prayor to God in his Sonne Christ who shed his blood for thee and thereby able to wash thee from thy bloody sinne if thou truely repent and doest faithfully and feruently praye for pardon and if thou be destitute of the power to pray of thy selfe thou maist vse the former prayer made for a man grieued in conscience for the hainousnesse of his sinnes or this short confession and prayer following and that often vntill thy conscience become at peace with God and then howsoeuer both the Lawe of God and men condemne thee for the facte and that thou suffer death for the same take it with godly patience for better it is for thee to suffer here a temporall death for thy sinne then to carrie the burthen of a tormenting conscience not suspected to thy graue which though man doe not shall accuse thee when it will be too late to crye for mercie A Prayer for a man imprisoned guiltie of murther O Lord God whose mercies are aboue all thy workes and yet I wretched creature haue not deserued the least part of the same but rather vtter confusion both of body and soule not onely for my manifold and grieuous sinnes committed euen from my youth but aboue all other of my grieuous sinnes I feele the heauy burthen of this one sinne this capitall and crying sinne in thy seuere Iustice impardonable the wilfull taking away of the life of thine innocent creature whose blood cryeth against mee as did that guiltlesse blood of Abel crye against his murtherous brother Kayne who was reiected by thee by reason of his impenitency deale not so with mee deare father I praye thee I am heartely forty for my wicked facte and doe acknowledge it to be most hainous yet not exceeding thy mercy which as farre as the heauen is aboue the earth so is thy mercie aboue thy Iustice and as farre as the East is from the West so farre canst thou put this my grieuous sinne from mee which though it be as red as blood yea blood it selfe yet is the blood of that Lambe Iesus Christ of more then sufficient efficacie and vertue to make it white as snowe O cast mee not vtterly out of thy fauour though I be a most grieuous sinner for my soule is heauy within mee my heart is cast downe I dare not looke vp vnto heauen where thou sittest a seueate Iudge and I tremble to thinke how grieuously I haue offended thee I am fallen O Lord I am fallen into the hands of my most deadly enemie Satan that pursues mee with deadly hatred he he O God prouoked mee to this vngodly deede and now he seekes to draw me to dispayre of thy mercie into whose hands O Lord I cast my selfe knowing that there is yet mercie with thee and in Iesus Christ perfect Redemption I am also fallen into the hands of men whose Lawes I haue by this mine vngodly facte wilfully broken by whose Lawes I am condemned and that worthily and there is none to comfort me but thou alone against whom especially I haue committed this bloody sinne for which as I doe acknowledge to haue deserued the death not onely of my wretched body but also of my most sinfull soule so I beleeue that the death of my body shall be a sufficient satisfaction to the Lawe of man and the griefe and sorrowe of my truely repenting heart through the preuayling death of my Sauiour Iesus Christ shall bee a satisfaction to thy Iustice. And as I doe acknowledge that I haue deserued to dye so I beseech thee Lord to prepare me therevnto with Patience faith firme and constant assurance of thy mercy that I fainte not at my approaching death but may bee assured that as thou forgauest the Theef vpon the Crosse receiuedst him into Paradice so thou wilt receiue my soule in the merites of Christ my Sauiour when through death it shall leaue my sinfull body which graunt gracious Lord God for his sake that dyed for penitent sinners among whome I cannot but confesse I am the greatest and the greater shall thy mercy appeare Lord confirme my faith in thee to the end and in my end Amen For such as are imprisoned for committing any offence against the Lawes of the Kingdome deseruing death AS the Lawes and Ordinances of Kingdomes are many to meete with the sinnes and transgressions of men which are infinite so the causes of mens restraynts imprisonments and punishments are not to bee named or numbred yet euery man commonly knowes the offences that deserue the same and haue not yet the grace or power to auoide the committing of them Thou art in prison knowne or vehemently suspected of some grieuous facte committed against the Lawes deseruing the executing sword of the Magistrate vpon life or member thy case is hard and dangerous deserued death or some other seueare punishment hangeth ouer thy head at the pleasure of the Iudge It behoueth thee therefore to looke into thine owne heart and to examine thine owne conscience strictely whether thou be guiltie or not of the cryme laid vnto thy charge or of any other grieuous cryme which thou hast long concealed for God many times doth punish an offender for some wicked facte formerly committed and neuer discouered by the suspition of a cryme and punisheth it as the acte done and therefore if thou feele thy selfe guiltie of any grieuous offence commited against God by the breach of the Lawes of man which thou hadst cleane forgotten if thou be after vniustly accused or suspected of another which if thou were guiltie of it deserued as seueare punishment as the former and thou receiue it though in that thou be innocent yet in Gods Iustice this thy punishment is for thy former offence iust He that wittingly or wilfully disobeyeth the Lawes of man is guiltie of the breach of the Lawe of God by whom Magistrates that establishe Lawes for ciuile gouernment of their subiects are set and appointed and haue their authoritie and power to punish offendors from God and therefore should euery soule submit it selfe to the powers ordained by God And seeing thou hast highly offended these Lawes fit it is that thou shouldst be apprehended restrained of thy raunging libertie whereby thou maist not onely offend others but bee a meane to intice others to thy example of sinning Receiue therefore thine imprisonment and punishment with patience murmure not against the Magistaate that thus in Gods steed and as his Minister correcteth thee who if hee had let thee runne on further in thine impieties the greater had beene thy sinne and the greater would haue beene thy finall punishment whereas now thou mayst haue time to examine thy life past and to repent thee of thy sinnes and to seeke to God in Christ for pardon and therefore hast thou rather cause to thanke God for thine imprisonment then to grudge that hee correcteth thee so shalt thou make profit of thy restraint in redeeming thy former ill spent time and learne
And therefore not to think it strange when any crosse or affliction befals vs But rather thereby to take occasion to call our selues daily to accompt what we haue done against the Commandements of God and to acknowledge that for those sins that we haue done God corrects vs. Let vs beware that we bee not found of the number of those whom neither Gods angrie countenance which appeareth in the seueritie of his punishments nor his fatherly chastisements and instructions contained in his word can reclaime from committing sinne nor from whom Gods gentle correction can draw hearty confession of them and true repentance for them We must also consider that it is not enough for vs to confesse our sinnes barely to God for hee knoweth them better then wee our selues but with our confession wee must acknoweledge that God may iustly condemne vs for them And therefore wee must ioyne with the confession of our sins true and sincere repentance for them which yet auaileth not without a liuely faith in taking hold of the blood and merites of Iesus Christ in whome and for whose sake our sins are pardoned And this faith must bee certaine it must be an assured confidence of the promises made in Christ in whom a sinner truely penitent and faithfully confident is iustified and neither by our bare confession or best workes but by the meere mercy of God in his Sonne As there is no man but sinneth daily So hee must daily confesse his sinnes to God and truely repent them not as Iudas Kayne Iudas confessed he had sinned betraying the innocent blood and repented but not in faith his repentance was a desperate sorrowe not for the sinne hee committed but for the horror of his reprobabation So did Kayne confesse his sinnes My sinnes are greater then I am able to beare but he tepented not to the obtaining of mercie Confession of sinnes and repentance without faith auaileth not It auailed not Pharaoh though hee confessed the righteousnesse of God and his owne and his peoples sinnes But Peter confessed his sinnes and repented with tears So did Marie Magdaline and their repentance is recorded by the holy Ghost to teach all posterities how to bewayle their sinnes a right They were great sinners yet through faith and repentance obtained pardon which to the comfort of greatest sinners sheweth that there is yet place of repentance and acceptation into Gods fauour for them vpon sincere repentance God himselfe affirmeth that He desireth not the condemnation of a sinner but rather that he repent and be saued And againe hee saith Haue I any desire that the wicked should dye or shall he not liue if he returne from his euill wayes And what is it to returne vnto God but true repentance for our sinnes And we are to consider that that repentance which is perfect indeed is ioyned with the keeping of Gods Commandements and none can say or assure himselfe that his confession of his sinnes and his repentance is accepted of God vnlesse he adde all his desires to fulfill the Lawe of God for the breach whereof God afflicteth his owne dearest children with sundrie crosses to preuent his cursses which hee inflicteth either here vpon the disobedient and vnrepentant to cause his owne to auoid sin by the example of his seuere iudgements whereby hee beginneth here to punish them or reserueth his punishments of them vntill his finall condemnation of them Markes of repentance are contrition and vnfained sorrow for sinne committed ioyned with a liuely faith in Christ for pardon of them and a setled desire and purpose euer hereafter to walke in a holy feare to displease God againe by our sinnes namely by the outward breach of Gods Commandements for the committing of things contrary to the Lawes of God is that sin we should repent vs of which by reason of our corrupt nature we cannot but coÌ„mit without the especiall grace of God which although it be the free guift of God it is not obtained without liuely faith and prayer in Christ by whose stripes we are healed and for whose sake we are heard and in whose blood we are washed from our sinnes But sorrow of heart may be great and yet auaile vs nothing as it did not Kayne Iudas Esau vnlesse true faith bee ioyned therewith Sorrow indeed may cast vs downe which if it bee not in an humble and faithfull acknowledgement of our vnworthinesse to be called or accepted as the children of God by reason of our sinnes it may proue desperate And therefore sorrow for sinne and faith in Christ to be pardoned ioyned together will assure vs that God is our God and that wee are his people that he is our Father and that wee are his sonnes and daughters If then we finde in our selues the burthen of our sinnes truely and plainely confesse them to God and heartely repent them we cannot but through faith in Christ assure our selues that our sinnes are pardoned and hauing an inward assurance thereof we must acknowledge that these graces proceede of no other thing then of the meere merites and mediation of our alone and onely Sauiour Iesus Christ who disdaineth not to call vs thus receiued into the Communion of the Saints of God brethren whom God knewe before the world was predestinated to be made like to the Image of Iesus Christ adopted in him and by whom we haue redemption in his blood euen the full forgiuenes of all our sinnes through his grace wherewith hee hath made vs freely accepted of God Now then we being through the grace of God made the Sonnes of God brethren and coheires with Christ shall wee thinke that he will not also furnish vs with the spirit of his Son which dwelling in vs we shall be able faithfully to cry Abba Father and what is that but to teach vs how to pray to God his heauenly Father in his owne name Therefore Whatsoeuer we shall aske the Father he will grant it vs for his sake so we aske according to his will in a liuely faith and waâ—â—â— not for he that wauereth is like a waue of the sea tost with the wind Though therefore our Tribulations be great and our afflictions many waies grieuous yet seeing they proceed from so louing a Father we may not thinke them to be inflicted vppon vs in displeasure but in a Fatherly regard of our soules health Which as sinne hath impaired so his gentle chastisements are as wholsome medicines to heale it And as no Physicke be it neuer so salutarie for the health of the body is sauorie to the Palat So Gods corrections howsoeuer they are sent as eyther Antidotes to preuent sinne or Medicines to cure it They are not pleasant to Flesh and Blood for the time But as corporall physicke though harsh in the tast hauing it working in an vnsound sound body begetteth health and is then much commended with many thanks to the
God and that our afflictions proceed from his finall anger neuer to bee appeased but these his sugiestions are false let vs not beleeue them let vs beleeue that whom God doth chasten he loueth and therefore we may assure our selues so much the more that we are the children of God by how much we finde these tentations in vs for if we were his as he would sugiest vnto vs that God is angry with vs and wee not his he needed not to trouble vs but he knowing that wee are the Lords hee worketh by all meanes to drawe vs to distrust in God and that the merits of Christ cannot auaile vs. But let vs be strong in the Lord let vs trust constantly and confidently in the merits of his sonne armed with the shield of faith and buckle vnto our selues the sword of the spirit which is the word of God which doth containe most sure promises that he will neuer leaue vs nor forsake vs let vs pray alwayes with all manner of prayer and supplication in the spirit and watch thereunto in a holy patience with all perseuerance So shall wee see the saluation of God his power and prouidence in deliuering vs out of all our troubles of whatsoeuer kinde or such inward comforte as shall make our most bitter and sharpest afflictions sweet and easie And for asmuch as sinne is the greatest and most heauy burthen of misery that any poore childe of God can be afflicted with It is the principall part of a Christian to seeke to be vnburthened of the same not as to bee carelesse in the search of his sinnes and so to feele no burthen for he is like a man sicke vnto death and yet will acknowledge he feeleth no sickenesse at all but he that findeth his sinnes most grieuous vnto him and most deiected for them is nearest vnto pardon so he acknowledge them and in a liuely faith in Christ repent them Comforte for a man afflicted in conscience by reason of his sinnes COnsider first whosoeuer thou art that art troubled in minde 〈◊〉 thy conscience afflicted by 〈◊〉 â—f thy great sins 〈…〉 not thy case alone to be a sinner it is a common disease and sickenesse of the soule originally deriued from the transgression of Adam and remaining in the nature of all his posteritie outwardly shewing it selfe in vngodly wordes and deeds spoken or done against the Law and honor of God and inwardly by the thoughts desires of the heart conceiued against the Law of the spirit And happie is hee that can consider his owne wayes and that can and doth examine and finde out the sinnes which are hidden in his owne heart which to all other men are concealed but not from God The heart is an vnfadomable depth of sinne and rebellion against God and the best man by nature is guiltie of many secret and hidden as well as open and known sinnes for The imaginations of mans heart are onely euill from his youth And many odious sinnes proceede from that corrupte fountaine Such as men are ashamed to reueale and were it possible they would conceile them from God him selfe and therefore they often striue to keepe them in their priuate bosomes vntill they become so heauy burthensome as they can no longer beare them without vnspeakable horror and vnquietuesse of minde vntill they become as a worme so venemous in the Conscience as eateth and deuoureth all peace and comfort of the heart which the Deuill seeketh continually to feed and agrauates the sinnes grieuously in the minde of a poore sinner that he begins to fainte and as it were to sincke vnder the burthen of his afflicted conscience which is the most heauy crosse of all crosses a burrhen importable where it lighteth and it seemeth to bee in some measure thine owne case and is indeed dangerous for that soule that sinneth and perseuereth therein shall dye and it seemeth thou feelest the weight of grieuous sins which makes thee sad melancholicke and heauy which is yet a token that thou art not so dead in sin as that there is no feeling of sinne in thee which may be an argument that there is some life of grace yet in thee and that the spirit of God is not altogether dead in thee for if thy conscience were so feared vp and hardned that there were no sinne felt of thee thy case were farre more dangerous and though thou groanest and grieuest vnder the burthen of thy sinnes it may be onely for feare of the Iudgement of God and his punishments due for thy sinnes which is in it selfe but a seruile and slauish feare But if thou grieue that thou hast offended God by thy sinnes and dishonoured him by thy transgressions this proceedeth of a godly sorrow and so a signe that there is yet place and time for thee to repent turne vnto God therfore despaire not of the mercies of God in Christ who through thy faith if it be liuely and stedfast will be thine Aduocate by whom and by none other or other meanes thou shalt be reconciled to God and not dye in thy sinnes Thy sins are great great and fearefull the iudgements of God for sinne yet greater then both is the mercy of God towards a truly penitent sinner he is much displeased for sinne yet retayneth not he his anger long against a sinner if he returne vnto him for mercy is more pleasing vnto him then Iustice And though he seeme to turne away his louing fauour from thee being a notorious sinner and suffer thee to lye plunged and as it were wallowing in the bloud of thy sinnes and leaue thee destitute of all inward feeling of comfort yet if thou were the most haynous sinner and haue but an inclination an inward true desire to regaine his fauor and be truly sorie that thou hast offended him hee will turne againe and haue compassion vpon thee he will put away thine iniquities and cast thy sinnes into the botome of the Sea for as high as the heauen is aboue the earth so great is his mercie towards them that truly feare him God is iust in deede But if it may be so said he is more mercifull then iust but to none but to such as doe not onely feare and grieue for their sinnes as did Iudas and Esau But to such alone as in a liuely Faith take hold of the merites of Christ who in deede died for sinners but not for such as die in their sinnes as they did There must a reconciliation be made betweene God a sinner before he can assure himselfe of pardon and remission of his sinnes and that must not be delayed it must be to day before to morrow for as life is short and vncertaine and repentance requireth some time to be perfected though there be one example as of the Thiefe vpon the Crosse of suddaine repentance it is not so easie or speedy a worke to be well done there be many
lets which you shall finde in your selfe and many blockes Sathan will lay in your way therefore what you purpose to doe doe it speedily willingly faithfully and fully There is no meanes for you to be eased of the burthen of your sinnes but to cleaue vnto God in the merites of his Christ whome God the Father hath sent into the world to saue all those be they neuer so great and grieuous sinners as doe truly confesse hartily repent and faithfully beleeue the pardon of their sinnes and that they shall be saued through him If therefore thou truly beleeuest in Iesus Christ and appliest his death and merites vnto thy selfe in a full assurance and a setled perswasion that he dyed euen for thee then were thy sinnes neuer so great and haynous in quality neuer so many in number were they as red as scarlet or coloured as purple his bloud euen the bloud of that Lambe shall make them as white as snowe And therefore did Dauid crie wash mee O Lord wash mee and make mee cleane And what should hee wash but his sinnes And wherewith but with the meritorious bloud of Iesus Christ And before you can be thus washed and cleansed before you can haue the terror of your conscience eased and appeased You must confesse and lay open your sinnes before the Lord and say with a feeling and faithfull heart Against thee against thee O Lord onely haue I sinned and done euill in thy sight It must not be a lip confession as to acknowledge thy sinnes with thy mouth and to retaine them in thy heart Such a confession is hypocriticall and encreaseth thy sinnes were thy sinnes neuer so small in thine owne opinion yet oughtest thou to thinke them great and grieuous and so they are for the least sinne that a man commits is the breach of the Law and he that breaketh the least is guilty of the greatest It seemeth thou dost in deede feele already the grieuousnesse of thy sinnes by thy heauinesse and mourning which is a good beginning of repentance but vnlesse thou doe therewith conioyne Faith in the merites and bloud of Iesus Christ and dost truly purpose and endeuour to leade a new life thy repentance will be still imperfect Thou mayest also feare God and yet little profit thee except thou beleeue in the mercies of God in Christ for the deuils themselues feare and tremble at their finall sentence of vtter condemnation To feare God as a Sonne is in deede a most heauenly vertue and is found in none but in the very sonnes and daughters of God for their feare is not so much of the punishment for sinne as for that they haue offended so louing a God by their sinnes But to feare God for the first is to feare him as a Slaue that feares more the whip then to abuse his Maister And this feare proceedeth of the suggestion of Sathan who tempts and allures thee to sinne perswading thee that thy greatest sinnes are but veniall and easily pardoned by saying onely Lord haue mercie vpon me or by some superficiall and light confession And when the sinne is committed he tells thee that thy sinnes are so great and haynous as they can not be forgiuen Agrauating that seruile feare which often drawes silly weake soules to dispaire of Gods mercies Thou grieuest that thou hast sinned because thou hearest that euery sinner shall die And yet thou thinkest it sufficient to thinke yea and to confesse thou art a sinner and Sathan would haue thee goe no further And so farre he will permit thee to goe without hindering thee as he did Kayne and Iudas but when hee sees thee begin to leade a life contrary to that he hath led thee and lulled thee in when he obserueth thee to shew any fruites of true repentance hee will then tell thee it is a needlesse labour for thy sinnes are so great as God will neuer forgiue them though thou repent neuer so mâ—ch Beleeue not this auncient lyer though hee doe perswade thee that thy sinnes are so great as the bloud of Iesus Christ can not preuaile to heale thee of them beleeue him not I say for he himselfe knoweth though to the agrauation and â—ncrease of his owne torments 〈◊〉 Iesus Christ came into the world to saue greatest sinners that repent and beleeue in the merites of Christ of which number because hee knoweth he cannot be he laboureth and vseth his infinite infernall Ministers to draw as many as hee can to his disobedience and condemnation Beleeue him not nor feare him not hee is a lyer in his suggestions and weak in his power and though he doe perswade thee that thy sinnes are so great as cannot be pardoned in the bloud and by the merites of Iesus Christ beleeue the contrary for he himselfe knoweth and hath confessed Christ to be the Sauiour of the faithfull and he that shall finally condemne him and all vnbeleeuers Art thou come to torment vs before the time saith he foreshowing that there is a time appointed for his vtter condemnation at the last day Hee knoweth that Christ came to saue sinners and that without exception of any sinne the sinne against the holy Ghost excepted of which sinne hee is highly guilty and therefore neuer to be forgiuen Take vnto thy selfe therefore a spirituall courage and defie this reprobate lyer this malignant aduersary to his face and tell him in a liuely feeling of the spirit of God in a true and firme faith that thou beleeuest in Christ thy assured Redeemer and hee shall not onely not preuaile against thee but he shall flie from thee And for thy more strength put on the whole armour of God and he will buckle it vnto thee that armed Christ against this common and mortall aduersary who ouercame him and triumphed ouer him hee will arme thee so on all parts that thou shalt not feare to encounter him hand to hand as Christ did Thou shalt combate with him and conquer him as Dauid did Goliah and therefore yeeld not to his tentations feare not his suggestions Looke vp vnto Christ thy Sauiour though hee be in the heauens glorified and hath his Throne of glory there hee will yet be thy safe second here hee will be euer on thy side therefore if through frailty thou shouldest be in some measure foyled as it seemeth thou art be not discouraged he will enter the List for thee and in thy behalfe And as soone as that infernall Champion doth but obserue that thou art seconded by him that hath alreadie conquered him he will not abide the field he will flye and forsake any further pursuit of thee Yet remember that this enemie will seeke and spie all occasions to take thee at any aduantage and will marke whereunto thou art still enclined and according to thy coÌ„mon course of siuning hee will feede thee with occasions to moue thee to offend thy louing God
and Iesus Christ and therefore must thou continually wrestle as long as thou liuest here in the flesh not onely with the infirmities of flesh and bloud but against principalities against powers and against spirituall wickednes against worldly gouernours the Princes of the darknesse of this world all inuisible And thinke not thy chiefest conflict to be with the visible men of this world but looke euery houre to be assayled by one spirituall enemie or another and when thou feelest any motion in thy heart to any kinde of sinne thinke thou presently now I must either fight or be foyled for there is no string away Sathan hath swift wings he will ouertake thee and finde thee out goe where thou wilt and that thou findest in thy selfe by the present horrour of thy conscience for thy sinnes which hee layes before thee as in an vgly glasse shewing them to be so monstrous as they be vnto thee as hell it selfe Be not yet dismayed take hold of Christ though not with thy hand as the woman in the Gospell yet with thy heart fasten vpon him with a liuely faith and hold him fast for nothing preuailes with him nor against Sathan and sinne but a strong and liuely faith in Iesus Christ. In this assurance stand fast be not afraide though thou be guilty of many and great sinnes so was Dauid and many worthy men of olde yet they obtayned pardon and were through the merites of Christ imputed righteous The mercy of GOD wrought vpon their sinnes for if all men were of them selues righteous needing no repentance how should the mercies of God appeare what auayled then the death and merites of Christ Why should he be reputed a Redeemer a Sauiour or wherefore should he be called a Mediatour if there were no sinne or sinners Hee came not to call the righteous such as feeling no sinne in themselues hold themselues iust but hee came in deede to call sinners to repentance and to saue through his bloud such as feele and acknowledge their sinnes Therefore be thou not afraid though thou feele thy sinnes burthensome vnto thee hee euen Christ came to ease them if thou faithfully beleeue in him And thinke not but faith and true repentance can and will turne Gods iustice into mercy his anger into fauour and his most heauie displeasure into loue euen into that loue wherewith God loueth his dearest children freely for he loueth none that loue not him and none can loue him but such as he loueth for to loue God and to be beloued of God are of God alone And they to whom he vouchsafeth this heauenly fauour to loue him are filled with all fulnesse of whatsoeuer may make them assured of their saluation quieting and pacifying their afflicted consciences and giuing them inward setled peace Therefore if thou haue and feele an inward godly sorrow that thou hast offended so louing a God and hast in thy selfe a desire to be reformed and to be reconciled to God Thou needest not feare for the loue of God towards thee is not absent neither are thou altogether destitute of thy loue towards him And therefore whatsoeuer Sathan doth suggest against thee beleeue him not beleeue thy Redeemer he is the truth he euen he doth assure thee that at what time so euer thou shalt repent thee of thy sinnes from the bottome of thy heart the Lord will put them out of his remembrance He is the truth that hath promised this and he will assuredly performe saluation euen to thee though thou be a grieuous sinner if thou truly repent and faithfully beleeue that thy sinnes are pardoned in his bloud who is also the way he hath traced out before thee and for thee a perfect example of righteousnesse patience and obedience walke in it then as he is also the life he shall be thy life and mauger sinne Sathan and death thou shalt liue and liue for euer Pray therefore vnto GOD faithfully and feruently and he will assuredly ease thee euen here of that heauie burthen wherewith thy conscience seemeth to be grieuously afflicted and oppressed And for thy further instruction and helpe if thou be so ignorant as not knowing how to pray to thy comfort thou mayst vse the Prayer following or according to the measure of that grace which God hath giuen thee sigh and groane inwardly to God who accepts euen inward desires to repent and to be reconciled to God as if they were prayers in deede so it be in faith from the heart or thou mayest vse any other godly prayer which may best expresse the sorrow of thy heart for thy sinnes the forgiuenesse of them and the assurance of thy saluation A Prayer for the forgiuenesse of sinnes that afflict the weake conscience of a sinner OEternall euerliuing and most louing Lord God in Iesus Christ towards them that feare thy name and walke vprightly before thee and a seuere Iudge vnto impenitent sinners who onely knowest the thoughts and secrets of all hearts from whose all-seeing eye no sinne or sinners can be hidden Consider Lord that I was originally made to thine owne Image in righteousnesse and holinesse and that I became corrupt and consequently sinfull by his transgression in whom I was first made holy and doe confesse my selfe O Lord one of and the worst of all the cursed seede of him in whom all posterities became accursed and I cannot conceale the corruption which I haue had receiued from them by whom I was begotten and borne and that this corruption now become mine hath begotten and brought forth so many and monstrous sins in me as I am not onely not worthy to be called thy Sonne but ashamed to be knowne to be the worke of the hands of so great so gracious and so righteous a God for my sinnes O Lord are so great so hainous so odious and so many in number as haue so farre ouergorged my corrupt heart so infected my wretched soule with the filthinesse of them that I feele euen the stink of them so loathsome vnto mine own guilty Conscience as I cannot but holde my selfe detestable in thy sight Mine Iniquities are gone euer mine head a burden too heauie for me to beare O wretch that I am how dare I come into thy presence such a trayne and troope of intollerable sins accompaning me Thou canst not Lord but obserue see and seeing and obseruing my hainous sinnes how can I but feare that thou in Iustice wilt not only put me back and reiect me and my praiers but worthily and deseruedly confound me I haue an accuser a Iudge and an executioner within me I am Arraigned and condemned euen by the accusation and witnesse of mine owne guilty Conscience the horror whereof hath beene and is such as hath made mee affraid to seeke to thee whome I haue so deeply offended for pardon lest that in thy fury and in the seueritie of thy Iustice thou shouldest leaue me to the will of him
that hath bene the principall instigator of me to sin and now the chiefe accuser of me for sinne and thinketh that he had and hath such a share in me throgh my former often consenting vnto his inticements that thou my God were not able to take me out of his hands But now holy heauenly and mercifull Father in Iesus Christ through thy grace vndeseruedly working in me I haue found him a deceiuer an imposter an enemye who hath done what lyeth in him to worke my ruyne by my rebelliō against thee throgh his continuall tentations vsing all his impious Instruments to deceiue me the pleasures of the world the lust of mine own flesh which hath bin euer prone to be allured by him And I wretched creature blind in all good thinges neuer obserued what a dangerous course of life I haue to this day walked in vntill now Now deere Father as it hath pleased thee of thine owne free mercie to open the eyes of my sinning soule to see that I haue lōg erred and that all that I haue hetherto done hath bene euill So now seeing mine owne wicked deseruings giue me power to repent me for all my sinns Reforme me O gracious Father reforme mee and by thy grace ease and comfort my grieued hart through the powerfull and effectuall working of thy spirit henceforth in mee that now at the last I may taste of thy goodnesse and rich mercy in Iesus Christ Though I haue nothing in my selfe to moue thee to haue compassion vpon me yet remember that I haue a deseruing and a preuailing Aduocate with thee whose merites may moue thee and his mediation preuaile with thee for me And therfore I haue hope that I shall be pertaker of his all sufficient satisfaction made for all sinners among whome I cannot but acknowledge my selfe the greatest and least deseruing thy fauour O my God I feele my miserable estate I acknowledge the grieuousnesse of my sinnes and that for them thou mayest iustly condemne me but that I haue learned by thine own promises that there is mercie with thee that thou delightest not in the condemnation of a sinner but rather that hee should repent and turne vnto thee and liue Lord haue mercie vpon me haue mercy vpon me for I am weake I feele a burthen of my sinnes that presseth me downe and nothing can raise me but thy mercies in Iesus Christ. O giue me a liuely faith that I may apply the preuailing merites of that sacred Lambe crucified for all beleeuers to the washing away of all my sinnes and to the ease of my guilty conscience heauily burthened therewith so shall my poore afflicted and distressed soule be refreshed my heart now grosly defiled shall be made cleane mine affections now altogether ranging after vnholy things shall be changed into perfect obedience vnto thee and Sathan that hath long and maliciously pursued me with his most violent tentations shal◠flye at the presence of thy holy spirit in me and all my thoughts imaginations desires words and workes shall be sanctified and made holy by the same Spirit O hide not therefore gracious Father hide not from me thy louing countenance but turne away thy face from my sinnes blot out all mine offences out of thy remembrance create in me a cleane heart restore to mee the ioy of thy saluation and stablish me with thy free spirit and let me neuer returne again to my former slauery of sinne and I shall offer vnto thee the vnfayned sacrifice of praise for thine vnspeakeable mercies All honour glory to Christ my Redeemer and to the holy Ghost the obedience of mine vnfayned heart for that he assureth mee of all these incomprehensible blessings Amen Lord euer more and more encrease my faith Comfort for the sicke THe miserable estate of a man perplexed in conscience for his sinnes is the greatest affliction that can befall a man in this life which is the sicknesse of the soule for a wounded conscience who can beare And next to it there is not a greater then is the extremitie of the sicknesse of the body and therefore neede these two sicknesses aboue all other crosses to be especially sought to be eased the first with spirituall the next both with spirituall and corporall comfort They are Twinns borne together and liue together though the one by inspiration the other by propagation And therefore if the soule be diseased the body can not though it may seeme contrary be in perfect health It will shew apparent tokens of the sicknesse of the minde and if the body be ouermuch tormented with the grieuousnesse of sicknesse the soule cannot but feele through a mutuall loue which is between the soule and the body a kinde of griefe and sorrow I will therefore apply vnto thee whome I see to be cast downe by thy bodies infirmity the counsell comforts which may first ease thee of thy inward feares and troubles for it can not be but that Sathan that auncient enemie of al mankinde hath beene busie in the time of thy health to draw thee to sin that by sinne thou mightest offend God that by offending God thou mightest be reiected of him and now finding thee visited by the hand of God with grieuous sicknesse fore-showing either the speedie approaching of death or a gentle forewarning thereof hee cannot be lesse watchfull and diligent in this thine extremity nay farre more then hee was in thy most healthfull estate to trouble thee for when thou wert healthfull and strong thou couldest nor but be by the corruption of thy owne nature proane to sinne And this common enemie of mans saluation worketh vpon our corruption and our ablenesse to sinne And when hee findeth vs most weake in our bodies and our sences and powres labouring against the violence of our infirmities then he commeth and presenteth vnto our guilty consciences the sinnes which he before prouoked vs to commit In the sicknesse of the body hee findeth fit oportunity to trouble vs for although hee knoweth not the time which God reserueth in his owne wisedome and power when any man shall dye yet when sicknesse comes he knowes it is the fore-runner of death and therefore hee knoweth that then or neuer hee must imploy all his Engines and batteries or else for euer rest frustrate of any hope to preuaile And therefore he will solicite thee now to distrust in the mercies of God in Christ and will suggest vnto thee that now thou seest and feelest that GOD is displeased with thee and that hee hath no delight in thee as if thou were his he would haue hee would not torment thee as hee doth and that thou were as good to cast off all thy hope in him as to deceiue thy selfe vainely trusting that hee will yet shew thee any mercy or louing countenance These fearefull assaults it cannot be but thou dost or mayest endure at this thy capitall enemies hands if thou be in deede the true childe of God for
at the iust proceeding of the Magistrate whose Lawes I haue offended nor against them by whome I was found guiltie nor against the Iudge by whose Sentence I am condemned for they are all thy Ministers O Lord and haue done nothing but what thy good pleasure is they should doe And therefore I impute vnto thee O Lord all equitie Iustice and righteousnesse to my selfe nothing but sinne shame confusion O God though thy Iustice requite that sinners should here be punished yet thou reseruest mercie to them that are sorie that they haue offended thee I am sorie O Lord I am sorie that I haue committed the least sinne against thee but this grieuous sinne for which I am inforced to suffer I lament and repent more then death it selfe because I haue thereby dishonoured thee wronged those to whome I rather should haue done my best dutie I haue caused others to sinne by the example of my sinne and haue inticed them that otherwise might haue liued without the danger I haue drawne them into so that I may be said to be guiltie not onely of mine owne blood but of theirs also that haue sinned by my meanes or with mee and deserue like punishment O Lord remember that all men are sinners and there are great and crying sinnes and there are sinnes of infirmitie but Lord the sinnes that I haue committed haue cryed and thou hast heard them they cryed vnto thee for this punishment which thou hast determined iustly to be inflicted vpon me and as the censure is already past vpon me which I cannot auoid so doe I expect the time beseeching thee in the aboundance of thy mercies to giue me constancie to perseuere in a liuely faith vnto the end If my lot Lord be vntimely death and that I see I must suffer for the guilt of my trangressions here let me finde fauour with thee as that Theefe did who suffered for his sinnes and was receiued into Paradice not of desert but of thy free mercie O deale not with me Lord after my merit for then the death of my body or what soeuer corporall punishment were no satisfaction to thy Iustice Haue mercie therefore vpon me O Lord and what course soeuer man taketh with my body receiue thou my soule into thine eternall Paradice My heart is prepared O God my heart is prepared and into thy hands Lord I commend my body to be punished and my soule to be glorified in the merits of Iesus Christ my Redeemer Amen O Lord encrease my faith and confirme it to the end For such as are imprisoned for debte THe Law of equitie which is the Lawe of God requireth that a man should owe nothing to man but loue and good will which is hard at all times for the most of men to performe there must bee as there euer hath bin lending borrowing buying and selling Debitor and Creditor some debters would but cannot paye some haue wherewith will not paye the first may be pityed the other exacted For the same Lawe of equitie giueth lawfull power to a Creditor vpon conuiction to cast him into prison and there to detaine him till he paye it Many thinke that what is lent them is as if they found it making no reckoning to repaye it and so in steed of satisfaction and thankes they bring griefe vnto the Lender But in the same Chapter ver 3. men are aduised that haue occasion to borrowe to keepe their word to deale faithfully and kindely with the Lender so shall their necessities bee alwayes releeued But Men of euill conscience as is there further said standing in neede of another mans helpe will kisse their hand and humble themselues vntill they haue gotten what they desire and when they should repay it they prolonge the time and giue a carelesse answer and though they bee able yet scarse giue the halfe againe or deceiue him of his mony and insteed of thankefulnes and loue they giue him curses rebuke euill words for the good hee hath done them And this is the cōmon course of politicke and wilfull Banckeruptes and euill disposed persons that get what they can into their hands of others mens goods and either voluntarily take shelter in one prison or another intending a forceable moderation and qualification of their debts or else conuey away their goods and estates secretly and fleeth the Country intending to pay nothing at all though their estates be able to discharge their debtes and to leaue competent meanes of the rest to maintaine and releeue themselues by which sinister and too common a dishonest practise many haue vniustly inriched themselues But such fraudulent getting goods come little short of if it equalize not meere roberie though for a while they may smile at and reioyce in their impious pollicie If thou therfore haue or intende thus subtillie to defraude thy Creditors hauing sufficient to satisfie them and in the meane time sufferest thy Creditors to want who peraduenture haue as much need as thy selfe there is not onely no pitie to be had of thine imprisonment but fit a more seuere punishment were inflicted vpon thee especially if thou be of the number of them that will rather spend that in prison or in standing out in Lawe to defraude a Creditor knowing that in equitie it is due then with the same money to make him honest satisfaction or in part But if thy debt haue grown by meere necessitie of borrowing and thou at the time of receiuing it hadst a true sincere and godly purpose to repaye it by probable expected meanes and in the meane time some crosse by the finger of God hath befallen thee whereby thou art indeed preuented of thy true meaning of the performance of thy faithfull promise thou art to bee excused in thy breach and pityed in thine imprisonment not hauing conueniently wherewith to pay and if thy Creditor able to forbeare doe continue the hardnesse of his heart towards thee still detaining thee thinke it a fatherly chastisement vpon thee to inure Patience in thee wherein if thou submit thy selfe to Gods will in working for thee by faithfull prayer thy Patience shall produce the experience of the loue and fauour of God towards thee so shalt thou not need to bee so much ashamed of thine imprisonment as he may be iustly condemned that detaines thee thou maist reioyce seruing the Lord when he shall be sorie that hee dealt so vncharitablie with thee It behoueth thee yet to examine thy selfe and thy life past whether thou haue liued in the feare of God and in godly diligence in thy calling or whether thou hast past thy time in idlenesse in ryoting gaming and company keeping according to the course of too many in this corrupt age and hast beene compelled through thy deserued necessitie to supplie either thine owne vanities or thy poore family to borrow not knowing any meanes nor hauing a godly purpose to repay it if it be so and thy Creditors haue
wherein as we haue both come short of our duties through our frailties so we both feele the bitternesse of the breach of our duties eche to other which thou hast commanded O take from mee Lord whatsoeuer iust cause shee may obiect against me in defence of her pretended discontentments and season her heart O Lord with meekenesse humblenesse patience peace and loue Let neither of our naturall infirmities O Lord nor Satans practise and malice moue or make any more contentions quarels or debates betwixt vs but as thou hast made vs by thine holy ordinance one so let our loues mindes and affections be one that wee may henceforth liue louingly peaceably and religiously in thy faith feare and obedience and truely seruing of thee as long as we both shall liue Amen Lord encrese my faith and send vs quietnesse peace and loue for euer more How the wife ought to behaue her selfe towards her husband though he be faultie and hard to be pleased THe complaintes of husbands of their discontents proceeding from the supposed euill of their wiues are not seene so common as are the clamours of wiues against their vnthriftie and vnkind husbands yet it may be if they were equally ballanced there would be no great difference in the weight but that commonly husbands haue more priuiledges ouer their wiues being become wise in thee and righteous before thee not trusting in a seeming and outward and verball holinesse but neuer to rest satisfied vntill I finde the effectuall working thereof in my soule through thy holy Spirit and an assurance through faith that my sinnes and my former neglect through the merits and mediation of my Sauiour Christ according to thy promises in him be freely pardoned and forgiuen me Thou hast taught mee O Lord to praye that I may doe thy will here in earth as thy will is done in heauen and yet such is the corruption of my will that it seemeth to striue to preferre it selfe before thy will by this vntamed and peruerse will of mine I haue done all that I haue hetherunto done as it were to crosse thy will although I haue verbally prayde as thou likewise hast taught mee Not to be led in temptation I haue not onely yeelded to euery temptation offered to moue me to sinne but haue sought many and many times occasions and opportunities to sinne in so much as I haue turned those blessed Petitions which thou hast taught me to make vnto thee for my reformation and consolation into meere wantonesse sinne O heauy is thy wrath and seuere are thy iudgements due vnto me for these my transgressions and wicked deseruings I could not auoyde thy seuere sentence of vtter condemnation were there not mercie with thee aboue thy displeasure and had I not a Mediator with thee and such a powerfull and preuailing Aduocate as can worke peace with thee for me when thou art angrie what should become of me In him therefore O my God worthily offended with me I fall downe before thy foot-stoole in his name for whose sake thou hast promised to heare most grieuous sinners and to pardon greatest offenders and the greater the sinnes are which thou forgiuest the greater appeareth thy mercie my sinnes are great yet farre greater are thy mercies yet Lord I haue not therefore the more presumed vpon thy mercie to commit sinne or to omit my dutie in walking more religiously and vprightly before thee then I haue done Consider Lord that corruption hath seduced me and Satan deluded me and now I finde that I haue gone astray and gladly would I now returne vnto thee neuer to fall backe againe assisted by thy grace and therefore Lord extend the Scepter of thy louing fauour towards me in token of thy reconciliation with me so shall my heart within me now cast down for feare of thy iudgements reioyce and be glad in thee my soule shall cleaue vnto thee and therefore Lord cast the cancelled Bill of my sins out of thy hands into my heart as an acquittance for all my sinnes purged through the blood of that immaculate Lambe Christ Iesus to whom with thee and the holy Ghost be all honor and prayse for euer Lord euermore increase my faith A comfortable conclusion showing the benefit of afflictions to the end wee may beare them in what nature or kinde soeuer they befall vs with the more resolute and godly patience IT is before obserued that God exerciseth all his children with one crosse or affliction or another not all and euerie one alike neither in weight measure or number which to expresse in perticular is impossible for they are without number yet the greatest and most principall are before remembred as a preparatiue for euerie child of God to looke for them and to settle them selues to vndergoe them with patience when they come for euerie child of God may be assured sooner or later to taste of some of them and that when one trouble is past to prepare himselfe for another for commonly when one crosse is gone another comes God will not leaue his children idle and to liue in carnall securitie here lest they should forget him and so turne his fauour into wantonnesse Therefore saith Dauid As one deepe calleth another deepe by the noyse of the waters so one affliction calles for another Sinne calles for sicknesse sickenesse for pouertie pouertie for enemies enemies for contempt vexation and slaunder If thou haue neither sickenesse pouertie enemies nor contempt yet sinne thou hast which calles also for disobedience in thy children disquietnes in thy wife falsehood in thy seruants losse of goods death of thy vertuous children or thy louing wife these are commonly reputed crosses and who is free from them all Be assured if thou be the true child of God one or some or all these will visite thee by turnes Innumerable troubles saith Dauid haue compassed me about on all sides and that is the condition of Gods deerest Saints here to suffer affliction on all sides and to be exercised with temptations of diuers sortes The seruant is not aboue his Lord if they haue persecuted me saith Christ they will also persecute you if Christ had trouble here so must we As Christ through many troubles and persecutions came to glorie so must euery of his Elect drinke of the same cup Through many troubles they must enter into the Kingdome of heauen Hee that will liue religiously and in the feare of God must looke for tryals and troubles in the world and continuall temptations of Satan to drawe him to sinne that by his sinnes he may offend God that if it were possible God might forsake him The most godly haue many sinnes and sinne is the cause of all troubles as appeareth by that which is said before and if we sinne shall we thinke we shall not be punished though not as the meerely wicked in Gods hote dipleasure but in loue and the punishments may seeme alike with
are alike punished and in deede it is hard for a man to iudge his owne much more hard to determine of another mans deseruings bâ—fore God who often times keepes the godly still in trouble and easeth the wicked which maketh the carnall man to thinke the wicked to be in Gods fauour and the childe of God in deede not to be beloued of him But marke well the purpose of God in thus relieuing comforting and easing a wicked man of his troubles thinke not it is in his loue but in that he obserueth in him a minde enclined to some stubborne opposition against his commaunds which he would put in execution but that his crosses and afflictions hinder him As Pharaoh being afflicted entreated Moses to pray for him and being eased thereof he forgat his affliction So the children of Israell when they rebelled against God and GOD afflicting them for their disobedience assoone as by submission and prayer they were eased they fell to their old and wonted stubbornnesse And this doth God fore-see namely that neither affliction and misery on the one side nor prosperity and outward felicity on the other can bring a wicked man to be good a rebellious to be obedient As touching Gods correcting and againe comforting his owne children it is to another end for when by his chastisements he hath sufficiently tryed and humbled them and brought them to the knowledge and acknowledgement of that for which their calamities and crosses are fallen vpon them namely for their sinne and disobedience Then hee begins as the skilfull Chirurgion to lay mollifying and healing plaisters of loue vpon their wounds hee workes inward assurance of the free pardon of their sinnes in their consciences by the apprehension of his mercies in Christ. The godly may be visited with sicknesse so may the wicked and either of them recouer their health They may likewise fall into pouerty and want they may be alike imprisoned they may fall into equall outward crosses and be alike eased of them But to the comfort of the one and that Gods glory may the more appeare in his recouerie and release through his faithfull prayers and to the further condemnation of the other reseruing for him a greater punishment howsoeuer hee may thinke that God hath restored him in his loue And therefore be sure whosoeuer thou art that sufferest affliction here to hold fast by God through a strong faith and know that thy crosses are sent thee to exercise thee with patience and obedience and to make thee better And therefore if God be pleased to ease thee of any of thy troubles it is in his great mercie to make thee to know and to acknowledge that thy crosses and corrections and the cure of them come onely from God who requireth of thee onely thankfulnesse and new obedience for if thou vpon recouerie of thy sicknesse vpon supply of thy wants vpon thy freedome of imprisonment or vpon release of whaâ—soeuer troubles thou shouldest returne to thy former sinnes thou must looke for new and more seuere and speedie punishments Be well aduised therefore repine not at thine afflictions but in patience possesse thy soule wayte the good pleasure of God for thy deliuery forget not in all thy troubles to lift vp thine eyes to him that striketh thee entreate him in an humble heart by faithfull prayer in the name of his Sonne faint not and hee will ease thee or release thee A necessarie Prayer for strength to beare whatsoeuer afflictions with patience and for faith to resist the tentations of Sathan that will suggest they proceede of Gods meere displeasure O Lord my GOD who in thy wisedome diddest first forme me in broughtest mee out of my mothers wombe In thy goodnes hast relieued mee and in thy prouidence as a Father preserued mee vnto this day And before I was borne diddest determine all things that I should suffer in this my mortall life Leaue me not now I beseech thee nor forsake me for now are the troubles and tryals befalne mee which thou hadst determined from the beginning onely through my sinnes whereby I haue grieuously offended thee I thanke thee Lord that thou hast so fatherly a care of me as not to suffer mee to runne on in my sinnes without this gentle correction I confesse O Lord before I was afflicted I forgat to serue thee nay I forgat mine owne sinnes I followed mine owne wanton and vnruly desires and corrupt will as I was misled by that deceiuing guide that miscaries all those that forsake thee and follow him And therefore I acknowledge thy iudgements iust and my troubles deseruedly layde vpon mee yet not in so heauie a manner as thou iustly mightest inflict them For as the troubles and afflictions are infinite which thou canst finde out to inflict vpon thy sinning children So mightest thou haue layde the most heauie of them vpon me because my sinnes are great and infinite And I cannot but acknowledge that had it not beene that thy mercies surmount my sinnes I had perished vnder my troubles long agone If thou haddest obserued euery of my sinnes and for euery of them haue inflicted vpon seuerall punishments I could neuer haue beene able to beare the least part of them I should haue fainted and sunke vnder them But such hath beene thy fatherly loue towards me that thou hast not punished me according to the tenne thousandth part of my deseruings Though sometimes I haue felt thy rod and haue beene sensible of thy corrections yet neuer ouerpressed with them I haue had sicknesse but thou healedst me I haue had enemies but thou hast defended me I haue been in diuers mortall dangers but thou hast preserued me I haue beene in want but thou hast relieued me I haue had many domesticall crosses but thou hast giuen mee patience to beare them And although I be not yet free from some of them yet will I not feare or faint now by thy grace hauing had so many testimonies of thy fatherly louing kindnesse towards me in working so many gracious deliueries for me My sinnes then prouoked thee to correct me I am a sinner still and therefore I cannot but look for my continuall sinnes continuall chastisements But Lord let not thy corrections be such punishments as thou inflictest vpon such as haue neither feeling of their sinnes nor are sensible of thy punishments I confesse my sinnes I feele thy correcting hand gently layde vpon me And I finde gracious Father that though thou be displeased for my sins yet art thou not so seuere in thy chastisements as I iustly deserue Thou proportionest my corrections according to thine owne gift of faith and patience which thou fatherly doest furnish mee withall so that I am in some measure able to beare them or thou giuest mee faith and patience according to the weight of thy corrections otherwise it were not in my power to beare the least of thy chastisements but with much impatience murmuring and grudging
whereunto thou knowest my weake nature is enclined And thou Lord well knowest what a malicious and subtill aduersarie I haue Sathan that endeuoureth to draw me to rebell and to kick against thy fatherly corrections suggesting vnto me that they proceede of thy finall hatred towards me and coueteth to feede my carnall enclination with the vaine pleasures and delights of the world and the lusts of my corrupt heart and to reiect the yoke of thy gentle chastisements But Lord thou hast taught me to know and I haue found him as in deede he is a lyer an enemie a tempter O giue mee wisedome to obserue and strength to withstand all his tentations and aâ—lurements that I may onlâ—â—elie vpon thy prouidence mercie and goodnes wherein I know that all the troubles and afflictions which I now endure and that thou shalt hereafter impose vpon me are the true and infallible tokens of thy loue towards me And therefore shall neither my hope nor my patience in suffering be weakened notwithstanding his malice Though I should walke through the valley of death yea if Death were instant before me I will not feare for thou art with me in all my dangers to succour mee Thy rod thy staffe they comfort me Affliction and sorrow may endure for a little time and then coÌ„meth ioy Thy dearest children O Lord endure troubles but as they come of thee so are they eased againe by thee Thou hast sent me great troubles O Lord and many aduersities haue befalne me but not without thy prouidence and thou hast hether-vnto sustained me in them all I will therefore goe forward in thy strength who hast hether-vnto vpholden me by thy power And therefore my trust and sure confidence is that I shall neuer perish in whatsoeuer troubles Though sorrow and heauinesse vnder mine afflictions may seeme to oppresse me and to presse mee downe yet taking perfect holde through a liuely faith of thy neuer-fayling promises I am assured in thy good time to be finally relieued comforted In the meane time O Lord giue mee perfect patience and let my faith neuer faile mee But as thou hast willed me I cast my burthen euen the burthen of my sinnes for which thou correctest me and the troubles which thou inflictest vpon me for my sinnes vpon thee my Christ who hast suffered both for my sinnes and for the punishment of them And hast promised to nourish me to sustaine maintaine and vphold me in all my tryals Lord I haue had experience of thy goodnesse mercie and fauour towards me euer since I was borne by thee I haue beene stayed from the wombe Thou tookest me out of my mothers bowels I haue euer since tasted of thy goodnes thy power hath held me vp thy prouidence hath euermore found out meanes to relieue mee in my greatest necessity to defend me in my greatest dangers to ease mee in my greatest griefe O my God grant that I now may not distrust thine accustomed mercies but may still assure my selfe that when greatest danger shall befall mee that rather then thou wilt leaue me helplesse thou wilt giue thine Angels charge ouer me that I shall not be vtterly out of hope of helpe and that thou wilt send from heauen and saue me Thou hast promised to couer the faithfull euen with the wings of thy protection I beleeue Lord therefore I pray that thou wilâ— sustaine me and deliuer me out of some of my troubles I embrace thy chastisements O Lord with a thankfull heart knowing that that man is blessed whom thou correctest Be not therefore far from me O my God though I be compassed about with many troubles Though feare possesse my soule confirme my faith I shal not faint Thou hast promised not to be farre from them that call vpon thee faithfully let not therefore faith faile me O Lord and then lay what thou wilt vpon me for I know thee to be my Lord that hast made me my strength that hast hether-vnto sustayned mee my Redeemer that hast saued me and he that will for euer preserue me Amen Lord encrease my faith FINIS Patience beareth all things Patience brooketh not a repining heart Patience is neuer idle Patience a marke of the Childe of God Psal. 38. 15 Where no triall is Patience cannot appear Rom. 5. 3 4 Afflictions make not a Patient maÌ„ miserable but rather honorable Carnall men think Patience sottishnes Patience findes comfort in the end 2. Kin 18. 〈◊〉 2. Sa. 16. 〈◊〉 Why God sendeth his children troubles Heb. 12. 11 God limiteth our afflictions Iob 5. 6. Seuerall kindes of afflictions Luc 21. 1. We ought to imbrace whatsoeuer God layeth vpon vs. Afflictions Medicines for sinnes Good thinges become euill to the wicked Afflictions the crowne of the godly Gods children haue least rest in the world Iob 5. 17. Luk. 21. 19. Heb. 12. 6. Reu. 3. 19. God correcteth none but for sinne Sinne causeth afflictions No man is here punished according to the merit of sin Psa. 19. 12. Psal. 32. 5. No man can hide his sinnes from God 1. Io. 1. 9. The entrance into Gods fauour is to confesse our sinnes God doth not punish euery man a like Mat. 26. 75. 2. Sam. 12. 13. Though God forgiue our sinnes hee keepes vs in awe by some crosse Ver. 14. Beware of hardnes of heart We must with confession of our sinnes ioyne repentance in faith Math. 27. 34. We must daily confesse our sinnes because wee daily sinne but not stay vpon confession as Kaine and Iudas did Pro. 9. 27. Io. 11. 2. Ezec. 18. 32. Ver. 23. What true repentance is Markes of true repentance Sorrow for sinne and faith in Christ must goe together It is onely the grace of God that worketh repentance Rom. 8. 29. Eph. 1. 5. 6. 7. Wee bee made the sonnes of God in Christ in by whom wee haue power to pray vnto the Father 1. Io. 5. 14. Iam. 1. 6. We ought to take our afflictions patiently because they are sent of God God sendeth sometimes afflictions to make vs to acknoweledge his power with thankefulnesse in remoouing them Gods stripes hurt vs not but heale vs. Iam. 5. 10. They are blessed that suffer with Patience Counterfeit Patience Afflictions here the liuery and badge of Gods children Christ afflictions here in the world Nothing befalleth vs but by the prouidence of God Christ suffered not for himself but for vs. What is required of vs for the release of our sinnes How wee ought to make peace with God Sinne the greatest affliction that can befall a man Sinne a common disease and sickenesse of the soule of euery man Gen. 8. 21. All sinne proceedeth from the corruption of the heart A seruile feare 1. Io. 2. 1. 2. Gods mercies greater then our sinnes Micah 7. 18. 19. Psal. 103. 11. God died for sinners but not for such as dye in their sinnes The means to be eased of sinne 1 Ioh. 4. 14. The bloud of Christ is able to clense the greatest sinner
of my corrupt heart that though they may begin to worke sin in me Lord suppresse them before they come to execution Disperse Lord and dispell all the clouds of ignorance and errors that darken mine vnderstanding and giue me wisedome rightly to know thee and thy Sonne Christ and what he hath done for my soule and through thy grace restraine me this day from that thou hast commanded me to shun and let me doe nothing but what may please thee then whatsoeuer I shall thinke speake or determine shall be to thine owne glorie profitable to my selfe and others Preserue me from the secret and hidden snares of Satan who is restles to allure me to sinne inticing me to imbrace the vanities of the world and to yeeld to the lusts of mine owne corrupt nature But Lord as I haue by thy prouidence past the darkenesse of this night doe now enioy the joyfull benefit of the light of this day so let me this day auoide all the workes of darkenesse and as the day doth administer light vnto my corporall eyes the better to doe the works offices of my calling so let the light of thy Spirit O Lord shine in my soule that I may walke in the light of thy truth in true obedience to the good example of others Thou hast allotted me a calling in this life giue me power wisedome rightly to performe it my best endeuours can little preuaile without thy blessing and direction and therefore I humbly pray thee to prosper whatsoeuer I take in hand this day Blesse mine vnderstanding O Lord that I may rightly know and be able truely faithfully to performe what belongeth vnto my place and calling Blesse the health of my body the strength and continuall vse of my limbes senses which of them selues are weake and may soone decay without thy blessing Increase O Lord and confirme my faith grace wisedome and obedience euerie day more and more that I may euerie day more and more dye vnto sinne and be made stronger and more perfect in righteousnesse Heale O Lord all my corporall and spirituall infirmities and dispose my heart that I may be euerie day more and more mindfull that this my life is short and that this day may be my last day and let me so walke this day as if it should be the last day of this my mortall life that I may be assured of the immediate entrance into that life which is eternall with Christ my Redeemer And vntill that last day shall come O Lord I intreate thee in the name of Iesus Christ that this day and all the rest of my daies and nights may be prosperous and blessed vnto me the day for the performance of my calling the night for my rest vntill I come to my finall and perpetuall rest with thee and thy Sonne to whom with thy blessed Spirit I ascribe all honour praise and glory Amen Lord◠euermore increase my faith A Prayer to be said before a man goes to his nightly rest O Gracious Lord God heauenly Father the keeper and preseruer of all that come vnto thee for succour I haue been through thy great mercie and prouidence kept preserued defended fed sustained and relieued this day now come to an end and now as the night succeedeth the day and the darkenes the light so I knowe O Lord that death will succeede my life and the graue my bed Lord thou madest in the beginning light and darknes night day morning euening and all to thine own glorie to the vse of wretched man who in the beginning turned his light into darkenesse that darkenesse hath ouershadowed al that haue proceeded of his corrupt seed among whom O Lord I am so bemisted and blinded with that originall darkenes as I cannot see nor truely conceiue the light of thy most sacred word without that spirituall light shining from thine illuminating Spirit Thou madest two lights O Lord to endure for euer the Sun to gouerne the day and the Moone to giue light in the night yet doe not these lights O Lord direct our feete in the wayes of righteousnesse nor our pathes in obedience but rather lead vs to the occasions to sin but it is the supernaturall light O Lord that proceedeth from the brightnesse of thy louing countenance that directeth aright those that are thy children of the light By this light O Lord guide me that the night of ignorance ouer shadowe me not from beholding thy louing countenance which is more pretious more sweete vnto me then all earthly delights The day-light wherein I should onely followe with godly diligence in my calling to serue thee turneth into the darkenes of my minde without thy spirituall light how much more will the darkenesse of the night miscarrie my corrupt hart into idle and vngodly thoughts especially by the temptations of the Prince of darkenes when thy light faileth me For such O Lord is the nature of my polluted heart that it neuer resteth to infuse euill imaginations into my mind especially in my night wakings and in my sleepe to trouble me with sundrie euil vngodly dreames wicked phantasies showing thereby the fruites of my sinfull nature Therefore gracious Father I finding in my selfe thou knowing mine imperfections better then my selfe I come in all humblenesse praying thee to assist me with thy grace that I may conuert my heart from the euils whereunto it is enclined and onely incline and frame it to the sincere seruice of obedience to thee and to dedicate my mind will and affections in my night wakings either to meditate of thy word or in making my faithfull prayers vnto thee I cannot O Lord through the weakenesse of my corrupte nature subsist without cōpetent rest sleep yet I know thou slumbrest not nor sleepest but with thee the day and night are alike light and in thy prouidence and loue hast an eye ouer all that are thine whether they sleep or wake Giue therefore command O Lord vnto thy heauenly watchmen to keepe me and all that I haue from danger this night so will I lay mee downe vnder the shadowe of thy protecting winges to take my rest this night faithfully cōmending my soule and body and all that belong vnto me into thy most powerfull and fatherly tuition so shall I not feare what Satan or any malicious instrument of his shall practise or plot against me And in this assurance O Lord confirme my faith from night to day and from day to night that all the dayes and nights of my life may be rightly spent in a holy and sanctified conuersation to thy glorie and mine own comfort vnto the end of all my nights and dayes through Iesus Christ my Sauiour and Redeemer Amen Lord encrease and confirme my faith this night and euermore A PATH-VVAY TO GODLY PATIENCE IN all manner of Afflictions AFliction heere in this life is vnto the Godly as it were a Schoole to learne them Patience A most
vs in obedience And it is he that works Patience to beare them and nothing hindreth inward comfort in outward crosses but murmuring grudging and impatience in them Afflictions indeed though they doe proceed of Gods fauour seeme nothing pleasant to the fleshly minde yet as St. Paul saith they bring in the end the quiet and comfortable fruite of righteousnesse to them that are exercised with Patience to beare them They bring through faith eternall glory in the end not as the cause but through Faith in him that suffered for vs and before vs a testimonie that God so loueth vs in his Sonne as to make vs in some measure like him by suffering with him and for his sake And when we haue suffered as much as the malice of Sathan or his Instruments by the permission of God can inflict vpon vs yet cannot our suffrings amount to the thousandth part of the best mans euil deseruings And yet many complaine of the greatnesse of their troubles that neuer either examine the haynousnesse of their sinnes or that they are sent of God to make them to know that God is angry with their sinnes and by his corrections seeketh to draw them to repentance and amendment of life If we did truely consider and duely weigh that it is God alone that measures out all our afflictions the length breadth and depth of them by his owne hand in his absolute wisedome and that neither Sathan nor the malice of man hath any further share in inflicting them vpon vs then they are limited in his prouidence did consider as Iâ—b saith that afflictions spring not of the caâ—â—h though many times by earthly men yet all of God we could not but with a most liuely and firme Patience imbrace them as sent from him What are the afflictions which can befall vs in this life They are indeed of many and sundrie sortes yet may be all reduced into these heads The griefe of the minde for sinne sickenesse of the body enemies losse of goods slanders of our good name imprisonment banishmeÌ„t which is the most heauie yet most comfortable persecution for the constant acknowledgement and profession of the Gospell of Christ vngodly children not the least crosse and houshold disquietnesse betweene man and wise the most vngodly many other branches are dependant on euery of these But what and of what nature or kinde soeuer they be they are all determined by God so to befall vs as he hath limited and none of them but haue befallen Gods dearest children And therefore let no man attribute whatsoeuer befals him to Fortune Chance or Ill-lucke common vngodly phrases vsed not by the ignorant onely but too often by such as stand much vpon their diuine knowledge A haire falleth not from our head by chance but by the prouidence of God And shall we ascribe matters of farre more yea of greatest moment vnto a cause that is not for there is neither fortune chance or lucke as they are commonly taken that haue any share in these things and therefore can they not be the cause of our troubles to which there can be no certaine euent ascribed But the will wisedome power and prouidence of God worketh according to his owne good pleasure all things vnder the Sunne Therefore ought all men to reuerence him and to suffer themselues to be guided and gouerned by him and not onely not to murmure and grudge at his corrections but to imbrace with an humble heart and patient minde whatsoeuer hee in his wisedome shall thinke sit to be laid vpon them vsing no sinister violent or forbidden meanes to be eased and not to goe before the good pleasure of God to be eased for as hee layes them vpon vs he knowes the time and meanes to remoue them wherein wee are to followe the example of Noah who as hee was shut vp into the Arke by God so would he not come forth without him neither should we that are afflicted by him seeke to be eased but by him Affliction in it selfe and of it owne nature is indeed a heauie burthen euen to a minde well qualified as it is the punishment of sinne But as God changeth the nature of it in making it the medicine to cure the sinnes of his children they become light whose crosses and corrections he sanctifieth by his grace and maketh those bitter waters sweet So that through faithfull patience his dearest children canne with comfort digest them But contrarily they bring forth in the wicked the poysonous fruites of impatience murmuring grudging and many times very blasphemies In so much as to them euen good things become euill and they become worse by that whereby the children of God are made better and therefore saith God vnto the wicked that through punishment would not amend Wherefore should yee bee smitten any more for ye fall away more and more Whereby wee are taught not to repine at the continuall prosperitie of the wicked that suffer not like troubles as the godly doe here for God seemeth to wincke a while at their wickednesse and forbeares to punish them suffering them to enioy their profits their pleasures and carnall delights here that hee may giue them their iust recompence of condemnation hereafter that refuse his chastasements here Happie are they therefore that suffer here with faithfull and filiall patience though in showe it be ignominious and in the censures and opinions of carnall and worldly men base yet is it indeede the Crowne of their glorie here howsoeuer they seeme to be neglected and reiected in the world worldlings by their true faith perfect patience humilitie and prayer they are sustained supported and in their greatest troubles deepest dangers distresses and wantes comforted and releeued and obtainning at his hands whatsoeuer small comfort they atribute it wholy and altogether to his meere mercy goodnesse and prouidence not vnto selfe wisedome policie or fortune They acknowledge their owne wisedome to bee but foolishnesse their policies friuolous and fortune a meere heathenish inuention They see and feele their owne weakenes they obserue their owne blindnesse they finde they can doe nothing of themselues towards the remouing of their miseries nor supplying of their wants but repaire vnto and relie onely vpon God in faithful prayer and wayte with patience for and receiue timely supplie By troubles and afflictions they finde the worlds inconstancie humane ficklenesse and that in the world the dearest children of God haue least rest They are tossed hether and thether one trouble followes another as the drops of raine whereby also the pride of corrupt nature in the godly is humbled their confidence in worldly meanes abated their security abandoned They finde that fulnesse bred sinne and sinne procured Gods displeasure and in his displeasure hee punisheth the wicked and correcteth the godly and neither but for sinne yet the one in his Iustice the other in mercie And therefore saith Iob to encourage the godly to
if thou were one whom Sathan had in his owne power hee would permit thee to rest quietly he would not disturbe thee but finding thee to be inwardly enclined to seeke the Lord praying for pardon in his Sonnes merites which hee cannot endure without roaring and raging against thee suspecting that he hath lost thee now altogether though thou were somtimes something seruiceable or rather according to naturall corruption slauâ—shly enclined to his workes of darknesse before the Lord in fauour visited thee with his fatherly corrections to reclayme thee from Sathan and sinne to make thee his obedient Sonne and the more thou declinest from him and his tentations and the more thou louest and enclinest to serue God with a pure heart the more will hee euer seeke to molest thee and if it were possible to driue thee to dispaire But feare not whatsoeuer he shall obiect against thee or lay vnto thy charge though when he seeth thee weakest hee will trie his strength against thee most Beleeue that when thou art weakest God is strongest for thee and Sathan though hee dare to tempt the dearest children of God as he did Christ himselfe yet he trembleth when he seeth Christ with his holy Spirit assisting thee and by his merites layd hold on by a liuely faith comforting thee feare him not therefore but encline thine heart vnto God and know that this thy sicknesse hath not fallen vpon thee by chance or by Sathans malice It came euen by Gods meere prouidence in loue to correct thee here in the flesh to call thee home vnto him that thou perish not with them whom Sathan hath subdued that haue not walked in the feare of the Lord whome Gods louing corrections could not reforme A greater mercy of God can not be obserued then to draw a sinner out of the power and slauery of sinne and Sathan by a gentle hand to make him hiâ— owne Coheire with Iesus Christ his Sonne and it is the end of this his correcting thee Repent thee therefore of thy former sinnes and beleeue sted fastly that in and through the bloud and merits of Christ thou shalt assuredly be saued and so shalt thou finde that this enemie of thine will giue ouer further to pursue thee As touching the forgiuenesse of thy sinnes how haynous so euer they be in quality or how many so euer in number they shall not be imputed vnto thee Thou hast beene already taught that all afflictions of whatsoeuer kinde doe proceed and are inflicted vpon vs for sinne and especially for the neglect of hearing the word of God and practising what it teacheth And yet not alwayes simply for sinne but sometimes that the glory of God may the more appeare especially in healing the sicke Lazarus dyed and yet Christ said that his sicknesse was not vnto death not so vnto death but that hee knew hee could and would raise him againe though hee were foure dayes dead and buried And therefore was his sicknesse and death onely that the glory of God might be seene by raising of him and the faith of his Disciples be the more confirmed but we must impute our sicknesses and all other crosses as layde vpon vs for our sinnes and learne by the example of good Hezekias to turne our selues vnto God and to mourn not so much for our sicknesse as for our sinnes Thou therefore that art thus afflicted in body and no doubt in minde also repayre vnto God in liuely faithfull and earnest prayer aboue all things for the pardon of thy sinnes for prayer if it be feruent is the most euident argument that thou art the childe of God and preuaileth much for where true saith is there necessarily followeth true repentance faith and repentance for sinne and offending God are inseperable And if thy repentance be serious it will either produce outward teares or inward griefe for your sinnes though teares be not alwayes ready not verball prayers powerfull especially in a sick man whose powres are commonly so shaken with the force of the disease as griefe of the heart can hardly wrest teares from the eyes or words from the lips yet with God it shall be accepted both sufficient prayers and preuailing teares if thou finde such griefe in thy heart for thy sinnes and such a desire to be reconciled vnto God in Christ as may but moue inward and silent sighes vnto God who respecteth more the holy disposition of the heart then any outward action or gesture of the body it shall bee sufficient though some outward showe of faith and repentance be necessary for the satisfaction of such as visite a sicke person if he can but showe it by the tongue in speaking though weakely confessing his sinnes lifting vp his hands or eyes it may argue the inward heart wel prepared and that hee wanteth not the spirit of God And therefore if your sicknesse be so violent as that you cannot showe verball tokens of the working of Gods spirit in you whereby they that come to visite you cannot witnesse for you your sorrow by your outward coÌ„fession It is enough that God knoweth it by your inward true sorrow of heart It was enough that God saw that good King Hezekiah in his sicknesse inwardly bewayling his sinnes though hee could not with plaine termes vocally and with fluent words as hee was wont but inwardly to mourne like a Doue and to chatter like a Crane very weakely and obscurely yet God vnderstoode him and accepted his weake vtterance as a most earnest and effectuall prayer So that if it come to passe that thy weakenesse become such as thou canst not vocally and verbally pray as by thy sicknesse it may come to passe though thou be in present perfect memory thy heart though neuer so faint may yet haue a feeling of Gods mercies and may shew it selfe powerfull to God though it seeme weake vnto men for God is absolute in vnderstanding can and doth conceiue the meaning of thy heart farre better then in thy best strength thou canst thy selfe vnderstand it As for thy present sick estate thou must not be carelesse of it but after prayer for pardoÌ„ of thy sinnes thou mayest craue restitution of thy bodily health if God who can restore it thinke it fitter for thee then death and thou art not only not forbidden but commaunded to seeke the lawfull helpe of the Physician prouided that thou depend not so vpon the Art of the Phisician as to exempt and neglect thy prayer to God for a blessing vpon it for if God giue not a Diuine working vnto the physick howsoeuer it may seeme to worke it may helpe one part and hurt another A cluster of Figges healed Hezekiah and the washing in Iordan the Leaper yet neither the Figges nor the water of their owne nature cured their diseases it was God gaue the vertue to both and therefore whether thine infirmitie be inward or outward with the meanes vse prayer that God may giue
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
vse the meanes hearing and reading of the word of God practise abstinence from the fulfilling of thy corrupt will which thou canst not obtaine but by repentance and that repentance cannot be but by faithfull prayer which will produce perfect patience wherein if thou wayte the Lords leasure for the time and his pleasure for the meanes assure thy selfe thou shalt be competently and timely relieued for he hath promised neuer to faile those that faithfullyâ— call vpon him and truly obay him And he is most faithfull to performe what hee hath promised As for his power to doe it thou needest not doubt for his power is so absolute that he is able and his loue to his such as he can and will so augment thy least portion that a little oyle in thy Cruse and a small quantity of meale in thy vessell shall not diminish vntill more supply come And as for the feeding of thy chargeable Family he can doe it with the smallest showe of meanes he had but seauen loaues and a few fishes and yet with that little in showe and quantity hee replenished foure thousand men besides women and little children And with fiue loaues and two fishes he fed fiue thousand and that that remained when all were satisfied was more meat then in show then was â—efore they began to eate And can he not feede thee and thine if thou be faithfull seeme thy store neuer so small nothing shall hinder in but sinne infidelity and impatience If thou beleeue faithfully pray feruently and wayte patiently he will doe it Though it may seome vnto thee that they store doth not onely not encrease by prayer but diminish by spending yet beleeue in him that made all things and yet maketh things to supply his childrens wants And although hee doe not with thee and thine as he did for the children of Israell who trauailing forty yeares in the Wildernesse he so preserued their garments and euen the shooes on their feete that they decayed not yet if thou distrust not his power and prouidence as the one decayes hee will supply it with other Thou wilt peraduenture say that these were the extraordinarie workes of God his miracles of olde and no such things are seene in our dayes It is true why are they not seene onely because wee want liuely faith our hearts are dull in beleeuing the eyes of our vnderstandings are darkened and cast to the earth we looke not so into the power nor so beleeue the promises of the Almightie as hee hath made them in his meere loue towards vs. Wee cannot glorifie God more then to trust his word and nothing dishonoreth him more then to thinke that he either cannot or will not performe what he hath promised But wee may not thinke that we shall haue any thing only for the asking for wee cannot so presume vpon an ordinarie friend but before wee presume to aske the supply of corporall things we must be well furnished with spirituall graces which must first and before all things be sought for at the hands of God for he and none but hee can giue them It is the righteousnes of that Kingdome which wee are commaunded aboue all things to seeke And hauing obtained this wee may assure vs that all inferiour and carnall things shall bee administred vnto vs And although carnall men thinke that GOD worketh not myracles now in prouiding for preseruing his children as in the first ages which in deede is a great derogation of the good will the power and prouidence of God as if he were lesse louing or lesse able or of lesse vnderstanding then he was in our Fathers dayes to helpe his children he is Alpha and Omega As hee was yesterday he is to day and will continue the same for euer and therefore if faith faile thee not if thou refraine from euill and doe good if thou seeke helpe at the hands of God in whatsoeuer danger supply is whatsoeuer necessitie and comfort and ease in whatsoeuer crosse or misery rather then God will denie that which he knoweth most necessary for thee he will worke beyond the ordinary course to help thee beleeue in him serue him call vpon him wauer not be constant faint not and thou shalt see assuredly the saluation of the Lord. A Prayer to be vsed of such as are oppressed with necessity and want of things necessarie O Lord my GOD who hast bin euermore mercifull louing and a ready helping Father to all those that haue serued thee with a pure and called vpon thee with a faithfull heart and a patient God euen to greatest sinners among whom and aboue others I acknowledge my selfe to haue deserued the least mercie at thy hands by reason that I haue not only too much neglected my duty in seruing thee but haue in steed thereof too much yeelded my selfe to many vnprofitable forbidden wayes and I know and acknowledge that thou dost most iustly correct me for my sinnes and I thanke thee gracious Father that thou hast remembred me for before I felt thy fatherly rod of pouerty and want I went astray but now Lord I desire to turne me to the keeping of thy commaundements As long as I prospered in the world the vanities of my minde estranged my heart from thee and if I should haue still enioyed what my sinfull heart defired I should still haue gone astray But now Lord I am vnfainedly sorie from my heart that I haue so long followed mine owne corrupt will and in spending so many dayes and yeares in vanities Lord I now returne vnto thee receiue me though as the prodigall Sonne who haue sinned against heauen and against thee and doe acknowledge my selfe vnworthy to be called thy Sonne I am worthily become poore in misery and want and know not to whom to repaire for succour being despised of men and scorned of mine acquaintance by reason of my pouerty which I doe confesse hath not befallen me by chance it is by mine owne wretched deseruings which thou hast obserued and now in loue by this thy fatherly correcting mee put me in minde to consider what I haue beene and I doe confesse that I haue beene vnseruiceable vnto thee and vnprofitable to my selfe and others Therfore dost thou iustly in punishing me and yet thou dealest louingly in correcting me I embrace this fatherly chastisement of thine as an argument that thou wouldest preuent a more seuere iudgement incident to those that run on in their disobedience Lord thou hast iustly depriued mee of the superfluous things of this world which though I cannot but confesse they were deare vnto me yet not so deare as danâ—geros for I now finde that howsoeuer sweet they seemed vnto my carnall minde they bred in my heart many fearefull sinnes which now I feele as pricks in my soule and thy correction seemeth to encrease my feare seeing and feeling it in my minde as it is corrupt heauie and burthensome but when I doe
consider it as it is in thy purpose I finde it to be an ease vnto mine inward part through thine owne gift of faith in beleeuing it to proceed of thy meere loue and of patience to beare it knowing it to be a most wholsome medicine to cure mee of my disease of sinne which in it selfe is mortall Howsoeuer I haue deserued to be more seuerely punished to be brought to a more miserable and poore estate then yet I am yet Lord remember thy mercies and the merites of Iesus Christ thy Sonne and for his sake lay it not ouer heauily vpon mee Leaue mee not altogether destitute of things necessarie for my competent reliefe here but as thou hast iust cause fatherly to correct me So yet graciously protect me preserue me from too great miserie though I deserue not thy mercie yet I haue a meritorious Mediatour with thee for whose sake thou mayest be pleased to mitigate my hard and miserable estate and to giue me patience to vndergoe it with competent foode and rayment and contentment therewith And defend me Lord from the iniuries that vsually thy poore children are enforced here to endure In thee I trust O Lord whose prouidence I hold my chiefest portion for of thee commeth my saluation my safety and sufficiencie Thou diddest create me Lord and madest mee a liuing creature who cannot subsist or continue without such ordinarie meanes as thou hast ordained for humane sustentation which thou affordest vnto the most brute beasts that call not vpon thee how much more vnto them that faithfully aske it of thee I come vnto thee most mercifull Father in Iesus Christ who as thou hast made all things and possessest all things so thou giuest and disposest all things to euery man a portion according as thou thinkest most fit for euery man And therefore forasmuch as thou seest pouerty a fitter portion then riches and want then wealth I accept it with hearty thankfulnes knowing that thou art able to relieue me as well with little as with much And though my portion bee small thou hast promised to nourish me and to sustaine me Thou refreshest the thirsty soules and fillest the hungry with good things and by promise nothing wanteth to them that â—eare thee The meanest of thy creatures which thou hast ordained for the vse of man and the least portion thereof blessed by thee cannot but bee sufficient be it but pulse with Daniel and his fellowes yea the meanest dyet shall so fructifie to the reliefe of my weake body as I in faith feeding vpon the same shall liue thereby and when thou wilt thou canst encrease my portion as thou diddest the oyle and meale of Eliahs Hostice Also consider Lord that pouerty and want not affording for the time competency to supply our great necessity enforceth to borrow and mens harts are hard and Creditours cruell Let me neuer fall into their hands but as thou diddest send a preuailing guest vnto the widow of Sarepta Eliah by whom through thy power and prouidence her little oyle and meale euen wholy consumed was so encreased as she had sufficient not onely for the reliefe of her and her family but to pay her debts with the rest This was thy doing O Lord And thou art still the same God who in my greatest necessity canst raise meanes either by the help of man whom thou somtimes appointest to relieue thy distressed ones or by blessing my lawfull labours and endeuours If they all faile thou hast infinite other meanes reserued onely in thine owne wisedome to helpe in most neede If thou couldest send that raueuous fowle to feede Eliah in his hunger much more canst thou afford ordinary meanes to relieue me and to enable me to pay all men their due a duty required of thee and I cannot performe it but by thee into whose hands I had rather fall then into the hands of cruell and mercilesse men I am vnder thine hand O Lord support me with thy grace strengthen my faith that I faint not that being in thy prouidence relieued I may as I truly doe ascribe vnto thee whatsoeuer comfortable supply I shall enioy at thy hands humbly recommending my selfe and mine estate vnto thy blessing in the name of Iesus Christ to whom with thee and the holy Ghost be all honour praise and thankes for euermore Amen Lord encrease my faith A short Prayer to bee said of him that is in pouertie and want O Eternall God most mercifull and louing Father in Iesus Christ thou hast created me of the dust of the earth and hetherunto sustained my earthly body by earthly meanes which I acknowledge to proceede of thy goodnesse onely and of thy meere blessing without the which nothing can succeed comfortably vnto me but through thy blessing the weakest means shall bee sufficient to sustaine me and for all thy mercies thou requirest onely in mee a liuely faith in thee prayer vnto thee and patient wayting on thee So though my portion be hâ—re pouertie yet as long as thou art pleased to showe thy selfe a louing father towards me I shall be releeued nourrished protected and preserued in my greatest want of the necessaries required for the sustentation of this short momentanie miserable and mortall life Lord I beleeue thy promises made vnto all beleeuers that in their greatest necessities Thou wilt neuer faile them nor forsake them Lord I beleeue confirme my beleefe make mee strong in faith that I may serue thee faithfully and pray vnto thee feruently that so I may vndergoe my troubles and wayte thy gracious pleasure patiently to be supplyed in what I want timely knowing that thou art a God that shewest mercie and yet as a louing father thou correctest thine owne deerest children to retaine them in obedience thou hast corrected me I feele thy rod thy rod of loue not of thy heauy displeasure and wrath for if thou shouldest deale with mee and punish mee according to my merite I could expect no mercy I haue of sended thee I haue sinned against thee and doe acknowledge that pouertie and want though heauy and burthensome vnto flesh and blood cannot be a sufficient punishment for my euill deseruings and were it not that thy mercies doe farre exceede thy souerity I had not onely more deepely beene afflicted but had perished long agone O Lord I acknowledge this thy correction iust and gentle yet consider Lord that I am weake to beare it and therefore I humbly praye thee to support mee with thy hand that I fall not altogether and furnish mee with thy grace that I fainte not I see no humane helpe O Lord whereon to depend or hope there is none to succour mee but thou whome I haue offended and how dare I come boldy to begge of thee whose many and infinite blessings I haue so much and often abused If therefore I should come in myne owne name thou mayst iustly turne thee from me O happy am I that I haue one with thee in whose name I may
originally from Sathan who moueth and maketh mariages as farre as in him lyeth betweene vnequals which may import many inconuenient matches not made in the feare and reuerence of God great inequality of yeares and much difference in estates cause often disparagements Houses and riches are the inheritance of Fathers but a prudent and vertuous wife is the gift of God And he that findeth such a one recâ—iueth a fauour from the Lord. But how can any man thinke that God will bestow such a fauour vpon him without asking Abrahams seruant that was but put in trust to get a wife for Isaack his Maisters sonne went not rashly and as the prouerbe is hand ouer head in this weighty businesse as to take the first that came to hand as many doe that conclude the match at the first sight But hee prayed vnto the Lord to send him good speede in the choyse and wayted the Lords prouidence and besought him to shew him certaine probable tokens that the mayde Rebecka was she whom God had appointed for Isaack That businesse which is begun with faithfull Prayer to God seldome or neuer succeedeth ill And aboue all other earthly occasions there is none of higher importance then the choyse of a wife or a husband either of them being an assured crosse or a comfort as long as both of them doe liue And for want of this heauenly beginning faithfull Prayer to God it many times comes to a helliâ—h ending which may be a motiue to stirre vp men and women intending to entertaine this holy estate to craue direction and wisedome from God both for their choyse and peace in that estate And because many already coupled together seeme discontent and afflicted in minde at their mutuall crosses now past reuocation They must be content to make a vertue of necessity namely to vndergoe the burthen that the one vnkindly layes vpon another and to pray either that God will ease it or giue them patience to beare it A Prayer fit to be said by man and wife together or by either of them at any time in priuate O Lord our GOD most mercifull and louing Father in Iesus Christ vouchsafe as it hath pleased thee of thy great mercy to conioyne vs man and wife together according to thy holy institution in the beginning So let our hearts be truly conioyned vnto thee in a liuely faith and true obedience And so frame our affections one towardes another as there appeare no cause of breach of our sincere mutuall duties to the offence of thee But by thy blessing wee may as long as we liue endeuour to preserue and maintaine peace and vnity betweene our selues being a thing pleasing vnto thee Endue vs both Lord with thy grace heauenly spirit that as thou hast by thy holy ordinance of â—wayne now made vs one so our hearts affections and enclinations may be euer one not according to our naturall dispositions but answerable to thy blessed commandements that wee giue no cause of offence each to other and that wee may euer endeuour to continue perfect and mutable in our mutuall loue which we by nature cannot doe for wee are corrupt and sinfull of our selues and alwayes most enclinable to forbidden things We haue also O Lord thou knowest a subtill and malicious aduersarie who striueth to crosse in vs all good desires and to peruert our best duties to raise discordes debates quarels and as much as in him is to breake the band of fidelity which we made each to other before thee He began thou knowest O Lord with the first couple Adam and Heuah It was he that seduced the woman and shee by his meanes betrayed the man and so subuerted their blessed estate of innocencie and made them subiect to all kindes of miseries and their posterities whereof we thy poore seruants are feeble and sinfull members And as he began in malice and subtilty to betray our first Parents So is he alwayes busie to sowe the seedes of debate and strife betweene vs. But Lord preuent him and assise vs by thy power that we may haue power to resist him and all his suggestions and tentations Then as thou Lord hast ioyned vs together nothing shall seperate our mutuall loues but Death And forasmuch Lord as this estate though in it selfe honorable may bring vpon vs many troubles crosses and afflictions incident to marriage estate in the world yet by thy fatherly blessing we shall be able to vndergoe them with patience or to auoyd them with thankfulnes It is not in vs in our wisedomes strength or policies to preuent or auoyde the infinite troubles and vexations which this estate bringeth with it Therfore we humbly pray thee O Lord to endue vs with wisedome froÌ„ aboue that whatsoeuer thou haue determined shall befall vs be it pouerty or plenty sicknesse or health weale or woe we may embrace the one with patience the other with thanks And in both support vs in thy loue guide vs by thy grace protect vs by thy power and prouide for vs in thy prouidence If pouerty or want assaile vs supply our necessities if riches encrease make vs thankfull and alienate our hearts from too much loue of them If sicknesse or any corporall infirmity ceaze vs be thou our Physician to cure vs If health continue leaue vs not in security but giue vs watchfull hearts to wayte the time of thy visitation If the fruits of our bodies encrease encrease to vs the meanes to sustaine them both with corporall spirituall necessaries And prepare vs for the day of our departure out of this mortall life and in the meane time so season vs in all heauenly and diuine knowledge with true faith and perfect obedience vnto thee as that day may be vnto vs the first day of our euerlasting Sabaoth Be thou also wee humbly beseech thee O Lord a continuall guide vnto vs in our calling Blesse vnto vs and vnder our hands whatsoeuer we endeuor to performe in thy feare and let thy blessing be vpon all that appertaineth vnto vs. If enemies seeke to molest vs to trouble vs or to hurt vs preuent them of their euill deuices and graunt that wee giue no cause of offence to any nor be stirred vp to reuenge vpon euery light occasion but vpon all occasions to leaue the reuenge to thee And that we may seeke to maintaine peace with all men to loue our neighbours to comfort the comfortlesse and as farre as thou shalt be pleased to enable vs to hâ—lpe succour and relieue the poore and needie and to doe vnto other men as wee desire other men to doe vnto vs To guide and gouerne our family in thy feare to frequent the places where thy holy word is preached seeking the Kingdome of Iesus Christ and to doe all other holy duties according to thy will vnto our liues end Amen O Lord encrease our faith and our mutuall loue one towards another How the Husband ought to behaue himselfe towards his
that of the wicked but their endes not alike Wherefore then should a man fearing God be sorrowfull for his afflictions seeing he is thereby occasioned to search and to trye his wayes that finding himselfe guiltie of disobedience to God he may the more speedily returne vnto him lifting vp his heart and his hands to him and say I haue sinned and rebelled against thee therefore dost thou worthily punish me Fooles saith Dauid by reason of their trangressions and because of their iniquities are afflicted and is not euery man that feareth not God in the rancke of Dauids fooles nay who is so righteous that hath not committed folly by sinning and who then can be free from affliction If God should not correct vs herâ— for our sinnes he could not but reserue vs for destruction hereafter for such is the vilenesse of sinne and so odious to God as he neuer lets it goe vnpunished in Gods dearest Saincts here for a little space and the obstinate hereafter for euer therefore better to suffer chastisement here for a moment then to be heere free and hereafter perish for euer better to be corrected in the world then to be condemned with the world And we must consider that as we seeme and find our selues endued with a greater measure of guiftes and graces then some other men so we must thinke that God will trye these graces in vs and the power and vertue of them by afflictions and troubles here that through our patient suffering we may be knowne to be what we would be reputed to be for the wicked commonly come not in to such calamities as the children of God doe vnlesse by their wilfull running into miseries and dangers by their impious actions but the godly are not so much agents to procure as patients to suffer their afflictions they are tryed as siluer from the drosse by the fire of tribulation to make them perfect Yet such is Gods great mercie and fauour towards his owne as although he punish them he proportions their afflictions according to their strength and their strength according to the weight of their correction giuing them grace to possesse their soules in patience in greatest crosses causeth them to reioyce in them through the hope of the eternall weight of glory promised Seeing then that all Gods children are to suffer in one kinde or another and they that liue at their libertie and in the pleasure of sinne without trouble in what a lamentable case are they that doe not onely not fall into like affliction but boast of their freedome from all kinde of crosses Are there not some that say I was neuer troubled by Sathan I neuer felt any of his temptatiâ—â— Another I haue neuer 〈◊〉 sicke in all my life A third I knowe no enemie that I haue A fourth I want nothing my corne and Cattle prosper and I haue enough to maintaine me during my life Another boastes of his thriftie children Another of his beautifull buxum and louing wife Doe not many silly men thus foolishly â—latter themselues and thinke that God dealeth thus fauourably with them aboue others as an argument of his loue towards them farre aboue those that are many wayes afflicted but let them consider it well and they shall finde the contrarie for if God indeed loued them he would assuredly correct them for hee chastiseth euery sonne that hee receiueth for euery man is a sinner and for sinne he correcteth Therefore haue such men as are free from troubles greater cause by farre to suspect themselues to be out of Gods fauour then to boast of his loue and to thinke rather that they are vnder the power and slauerie of Satan and that the world the pleasures of the â—lesh haue bewitched them for where Satan is silent he suffers men to sleepe securely he is loath to trouble them out of their secure slumber And hee is content â—hat the world should smile vpon them and to giue them all sensuall content neuer desiring to crosse them And this maketh many poore soules falsly to imagine that they are here euen in Paradise when the deuill hath them Captiues But when it pleaseth the Lord of his great mercie to alter their carnally pleasing condition and to giue them some bitter potion or some precious eye-salâ—e to make them see the danger they stand in by awaking them by his correcting rod And they begin to be sensible of their miserable estate and to encline to repentance Then shall they finde Sathan before silent as a Lambe roaring as a Lyon bereft of his prey labouring by all infernall and â—lattering meanes to retaine them still And where before he seemed not to appeare in his likenesse in vsing any apparent tentations finding them already sufficiently chayned vnto him seeing now his Captiues like to breake loose and to escape They shall finde he will vomte out a floud of hellish tentations after them to bring them backe againe and will leaue no meanes vnattempted neither inward tentations nor outward allurements nor the enclinations of a mans own will to ouerthrow them And where before hee was contented they should be free from troubles and afflictions hee will now worke all the meanes he can to loade them with all kindes of miseries not to make them better but as much as in him lyeth to driue them to despaire in God And as Iobs wife by his instigation said to her husband to curse God and dye So that their case is dangerous that liue securely free from Sathans malice from feeling of their sinnes and from worldly troubles and happy are they that suffer here vnder the gentle hand of God and according to his will Sathans tentations and greatest afflictions are no new and strange things but vnto them onely that haue long beene lulled in the lap of all kindes of pleasures When crosses in deed light vpon them they thinke them strange but vnto the dearest children of God they are and haue beene euer familiar and Gods Elect Saints haue beene euer companions in afflictions Therefore St. Peter to the comfort of all afflicted to the end of the world saith Dearely beloued thinke it not strange concerning the firie tryall which is amongst you to try you as though some strange thing were come vnto you but reioyce in as much as ye are pertakers of Christes sufferings that when his glory shall appeare ye may be glad and reioyce Therefore let euery man comfort himselfe in his proper affliction And consider well the course that Almighty God taketh with afflicted men be they punished in his anger in iustice or chastined in his mercie the naturall man maketh no distinction betweene iust punishments and fatherly corrections hee thinkes the chastisements of Gods children to be of the like nature as are his iust iudgements vpon the wicked And therefore maketh no difference but concludes all vnder one and the same sentence of wicked men because they
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