the same pronounced the forgiuenesse and pardon of them The Lord hath put away thy sinnes Whereby we may learne that the Lord seeketh no seueâ—râ— reuenge against a sinner confessing and repenting his sinnes though he leaue some token of his displeasure against sinne and of his loue to the sinner in keeping him in future obedience by his fatherlie discipline least he should too much presume of pardon of second sinning by the mercie of God declared by the remission of the former And therefore although he had pardoned Dauid his sinne and had forgiuen him the punishment of it yet Dauid went not without a token that he should remember that he had offended and giuen the enemies of God occasion to blaspheme God pronounced the death of the child God sees it necessarie and we cannot but thinke it expedient euen for vs That although God doe assure vs that our sinnes sincerely acknowledged be forgiuen vs yet that he beare a kinde and fatherly hand ouer vs to retaine vs in future obedience by some daily vnsauory potion to cure and to keepe our carnall apetite in order that we returne not to our former iniquities