with her father-in-law Gen. 38.38 2. Rahab an harlot Heb. 11.31 3. Ruth who came of Moab the son Levi by incest with his own daughter Gen. 19.37 4. Bathsheba and she was guilty of adultery Why is all this but to shew that free grace is no respecter of persons except it be to have most tender regard to the most miserable object and to pardon those most readily who see themselves most guilty and to wash them as white as snow whose sins were of a scarlet dye And for your further increase of faith I would advise you if you can conveniently have it that you would with all humility and earnest desires of favour with God go to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ where you may see Christ crucified for you and may receive such symbols and pledges of his good-will towards you as will be so many Seals to his Promises and there you shall find his flesh to be meat indeed Joh. 6.53 54 55.56 and his blood drink indeed He is the living bread which shall strengthen your heart and his love is stronger then wine and shall make glad your heart I doubt that the seldome or careless use of this blessed ordinance is one great cause why so many Christians are of weak faith And if with other endeavours and inquiries for comfort this were more frequently and rightly used we should find their strangeness from God which is the chief cause of their fears to cease and delight in him and love to him and consequently peace of conscience to encrease by this neerer converse and communion with him Mary Magdalene as they say being near her end came and received the Body and Blood of our Lord in the place of their Christian assembly and there comfortably exspired before the Table of the Lord. Also peruse Davids Psalms and as you easily may take notice of those especially that contain complaints of Sin Fear Calamities and also praises to God for hearing and delivering and promises of the like mercy of God to all his people in their several exigencies And sing these Psalms leisurèly and considerately alone by your self You will find the voice to quicken your meditation upon the matter the matter to affect your heart and the blessing of God to attend his owne ordinance who hath commanded us to admonish our selves (a) Eph. 5.19 in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs Besides it is most unquestionably pleasant to those good Angels who are ministring Spirits to attend you for good But if you are not satisfied by Promises Sacraments Psalms c. then look beyond all these to the goodness of God which is infinite His goodness is the fountain of the Promises and therefore it is that the streams make glad the people of God Now it is an acceptable work of Faith if we cannot see a Promise speaking directly to us or are not able to apply them yet even then to cast our selves upon infinite goodness to trust in the name of the Lord Isa 50 10. Psal 9.10 and to stay our selves upon our God For his Goodness contains more in it then Promises do express It never entred into the tongues of men or Angels fully to express the heighth and depth and length and breadth thereof Let this therefore keep you in a dutiful and quiet expectation of comfort that there is mercy with God an inexhaustible treasure of mercy riches of grace an overflowing fulness which can as well cease to be as to be faithful and compassionate Isa 57.15 in dwelling with the contrite and humble to revive the hearts of the humble and to revive the spirits of the contrite ones CHAP. XIII Trusting in the Lord for deliverance the duty of women with child THough trusting in God exclude not the use of means and Gods providence over us doth not discharge us from provision for our selves and preventing what we can of the danger and hurt of any approaching evil yet it surely excludes our trust in any thing besides him And therefore whatever estate friends helps strength you have yet trust not to these For God onely brings to the birth and gives strength to bring forth Rachels Midwife could bid hen be of good comfort but she could not give her the comfort of a happy deliverance Miserable comforters are Midwives Neighbours and Kindred if God withhold the fruit of the womb And if he speak the word after others have tormented the labouring woman and tried themselves with fruitless endeavours and at last given over any hopes of success I say if he speak the word she shall so on be delivered for He shutteth and none can open he openeth and none can shut he letteth and none can work he worketh and none can let He can let out the imprisoned infant raise up the fainting mother bring strength out of weakness and life out of death Wherefore furnishing your self with such promises as he hath made to his people in all their extremities strengthen your faith hope in the Lord and quietly wait for his salvation Among the many promises of this kind I shall mention a few which are obvious and leave you to observe the rest in your own private reading His anger endureth but a moment in his favour is life Weeping may endure for a night Ps 30.5 but joy cometh in the morning For I will not contend for ever neither will I be alwayes wroth Isa 57.16 for the spirit should fail before me and the soules which I have made Like as a father pitieth his children Psal 103.15 so the Lord pitieth them that fear him For he knoweth our frame he remembreth that we are but dust By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged Isa 27.9 and this is all the fruit to take away his sin When we are judged 1 Cor. 11.32 we are chastned of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world For our light affliction 2 Cor. 4.17 which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more eternal and exceeding weight of glory He maketh sore Job 5.13 and he bindeth up he woundeth and his hands make whole He shall deliver thee in six troubles Ver. 19. yea in seven there shall no evil touch thee Behold Ps 33.18 the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him upon them that hope in his mercy to deliver their soul from death and to keep them alive in famine The righteous cry Ps 34.17 and the Lord heareth them and delivereth them out of all their troubles God is our refuge and strength Ps 46.1 a very present help in trouble Fear thou not Isa 41.10 for I am with thee be not dismayed for I am thy God I will strengthen thee yea I will help thee yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousnesse For God hath comforted his people Isa 49.14 and will have
the future generations should succeed and therefore we find it transmitted by other Scriptures to succeeding ages and will continue while the patience and good will of God towards man continues Thus the Psalmist Loe children are an heritage of the Lord Ps 127.3 and the fruit of the womb is his reward Likewise in the following Psalm Psal 128 3 4. Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house thy children like olive plants round about thy table Behold that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord. Again the Prophet Isaiah hath the same promise from God to his people Israel thus emphatically expressed I will pour my Spirit on thy seed Isa 43.3 4. and my blessing upon thy off-spring and they shall spring up as among the grasse as willows by the water-courses The like promises of multiplying their seed are frequently to be found in other Scriptures Jer. 23.3 Ezek. 36.11 Zech 2.4 such as those in the margent which the diligent Reader may peruse at his leisure These may suffice to evince the truth of this 3d. particular That they who believe the Lords Prophets that reverence his promises and embrace his providences cannot but subscribe with their hands to the Lord and acknowledge that child-bearing is his blessing and children are his reward 4. Whatsoever the people of God have ordinarily asked of God (a) PaulaÌ„ ante votis quam utero concepisti Hier. ad Laetit according to his will that cannot but be a mercy when it is received That such prayers were not unwarrantable is certain for either some of them were stirred up by an extraordinary instinct of spirit to ask that which God hath intended in a singular and unexpected manner to give or the common spirit of supplication put the innocent desire of nature into a posture of acceptation with God they asking children of him requested no more then the usuall courfe of his providence and the general concurrence of his promises aforementioned led them to expect Abraham had received the promise of children but long time being passed and his wife not yet conceiving thoughts began to grow in his mind what the intent of God should be and therefore when God doth again renew his convenant to him he breaks out into this earnest expression Gen. 15.2 Lord what wilt thou give me seeing I go childlesse as if he should say Lord thou hast given me a great estate but I have no heir and what comfort can I take in all other enjoyments seeing the main thing which thou hast promised is yet behind and I am still childless (b) B. Halls contempl l. 10 p. 117 And therefore either take away these blessings or give me the chief blessing of my house even a son to be born of my wife This prayer you know God accepted and answered according to his desire even then when his body was old and his wife by nature uncapable of conceiving I suppose this dealing of God with Abraham his friend and the father of the faithfull put some life in the hopes of his posterity who in the next and succeeding generations did seek to God in the like case His son Isaac intreated the Lord for his wife because she was barren Gen. 35.21 and the Lord was intreated of him and Rebeccah his wife conceived c. When Rachel had no children she said unto Jacob Give me children or else I die Gen. 30.1 2. Mark his answer Am I in Gods stead who hath withholden from thee the fruit of the womb as if he had said Look to the supreme cause to the everlasting Father and go to him by prayer and beg this blessing of him and then if God answer thy request thou wilt be a mother of children And no question but she thus did for afterwards it is said that God remembred Rachel and hearkened to her that is he answered her prayers and opened her womb and she conceived Gen. 30.22 The like course was long after taken by others especially by Hannah who having no children prayed with no little earnestness yea poured out her soul in this business 1 Sam. 1.11.17 That God would look upon his handmaid and remember her and not forget her and give her a man-child And old Eli seconds this request and adds The Lord of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him And she conceived and bare a son and called him Samuel because she had asked him of the Lord. I need adde no more to this particular but that God himself commanded his people to seek him for the performance of his promâ—â—e Thus saith the Lord God Ezek. 36.37 I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them I will increase them with men like a flock So that if Gods command be any motive to prayer or his promise any incouragement to faith then they had ground enough both for faith and prayer 5 Barrennes of the wombe was frequently is Scripture threatned as a judgment and they that felt this evil did earnestly bewaile it as no small affliction therefore fruitfullnesse must needs be a considerable mercy 'T was a Judgment on Abimelech of which they were not healed but by the prayers of Abraham Gen. 20.17.18 * See Bishop Richardson on the Pentateuch in Locum Gen. 15.2 30.1 1 Sam. 1.5.6 Leviticus 20.20.21 So also of Tyre Isa 23.4 Isa 4.1 God having closed up all the wombs oâ— the house of Abimelech Yea Abraham himself took no comfort in all his riches nor Rachel in enjoyment of Jacob nor Hannah in the company of Elkanah but was in bitternesse of soul 'T is threatned as the punishment of incest to be childlesse And the Prophet threaâ—ning the greatest of temporall calamities to the Jews mentions this in the last place as the greatest of all the rest That seven women should take hold of one man That is though Marriage and Majesty endure no compeers yet the Wars should so consume the male sex that many women should sollicite one man contrary to the innate modesty of ' that sex and be content with any terms viz. to eat their own bread and weare their own apparell that is to be no charge to him for any thing onely let us be called by thy name to take away our reproach that is let us be accounted and used as thine and why to take away our reproach so that barrenness was esteemed no small reproach For God in blessing Israel tells them Exod. 23.26 Deut. 7.14 that none should be barren amongst them but that they should be blessed above all people and that there shall not be a male or female barren among them nor among their cattell When the Lord would punish Coniah this is the punishment write ye this man childlesse Jer. 22.30 whether he were without posterity or they without prosperity or succession to his throne is
his power And therefore in that day of vengeance the works of darknesse shall be brought to light 1 Cor. 4.5 Isa 2.17 and the loftinesse of man shall be brought low and they who were on earth inflamed with lust 1 Cor. 6.9 shall smart for ever in the flames of hell unless with tears of repentance they quench these fires of concupiscence and with water drawn out of the wells of salvation quench those otherwise everlasting burnings Isa 2.3 Isa 33.14 But to return to my purpose I mentioned before the dreadfulness of the examples in this kind recorded in Scripture and verily when I read the Polygamy of Lamech a murtherer I wonder not but considering the polygamy of the Patriarchs of David and the licentious excess of Solomon I stand amazed at their irregularity Gen. 4.19 and Gods connivance and longanimity When I read the incest of Absalom and Herod I wonder not but when I think of Lot Judah and the incestuous Corinthian my soul trembles We count their condition sad 1 Cor. 5 1 2 c. B. Halls Contempl. l. 10. p. 182 who vow a single life and enter themselves under sinfull and needless bonds of perpetual virginity as the cloystered Nuns among the Papists and theirs yet sadder who by the rigour of unwise parents Perkins Case of cons l. 2. c. qu. 3. p. 89 Judg. 11.36 37. or by some remediless accident are kept all their life from marrying as was the daughter of Jephtah and others whose conditions are represented in sacred story as most sad and deplorable But they are most generally pitied and lamented of all who desiring to possess their vessels in sanctification and honour are surprized by some lecherous villain ravished and defloured A judgement a sometimes threatned in Scripture Psal 78.63 Isa 13.16 Lam. 5.11 Zech. 14.2 as a fruit of Gods greater indignation against that people whom he thus leaves to the licentious power of barbarous enemies See the places in the margine Yet I count them most miserable who having yielded their bodies to venereous abuses in their youth are with child by whoredom and are either disappointed of marriage with their wicked lover or marry not till their shame appears For who can expresse their manifold feares cares and sorrows one while perhaps they hide their sin as long as they can but still while they muse a fire burns within them and they feel the pangs of an accusing conscience before they feel the pangs of their travel Unlesse their hearts be harder then the nether milstone which if it be their misery is the greater Sometimes they contrive wayes of preventing its birth by wicked adventuring on such expulsive receipts as may prevent their shame Or perhaps they are plodding how to make away the infant as soon as it is born or at best to expose it secretly that the Parish may keep it Or if it be safely born and the parent acknowledge it yet while it lives 't is an (a) Bishop Halls contempl lib. 10. p. 162. indelible monument of their infamous transgression For which cause (b) Engl. Annot. on Gen. 19.36 even for their future shame God suffers unlawfull commixtions to take effect I could willingly have enlarged on this point and given exhortations warnings and directions to women in this sad condition but perceiving that my little treatise begins to swell beyond my expectation I shall pretermit it for the present intending if God will to write distinctly and purposely of that subject because I know not of any that hath done it only what I have already said may give just occasion to chast virgins to pray for the gift of continency and to honest women when with child to praise God for preserving them from the sin and misery aforementioned and granting them conception by their own husbands in the comfortable estate of Matrimony For we have all alike wicked hearts and therefore ought to give glory to God 1 Cor. 4.7 who onely makes us to differ 3. Though it be a choice mercy yet it is not to be interpreted as a sure token of Gods love No man knowes Gods love or hatred by any external comforts They are distinguished alike to the good and bad to the just and to the unjust (a) Lud. vives in Aug. de Civ Dei l. 15. c. 8. A learned man reports of a town in Spain consisting of a hundred families all inhabited by the seed of one old man then living so that the youngest knew not what to call him the Spanish tongue having no expression higher then the great Grandfathers Father To reckon up the numerous issue of some prolifical parents mentioned in profane Histories is as needless as easy Scripture also doth abundantly satisfie in this Psa 17.14 that the wicked also are full of children so that outward blessings do not alway make a blessed man (b) Spencers things new and old p. 107. But lest they should be accounted evil God sometimes gives them to his people and lest they should be accounted our chief good he sometime bestows them upon the wicked 4. I cannot see how those women can be mindfull of the mercy of God in granting them conception that (a) Quid est hoc contra naturam imperfectum ac dimidiatum matrem genus peperisse statim abjecisse aluisse in utero sanguine suo nescio quid quod non viderit non alere autem nunc suo lacte quod videat jam viventem jam hominem jam matris officia implorantem c. Aul. Gell. noct Atr. lib. 12 cap. 1. either refuse without necessary impediment to nurse their children themselves or count many children a burden and are therefore grieved if having many children already they find themselves with child again Doth not (b) 1 Cor. 11.14 Lam. 43. even nature teach us that the sea-monsters draw out their breasts and give suck to their young doth not the Lion with infinite pains and hazard seek prey for his young ones doth not the Halcyon sit close on her egs (c) Vliss Aldrovandi Ornithol l. 20 Plin. nat hist lib. 20. cap. 32. and while the weather holds fair ply their nourishment with all diligence whence good dayes are called Halcyon days Is this therefore their thankfulness to God for so great a mercy to refuse to embrace in their arms and nourish at their breasts the fruit of their womb when God joyned the blessings of the breast and the blessings of the womb together (d) Charon of wisdom lib. 3. cap. 14 p. 4 8. Doth the God of Nature make Ladies and Gentlwomen without breasts or doth he give them breasts in vain or will they immodestly go with naked breasts and yet be ashamed to use Is it not a prodigie in nature Rom. 1. Isa 49.15 Ps 131.2 Exod. 2.9 Mat. 2.11 to see a woman without breasts and is it not as foul a defect to be without natural affection what greater soloecism
I shall now speak in the next place CHAP. V. Meditation the duty of women with child IT cannot be but women with child when they begin to grow big and unweldy must be taken off from such manual imployments in which they were busied before and must allow themselves some rest and retirement therefore they should labour to make a good use of that time they have for prayer and reading and meditation c. Meditation being then most in season when other things are out of season and hath herein the advantage of other duties that it requires onely the inner to be imployed therein Idlenesse is alway dangerous especially the idlenesse of our minds If the Devil find the soul idle hee 'le soon imploy it And therefore were it onely to prevent the incursion of sinfull and troublesome thoughts in our solitary seasons and also as one sayes (a) Bolton Gen. dir p 71. lest our spirits like milstones wanting grist grate themselves with vexation feares discontents and waste themselves in a fruitless endless melancholy I say were it only to avoid this grand inconvenience it were safest to have alway some choice head or other of pious profitable matter to busie our heads and hearts about Nothing being more known among Christians then the precepts and presidents of this kind in Scripture Nothing more frequent in the writings and Sermons of Divines Therefore I shall not meddle with the duty in general but as it properly concerns women with child And for the better direction of those who are willing to make use of the help offered them I shall present them with thirteen Meditations which they may enlarge upon at their pleasure not doubting but that divers of them are able to adde many others as pertinent and profitable as these MEDITATION 1. (a) J. Planâ—avit Floâ—il Rabbinicum Deut. 27.12 Ps 104.28 1 Sam. 2.6 Acts â—6 4 Gen. 30.22 The Rabbines have a notion that there are four special Keyes which the Lord reserveth in his own power 1. The Key of Rain 2. The Key of Food 3. The Key of the Grave 4. The Key of the Heart To which may be added the Key of the Womb. God hath opened my womb oh that my heart were opened also Nature hath locked it against God and my customary sins have caused me instead of opening when Christ knocketh to adde more bolts to keep him out But oh that he who hath the key of David who openeth and none can shut would break open or lift up the everlasting gates of my soul Rev. 3 7. that the King of glory might come in and sup with me Then should I have more cause then yet I have to rejoyce in him for opening my womb and opening to me the treasures of raine and food yea then I should not care how soon a grave were opened for my body if my heart were first opened by the grace of Christ MEDITATION 2. There is a different generation and conception The children of Adam are generally propagated by ordinary generation but Sampson Jephtah c. had wonders accompanying their conception The elect of God who are in due time regenerate are supernaturally born and conceived not of flesh and bloud but of the Will of God Joh. 1 1â— Jesus Christ as to his humane nature was not begotten but miraculously conceived in the womb of the Virgin as to his Divine nature he was not conceived but eternally begotten by the God and Father of all things Though I am not like to be the Mother of a Prophet or a Judge in Israel though I have no miraculous or supernatural conception but am with child through Gods blessing by my husband in a state of matrimony yet I hope defire and pray that God would prepare some singular blessing for the fruit of my womb Oh that it might as was Saint John be sanctified from the womb and be filled with the holy Ghost that we may have joy and gladness Luke 1.14 15. and many may rejoyce at its birth Oh that it might please God so to bless this unborn child that it may grow and wax strong in the Spirit and may become so eminent in holiness of life Luk. 1. â—0 Lu. 11.27 that others may say Blessed is the womb that bare thee and the paps that gave thee suck MEDITATION 3. And this is the sixth moneth with her who was called barren Luk. 1.36 It is most probable she was called by way of reproach the barren wife and therefore not much set by but rather vilified by the mothers in Israel God hath restrained the wombs of some from bearing but hath made mine fruitful Whether the barrennesse of some good women which I know be to them a curse I know not but oh my soul how great a curse is spiritual barrennesse and how cursed a creature do I then deserve to be Jer. 4.22 I am wise to doe evil though none teach me or tempt but to doe good I have no knowledge I have strong affections to love my friends self c. to hate my enemies and to be vext at worldly crosses and fear temporal dangers but how weak is my love to God hatred of sin and fear of his all-seeing eye I have done many things for my credit profit health ease c. but how barren am I 2 Pet. 1.8 and unfruitfull in the work of the Lord and how little affected with the concernments of my soul I have plenty of words for carnall company and can without study or help vent my passions with much fluency and readinesse if my servants or inferiours displease me but the Lord knows and my foul is confounded to remember that when fit occasion and opportunity have been offered yea a necessity laid upon me of reproving or admonishing my relations or acquaintance of inciting and quickning my family to true godliness I have many a time said little or nothing I have quenched the fire of zeal that burned within me I have by my needless silence seemed to own what my soul abhorrs yea when I have purposed and resolved to speak with serious earnestness in Gods behalf my heart hath been barren of fit matter my tongue hath wanted words and I have stood mute and silent as if possessed with a dumb devil Now whence is this If I be married to Christ and implanted into him Mic. 2.7 why is it thus surely I am not streightned in him but in my self Wherefore oh my soul go to him who onely worketh both to will and to doe of his own good pleasure And never cease importuning him till he quicken me by his Spirit and cause me know and enjoy the vertues and powers of my Saviour Then shall I bring forth my fruits unto holinesse Rom. 6.22 and my end shall be everlasting life MEDITATION 4. Hast thou not poured me out as milk Job 10.10 and curdled me like cheese Miseres â—â—que etiam â—udeâ— aestiâ—â—antem â—â—am fiâ—â—rivola aâ—antium
things and holy is his name And whence is this to me that the grace of Christ should come to me MEDITATION 7. Rebecca conceived Gen. 25.22 23. and the children strugled within her and she said If it be so why am I thus that is if I am heard of God in my request and am with child by his blessing whence is this strugling this painful conflict and strange unquietness of the fruit of my womb And she went to enquire of the Lord and the Lord said unto her Two nations are in thy womb c. So when I look into my self and observe the commotions that are in the womb of my heart I conclude Surely there are two nations within me the flesh with all its motions lucting against the spirit and its grace Gal. 5.17 and the Spirit with its gracious influences alway striving against the sinfulness of my carnal part Now blessed be God that seeing sin will yet keep possession that it hath no quiet abode within me but meets with reluctancy and opposition from my spirituall part But oh wretched creature that I am how often is evil present and prevalent with me how many are those pangs of sorrow those sighs and grones that my mischievous and restless corruptions cause within me But if it be so that the power of the most High hath overshadowed me and true grace be implanted in my soule then I shall seek to the Lord that he would cause the better part in me to be the more prevailing part that he would water and give encrease to these tender beginnings and give me at last a safe and happy deliverance from this body of death MEDITATION 8. If men strive and hurt a woman with child Exod. 21.22 23. so that her fruit depart from her and yet 〈◊〉 mischief follow he shall be surely punished c. Women with child are liable to many dangers A fall a bruise an accidentall stroke a fright a strain the taking somewhat that proves expulsive or the disappointment of somewhat they longed for these and such other contingencies are noxious to them and often-times cause abortion or the mischance of her fruit departing from her Such was the case of the Church when it was with child with many Converts Rev. 12.2 3. the great red Dragon watched the destruction of her and of her fruit And thus is with every repenting soul What security soever there be among those careless women that are at ease Isa 32.9 10 11. how little inward care or sorrow they feel while they forget God how unacquainted soever with the hurt and smart of sin or Satans striving with them before they are acquainted with God yet no sooner do they espouse themselves to Christ and conceive purposes of holy living and begin to be fruitful in any grace but they shall have many adversaries in the world and especially the god of this world striving against them to afright them to tempt them to receive such principles company suggestions as may quench their graces or to deprive them of that Spiritual food they long for or to intice them to straine their consciences or some way or other to cause them to fall that they may be wounded bruised c. and the fruit of grace depart from them But oh my soul hath God such care of the unborn infant as to provide a speciall law in its behalfe and will he not much more take care of that grace which he hath begotten in my Soul Oh my God keep me that the Evill One touch me not MEDITATION 9. In sorrow shalt thou bring forth Children As the first general curse Gen. 3.16 In dying thou shalt dy brought not onely the pains of death but intended also all the miseries of our life so this particular curse upon women brings not only pain in travel but comprehends all the infirmities of Child-bearing I find that the child in my womb brings many weaknesses and aches upon me but oh how sad and deplorable are those deeper sicknesses and maladies which I have brought upon it It s body partaking of my substance partakes unavoidably of my natural pollution It s Soul though it come immediately from the Father of Spirits yet I know not how is upon its infusion into this tender infant subjected to the common misery of the Children of Adam who having lost the image and likenesse of God sinne and corruption must needs follow I am an unclearne vessel Psal 58.3 sa 48.8 and how can any clean thing come out of me Oh my soul what need have I to be sanctified throughout both in Body and Soul and Spirit And Oh my God repair by thy grace what sin hath made so defective in me and mine MEDITATION 10 Our blessed Saviour and Great Prophet Jesus Christ foretelling the miseries that should shortly come on Judea Jerusalem sayes Wo unto them that are with Child Mat. 24.19 Lu. 23.29 and to them that give suck in those days And in another Evangelist Behold the dayes are coming in the which they shall say Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never have and the paps that never gave suck And indeed of all persons none more miserable in the time of War than women with child or women that give suck because their care is double and their persons uncapable of flying and shifting for their lives as those who are single may and do And of all murthers none more horrible in all its circumstances 2 Kin. 8.12 Lam. 5.11 then to rip up women with child Wherefore oh my soul let me be thankfull to my God that there is peace in our borders and any quietness and safety in my habitation and that I am free from those terrours and affrights with which many others in a time of common calamity are undone Oh how many Women with their unborn infants have been butchered in many places in ages past and martyred by blood-thirsty Papists in these later ages of which histories are too plentiful And if there be now any in my condition in any place especially among Christians that is exposed daily to the rage of a devouring Sword the Lord be pleased either to restrain the Enemy and the Avenger Psal 8.2 Rev. 6.10 or to avenge the cause of the murthered that according to thy own Law they may not go unpunished but may give life for life Yea Lord hear the crie of the oppressed and give their adversaries blood to drink for they are worthy MEDITATION 11. My little children of whom I travel in birth again till Christ be formed whithin you Where any place is blest with a painfull Minister and Pastour after Gods own heart Gal. 4.19 they have in them much of the Apostle's temper For when I consider their painfull studies their sighes and teares their spending their spirits in ardent Prayers and laborious Preaching their compassionate exhortations passionate supplications and their giving themselves wholly to these things 1
plentifull are Histories of the ancient practices of many Nations especially the Romans in appropriating the office of chief Priest to their Kings and Emperours as an honour not befitting any meaner person Yea among Christians the Prince of Anhalt and other persons of honour have ambitiously accepted and happily performed the Ministerial Office And no doubt but one reason why the Ministry is of no higher esteem is because divers selfish needy persons seek the Priesthood meerly for maintenance and so are tempted by their indigency to unsuitable courses and dishonourable shifts and are uncapable of being so beneficent as they would or should be and also are the less regarded because extracted from the meanest of the people And no doubt this is one reason why the Nobility and Gentry are more feared then loved more envied then esteemed because they mind their own honour but not at all the honour of God they love their â—ase their pomp their lusts and excess of riot but as for the tranquillity or atility of the Church they are meer Gallio's Just it is with God that they should be of mean parts and illiterate Ign oramusses as many of them are seeing if they had eit her parts or learning they would scorn to employ them for the service of God in his Church Therefore till I can hear or imagine any reason to the contrary I shall here propose it as a thing commendable in any person of quality be they never so great to entertain such thoughts in their minds of devoting their child to God as did Hannah And I doubt not but if any of them who are less mancipated to the common follies would cease a while to idolize themselves and suffer reason and conscience to speak 2 Cor. 8.8 they would consider better of it But this I speak not by commandement And therefore it is not a Precept but a counsel Much less should any be so far besotted with Popish perswasions or Jesuitical delusions as to think a child not dedicated to the Lord unless it be dedicated to a Monastick life Though Sampson Judg. 13.5 while yet in the womb was appointed to be a Nazarite yet not by his parents choice but by the command of the Angel Therefore let them onely take such a course as have the like warrant Well then by dedicating it to God I mean that which is the indispensable duty of all Christian parents viz. partly in purposing while the child is yet in the womb that if it safely enter into the land of the living and come to years of maturity they will use all possible endeavors that it may be the Lords Eph. 6.5 by bringing it up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord partly by serious prayers to God in its behalf that it may be separated to him from the womb Thus I say should every mother beg of God that as it is mine by nature so it may be thine by grace that as I have received from thee so thou wouldst be pleased to accept my dedication of it to thee again Some women have such prayers and purposes when their travel fills them with pain and threatens them with danger but if once delivered they mind them no more Wherefore let your duty herein take an earlier date that it may make better impression in your heart And assure your self if you thus purpose and desire that your child may be set apart for God and become holy to the Lord it shall be with you as with David 2 Sam. 7.12 13 14 15. he dedicated much for the Temple and purposed to build an house for God though he lived not to accomplish his desire yet he lived in his son and was blessed with a Solomon who did afterwards happily accomplish it so I say Whether you live or not yet because it is in your heart as soon as ever the child was in your womb to devote it to the Lord this is doubtless thank-worthy with him you shall be blessed in your posterity Ps 35.13 and your prayes shall return into your own bosome For either your child shall live long in the land and enjoy the fruit of your early prayers or enter with you into Heaven where you shall enjoy him in glory for ever having your joy herewith augmented that God took him so soon CHAP. VIII Care of her own health the duty of a woman with child THough care of the body may seem to be a matter of so small moment as scarce to deserve a chapter by it self yet the truth is it is a duty of so great concernment that it must not be excluded but distinctly considered by child-bearing women Certain we are that life and health must be reckoned among those talents which God doth intrust them with Because the health of the body contributes much to perfect all operations of the mind but women with child have a far greater reason to be mindful of their health viz. not onely for their own sakes but the good of the infant that is yet unborn If therefore some grave Authors have thought it necessary Charon of Wisdome that the Father himself should observe divers rules of temperance both in body and mind if he expect towardly and comely children Magirus Phys How much more requisite is it that the mother who contributes far more to the body and disposition of the child then the Father because the child for many moneths receives such nourishment as the womb where it lies affords I say how much more doth it concern her to use all possible caution and discretion to keep her self in a healthy and well-ordered plight that she may afford the better nutriment to the fruit of her womb I question not but their care herein is as effectual to the strength of their child as the warmth of the Sun and inriching the soil is to any fruit And as fruit that ripens kindly is gathered the easier and comes off without tearing the branch on which it grows so the child the more strength it receives from the mother as the root and the more vigorous it grows by all additional helps the easier and speedier will its passage into the world be Dr. Gouge of Domest Duties p. 516. This is one reason say Expositors if not the chief reason why the Angel layes so strict a charge upon the wife of Manoah when she was with child with Sampson to abstain from wine and strong drink because he was to de a Nazarite and therefore must not have his temper and constitution infected with a natural liking to that which he was prohibited the use of By which you may perceive what influence the meat drink desires and delights of the mother have upon the future disposition of the child Wherefore learn it as a special duty to forbear all excess in meats and drinks use no violent recreations take no needless journies incumber not your body with much labour nor your mind with much anxious care sorrow and
among their cattel none should be barren or cast their young Exod 23.26 And though sometimes the voice of the Lord maketh the Hindes to calve that is Terrible claps of thunder cause some beasts to cast their young sooner than ordinary Yet his providence doth generally watch over every beast of the forest to cause them to bring forth their fruit in season Job 39.1 2 3. and to cast out their sorrows even the wild goats of the rock partake of this benefit from him And men also are generally carefull of beasts in this condition as Jacob took speciall care of Labans cattle that they did not cast their young Gen. 31.38 33.13 and in driving his own cattel when he met his Brother Esau he was mindfull to go such a pace as might not hurt any creature with young David when a shepheard expresses that Calling by following the ews great with young Implying that his care of them was double to what he had of therest of his flock Hence it is that when God would set forth to us the mild and gracious conduct of the Captain of our salvation Jesus Christ 't is thus expressed sa 40.11 He shall feed his flock like a sheep-heard he shall gather the Lambs with his arms and carry them in his bosom and shall gently lead those that are with young That is shall use like tendernesse and indulgence to the weak and infirm as all sober men do to creatures that are with young Now Is a good man mercifull to his beast and is not our good God mercifull to his children in that condition Doth God take care for fouls fishes and beasts even every beast of the forest and doth he not much more take care of you O ye of little faith Hath he not implanted in all men a most tender regard to teeming women Whence came else that law of the Areopagites whose famous laws were patterns to many nations the like whereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apud Aelian var. hist lib. 5. p. mihi 404. or at least the like custome we have in England that be a woman never so flagitious and unworthy to live yet if she be with child that shall priviledge her from the stroak of death till she be delivered and gotten to some strength I say the Father of mercy doth infuse this compassion into the minds of all men and not onely so but hath given a most severe Law for the sharp punishment of all men Exod. 21.22 23 24. that shall accidentally hurt a woman with child that they shall give life for life and limb for limb or what ever punishment the husband shall think fit Now what greater evidence would you have of the mercifull regard of our God and Saviour than the particulars I have here proposed So that it must needs be a thing unreasonable in you and displeasing to him not to trust in his name and to cast all your cares fears and burthens upon him To all which let me adde the consideration of his alsufficiency to help you in that condition and this you will find if well considered to be the surest support you can fix your thoughts upon All creatures by the instinct of nature and providential gubernation are apprehensive of approaching dangers and use the best means they can to secure themselves The subtile Foxes have holes the foolish Deer their thickets and the conies though a simple folk yet make they their holes in such rocks and precipices from whence no hand can pluck them The wary Bird espying the gun or snare of the Fowler mounts aloft and is safe from danger Wherefore when you grow bigger and bigger and your heart grows big with fearful expectations of your approaching danger should you not pray that God would lead you to the rock that is higher then you which Rock is Christ Should you not look upwards and ascend upwards daily in your thoughts that so you may get above the hurt and peril of any affliction yea of death it self Do you not observe that among creatures those are most active and powerfull that are furthest elevated and removed from gross matter You therefore extract distill c. that you may have the quintessence and vertue of any herb more compendiously and effectually usefull in your time of need You see also the water is more active then the dull earth the aire then the water the fire then either of the three and Angels excel men and all elements and all creatures in strength and God doth yet further exceed them then they do a worm Therefore to whom should you go but to him who onely hath the power of life and death It is both commendable and common in repenting sinners to count themselves with the Apostle chief sinners because of some peculiar circumstances they espy in their own sine which they have cause to think are not common to be found in the sins of others But it is more common then commendable in afflicted persons to aggravate their sorrows like those in the Prophet Behold and see Is it nothing to you all ye that pass by is there any sorrow like unto my sorrow c. So perhaps you think there is none so like to miscarry and perish none ever more unlikely to live then you This is doubtless your folly For what improbabilities or seeming impossibilities can you labour under which many others have not been exercised with and delivered from There is no new thing under the Sun Unlesse you are resolved to believe nothing but your own unbelieving heart you may hear and know of many that have been as weak sickly bruised hurt diseased and sufficiently afraid yet have been safely delivered But be it so that your case is singular and worse then ordinary yet cannot you say with the Apostle I know whom I have trusted that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him Jer. 17.5 Believers trust not in an arme of flesh that is cursed nor do their hearts depart from the Living God but they trust in him whose Name is a sure Refuge whose Promise is a sufficient Security whose compassion is a sufficient Motive to do good and whose Power is allufficient to accomplish it Therefore 't is remarkable that in the Old Testament God did often exercise his hand maids with many improbabilities before they had any children As you may see in the Stories of Sarah Rebeceah Rachel Leah Hannah Elizabeth and others Now they considered not their own bodies though dead that is past the usual time of nature for child-bearing but trusting in him who was able to create that which was not or to quicken that which was dead they continued in the Faith and were the joyful mother of children We had a Cor. 1.9 saith the Apostle the sentence of death in our selves that we might learn not to trust in our selves but in God which raiseth the dead As if he had said the God whom we
pleasvres for evermore that they never thirst after the present delights of the sons of men but scorne the very thoughts of any mortal enjoyments I am much mistaken in my conceptions of Eternity if it prove not some addition to my joy before God for ever 1 Thess 2.19 20. Phil 2.16 if this book of mine whoever else disregard it may be as I hope it will an instrumental cause of reall addition to your grace a help to your joy in believing a support to you in the time of need But this I leave wholly to the powerful blessing of that God whose I am and whom I serve And God forbid that I should sin against him in ceasing to pray for you that you may be inwardly fill'd with all the fulness of God and may outwardly shine not in costly array but which becometh women professing godlinesse in good works 1 Tim 2.9 10. 1 Pet. 3.3 4 5. that the dayes of your tranquillity may be lengthened that you may see your childrens children and peace upon Israel Prov. 31.28 29. that wherein other daughters have done vertuously you may strive to excel them all that so your children may rise up and call you blessed and your husband also may praise you that you may patiently run your race and faithfully finish your course that when you have conflicted with all the dangers and inconveniences of your pilgrimage you may receive the end of your faith and in a good old age enter into rest If my tongue doe not alway use these very words yet my soul shall thus pray for you without ceasing till I my selfe shall cease to be till when I crave leave to subscribe Your ever devoted Servant in the things of Christ J. O. TO THE READER Good Reader I Have according to the the Authors desire perused this short Treatise and finde it pithy pious and plain Thou wilt find nothing therein that 's either Factious or Seditious but that which tends to advance true piety The Authors design being not to gratifie any discontented Party but to promote the power of Godlinesse in all And though the Title tell thee that this booke is more peculiarly intended for Child-bearing Women yet thou wilt finde that much of the matter contained herein will be profitable to any that shall read it seriously and improve it aright That it may Reader be of good use to thy Soule is the Prayer of Thine in our Lord Edw. Hicks D.D. Minister at Rood Church London TO THE Christian Reader SOME have disputed whether the invention of Printing and Guns have done more harme then good I shall not determine Onely this I dare say that where Guns have slain their thousands the Presse hath slain its ten thousands And the latter kind of slaughter is more deplorable because it reaches to mens Soules Of this misery there will be no end while controversies take up our time or novelties take with our fancy I having now some leasure whereof as even a Heathen said I must give an account I bethought my self wherein I might be most serviceable to my generation and bring most glory to my God and Saviour Therefore knowing that the Presse will reach those who are orherwise out of my reach I resolved in some lesser piece first to make an essay how any thing of mine would passe in the world And thinking it presumption yea something worse to transcribe and pick both method matter and words out of other authors pretending a new treatise upon a beaten argument which others had better handled before finding also by experience that some late needlesse Writers have done the Church more disservice by taking of the minds of men from more ancient Authors than reall service by putting plain truth only into a finer mode I did therefore conclude to accept of that for my theame which all Divines for ought I can finde have as with one consent left untoucht as if they had bequeathed it to me to handle So that I hope all ingenous Readers will be more candid did to me whatever imperfections their critical eyes may here discover considering * Iter eâ— non tritâ authoribuâ— viâ nec quâ pergrinari animus ex petat Nemo apuâ— nos qui id tentaveriâ— Plin. praes hist nar Jud. 14.18 2 Cor. 10.16 that I could not plow with another mans Heifer nor boast in another mans Line of things made ready to my hand but was forced to break the Ice my selfe to walke in an untrodden path and to spin the thread out of my own bowels And I hope that among the many women with child it may light into the hands of some that are serious humble and teachable whom I would in treat to peruse it diliberately if they please a chapter in a day seconding it with Meditation and Prayer and if they thus go through it in order I question not but if I never hear of them yet God shall soon hear their voice of thanksgiving for some benefit by it As for others I have this onely request to them that they would let it passe quietly till some abler head shall furnish the world with a better * Ego quod potui id feci nec impedio siquis in eodem circo currat a palmam Lips in Tacit. Which I should be right glad to see And saving my reverence to those abler heads I cannot understand why this point should be held so inconsiderable as to be below the studies of any of our voluminous learned Clarks who yet have the leasure and condescention to write polemicall Treatises about very small matters Surely Women in this condition have their peculiar duties and their peculiar motives to diligence in them and their number is considerable They are a worthy part of the Community then especially when breeding for much of the comfort of the present generation and the honour of God and future being of his Church in succeeding generations is concerned in those Infants yet un-borne We know that their dangers are many that their dayes are frequently shortned by travel that their souls are precious and therefore how precious should be * Cal. 6. â—0 to us any opportunity * Job 12.21 of acquainting them with God with their duty to him to their own souls and to the children they go with Surely our relation to or Acqaintance with some of them our Christian compassion that we owe to all of them doth oblige us not onely to wish their happy deliliverance but as occasion is offered to promote their preparation for travell And from this pious intention I suppose it was that Mr. Deering at the end of his works hath a Godly prayer fitted for Women with child and because I know not of any other that hath given any such I shall here transcribe it A Prayer before child-birth AL thy wayes are just Oh dear Father and thy judgments are true altogether For worthily doth man live in the sweat of his face
and the woman bring forth children with much pain and travel and with great danger Yea O mercifull Father this pain is not a sufficient punishment for the grievous transgressions wherewith we and our fore-fathers have transgressed thy most holy will The punishment is in respect of our demerits too smal but in respect of our weaknesse too great for us without thee to endure Wherefore as I acknowledge O mercifull Father this travel in child-birth which now approacheth to be a just reward of my manifold sins so I acknowledge also thy ready Arm of defence stretched out over me and over all them that call upon thee in faith Grant therefore O dear Father that I may pray in faith and patiently wait for that time of my travel that I may thankefully and constantly endure it when it shall be present knowing that though I then feel some tast of the reward of sin yet I feel not all and that little which I then feel thou dost presently reward with comfort and gladnesse when a child is born into the world The which comfortable and glad issue grant me O Lord if it be thy good pleasure and having received such fruit of my body grant me moreover wisedom and strength to bring it up in thy fear and to travel as it were again with it till it be born again into a heavenly life to the glory of thy holy name and my greater joy that so it may finally in Christ Jesus be partaker of those blessings which thou dost plentifully rain down upon the faithfull and their seed for ever And because I am not worthy to present this my suit to thy heavenly Majesty of my self a most wretched and sinfull woman I offer it in the name in the righteousnesse and in the strength of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ praying furthermore as he taught us to pray Our father c. They are also mentioned in the publick luturgy but where else I remember not Sure I am that all big-bellyed women had need to remember themselves and to consider the things that belong to their peace before they be hid from their eyes Luk. 19.42 For if women will make no other preparation for lying in then what is common if they onely get linnen and other necessaryes for the child a nurse a midwife entertainment for the women that are called to their labour a warme convenient chamber c. Which things I confesse every one according to their ability should be mindfull of in time for as I have shewed in a distinct Chapter in this Book Gravidae orpora cuaredebent â—ens item aruÌ„ quieâ—em desiâ—erat Quae him proâ—eantur à â—atre in â—jus utero â—â—ntinentur â—â—mentum â—piunt ut â—rerrâ ea â—ae gigâ—ntur ex 〈◊〉 Arist 〈◊〉 lib. 7. women in this condition should be very careful of their bodies while they are with child and very careful of providing all possible helps and conveniences against their lying in But all these may prove miserable comforters they may perchance need no other linnen shortly but a winding sheet and have no other chamber but a grave no neighbours but worms or if they be delivered while yet they retain such unwillingnesse of mind to prepare for death as we say of all other deliverances granted to the ungodly they are delivered (a) Rich. Rogers his seven treatises treat 6. c. 10. p. 193. edit 4. in anger not in favour with Gods curse not with his blessing and are in all likelyhood reserved to the greater condemnation when their sin is repined Whereas if they would seek the Lord while he may be found Psal 32 6.1 Chron. 28.9 Cant. 3.1 Heb. 12.17 Isa 55.6 Luk. 10.42 if they would mind diligently the one thing necessary if they would speedily fly to Christ for refuge than they are safe for whether they live or die their souls cannot miscarry But of these things I have spoken more at large in the Book it self And now Reader let me draw to a conclusion You must not expect from me the common complements of some writers as that I should extenuate the worth of this Book because 't is mine (a) Siquidem tam inbecillia sunt hujus temporis judicia ac penè tam nulla ut nec qui legunt non tam considerent quid legant quà m cujus legant ij tam dictionis vim atque virtutem quà m dictatoris cogitent dignitatem Salvian Salomo Epo p. 334. or tell the Reader that it is unworthy of his view needs his pardon and was wrested from me by the importunities of no man knows who that else I should above all things have shund to appear in Print c. No Let such strange dissemblers study a truer Apology for their false Apologie When they have said never so much to their own disparagment who believes them Neither can I understand how any honest man can Print a Book and yet professe that he thinks none will be the wiser or better for reading of it Let me therefore onely say this to the Reader that I have in this piece as small as 't is taken pains and well considered of what I have written The matter of it is generally Scriptural and there is that truth of God in it that commands your Christian regard And God is my witnesse how often I implored his assistance in composing it and his blessing on it when finished That my labour will be accepted of the Saints is my greatest hope but for praise or commendation from others I am not sollicitous In a word I send it (a) Mens enim boni studii ac pii voti etiamst affectum non invene rit coepti operis habet tamen praemium voluntatis Salvian praef in lib. de gub dei p. 3. abroad with this confidence that it will by Gods blessing do good to some And I have this assurance that there is nothing in it that can be hurtfull to any that will either rightly take it or let it alone Farewell in the Lord. Thy souls friend J. O. Salvian prefat in Lib. de gubern Dei Pag. 2. 3. OMnes enim in Scriptis suis causas tantùm egerunt suas propriis magis laudibus quà m aliorum utilità tibus consulentes non id facere adnisi sunt ut salubres ac salutiferi sed ut scholastici ac diserti haberentur Itaque scripta eorum aut vanitate sunt tumida aut falsitate infamia aut verborum foeditatibus sordida aut rerum obscoenitate vitiosa Vt verè cum ingeniorum tantùm laudem aucupantes tam indignis rebus curam impenderent non tam illustrasse mihi ipsa ingenia quà m damnasse videantur Nos autem qui rerum magis quam verborum amatores utilia potiùs quam plausibilia sectamur nequeid quaerimus ut in nobis inania seculorum ornamenta sed ut salubria rerum emolumenta laudentur in scriptiunculis nostris non leno cinia esse volumus sedremedia quae scil non