And therefore not to think it strange when any crosse or affliction befals vs But rather thereby to take occasion to call our selues daily to accompt what we haue done against the Commandements of God and to acknowledge that for those sins that we haue done God corrects vs. Let vs beware that we bee not found of the number of those whom neither Gods angrie countenance which appeareth in the seueritie of his punishments nor his fatherly chastisements and instructions contained in his word can reclaime from committing sinne nor from whom Gods gentle correction can draw hearty confession of them and true repentance for them We must also consider that it is not enough for vs to confesse our sinnes barely to God for hee knoweth them better then wee our selues but with our confession wee must acknoweledge that God may iustly condemne vs for them And therefore wee must ioyne with the confession of our sins true and sincere repentance for them which yet auaileth not without a liuely faith in taking hold of the blood and merites of Iesus Christ in whome and for whose sake our sins are pardoned And this faith must bee certaine it must be an assured confidence of the promises made in Christ in whom a sinner truely penitent and faithfully confident is iustified and neither by our bare confession or best workes but by the meere mercy of God in his Sonne As there is no man but sinneth daily So hee must daily confesse his sinnes to God and truely repent them not as Iudas Kayne Iudas confessed he had sinned betraying the innocent blood and repented but not in faith his repentance was a desperate sorrowe not for the sinne hee committed but for the horror of his reprobabation So did Kayne confesse his sinnes My sinnes are greater then I am able to beare but he tepented not to the obtaining of mercie Confession of sinnes and repentance without faith auaileth not It auailed not Pharaoh though hee confessed the righteousnesse of God and his owne and his peoples sinnes But Peter confessed his sinnes and repented with tears So did Marie Magdaline and their repentance is recorded by the holy Ghost to teach all posterities how to bewayle their sinnes a right They were great sinners yet through faith and repentance obtained pardon which to the comfort of greatest sinners sheweth that there is yet place of repentance and acceptation into Gods fauour for them vpon sincere repentance God himselfe affirmeth that He desireth not the condemnation of a sinner but rather that he repent and be saued And againe hee saith Haue I any desire that the wicked should dye or shall he not liue if he returne from his euill wayes And what is it to returne vnto God but true repentance for our sinnes And we are to consider that that repentance which is perfect indeed is ioyned with the keeping of Gods Commandements and none can say or assure himselfe that his confession of his sinnes and his repentance is accepted of God vnlesse he adde all his desires to fulfill the Lawe of God for the breach whereof God afflicteth his owne dearest children with sundrie crosses to preuent his cursses which hee inflicteth either here vpon the disobedient and vnrepentant to cause his owne to auoid sin by the example of his seuere iudgements whereby hee beginneth here to punish them or reserueth his punishments of them vntill his finall condemnation of them Markes of repentance are contrition and vnfained sorrow for sinne committed ioyned with a liuely faith in Christ for pardon of them and a setled desire and purpose euer hereafter to walke in a holy feare to displease God againe by our sinnes namely by the outward breach of Gods Commandements for the committing of things contrary to the Lawes of God is that sin we should repent vs of which by reason of our corrupt nature we cannot but coÌ„mit without the especiall grace of God which although it be the free guift of God it is not obtained without liuely faith and prayer in Christ by whose stripes we are healed and for whose sake we are heard and in whose blood we are washed from our sinnes But sorrow of heart may be great and yet auaile vs nothing as it did not Kayne Iudas Esau vnlesse true faith bee ioyned therewith Sorrow indeed may cast vs downe which if it bee not in an humble and faithfull acknowledgement of our vnworthinesse to be called or accepted as the children of God by reason of our sinnes it may proue desperate And therefore sorrow for sinne and faith in Christ to be pardoned ioyned together will assure vs that God is our God and that wee are his people that he is our Father and that wee are his sonnes and daughters If then we finde in our selues the burthen of our sinnes truely and plainely confesse them to God and heartely repent them we cannot but through faith in Christ assure our selues that our sinnes are pardoned and hauing an inward assurance thereof we must acknowledge that these graces proceede of no other thing then of the meere merites and mediation of our alone and onely Sauiour Iesus Christ who disdaineth not to call vs thus receiued into the Communion of the Saints of God brethren whom God knewe before the world was predestinated to be made like to the Image of Iesus Christ adopted in him and by whom we haue redemption in his blood euen the full forgiuenes of all our sinnes through his grace wherewith hee hath made vs freely accepted of God Now then we being through the grace of God made the Sonnes of God brethren and coheires with Christ shall wee thinke that he will not also furnish vs with the spirit of his Son which dwelling in vs we shall be able faithfully to cry Abba Father and what is that but to teach vs how to pray to God his heauenly Father in his owne name Therefore Whatsoeuer we shall aske the Father he will grant it vs for his sake so we aske according to his will in a liuely faith and waâ—â—â— not for he that wauereth is like a waue of the sea tost with the wind Though therefore our Tribulations be great and our afflictions many waies grieuous yet seeing they proceed from so louing a Father we may not thinke them to be inflicted vppon vs in displeasure but in a Fatherly regard of our soules health Which as sinne hath impaired so his gentle chastisements are as wholsome medicines to heale it And as no Physicke be it neuer so salutarie for the health of the body is sauorie to the Palat So Gods corrections howsoeuer they are sent as eyther Antidotes to preuent sinne or Medicines to cure it They are not pleasant to Flesh and Blood for the time But as corporall physicke though harsh in the tast hauing it working in an vnsound sound body begetteth health and is then much commended with many thanks to the
and Iesus Christ and therefore must thou continually wrestle as long as thou liuest here in the flesh not onely with the infirmities of flesh and bloud but against principalities against powers and against spirituall wickednes against worldly gouernours the Princes of the darknesse of this world all inuisible And thinke not thy chiefest conflict to be with the visible men of this world but looke euery houre to be assayled by one spirituall enemie or another and when thou feelest any motion in thy heart to any kinde of sinne thinke thou presently now I must either fight or be foyled for there is no string away Sathan hath swift wings he will ouertake thee and finde thee out goe where thou wilt and that thou findest in thy selfe by the present horrour of thy conscience for thy sinnes which hee layes before thee as in an vgly glasse shewing them to be so monstrous as they be vnto thee as hell it selfe Be not yet dismayed take hold of Christ though not with thy hand as the woman in the Gospell yet with thy heart fasten vpon him with a liuely faith and hold him fast for nothing preuailes with him nor against Sathan and sinne but a strong and liuely faith in Iesus Christ. In this assurance stand fast be not afraide though thou be guilty of many and great sinnes so was Dauid and many worthy men of olde yet they obtayned pardon and were through the merites of Christ imputed righteous The mercy of GOD wrought vpon their sinnes for if all men were of them selues righteous needing no repentance how should the mercies of God appeare what auayled then the death and merites of Christ Why should he be reputed a Redeemer a Sauiour or wherefore should he be called a Mediatour if there were no sinne or sinners Hee came not to call the righteous such as feeling no sinne in themselues hold themselues iust but hee came in deede to call sinners to repentance and to saue through his bloud such as feele and acknowledge their sinnes Therefore be thou not afraid though thou feele thy sinnes burthensome vnto thee hee euen Christ came to ease them if thou faithfully beleeue in him And thinke not but faith and true repentance can and will turne Gods iustice into mercy his anger into fauour and his most heauie displeasure into loue euen into that loue wherewith God loueth his dearest children freely for he loueth none that loue not him and none can loue him but such as he loueth for to loue God and to be beloued of God are of God alone And they to whom he vouchsafeth this heauenly fauour to loue him are filled with all fulnesse of whatsoeuer may make them assured of their saluation quieting and pacifying their afflicted consciences and giuing them inward setled peace Therefore if thou haue and feele an inward godly sorrow that thou hast offended so louing a God and hast in thy selfe a desire to be reformed and to be reconciled to God Thou needest not feare for the loue of God towards thee is not absent neither are thou altogether destitute of thy loue towards him And therefore whatsoeuer Sathan doth suggest against thee beleeue him not beleeue thy Redeemer he is the truth he euen he doth assure thee that at what time so euer thou shalt repent thee of thy sinnes from the bottome of thy heart the Lord will put them out of his remembrance He is the truth that hath promised this and he will assuredly performe saluation euen to thee though thou be a grieuous sinner if thou truly repent and faithfully beleeue that thy sinnes are pardoned in his bloud who is also the way he hath traced out before thee and for thee a perfect example of righteousnesse patience and obedience walke in it then as he is also the life he shall be thy life and mauger sinne Sathan and death thou shalt liue and liue for euer Pray therefore vnto GOD faithfully and feruently and he will assuredly ease thee euen here of that heauie burthen wherewith thy conscience seemeth to be grieuously afflicted and oppressed And for thy further instruction and helpe if thou be so ignorant as not knowing how to pray to thy comfort thou mayst vse the Prayer following or according to the measure of that grace which God hath giuen thee sigh and groane inwardly to God who accepts euen inward desires to repent and to be reconciled to God as if they were prayers in deede so it be in faith from the heart or thou mayest vse any other godly prayer which may best expresse the sorrow of thy heart for thy sinnes the forgiuenesse of them and the assurance of thy saluation A Prayer for the forgiuenesse of sinnes that afflict the weake conscience of a sinner OEternall euerliuing and most louing Lord God in Iesus Christ towards them that feare thy name and walke vprightly before thee and a seuere Iudge vnto impenitent sinners who onely knowest the thoughts and secrets of all hearts from whose all-seeing eye no sinne or sinners can be hidden Consider Lord that I was originally made to thine owne Image in righteousnesse and holinesse and that I became corrupt and consequently sinfull by his transgression in whom I was first made holy and doe confesse my selfe O Lord one of and the worst of all the cursed seede of him in whom all posterities became accursed and I cannot conceale the corruption which I haue had receiued from them by whom I was begotten and borne and that this corruption now become mine hath begotten and brought forth so many and monstrous sins in me as I am not onely not worthy to be called thy Sonne but ashamed to be knowne to be the worke of the hands of so great so gracious and so righteous a God for my sinnes O Lord are so great so hainous so odious and so many in number as haue so farre ouergorged my corrupt heart so infected my wretched soule with the filthinesse of them that I feele euen the stink of them so loathsome vnto mine own guilty Conscience as I cannot but holde my selfe detestable in thy sight Mine Iniquities are gone euer mine head a burden too heauie for me to beare O wretch that I am how dare I come into thy presence such a trayne and troope of intollerable sins accompaning me Thou canst not Lord but obserue see and seeing and obseruing my hainous sinnes how can I but feare that thou in Iustice wilt not only put me back and reiect me and my praiers but worthily and deseruedly confound me I haue an accuser a Iudge and an executioner within me I am Arraigned and condemned euen by the accusation and witnesse of mine owne guilty Conscience the horror whereof hath beene and is such as hath made mee affraid to seeke to thee whome I haue so deeply offended for pardon lest that in thy fury and in the seueritie of thy Iustice thou shouldest leaue me to the will of him
if thou were one whom Sathan had in his owne power hee would permit thee to rest quietly he would not disturbe thee but finding thee to be inwardly enclined to seeke the Lord praying for pardon in his Sonnes merites which hee cannot endure without roaring and raging against thee suspecting that he hath lost thee now altogether though thou were somtimes something seruiceable or rather according to naturall corruption slauâ—shly enclined to his workes of darknesse before the Lord in fauour visited thee with his fatherly corrections to reclayme thee from Sathan and sinne to make thee his obedient Sonne and the more thou declinest from him and his tentations and the more thou louest and enclinest to serue God with a pure heart the more will hee euer seeke to molest thee and if it were possible to driue thee to dispaire But feare not whatsoeuer he shall obiect against thee or lay vnto thy charge though when he seeth thee weakest hee will trie his strength against thee most Beleeue that when thou art weakest God is strongest for thee and Sathan though hee dare to tempt the dearest children of God as he did Christ himselfe yet he trembleth when he seeth Christ with his holy Spirit assisting thee and by his merites layd hold on by a liuely faith comforting thee feare him not therefore but encline thine heart vnto God and know that this thy sicknesse hath not fallen vpon thee by chance or by Sathans malice It came euen by Gods meere prouidence in loue to correct thee here in the flesh to call thee home vnto him that thou perish not with them whom Sathan hath subdued that haue not walked in the feare of the Lord whome Gods louing corrections could not reforme A greater mercy of God can not be obserued then to draw a sinner out of the power and slauery of sinne and Sathan by a gentle hand to make him hiâ— owne Coheire with Iesus Christ his Sonne and it is the end of this his correcting thee Repent thee therefore of thy former sinnes and beleeue sted fastly that in and through the bloud and merits of Christ thou shalt assuredly be saued and so shalt thou finde that this enemie of thine will giue ouer further to pursue thee As touching the forgiuenesse of thy sinnes how haynous so euer they be in quality or how many so euer in number they shall not be imputed vnto thee Thou hast beene already taught that all afflictions of whatsoeuer kinde doe proceed and are inflicted vpon vs for sinne and especially for the neglect of hearing the word of God and practising what it teacheth And yet not alwayes simply for sinne but sometimes that the glory of God may the more appeare especially in healing the sicke Lazarus dyed and yet Christ said that his sicknesse was not vnto death not so vnto death but that hee knew hee could and would raise him againe though hee were foure dayes dead and buried And therefore was his sicknesse and death onely that the glory of God might be seene by raising of him and the faith of his Disciples be the more confirmed but we must impute our sicknesses and all other crosses as layde vpon vs for our sinnes and learne by the example of good Hezekias to turne our selues vnto God and to mourn not so much for our sicknesse as for our sinnes Thou therefore that art thus afflicted in body and no doubt in minde also repayre vnto God in liuely faithfull and earnest prayer aboue all things for the pardon of thy sinnes for prayer if it be feruent is the most euident argument that thou art the childe of God and preuaileth much for where true saith is there necessarily followeth true repentance faith and repentance for sinne and offending God are inseperable And if thy repentance be serious it will either produce outward teares or inward griefe for your sinnes though teares be not alwayes ready not verball prayers powerfull especially in a sick man whose powres are commonly so shaken with the force of the disease as griefe of the heart can hardly wrest teares from the eyes or words from the lips yet with God it shall be accepted both sufficient prayers and preuailing teares if thou finde such griefe in thy heart for thy sinnes and such a desire to be reconciled vnto God in Christ as may but moue inward and silent sighes vnto God who respecteth more the holy disposition of the heart then any outward action or gesture of the body it shall bee sufficient though some outward showe of faith and repentance be necessary for the satisfaction of such as visite a sicke person if he can but showe it by the tongue in speaking though weakely confessing his sinnes lifting vp his hands or eyes it may argue the inward heart wel prepared and that hee wanteth not the spirit of God And therefore if your sicknesse be so violent as that you cannot showe verball tokens of the working of Gods spirit in you whereby they that come to visite you cannot witnesse for you your sorrow by your outward coÌ„fession It is enough that God knoweth it by your inward true sorrow of heart It was enough that God saw that good King Hezekiah in his sicknesse inwardly bewayling his sinnes though hee could not with plaine termes vocally and with fluent words as hee was wont but inwardly to mourne like a Doue and to chatter like a Crane very weakely and obscurely yet God vnderstoode him and accepted his weake vtterance as a most earnest and effectuall prayer So that if it come to passe that thy weakenesse become such as thou canst not vocally and verbally pray as by thy sicknesse it may come to passe though thou be in present perfect memory thy heart though neuer so faint may yet haue a feeling of Gods mercies and may shew it selfe powerfull to God though it seeme weake vnto men for God is absolute in vnderstanding can and doth conceiue the meaning of thy heart farre better then in thy best strength thou canst thy selfe vnderstand it As for thy present sick estate thou must not be carelesse of it but after prayer for pardoÌ„ of thy sinnes thou mayest craue restitution of thy bodily health if God who can restore it thinke it fitter for thee then death and thou art not only not forbidden but commaunded to seeke the lawfull helpe of the Physician prouided that thou depend not so vpon the Art of the Phisician as to exempt and neglect thy prayer to God for a blessing vpon it for if God giue not a Diuine working vnto the physick howsoeuer it may seeme to worke it may helpe one part and hurt another A cluster of Figges healed Hezekiah and the washing in Iordan the Leaper yet neither the Figges nor the water of their owne nature cured their diseases it was God gaue the vertue to both and therefore whether thine infirmitie be inward or outward with the meanes vse prayer that God may giue
God and that our afflictions proceed from his finall anger neuer to bee appeased but these his sugiestions are false let vs not beleeue them let vs beleeue that whom God doth chasten he loueth and therefore we may assure our selues so much the more that we are the children of God by how much we finde these tentations in vs for if we were his as he would sugiest vnto vs that God is angry with vs and wee not his he needed not to trouble vs but he knowing that wee are the Lords hee worketh by all meanes to drawe vs to distrust in God and that the merits of Christ cannot auaile vs. But let vs be strong in the Lord let vs trust constantly and confidently in the merits of his sonne armed with the shield of faith and buckle vnto our selues the sword of the spirit which is the word of God which doth containe most sure promises that he will neuer leaue vs nor forsake vs let vs pray alwayes with all manner of prayer and supplication in the spirit and watch thereunto in a holy patience with all perseuerance So shall wee see the saluation of God his power and prouidence in deliuering vs out of all our troubles of whatsoeuer kinde or such inward comforte as shall make our most bitter and sharpest afflictions sweet and easie And for asmuch as sinne is the greatest and most heauy burthen of misery that any poore childe of God can be afflicted with It is the principall part of a Christian to seeke to be vnburthened of the same not as to bee carelesse in the search of his sinnes and so to feele no burthen for he is like a man sicke vnto death and yet will acknowledge he feeleth no sickenesse at all but he that findeth his sinnes most grieuous vnto him and most deiected for them is nearest vnto pardon so he acknowledge them and in a liuely faith in Christ repent them Comforte for a man afflicted in conscience by reason of his sinnes COnsider first whosoeuer thou art that art troubled in minde 〈◊〉 thy conscience afflicted by 〈◊〉 â—f thy great sins 〈…〉 not thy case alone to be a sinner it is a common disease and sickenesse of the soule originally deriued from the transgression of Adam and remaining in the nature of all his posteritie outwardly shewing it selfe in vngodly wordes and deeds spoken or done against the Law and honor of God and inwardly by the thoughts desires of the heart conceiued against the Law of the spirit And happie is hee that can consider his owne wayes and that can and doth examine and finde out the sinnes which are hidden in his owne heart which to all other men are concealed but not from God The heart is an vnfadomable depth of sinne and rebellion against God and the best man by nature is guiltie of many secret and hidden as well as open and known sinnes for The imaginations of mans heart are onely euill from his youth And many odious sinnes proceede from that corrupte fountaine Such as men are ashamed to reueale and were it possible they would conceile them from God him selfe and therefore they often striue to keepe them in their priuate bosomes vntill they become so heauy burthensome as they can no longer beare them without vnspeakable horror and vnquietuesse of minde vntill they become as a worme so venemous in the Conscience as eateth and deuoureth all peace and comfort of the heart which the Deuill seeketh continually to feed and agrauates the sinnes grieuously in the minde of a poore sinner that he begins to fainte and as it were to sincke vnder the burthen of his afflicted conscience which is the most heauy crosse of all crosses a burrhen importable where it lighteth and it seemeth to bee in some measure thine owne case and is indeed dangerous for that soule that sinneth and perseuereth therein shall dye and it seemeth thou feelest the weight of grieuous sins which makes thee sad melancholicke and heauy which is yet a token that thou art not so dead in sin as that there is no feeling of sinne in thee which may be an argument that there is some life of grace yet in thee and that the spirit of God is not altogether dead in thee for if thy conscience were so feared vp and hardned that there were no sinne felt of thee thy case were farre more dangerous and though thou groanest and grieuest vnder the burthen of thy sinnes it may be onely for feare of the Iudgement of God and his punishments due for thy sinnes which is in it selfe but a seruile and slauish feare But if thou grieue that thou hast offended God by thy sinnes and dishonoured him by thy transgressions this proceedeth of a godly sorrow and so a signe that there is yet place and time for thee to repent turne vnto God therfore despaire not of the mercies of God in Christ who through thy faith if it be liuely and stedfast will be thine Aduocate by whom and by none other or other meanes thou shalt be reconciled to God and not dye in thy sinnes Thy sins are great great and fearefull the iudgements of God for sinne yet greater then both is the mercy of God towards a truly penitent sinner he is much displeased for sinne yet retayneth not he his anger long against a sinner if he returne vnto him for mercy is more pleasing vnto him then Iustice And though he seeme to turne away his louing fauour from thee being a notorious sinner and suffer thee to lye plunged and as it were wallowing in the bloud of thy sinnes and leaue thee destitute of all inward feeling of comfort yet if thou were the most haynous sinner and haue but an inclination an inward true desire to regaine his fauor and be truly sorie that thou hast offended him hee will turne againe and haue compassion vpon thee he will put away thine iniquities and cast thy sinnes into the botome of the Sea for as high as the heauen is aboue the earth so great is his mercie towards them that truly feare him God is iust in deede But if it may be so said he is more mercifull then iust but to none but to such as doe not onely feare and grieue for their sinnes as did Iudas and Esau But to such alone as in a liuely Faith take hold of the merites of Christ who in deede died for sinners but not for such as die in their sinnes as they did There must a reconciliation be made betweene God a sinner before he can assure himselfe of pardon and remission of his sinnes and that must not be delayed it must be to day before to morrow for as life is short and vncertaine and repentance requireth some time to be perfected though there be one example as of the Thiefe vpon the Crosse of suddaine repentance it is not so easie or speedy a worke to be well done there be many
lets which you shall finde in your selfe and many blockes Sathan will lay in your way therefore what you purpose to doe doe it speedily willingly faithfully and fully There is no meanes for you to be eased of the burthen of your sinnes but to cleaue vnto God in the merites of his Christ whome God the Father hath sent into the world to saue all those be they neuer so great and grieuous sinners as doe truly confesse hartily repent and faithfully beleeue the pardon of their sinnes and that they shall be saued through him If therefore thou truly beleeuest in Iesus Christ and appliest his death and merites vnto thy selfe in a full assurance and a setled perswasion that he dyed euen for thee then were thy sinnes neuer so great and haynous in quality neuer so many in number were they as red as scarlet or coloured as purple his bloud euen the bloud of that Lambe shall make them as white as snowe And therefore did Dauid crie wash mee O Lord wash mee and make mee cleane And what should hee wash but his sinnes And wherewith but with the meritorious bloud of Iesus Christ And before you can be thus washed and cleansed before you can haue the terror of your conscience eased and appeased You must confesse and lay open your sinnes before the Lord and say with a feeling and faithfull heart Against thee against thee O Lord onely haue I sinned and done euill in thy sight It must not be a lip confession as to acknowledge thy sinnes with thy mouth and to retaine them in thy heart Such a confession is hypocriticall and encreaseth thy sinnes were thy sinnes neuer so small in thine owne opinion yet oughtest thou to thinke them great and grieuous and so they are for the least sinne that a man commits is the breach of the Law and he that breaketh the least is guilty of the greatest It seemeth thou dost in deede feele already the grieuousnesse of thy sinnes by thy heauinesse and mourning which is a good beginning of repentance but vnlesse thou doe therewith conioyne Faith in the merites and bloud of Iesus Christ and dost truly purpose and endeuour to leade a new life thy repentance will be still imperfect Thou mayest also feare God and yet little profit thee except thou beleeue in the mercies of God in Christ for the deuils themselues feare and tremble at their finall sentence of vtter condemnation To feare God as a Sonne is in deede a most heauenly vertue and is found in none but in the very sonnes and daughters of God for their feare is not so much of the punishment for sinne as for that they haue offended so louing a God by their sinnes But to feare God for the first is to feare him as a Slaue that feares more the whip then to abuse his Maister And this feare proceedeth of the suggestion of Sathan who tempts and allures thee to sinne perswading thee that thy greatest sinnes are but veniall and easily pardoned by saying onely Lord haue mercie vpon me or by some superficiall and light confession And when the sinne is committed he tells thee that thy sinnes are so great and haynous as they can not be forgiuen Agrauating that seruile feare which often drawes silly weake soules to dispaire of Gods mercies Thou grieuest that thou hast sinned because thou hearest that euery sinner shall die And yet thou thinkest it sufficient to thinke yea and to confesse thou art a sinner and Sathan would haue thee goe no further And so farre he will permit thee to goe without hindering thee as he did Kayne and Iudas but when hee sees thee begin to leade a life contrary to that he hath led thee and lulled thee in when he obserueth thee to shew any fruites of true repentance hee will then tell thee it is a needlesse labour for thy sinnes are so great as God will neuer forgiue them though thou repent neuer so mâ—ch Beleeue not this auncient lyer though hee doe perswade thee that thy sinnes are so great as the bloud of Iesus Christ can not preuaile to heale thee of them beleeue him not I say for he himselfe knoweth though to the agrauation and â—ncrease of his owne torments 〈◊〉 Iesus Christ came into the world to saue greatest sinners that repent and beleeue in the merites of Christ of which number because hee knoweth he cannot be he laboureth and vseth his infinite infernall Ministers to draw as many as hee can to his disobedience and condemnation Beleeue him not nor feare him not hee is a lyer in his suggestions and weak in his power and though he doe perswade thee that thy sinnes are so great as cannot be pardoned in the bloud and by the merites of Iesus Christ beleeue the contrary for he himselfe knoweth and hath confessed Christ to be the Sauiour of the faithfull and he that shall finally condemne him and all vnbeleeuers Art thou come to torment vs before the time saith he foreshowing that there is a time appointed for his vtter condemnation at the last day Hee knoweth that Christ came to saue sinners and that without exception of any sinne the sinne against the holy Ghost excepted of which sinne hee is highly guilty and therefore neuer to be forgiuen Take vnto thy selfe therefore a spirituall courage and defie this reprobate lyer this malignant aduersary to his face and tell him in a liuely feeling of the spirit of God in a true and firme faith that thou beleeuest in Christ thy assured Redeemer and hee shall not onely not preuaile against thee but he shall flie from thee And for thy more strength put on the whole armour of God and he will buckle it vnto thee that armed Christ against this common and mortall aduersary who ouercame him and triumphed ouer him hee will arme thee so on all parts that thou shalt not feare to encounter him hand to hand as Christ did Thou shalt combate with him and conquer him as Dauid did Goliah and therefore yeeld not to his tentations feare not his suggestions Looke vp vnto Christ thy Sauiour though hee be in the heauens glorified and hath his Throne of glory there hee will yet be thy safe second here hee will be euer on thy side therefore if through frailty thou shouldest be in some measure foyled as it seemeth thou art be not discouraged he will enter the List for thee and in thy behalfe And as soone as that infernall Champion doth but obserue that thou art seconded by him that hath alreadie conquered him he will not abide the field he will flye and forsake any further pursuit of thee Yet remember that this enemie will seeke and spie all occasions to take thee at any aduantage and will marke whereunto thou art still enclined and according to thy coÌ„mon course of siuning hee will feede thee with occasions to moue thee to offend thy louing God
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
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
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
whereunto thou knowest my weake nature is enclined And thou Lord well knowest what a malicious and subtill aduersarie I haue Sathan that endeuoureth to draw me to rebell and to kick against thy fatherly corrections suggesting vnto me that they proceede of thy finall hatred towards me and coueteth to feede my carnall enclination with the vaine pleasures and delights of the world and the lusts of my corrupt heart and to reiect the yoke of thy gentle chastisements But Lord thou hast taught me to know and I haue found him as in deede he is a lyer an enemie a tempter O giue mee wisedome to obserue and strength to withstand all his tentations and aâ—lurements that I may onlâ—â—elie vpon thy prouidence mercie and goodnes wherein I know that all the troubles and afflictions which I now endure and that thou shalt hereafter impose vpon me are the true and infallible tokens of thy loue towards me And therefore shall neither my hope nor my patience in suffering be weakened notwithstanding his malice Though I should walke through the valley of death yea if Death were instant before me I will not feare for thou art with me in all my dangers to succour mee Thy rod thy staffe they comfort me Affliction and sorrow may endure for a little time and then coÌ„meth ioy Thy dearest children O Lord endure troubles but as they come of thee so are they eased againe by thee Thou hast sent me great troubles O Lord and many aduersities haue befalne me but not without thy prouidence and thou hast hether-vnto sustained me in them all I will therefore goe forward in thy strength who hast hether-vnto vpholden me by thy power And therefore my trust and sure confidence is that I shall neuer perish in whatsoeuer troubles Though sorrow and heauinesse vnder mine afflictions may seeme to oppresse me and to presse mee downe yet taking perfect holde through a liuely faith of thy neuer-fayling promises I am assured in thy good time to be finally relieued comforted In the meane time O Lord giue mee perfect patience and let my faith neuer faile mee But as thou hast willed me I cast my burthen euen the burthen of my sinnes for which thou correctest me and the troubles which thou inflictest vpon me for my sinnes vpon thee my Christ who hast suffered both for my sinnes and for the punishment of them And hast promised to nourish me to sustaine maintaine and vphold me in all my tryals Lord I haue had experience of thy goodnesse mercie and fauour towards me euer since I was borne by thee I haue beene stayed from the wombe Thou tookest me out of my mothers bowels I haue euer since tasted of thy goodnes thy power hath held me vp thy prouidence hath euermore found out meanes to relieue mee in my greatest necessity to defend me in my greatest dangers to ease mee in my greatest griefe O my God grant that I now may not distrust thine accustomed mercies but may still assure my selfe that when greatest danger shall befall mee that rather then thou wilt leaue me helplesse thou wilt giue thine Angels charge ouer me that I shall not be vtterly out of hope of helpe and that thou wilt send from heauen and saue me Thou hast promised to couer the faithfull euen with the wings of thy protection I beleeue Lord therefore I pray that thou wilâ— sustaine me and deliuer me out of some of my troubles I embrace thy chastisements O Lord with a thankfull heart knowing that that man is blessed whom thou correctest Be not therefore far from me O my God though I be compassed about with many troubles Though feare possesse my soule confirme my faith I shal not faint Thou hast promised not to be farre from them that call vpon thee faithfully let not therefore faith faile me O Lord and then lay what thou wilt vpon me for I know thee to be my Lord that hast made me my strength that hast hether-vnto sustayned mee my Redeemer that hast saued me and he that will for euer preserue me Amen Lord encrease my faith FINIS Patience beareth all things Patience brooketh not a repining heart Patience is neuer idle Patience a marke of the Childe of God Psal. 38. 15 Where no triall is Patience cannot appear Rom. 5. 3 4 Afflictions make not a Patient maÌ„ miserable but rather honorable Carnall men think Patience sottishnes Patience findes comfort in the end 2. Kin 18. 〈◊〉 2. Sa. 16. 〈◊〉 Why God sendeth his children troubles Heb. 12. 11 God limiteth our afflictions Iob 5. 6. Seuerall kindes of afflictions Luc 21. 1. We ought to imbrace whatsoeuer God layeth vpon vs. Afflictions Medicines for sinnes Good thinges become euill to the wicked Afflictions the crowne of the godly Gods children haue least rest in the world Iob 5. 17. Luk. 21. 19. Heb. 12. 6. Reu. 3. 19. God correcteth none but for sinne Sinne causeth afflictions No man is here punished according to the merit of sin Psa. 19. 12. Psal. 32. 5. No man can hide his sinnes from God 1. Io. 1. 9. The entrance into Gods fauour is to confesse our sinnes God doth not punish euery man a like Mat. 26. 75. 2. Sam. 12. 13. Though God forgiue our sinnes hee keepes vs in awe by some crosse Ver. 14. Beware of hardnes of heart We must with confession of our sinnes ioyne repentance in faith Math. 27. 34. We must daily confesse our sinnes because wee daily sinne but not stay vpon confession as Kaine and Iudas did Pro. 9. 27. Io. 11. 2. Ezec. 18. 32. Ver. 23. What true repentance is Markes of true repentance Sorrow for sinne and faith in Christ must goe together It is onely the grace of God that worketh repentance Rom. 8. 29. Eph. 1. 5. 6. 7. Wee bee made the sonnes of God in Christ in by whom wee haue power to pray vnto the Father 1. Io. 5. 14. Iam. 1. 6. We ought to take our afflictions patiently because they are sent of God God sendeth sometimes afflictions to make vs to acknoweledge his power with thankefulnesse in remoouing them Gods stripes hurt vs not but heale vs. Iam. 5. 10. They are blessed that suffer with Patience Counterfeit Patience Afflictions here the liuery and badge of Gods children Christ afflictions here in the world Nothing befalleth vs but by the prouidence of God Christ suffered not for himself but for vs. What is required of vs for the release of our sinnes How wee ought to make peace with God Sinne the greatest affliction that can befall a man Sinne a common disease and sickenesse of the soule of euery man Gen. 8. 21. All sinne proceedeth from the corruption of the heart A seruile feare 1. Io. 2. 1. 2. Gods mercies greater then our sinnes Micah 7. 18. 19. Psal. 103. 11. God died for sinners but not for such as dye in their sinnes The means to be eased of sinne 1 Ioh. 4. 14. The bloud of Christ is able to clense the greatest sinner
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
miserie and what comfort this comfortlesse place affordeth where I can neither sleepe nor wake but vnder locke But Lord as Paul and Ioseph through thy onely loue towards them and thy prouidence ouer them found grace and fauour with their keepers so worke in the hearts of them vnder whose custodie I am that they vse no stricte seueritie towards me that I may call vpon thee more freely and feruently O Lord I am poore and my Creditors haue no pitie there is no compassion in man but with thee is mercie and timely Redemption thou hast thine owne time to correct and thine owne time and meanes to comfort a time to cast downe and a time to rayse vp though thou seeme to forget thy poore prisoners in permitting them to suffer long and to endure much yet hast thou a fatherly care of them and in thy good time doest euermore deliuer them I beseech thee in the loue thou bearest to Christ thy Sonne my Mediator that when thou seest the measure of mine imprisonment is sufficient to satisfie the seueritie of my Creditors worke their hearts to that compassion towards me though I bee vnable to pay them all as that they may remit my restraint and admit me to my former libertie that I may the better follow the meanes by mine owne lawfull industrie and thy blessings whereby I may attaine vnto such a portion as I may be able as I am willing to pay them all and to owe nothing to any man before I goe hence and bee no more seene but loue If it bee thy good pleasure Lord to take me out of this life before I can make ful satisfaction to my Creditors impute it not vnto me as a sinne but accept my will to doe it as the true performance of it that in peace with thee and as much as in mee lyeth with all men I may surrender my soule into thy hands which though my body be my soule is not so imprisoned as to be restrained from comming vnto thee nor preuented of it ascention to the place of libertie and glorie where Christ my Sauiour is ascended notwithstanding the crueltie of them that now couet to retaine my flesh whereof it may be if they could they would wish to make some profit for their satisfaction which I must then leaue vnto their wils to be disposed Most humblie comending my selfe my soule and my body into thy diuine and heauenly custody vntill the time In the name of Iesus Christ thy Sonne to whome with thee and the holy Ghost be for euer as hath beene from the beginning eternall glorie Amen O Lord increase my faith endue me with perfect Patience and in thy mercie timely deliuerie A Caueat for cruell Creditors that keepe poore men in prison whom they know vnable to pay that for which they keepe them in prison THE practise of Christian charity hath euermore beene to doe to other men as a man desireth others to doe vnto himselfe and is grounded vpon the words and strict commaund of Christ himselfe who willeth all men that whatsoeuer they would that men should doe vnto them they should doe vnto others And againe by way of caueat he saith Take heede what ye doe and how ye deale with other men for what measure ye met to them the same shall be measured to you againe this is the truth yet are ye so hard hearted as for a little money or other matter to keepe a poore man in prison depriue him of his liberty preuent him of the exercise of his calling disable him to prouide for his owne and the reilefe of his poore wife and children and yet account your selues Christians If ye be Christians in deede and not in name onely you cannot but commiserate the necessity of your brethren and approue your selues Christians by louing them by helping them by relieuing their necessities and that freely for Christes sake whose they are as he hath commanded Be not such louers of your selues as onely to respect your owne priuate profit and to encrease it by oppressing your poore brother for so he is howsoeuer base and howsoeuer your selues are glorious And in steed of comforting ayding and relieuing him to imprison him the more to impouerish him doth not this show you are none of the houshold of faith who loue one another helpe one another relieue one another as fellow members of one body whereof Christ is the head There is a prouerbe in deed Charitie begins at home And so it seemes and where it begins there it ends where it is bred there it lyes at least it neuer goes abroad to the comfort of the comfortlesse to helpe the poore to relieue the Widow and the Orphan This keeping charity in a mans priuate bosome is the cause that man is become a deuill to man Wolfes deuouring one another by vsurie by extortions by fraud by deceitfull contracts and vncharitable bargaines in wrapping poore innocent men that stand in neede of the helpe of your aboundance in bands morgages and such griping and cruell conditions as poore men are not able to performe and vpon breach of payment or not performing some vnreasonable conditions you vnconscionably exact the penalties take the forfaitures and all aduantages that the seuerity of the Law will allow you thereby vndoing husband wife children and many times the friends of a distressed man and many times not satisfied with all that the poore man and his friends are able to make you keepe the poore body of the party in prison for the vttermost farthing and content your selues oftentimes to passe by the Grate where you heare the poore crie for bread bread O wofull and most impious vncharitablenesse fearefully condemned by the sentence of God himselfe Nay who hath not heard with his eares hatefull to be heard some cruell man say hee would make dice of his debters bones he were as good to say hee would eate his flesh like a Caniball And what lesse doe they that enforce a poore debter to perish in prison there to leaue his bones and flesh too for the satisfaction of the Creditor to make vse of both his bones for dice and his flesh for Mummy fit Relicks for cruell creditots sweet odours for their consciences and wholsome Phisick for their hearts Alas what will a poore mans carkasse profit you what vse can you put it vnto being dead in prison if you retaine him till he pay that he cannot pay dye there he must But your policie is there to keepe him in miserie to draw compassion towards him of some of his friends to engage themselues for your satisfaction It sauours indeede of policie not of piety Is not one mans vtter vndoing enough but the ouerthrow of two or three more and their families for company as often times it happeneth by your extreame crueltie O miserable Creditors can you truly pray to God that is mercifull forgiue my debts as I forgiue my debtors your selues so vnmercifull
originally from Sathan who moueth and maketh mariages as farre as in him lyeth betweene vnequals which may import many inconuenient matches not made in the feare and reuerence of God great inequality of yeares and much difference in estates cause often disparagements Houses and riches are the inheritance of Fathers but a prudent and vertuous wife is the gift of God And he that findeth such a one recâ—iueth a fauour from the Lord. But how can any man thinke that God will bestow such a fauour vpon him without asking Abrahams seruant that was but put in trust to get a wife for Isaack his Maisters sonne went not rashly and as the prouerbe is hand ouer head in this weighty businesse as to take the first that came to hand as many doe that conclude the match at the first sight But hee prayed vnto the Lord to send him good speede in the choyse and wayted the Lords prouidence and besought him to shew him certaine probable tokens that the mayde Rebecka was she whom God had appointed for Isaack That businesse which is begun with faithfull Prayer to God seldome or neuer succeedeth ill And aboue all other earthly occasions there is none of higher importance then the choyse of a wife or a husband either of them being an assured crosse or a comfort as long as both of them doe liue And for want of this heauenly beginning faithfull Prayer to God it many times comes to a helliâ—h ending which may be a motiue to stirre vp men and women intending to entertaine this holy estate to craue direction and wisedome from God both for their choyse and peace in that estate And because many already coupled together seeme discontent and afflicted in minde at their mutuall crosses now past reuocation They must be content to make a vertue of necessity namely to vndergoe the burthen that the one vnkindly layes vpon another and to pray either that God will ease it or giue them patience to beare it A Prayer fit to be said by man and wife together or by either of them at any time in priuate O Lord our GOD most mercifull and louing Father in Iesus Christ vouchsafe as it hath pleased thee of thy great mercy to conioyne vs man and wife together according to thy holy institution in the beginning So let our hearts be truly conioyned vnto thee in a liuely faith and true obedience And so frame our affections one towardes another as there appeare no cause of breach of our sincere mutuall duties to the offence of thee But by thy blessing wee may as long as we liue endeuour to preserue and maintaine peace and vnity betweene our selues being a thing pleasing vnto thee Endue vs both Lord with thy grace heauenly spirit that as thou hast by thy holy ordinance of â—wayne now made vs one so our hearts affections and enclinations may be euer one not according to our naturall dispositions but answerable to thy blessed commandements that wee giue no cause of offence each to other and that wee may euer endeuour to continue perfect and mutable in our mutuall loue which we by nature cannot doe for wee are corrupt and sinfull of our selues and alwayes most enclinable to forbidden things We haue also O Lord thou knowest a subtill and malicious aduersarie who striueth to crosse in vs all good desires and to peruert our best duties to raise discordes debates quarels and as much as in him is to breake the band of fidelity which we made each to other before thee He began thou knowest O Lord with the first couple Adam and Heuah It was he that seduced the woman and shee by his meanes betrayed the man and so subuerted their blessed estate of innocencie and made them subiect to all kindes of miseries and their posterities whereof we thy poore seruants are feeble and sinfull members And as he began in malice and subtilty to betray our first Parents So is he alwayes busie to sowe the seedes of debate and strife betweene vs. But Lord preuent him and assise vs by thy power that we may haue power to resist him and all his suggestions and tentations Then as thou Lord hast ioyned vs together nothing shall seperate our mutuall loues but Death And forasmuch Lord as this estate though in it selfe honorable may bring vpon vs many troubles crosses and afflictions incident to marriage estate in the world yet by thy fatherly blessing we shall be able to vndergoe them with patience or to auoyd them with thankfulnes It is not in vs in our wisedomes strength or policies to preuent or auoyde the infinite troubles and vexations which this estate bringeth with it Therfore we humbly pray thee O Lord to endue vs with wisedome froÌ„ aboue that whatsoeuer thou haue determined shall befall vs be it pouerty or plenty sicknesse or health weale or woe we may embrace the one with patience the other with thanks And in both support vs in thy loue guide vs by thy grace protect vs by thy power and prouide for vs in thy prouidence If pouerty or want assaile vs supply our necessities if riches encrease make vs thankfull and alienate our hearts from too much loue of them If sicknesse or any corporall infirmity ceaze vs be thou our Physician to cure vs If health continue leaue vs not in security but giue vs watchfull hearts to wayte the time of thy visitation If the fruits of our bodies encrease encrease to vs the meanes to sustaine them both with corporall spirituall necessaries And prepare vs for the day of our departure out of this mortall life and in the meane time so season vs in all heauenly and diuine knowledge with true faith and perfect obedience vnto thee as that day may be vnto vs the first day of our euerlasting Sabaoth Be thou also wee humbly beseech thee O Lord a continuall guide vnto vs in our calling Blesse vnto vs and vnder our hands whatsoeuer we endeuor to performe in thy feare and let thy blessing be vpon all that appertaineth vnto vs. If enemies seeke to molest vs to trouble vs or to hurt vs preuent them of their euill deuices and graunt that wee giue no cause of offence to any nor be stirred vp to reuenge vpon euery light occasion but vpon all occasions to leaue the reuenge to thee And that we may seeke to maintaine peace with all men to loue our neighbours to comfort the comfortlesse and as farre as thou shalt be pleased to enable vs to hâ—lpe succour and relieue the poore and needie and to doe vnto other men as wee desire other men to doe vnto vs To guide and gouerne our family in thy feare to frequent the places where thy holy word is preached seeking the Kingdome of Iesus Christ and to doe all other holy duties according to thy will vnto our liues end Amen O Lord encrease our faith and our mutuall loue one towards another How the Husband ought to behaue himselfe towards his