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
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
contentions and from thence mutuall enmitie malice and reuenge make vse therefore of these backe-biting reports heare them with silence and bewray not a double faulte in thy selfe as first to commit vnseemely things and then to take them as thine enemies whome God vseth as his meanes to reclaime thee from thine errors thou oughtest rather to loue them and to doe them what good thou canst though they seeme to hate thee If they curse thee blesse them if they slaunder thee pray for them Thou canst not doe thine enemie a greater hurt nor thy selfe more good then to doe him good for the hurt he intendeth to thee for So shalt thou heape coales of fire on his head And therefore hast thou not onely no cause to grudge that God sendeth thee enemies to watch ouer thee to keepe thee humble and in obedience and vpon whome through thy patience thou maist worke much good in louing them and seeking to be reconciled to them if they then showe themselues so furious and desperatly bent against thee as they will not be reclaimed thou art not barred of thy remedie by the Lawes and the Magistrate beareth the sword to punish them and to defend thee and if thou finde no preuailing meanes thereby to bee freed from their danger bewray thy case vnto God in faithfull prayer who is a iust God to defend thee in thy iust cause and a powerfull God whome thy mightiest enemies are not able to resist Though thine enemies anger and furie be neuer so great and threaten thee with sundrie things which they will doe against thee and euen gnash their teeth vpon thee as if they would eate thee vp bee not affraid bee onely faithfull and patient and thou shalt either see thine enemies become thy friends their hatred come to an end or them selues to vanish and consume away onely liue thou godly pray faithfully and vse all ordinarie meanes lawfully then bee assured if thine enemies were more then they are more powerfull and more furious then they be they shall stumble and fall God in his prouidence can finde secret and vnexpected meanes to deliuer thee from most deadly enemies if thou call faithfully vpon him and therefore cast thy danger vpon the Lord and hee will defende thee It is not in thine owne power or policie that can saue thee vnlesse with it and aboue it thou craue and haue the power and wisedome of God and his blessing to second any other meanes thou canst vse for what is a sword a speare or armour of esteemed proofe or the strength of a horse to saue thee they are all vaine and of no force of themselues as appeared by that monster Goliah armed completely with a Helmet Brigandine and Bootes of brasse a speare like a Weauers beame and a sword did these things saue him trust in none of these outward meanes trust in the Lord he is a strong rocke a fortresse and defence in whome and in or by no other meanes canst thou bee safe It is hee that breaketh the hornes namely weakeneth the power of the wicked and strengthneth the godly he will guide thee by his counsell hee will protect thee by his power and prouide for thee in his prouidence and in the end receiue thee to glorie out of the reach of all thine enemies Brooke thou therefore with godly patience all reproaches disgraces and slaunders it is but a little while and a light burthen to beare and in the end thou shalt receiue for the ignominie and slaunders thou vniustly indurest here glorie for euermore And therefore commit the safetie of thy body and preseruation of thy soule vnto the Lord in well doing in continuall faithfull prayer and he will heare thee and deliuer thee A Prayer for a man that hath vndeserued enemies and is subiect to slaunderous tongues flatterers and false friends O Lord my God in Iesus Christ louing mercifull I beseech thee see and consider the malice and secret practises of such as are become mine enemies whereof I neither knowe the true cause nor haue wittingly deserued their hatred or malice thus against me They priuily backe-bite me and slaunder me behind my backe they vpbraide me and speake euill of me vnto my face vniustly giue mee patience O Lord to beare it and wisedome so to carry my selfe in my conuersation and vocation as they may haue no iust cause thus to afflicte me I knowe and doe acknowledge that the sins which I haue committed against thy Maiestie deserue corrections but Lord though I haue offended thee to these mine enemies I haue done nor neuer intended any hurt yet thou seest and knowest what they haue done and what they intende against me Preuent them of their purposes frustrate their deuices and turne their policies and practises they intend against me either to nothing or against them selues If they wilfully and maliciously perseuere let them fall into the danger they wish to me Thou knowest their former flatteries and dissimulations and how they falsely pretended friendship onely as it now appeareth to supplant me and to confonud me if thou permit them Lord who can auoide the oylie words of a false heart but shall be seduced by them vnlesse thou that knowest the inward thoughts discouer their deceite Lord make me to know the secret intentions of all those that flatter me to doe me hurt and giue me wisdome to auoide the furie and force of mine open enemies and graunt mee grace to walke euer in thy truth knit my heart vnto thee that I fearing thy name and depending faithfully vpon thee I may make mine enemies ashamed of their slaunders and malicious practises against me Rescue me O Lord and deliuer me in thy righteousnesse in line thine eare vnto me and saue me from them that hate me Be thou my strong rocke whereunto I may alwayes resort when mine enemies assaile me In slaunderous words or wicked deedes publickely or priuatly Deliuer mee O God out of all their dangers out of the hands of all vngodly and cruell men for in thee is my trust in thee is my strength and of and by thee are the meanes to preuent the mischiefes they pretend and practise against me O stay my feete that they slippe not least they reioyce at my fall and Set a watch before the dore of my lippes that I offend not with my tongue Though they speake euill of me though they lay wayte for mee and though they take counsell together against mee yet giue mee not ouer vnto their wills Though I heare their slanderous tonges though I know they detract mee and speake all manner euill against me giue me patience not to be moued to recompence euill for euill Preuent me of their laying wayte for me and frustrate all their combinations and practises against me And keepe me euer in thine obedience for I am of my selfe weake and may giue offence or at least offence may bee raken where no cause is giuen If they
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
offence be committed seeke reconciliation speedily Take no offence at any mans words or deeds vnlâ—sse they 〈◊〉 to the disâ—â—nâ—â—r of God or the King God hath a hand in whatsoeuer befalleth vs. Because we see not our owne faults God makes other men to obserue them God vseth enemies often times to reclaime vs from sin Lue 6. 27. 28. The greatest hurt we can doe our enemies is to doe them good Rom. 12. 30. Pro. 25. 21. 12. The way to preuent a furious enemy Humane policie or force without the fear of God preuaile not against an enemy God weakeneth the power of the enemies of his children We must vndergoe ignominie and slaunders for a while and after comes glorie God sheweth not his anger when he suffers vs to bee persecuted for the profession of his truth Math. 5. 10. 1. Pet. 4. 14. If we suffer for Christ his Kingdom is ours by promise Christ is persecuted in his meÌ„bers It is an honour to suffer for Christ and he will reward A dangerous thing to reuolt from the truth for feare of corporall punishment Hee that denies Christ before meÌ„ he will denie him before his Father Sufferings are heere short our glory eternall If wee willingly forsake earthly things for Christ we shall receiue heauenly Losse of honor and office for Christ. Hee that willingly suffereth for Christ hath more honor then he that only preacheth it when there is no danger Thinke it no dishonor to suffer for Christ as a malafactor A Martyr for Christ a most glorious title Persecution a most glorious liuery of Gods children God in his loue suffereth his here to be persecuted for his sake The reuolt of others should not cause vs to feare Ill to be indifferent The cause why many are luke-warme They that kill the body cannot touch the soule Good to loose a corporall to finde ahealy life God doth comfort his at the time of their martyrdome In this time of the freedome of the Gospell this discourse may bee thought superfluous A religious King maintaining the Gospell a great blessing Why this treatise may be at this time borne withall The cause of banishment is to be considered An infectious meÌ„ber in a Common-wealth fit to be punished or banished BanishmeÌ„t presupposeth offence or danger It is not alwayes vnlawfull for a man to flie his Countrie Mat. 10. 23. Act. 14. â—16 â— King 17. 3 Cap. 19. 3. Exo. 2. 15. Gen. 27. 43. 44. Not to flie from the truth to false Religion Mat. 26. 56. Not to flie as an euill doer Gen. 4. 11 12. Many commit grieuous offences in hope to flie before they be apprehended Psal. 139. 9. 10. God finds a wicked man out goe where he will A forraine Countrie frees not a wickedman from the Iudgement of God The children of God banished finde Gods fauour euery where Where GOD is with a man there is his home A man may repent his sinnes and serue the Lord in any strange Countrey It was once a note of disgrace for a womaÌ„ to be barren and now many grieue they haue children Pro. 10. 1. and 17. 25. Rebellious children greatest griefe Though parents beget and beare children they cannot make them good Parents may doe their best endeuour but it is in GOD to make good children The duty of godly Parents to pray for their children The society of wicked youth â—he meanes to make many corrupt Rebellious children can make arguments against good Parents out of Scripture Parents may not giue ouer to counsell their children Deut. 21. 18 The auncient punishment of an vngodly sonne Many children for want of publicke punishment grow rebellious Late lamentation of some parents Euill youth a mischiefe to the common welth Foolish mothers most guilty of making ill children All pareuts not to bee condemned though many are A fearefull example of a father too indulgent and children stubborne 1. Sam. 2. 24 A wicked son comes commonly to a shamefull and fearefull end What godly parents should doe when they haue done their best duties to make their children good and cannot A good father not to be taxt for an vngodly sonne Good fathers may haue wicked children Gen. 4. 3. 2. Sam. 15. Gen. 16. 12. Wicked men haue not alwayes vngodly children 2. King 16. â— 3. 23. 2. King 20. 21. 21. 18. 22. 23. Godly parents may haue wicked and wicked parents good children They that mary ought to knowe why mariage was instituted Where formerly men and women were onely maried now boyes and gerles Carnall respects in mariage commonly leade men and women to mary Hasty mariages bring hasty repentance The true course how man and wife should conioyne themselues in holy mariage Not ioyning of hands but hearts in the feare of God Hearts contrarily affected can neuer be ioyned together in the Lord. Discorde betweene man and wife a great crosse Eccl. 25. 1. The loue of man and wife a most pretious oyntment Small matters in these dayes breedes quarels between man and wife Many are the complaints between man and wife WheÌ„ there was but one couple in the world one accused the other much more now A preposterouâ— gouernment where the foot guides the head The Scripture condemnes the woman to be more apt to giue offence then the man The man not excused Wiues often cumbred with idle and vnthriftie husbands Contentious women driues their husbands ofteÌ„ out of the house Pro. 27. 15. Cap. 21. 9. Man and wife ought mutually to examine themselues before they reprooue each other Man and wife must be equally content with their lot Many seem fond in the beginning that quickly growe colde 2. Sam. 13. 1. Pet. 4. 8. Vnequall matches sildome prosper long Pro. 18. 22. 19. 14. Men and women ought to pray to God to direct them before they conclude mariage Gen. 24. 12. The choyse of a wife or husband is a matter of great moment lightly regarded The man is the womans head and the woman a principall member of that head Ephe. 5. 33. Tâ—he loue of a man towards the wife consisteth in comforting her 1. Pet. 3. 7. A man ought not to leaue his wife because of her inâ—rmities Bitternes may moue the meekest woman How the Husband ought to behaue himselfe towards his Wife A mans greatest commendation is to win his wife with meekenes A husband must thus examine himselfe Men most faultie are aptest to abuse their wiues How a husband should behaue him selfe that hath an vnkind wife Wiues complaints are more common then husbands Crosses that men suffer here are infinite Why God afflicteth his children here Psal. 42. 7. One trouble calles for another Psal. 40. 12. Gods children must suffer here Ioh. 15. 20. The godly must looke for tryals If we sinne we shall be punished Iam. 3. 39. 40. Afflictions are not the cause of sorrow but sin that procure them Euery man that feareth not God is a transgressing foole God will trye the graces and guifts hee giueth vs by afflictions God proportions our afflictions according to our faith They are in an ill case that suffer no troubles Men that are not afflicted â—latter themselues that God loues them They that haue no troubles may suspect themselues As long as Sathan findes men to runne on in security hee troubles them not A dangerous case to liue securely The afflictions of the godly are not strange 1. Pet. 4. 12. 13. The naturall man makes no difference betweene iust iudgements and fatherly corrections Great difference in the wisedome of God in easing the godly and the wicked The end why God easeth the troubles of the godly The godly and the wicked may be alike afflicted Men afflicted ought to hold fast by God Wee must waite Gods deliuerie
mentall vertues and therefore he that in euery iniury crosse or affliction grosly bewrayeth his impatience howsoeuer he may otherwise seeme not moued he is neither rightly religious nor truely vertuous No man indeed can be truly knowne to be a religious or a vertuous man vnlesse hee meete with the contraries of both and therein shew his valour constancie and patience in maintaining the one and shewing testimonies of the other for the man that is carried away or shewes himselfe newter betweene true and false Religion or betweene vertue and vice hath neither Religion nor vertue Men are not knowne to be truly vertuous but by tryall for as there are certaine minerals that seeme to be the very mother of gold or siluer which being cast into the fire appeare onely sulferous euaporate and turne to smoake so is there a kind of meeke and ciuile behauiour in some men that giueth a certaine outward faire lustre and show that it will beare the teste but when it is tryed by the fire of affliction crosses troubles iniuries reproches and the like it will appeare a meere shadowe without any true shew of that substantiall approued vertue Who is not a vertuous and valorous man before he be tryed and who is not a patient man before he be crost there be many seeming very valiant stout and strong men not dismaid or daunted at any perill yet if but a feauer take them the goute possesse them sickenesse befall them or any affliction crosse them they will either shewe their impatience by murmuring or grudging hanging downe their heads like a Bul-rush or sigh and groane vnder the burthen as if Maluerne hils were fallen vpon them and this for want of patience A rich man as long as he enioyeth health wealth and honour wished successe in all his affaires nothing crossing him how can he but be patient in shewe But when his wealth turneth into want his health into sickenesse his honour into disgrace when aduerse successe crosses his hopes and affliction seize vpon him as hee is a man without patience he will change his countenance and by his gesture and cariage shewe himselfe ashamed of the change of his estate fretting himselfe in the gall of his bitter impatience as if God did him iniurie thus to correct him whence also ariseth to the increase of his impatience diuersities of mens censures as they did of holy Iob. Surely sayes one he is a wicked man that God doth thus punish him Another Hee was very prodigall hee was proude vaineglorious ambitious the like and therefore hath God laid this heauie crosse vpon him as though they had liued in the very bosome of the man were priuie to the very counsell of God in punishing or correcting him In like manner doth the vnaduised multitude commonly censure all men afflicted be it by sorrow for sinne sickenesse and some lingring disease pouertie imprisonment banishment enemies shipwracke losse of goods by whatsoeuer meanes stubbornnesse of children disquietnesse betweene maried couples and in what sort soeuer a man is afflicted and visited by the hand of God though in his speciall loue hee must looke for censures according to the peruerse cenceits and opinions of such as seeme to knowe the very cause of Gods punishing and correcting men here belowe and yet neither looke into themselues nor knowe nor thinke of the cause of causes Seeing then that the best and dearest children of God are subiect to afflictions crosses and troubles of infinite kindes and consequently to the rash censures of the braine-sicke vulgar haue they not all good cause to flie vnto God for this heauenâ—y vertue Patience to support and sustaine them not onely in their proper crosses but in the vniust scandals of idle men But iudge thou no man hee standeth or falleth he is comforted or crossed according to the good pleasure of God and receiue thou thy lot whatsoeuer it be prosperous or aduerse as sent of God for thy good If he visit thee with sickenesse accept it as his fatherly chastisement to reforme thee before thou goe hence thereby summoning thee shortly to appeare before the Throne of his Maiestie If thou become poore bereft of all thy goods and haue little or nothing left content thy selfe consider thou hast yet more left thee then thou broughtest into the world with thee and were thou neuer so rich hadst thou neuer so great possessions neuer so high place of dignitie in the world thou must be taken from all thou must leaue all and all must leaue thee and as thy life is short so are thy pleasures crosses and patience of no long continuance If thou be backe-bitten and slaundered thinke thy selfe no better nor more worthy the applause of the world then Christs owne Apostles and Christ him selfe who were scoffed at railed vpon and scornefully reuiled yet reuiled not but with patience endured buffetings stripes and death in greatest meekenes If thou be banished thine owne natiue Countrie and from thy dearest friends inforced to wander from Countrie to Countrie from Citie to Citie remember wee are all strangers and pilgrims in this world and nothing better resembleth our earthly pilgrimage then doth banishment which may moue vs to thinke seriously and continually of a permanent Citie promised after our long and tedious exile which endureth but a little season and then wee returne ariue and shall be receiued into the Countrie of peace and Citie of perpetuall freedome If thou be troubled with disobedient and refractarie children haue patience remember Adam had a Kayne Abraham an Ismaël Izaacke an Esaii Dauid an Absalon It is the case of many a godly and religious father to haue an vngodly sonne If thou be troubled with a disquiet proude sullen tarte and taunting wife be patient vnder thine vnpleasant yoake looke into the Scriptures and thou shalt finde many good and godly men to haue gone before thee that haue shewed thee the way to beare this erosse with patience as Moses his Zipporah Dauid his Michal and others and if thou looke neere at home thou shalt finde many of thy good neighbours sicke of thy disease and nothing can ease it but patience prayer good counsell in the feare of God These are the salues for euery sore the phisicke for euery disease and Antidotes against euery poysonous and pestilent passion of the minde And for thy better help I haue though indeed weakely in this Treatise endeauoured briefly to touch many of the crosses that may befall thee wherein if thou be ignorant thou maist therein learne in some measure how to prepare thee to the patient bearing of them wayting the Lords leisure and his good pleasure with prayer in a liuely faith in true repentance of all thy sinnes which are the cause of all thy troubles crosses and calamities whatsoeuer and thou shalt finde the burthen of them light and the yoake which the Lord layeth vpon thee easie And be assured that if God correct thee here he loueth thee and doth it to
reforme thee to saue thee Ieremie the most famous amongst the Prophets confesseth that before the Lord touched him with affliction he was like a wilde and vntamed Colte and Dauid the worthiest among the Kings acknowledgeth that before he was afflicted he went awrye And Paul the chiefe among the Apostles thought it his greatest glory to suffer affliction for Christ and many they were that he suffered see 2. Cor. 6. Outward affliction or inward sorrow for thy sinnes hurt thee not the one argues the loue of God towards thee the other thy desire to obay him There is nothing more hurtfull to thee nor more offensiue to God then thine impatience thy murmuring and grudging at Gods gentle chastisements which are the euils of thy minde and most afflict thee whereas true patience in faith is as a brasen Bulworke against all the attemptes and assaults of sinne and Satan the workers of all the crosses troubles calamities in the world Imbrace therefore whatsoeuer befalleth thee with godly patience and the Lord assist thee Thine in Christian good will I. NORDEN The Table of the perticulars contained in this Booke A Prayer for the morning A Prayer before a man goes to his nightly rest 1 A preparation to godly patience page 1 2 Touching sinne the cause of all afflictions the confession and repentance of them and patience in troubles pag 20 3 Comfort for a man afflicted in conscience by reason of his sinnes pag. 47 4 A prayer for the forgiuenesse of most haynous sins that afflict the weake conscience of a sinner pag. 67 5 Comfort for the sick p. 77 6 A prayer to be often said of a sick man or woman 79 7 A prayer to be said for a sick man of faithfull friends that come to visite him 105 8 For such as are oppressed with pouerty and want not impertinent for the rich 112 9 A prayer to be said of such as are oppressed with necessity want of things necessary 133 10 A short prayer to be said of him that is in necessity and want 146 11 Generall counsell comfort for men imprisoned 153 12 Against Treason for which a man is worthily imprisoned 168 13 For such as are imprisoned as guilty or vehemently suspected of murther 173 14 A prayer for a man imprisoned guilty of murther 179 15 For such as are imprisoned for committing any offence against the Lawes of the Kingdome deseruing death 185 16 A prayer to be said of a prisoner accused and like to be condemned to death for some fact against the lawes or to any other corporall punishment 190 17 A prayer to be said of a penitent offender going to his execution or to any corporall punishment 200 18 For such as are imprisoned for debt 205 19 A prayer to be often said of a man imprisoned for debt pag. 216 20 A caueat for cruell creditors that keepe poore men in prison whom they know vnable to pay that for which they keepe them in prison 226 21 Encouragement for such as are enclosed and afflicted with enemies flatterers and their slaunders 241 22 A prayer for a man that hath vndeserued enemies and is subiect to slaunderous tongues flatterers and false friends 253 23 Counsell comfort for him that is persecuted for his constant profession of the Gospell of Christ. 263 24 A prayer for a man persecuted for his faith and profession of the Gospell of Iesus Christ. 281 25 Comfort and encouragement for such as are banished or enforced to liue out of their owne natiue Countrey either for feare of persecution for Gods word or of the furie of enemies that pursue them without iust cause 292 26 A prayer for a man banished frō his natiue Countrey for some crime committed or enforced to forsake it either for feare of persecution or of some mighty aduersary that doth vniustly oppresse him 304 27 Comfort encouragement for Parents that are crossed and grieued at the vngodlinesse and disobedience of their children fit for all Parents to reade pag. 314 28 A prayer to be vsed of godly Parents for the reformation of vngodly and disobedient children and for patience not ouermuch to afflict themselues for the stubbornnesse and disobedience of a wicked son 332 29 A perswasion to patience in the crosses that often fall out betweene man wife fit to be considered of married folkes for their mutuall comfort with counsell to such as intend to marrie 341 30 A prayer to be said by man and wife together or by either of them at any time in priuate 359 31 How the husband ought to behaue himselfe towards his discontented wife 367 32 A prayer to be said often of a man who hath a wife of refractarie conditions 374 33 How the wife ought to behaue her selfe towards her husband though hee be faultie and hard to be pleased 379 34 A prayer for the wife that is vnequally yoked with an vnkinde vnthrifty or an vngodly husband 385 35 A comfortable conclusion shewing the benefit of afflictions to the end we may beare them in what nature or kinde soeuer they befall vs with the more resolute and godly patience 401 37 A prayer for the forgiuenes of sins and for the neglect of our duties in seeking to know God by the hearing of his word and the practise of the same fit daily to be vsed 391 36 A necessary prayer for strength to beare whatsoeuer afflictions with patience and for faith to resist the tentations of Sathan 418 A PRAYER FOR the Morning O Lord GOD heauenlie Father when I doe consider how many wayes and by how many sortes of sinnes I haue offended thee night and day and doe duly call to minde how graciously thou hast kept mee this night how many blessings and fauours I haue receiued of thee without number I am euen astonished at my great ingratitude and doe vtterly condemne my selfe of highest rebellion against thee Many haue beene the dayes weekes months and yeares that thou hast here afforded me to liue and in all the time of my life hetherunto thou hast graciously preserued mee plentifully releiued me continually kept me vnder thy fatherly protection in all my nights and dayes and hast beene euermore watchfull ouer me that I haue from time to time from night to day and from day to night beene euer sustained through thy grace though I haue some times felt thy correcting rod by some crosses for my sinnes yet haue they beene euer easie in comparison of my deseruings and profitable vnto me Lord pardon and forgiue me my sinnes forgiue my manifold offences wash me throughly by the blood of Iesus Christ my Redeemer and clense me from all my pollutions for they are many and I am ashamed that euer I gaue way vnto them But now Lord now though late I pray thee to leade me by thy Spirit in more obedience stay me that I runne not this day into any vnseemely or vngodly actions withholde mine eyes from vanities keepe vnder the vngodly affections
Physitian So if we can well digest our troubles afflictions here for a little while and by vertue of them seasoned with Faith and perfect Patience euacuate our grosse and filthy corruptions that suffocate our hearts with sin wee shall feele a most wished renouation of the health of our mindes and finde our affections changed euen as a body distempred with a Feuer distasteth the most sauorie thinges as long as it possesseth the Body and afterwards becomes to it perfect taste So although as long as we be holden with the corrupt infirmitie of our naturall wills no good dutie or heauenly grace can be so toothsome vnto vs as pleasure and the sinnes wee delight in But being purged and dieted by the afflictions that our louing Physitian doth compound for vs we shall finde sin and pleasures and all carnall delights to become bitter and harsh vnto our hearts God many times sends vs troubles and afflictions that by easing vs of them againe we may knowe that as he can correcte vs so he can comforte vs He neuer maketh a wound but hee healeth it nay such is his mercie power and prouidence as hee cures the most deadly wounds that our selues doe make vpon our selues through our sinnes by his owne free mercie in his Sonne and the medicines he vseth are his fatherly chastisements Should we not therefore take his salutarie and gentle stripes with patience that doe not onely not hurt vs but heale vs If wee were indeed the first of Gods children that haue beene afflicted and troubled in this life we might stagger at our crosses and calamities that are so infinite But if we set before vs the worthy examples for our imitation which Saint Iames sets before vs euen our brethren the Prophets Apostles and such as were the most beloued of God for an example of suffering and their patience such as haue spoken and taught in the name of the Lord and his Christ who indured most ignominious tortors and most cruell afflictions for his sake of whom the world was not worthie being the Ambassadours of the eternall God wee could not but beare our light and momentanie afflictions with most resolute and godly patience and as we haue heard so if we beleeue the patience of Iob and what end the Lord made with him namely in not onely remouing his miseries but in restoring him to greater glorie euen here then he had before and which was greatest of all and the end of all the Crowne of life we should acknowledge with holy Saint Iames That we are blessed that endure here the chastisements of the Lord. If then it be a blessed thing to endure troubles he must needs be the childe of God that is here corrected and doth suffer it with patience though the fault be in our selues for which we are afflicted and therefore to impute it to no other cause but to our sinnes There is a kinde of suffering indeed couered with a kinde of counterfeit patience As when men are inforced to vndergoe the ineuitable torments of death for capitall crimes committed against the Lawes of Nations or suffering things they cannot auoide as there 〈…〉 to showe their impious and vaine-glorious valour and vngodly resolution at their vnauoidable executions vndergoe them as if they were nothing daunted therewith yet were their inward hearts seene they would appeare fraught and full of horrour But we are to learne of Saint Paul who had his tribulations and reioyced in them affirming that tribulation bringeth forth patience and patience experience and experience hope which hope maketh not ashamed for through the loue of God which is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost patience becoÌ„meth an assured testimonie that they that thus suffer are beloued of God We need not therefore thinke or conceiue that our afflictions here to be any disgrace vnto vs fâ—r they are the liuery and badge of Gods dearest children It is a glorious thing to be adorned with the note of the honour of any great mans seruice and shall wee thinke it a base thing to weare the cognisance of the King of Kings and which our Sauiour Iesus Christ himselfe hath worne before vs yet without sinne in himselfe but bare the curse for ours we suffer for our owne sinnes he endured all and more and more heauie crosses for vs then wee are able to beare for him What tormeÌ„ts endured he not he was poor though all the world were his hee had not a house to hide his head in hee had enemies more then wee all he was slaundered railed on buffered spet on crowned with thornes besides infinite and vnspeakable iniuries and finally put to a most cruell shamefull and ignominious death a death inuented for theeues and murtherers and hanged as so capitall a malefactor being altogether in himselfe innocent Lord and Creator of heauen and earth and shall we most wretched sinners guiltie of ten thousand impieties worthie for the least of them to be vtterly confounded repine at the good will of God in sending vs so fauourable tokens of his displeasure for our sinnes and loue of our saluation God forbid knowing and being so sufficiently instructed that nothing doth or can befall vs but by the meere prouidence of our most louing Father neither sicknesse nor pouertie nor enemies nor any whatsoeuer crosse which hee doth also so graciously temper in his mercie as they are neuer more heauy then he maketh vs able to beare them with his owne guifte of setled patience through the free guift of faith Wherefore let vs apply our hearts to wisedome and learne to know and to acknowledge that all the troubles and afflictions that fell so heauily vpon innocent Christ were not for sinne in him but for ours and were most heauily layde vpon him to make ours light And that whatsoeuer crosse affliction or trouble befalleth vs our sins procure them and yet there is no more required of vs for the mittigation of them or remouing them from vs but a full acknowledgement of our sinnes vnfained repentance for them faith in and obedience to God and patience for a little space to beare our corrections If these things be not in vs how can we thinke our selues or be thought in the least measure to haue our troubles remoued or mittigated but rather to acknowledge our selues worthie to be more seuerely punished in his Iustice Let vs therefore afore all thinges make our peace with God which by no other means can be but onely by the merits and mediation of Iesus Christ which we must apply vnto our selues through a liuely saith praying in the same with a godly feare and feeling of our sinnes for remission and pardon of them and that hee will so arme vs with his heauenly graces as wee may bee able to beat downe all impatience and to giue vs power to resist that armed enemy Sathan who endeauoureth to make vs to think that our crosses are the curses of
a blessing Beware thou seeke not to the reputed cunning men and women who are supposed to heale by their Charmes and Spels who if they preuaile in any cure it is by the permission of God by the deuill The surest remedie is to haue thy recourse to God and not to Baalzâ—bâ—b as Ahaziah who dyed the death for running to Witches and Wizards the limbs of the deuill but put thy trust in the all-sufficient God alone vsing such lawfull meanes as hee hath appointed both for the ease of thy soule and health of thy body and then recommend the issue to him with godly patience committing thy will to his will If he restore thee to thy former health be thou thankfull to him and let thy thankfulnes appeare by a new and godly course of life and true obedience If he haue otherwise determined of thee namely to call thee out of this miserable mortall life reioyce and be glad for thy soule now sicke in sin shall suddainly receiue a new and glorious life thy body now oppressed with griefe shall be at rest though it perish and rot in the graue it shall rise againe and meete the soule and be thereunto again vnited with farre greater glory then thy hart can thinke In the meane time seeke or thinke of nothing but of the things that are aboue and endeuour to haue thy heart thine vnderstanding thoughts and affections so qualified and the Lampe of faith in the merits of Christ so liuely enlightned that thou mayest ioyfully meet the Bridegrome Christ in soule and body when hee shall appeare in the cloudes in glory and maiestie to giue euery man according to his works Be not afraide therefore of Death it is but the seperation of the soule now as in a prison from the body which is but a carkasse full of naturall infirmities which the soule possesseth for a little time fraught onely with miseries with griefe and feare which being dissolued shall bring end to all thy cares dangers feares miseries and afflictions and bring thee to the Paradise of God where thou shalt feele no more of these vnsauourie things of the flesh for the Lord will transforme this thy vile base and corrupt body and make it like vnto his most glorious body Then shalt thou be no more subiect to sinne or sicknesse no aduersity nor anguish shall afflict thee no enemies shall trouble thee no slanders disgrace thee And where thou art here mortall subiect to all the former euils thou shalt be there immortall The face of God which is the fountaine of light shall there shine vpon thee and no darknesse shall ouershadow thee all perfection of ioy glory and gladnesse thou shalt finde there and be so plentifully filled with the contemplation of the aboundance of those heauenly pleasures that you will or can delight in nothing but in the beholding of the most glorious face of Iesus Christ and onely delight in the association of that heauenly company which ioyes if thou truly knewest here as thou shalt enioy them there Thou wouldest be content rather to endure a thousand deaths then to be depriued of them Prepare thy selfe therefore with all diuine furniture with faith hope loue and all other holy and heauenly affections to goe the way of all flesh Lay willingly downe thy carnall part in the graue to become dust whereof it was made and commend thy soule into the hands of God that gaue it and of Iesus Christ who redeemed it And according to the counsell that God gaue to Hezekiah set thy house in order And aboue this thy corporaâ—l habitation set thy soule in order and as much as in thee lyeth haue peace with all men Depart in the loue of and to thine enemies And as farre as the possibilitie of thy earthlie substance will extend owe nothing to any man when thou departest hence but loue and thinke not much neither let it grieue or trouble thy minde to leaue thy worldly wealth which was but lent thee thy father mother wife children lands possessions siluer gold and the things that haue beene or are most deare vnto thee to hasten to this heauenlie habitation where eternall glorie shall bee thy wealth the eternall God thy Father Iesus Christ thy brother all the Saints and Angels and all the holie and most glorious heauenlie companie shall bee far more comfortable vnto thee then all the former who were both mortall and inconstant And in steede of the base and vncertaine possessions in the earth thou shalt possesse a Kingdome for euer In steede of thy gold and siluer and thy most precious Iewels thou here for a moment enioyest thou shalt enhabite a Citie whose walls are gold garnished with all maner of precious stones farre excelling the rarest and richest that euer the earth yeilded whose beauty and excellencie the tongue of man no not of an Angell can truly expresse to our apprehension But shadowed out vnto vs vnder these most precious ornaments incomprehensible Should any carnall consideration therfore hinder thee from a willing minde to change this thy mortall and miserable life as short as euill for a life so glorious and permanent The longer thou continuest here the more cause thou hast to desire to be dissolued for that thou here doest augment daily thy sinnes and euery day brings new griefe Prepare thy selfe therefore without delay make thee readie that when GOD shall call thee thou mayest be willing to goe And for thy better preparation vse prayer often in a liuely faith and if thine infirmitie will permit thee vse this prayer following or any other godly prayer with holy meditation to season thy soule through the holy Ghost commending thy spirit vnto God in Iesus Christ. A Prayer to be often said of a sicke man or woman O Lord my GOD and my most louing and mercifull Father in thy beloued Sonne Iesus Christ I thy most vnworthy creature heauie laden with the burthen of my manifold and grieuous sinnes much oppressed with the infirmity and sicknesse which thou hast iustly inflicted vpon my corrupt and weake body doe humbly pray thee to pardon my sinnes and giue me patience to beare this thy gentle correction in which I doe heartily submit my selfe vnto thy heauenly will whether it be thy pleasure to permit me yet a little while to enioy the health of my body to serue thee or to take my soule out of the lothsome prison of my sinfull carkasse into thine owne hands where I know it shall be safe and not perish And therefore Lord giue me a godly contented minde to suffer my body to returne vnto the earth from whence it was taken there to rest vntill it shall please thee to raise it againe at the last resurrection and to make it of a mortall an immortall and of a corruptible to make it a perfectly glorious body In the meane time O Lord I doe beseech thee to fortifie and strengthen my soule against all
and determined for him And graunt that we may all in all humblenesse faith constancie and obedience wayte when thy pleasure shall be to visite any of vs with thy finall fatherly visitation O Lord encrease his ours and the faith of all that belong vnto thee that wee all may looke and long for the time of our dissolution with patience in assurance in the end to liue eternally with thee through Christ our Lord and Sauiour Amen For such as are oppressed with pouerty and want not impertinent for the rich to read and consider POuertie and want of things necessary for the maintenance of this present life is not the least affliction that can fall vpon man And that lighteth many times as well vpon the knowne poore as vpon them that thinke themselues rich for riches and pouerty haue wings for as the poore man hauing his wings clipt that he cannot mount or soare to the pitch of other men So the rich are often so deplumed as they fall into the poore estate of meanest men and therefore as the rich may fall so the poore may rise Let neither then the rich presume nor the poore despaire for the Almighty God that gouerneth all things hath two hands with the one hee doth cast downe the proud and with the other he exalts the humble In the rich is required thankfulnesse and obedience In the poore lowlinesse and patience and in both godly diligence and faithfull prayer otherwise the rich cannot prosper nor the poore be relieued If the rich man fall into pouerty it is his blemish if a poore man become rich it is his glory yet let not him that riseth disdaine him that falleth for both are from the Lord. To fall there are manie meanes in a man himselfe but to rise being fallen is not in man and therefore the meanes both of mens risings and fallings are duly to be considered art thou fallen from riches to pouertie examine thy life conuersation art thou risen from pouerty to riches consider well in thine owne heart whether by right or wrong Many may prosper and wax rich by diligence in a lawfull calling many become poore through idlenesse many are borne rich and dye poore and many borne poore waxe rich when the rich become poore it may be either in Gods iustice or in his mercy for if the rich become proud presume vpon their wealth despising the poore it is iust with God to take that from him that he abuseth yet also in mercie to humble him for there is not a more preuailing means to make a man know himselfe then pouerty And there is not a more acceptable thing to God then a man to abase himselfe in his sight nor a thing more offensiue then a man to exalt himselfe by reason of the greatnes of his wealth which he arrogateth to himselfe as if it were his owne when in deede it is but lent him And therefore God often times takes it from one and giues it to others And in steed of his wealth giues him want that hee may know that it is neither in the wisedome nor by the diligence of man either to get or to retaine his wealth gotten without the meere mercie and blessing of God But where true faith in God is ioyned with godly care and diligence in a lawfull calling there wanteth not prayer And where faith and faithfull prayers are there is true prosperity And to that man a little meanes sufficeth to sustaine his estate and to nourish his life for A small thing that the righteous hath is better then the great riches of the wicked Therefore in thy case of pouerty and want thou must consider and duly examine the cause whereby thou art become poore and to be in this miserable estate whether by thine owne idlenesse corruption of thy life in wasting either thy patrimonie receiued from thy Parents or thy riotous expending of that thou hast lawfully gotten by thine owne industry To receiue meanes for which thou neuer trauailedst as many doe from carefull Parents and friends or to get by thine owne labours and to consume it wastfully in euill company keeping by gaming ryot is worse then Idlenes it selfe which yet in him selfe is a capitall sin one of those for which Sodom Gomorah c. were burned to ashes for Idlenesse was in that Citie as it is wheresoeuer it raigneth the cause of many other sinnes as of luxurie drunkennesse whoredome and all other most monstrous and most abhominable vices yet doe all these commonly accompany wealth easily gotten As when a man finds he hath meanes comming daily in lightly without labour hee measures it not by the vncertainty of the continuance as appeareth by his wanton and needlesse expence but by a vaine hope it will last euer But if thou become poore and thus cast downe by the louing hand of God to call thee from thy sinnes as by losse of goods by sicknesse fire shipwracke or the like ineuitable crosses Thou mayest account them fatherly corrections and mayest rather reioyce in then to repine at them for he inflicts this want of thy former fulnes as Physick to purge thy corrupt heart of thy carnall delights and from abusing of thy liberty as thou hast done which bred in thee security and security sin and forgetfulnesse of thy dutie to God as in that rich glutton in the Gospel who hauing plentie of all things delightfull to his carnall part became so delicious as he fared daintily euery day richly roabed in fine linnen and yet so hard hearted as although he saw poore miserable Lazarus hungrie and naked lye at his gate full of sores crying for some crummes of the broken meate that fell from his Table had yet no remorce or commiseration on the lamentable estate of that poore man who was more refreshed by the rich mans dogges licking away the filth of his sores then by any comfort receiued from the glutton or his gluttonous feasts There was great difference betweene this rich man and this miserable begger The one was had in greatest reuerence admired and honored for his wealth the other held in great contempt generally despised by reason of his basenesse and pouertie But neither did the rich man continue long in his pomp nor the poore in his penurie Both died and both caried to their places appointed by God the rich man to hell the begger into Paradise the first to perpetuall torments the other to a most blessed and glorious Being Consider this duly with thy selfe therefore thou that complainest of pouertie and want whether wouldest thou enioy here the pleasures of this life for a season with this man wealthie and glorious and in fine to haue his reward or to endure a little want pouertie and worldlie basenesse for a little time and be with Lazarus pertaker of eternall glorie I know if thou wisely consider both thou wilt not onely not grudge nor repine at thy poore estate
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
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