and this child have dyed so should the teares which I had shed through the extreamitie of my pangs be seconded with more for the losse of my desires In all these mercies I must looke up to my Redeemer and acknowledg him the father and donour of these blessings I will therfore magnifie him for his goodnesse and praise him for his loving-kindnesse Ps 106 1. I will give thankes unto the Lord for hee is gratious because his mercy endureth for ever The Prayer O Mercifull God heavenly father who hast now most especially made knowne unto mee Eph 3.20 that thou art able to doe exceeding aboundantly above all that wee aske or thinke make mee thankfully rejoyce in the worke of thy love and thy tender mercie Thy favours are greate and wonderfull in sparing the life of my selfe mine infant in freeing mee from my pangs and him from the darknesse of the silent wombe Thine ô Lord is the power by which I am delivered thine is the mercy by which I am safely returned unto my bed thine is the worke of the frame and fashion of this my babe thine therfore shall be likewise the glory for ever and ever Graunt blessed Father that I may never sorget thy goodnesse but expresse my thankfullnesse in my new obedience Make mee carefull in the performance of what service I promised thee in the extreamitie of mine anguish As thou hast given mee the fruit of my body to the joy of my heart so give mee the fruit of righteousnesse sowen in peace Iam 3.18 vers 17 Give mee the wisedome which is from above that is full of good workes without hypocrisie Lord make mee thy servant by grace and make this child thy child by adoption and mercy Give mee comfort in his life for the sorrowes which I endured at his birth Gal 1.15 Seperate him from the wombe as thou didst Saint Paul that hee may be a chosen vessell of sanctification and honour Teach mee innocency and simplicitie by the example of this infant and make mee hereafter teach him goodnesse and righteousnesse by the power of thy grace Make us allways children in wickednesse 1. Cor. 14.20 1. Pet 2.2 Gal 4.19 but not in understanding that so as new borne babes wee may desire the sincere milke of thy word that wee may grow thereby Let thy sonne Christ be formed in this litle infant that as it hath beene preserved by thy power and providence in the first birth so it may feele thy mercy and grace in the second Lord give a blessing to whatsoëver shall be used for the recovery of my strength that I may allways praise thee both in prosperitie and adversitie Give thy blessing to the meanes for the nourishment of this child Give it strength that it may live to receave the seale of thy mercy in the laver of Baptisme and doe thou be present with thy blessing when the signe shall be administred Lu 2.52 O let it live if it be thy blessed will and grow up in wisedome and in stature and in grace both with thee and with men that so I may magnifie thy name for making mee an instrument to propagate the number of thine elect who am the weakest and the unworthiest of women Increase thy Kingdome daâ—ly Take pittie upon all that suffer afflictions especially on those women who are in labour of children Give them comfort in the time of their miseries ease from their torments joy in their desired issue and thankfullnesse for thy blessings Lord graunt that both I they may sing praises to thy name for the greatnesse of our deliverances and expresse our thanks in our godly lives that when this painfull life shall have an end wee may sing tryumphantly in eternall glory through Iesus Christ our onely Lord and Saviour Amen 13. THE THIRTEENTH SUBJECT Teares in the time of a generall Pestilence The Soliloquie Consisting of sixe severall parts and treating of 1 Mourning by example in a publike calamitie 2 Severall causes of God's visitations 3 Sinne especially the cause of the Pestilence 4 Severall examples of dreadfull Pestilences 5 God's threatning before his visitation 6 The duety of a Christian decreeing both to whom and for whom wee ought to pray in the time of Pestilence The first part of the Soliloquie treating of mourning by example in a publike calamitie THE EjACULATION Psal 5. vers 1. Give eare to my words ô Lord consider my meditation vers 2. Hearken unto the voyce of my cry my king and my God for unto thee will I pray THe heart of the wise is in the house of mourning Eccl 7.4 saith Solomon but the heart of fooles is in the house of mirth Is the heart then sometimes in a pilgrimage from the body Or is the body required to visit the sick yea though the disease be infectious Or are wee allways by command Ps 42.3 to imitate the Prophet whose teares were his meate day and night The heart indeede is often from home and is least where it liveth most where it loveth The sick must be visited or else my Saviour will complaine as hee doth in the Gospel saying I was sick Mat 25 43. Iob 2.11 and yee visited mee not When Iob's three friends heard of the evill that was come upon him they came every one from his owne place for they had made an appointment together to come to mourne with him and to comfort him vers 13 So they sate downe with him upon the ground 2. King 13.14 and mourned seaven dayes and seaven nights When Elisha was fallen sick of his sicknesse wherewith hee dyed Ioash the King of Israël came downe unto him and wept over his face and said O my father my father the charet of Israel and the horse-men thereof c 8.29 When wicked King Ioram went to be healed in Iezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him at Ramah Ahaziah the sonne of heboram King of Iudah went downe to see him in Iezreel because hee was sick Thus doe I reade of a holy Patient visited by friendly mourners a holy Prophet visited by a weeping King a wicked King visited by another as wicked as himselfe All these were visiters or visited but I doe not find that the diseases were infectious Noe I must therfore imitate the best of them in my charitie to others but I may not forget charity to my selfe Willfully to runne into apparent danger is desperately to tempt the keeper of Israel What shall I then doe The passing bells informe mine eares of the mortalitie of my neighbours yet I cannot I must not visit them What I say shall I doe What course shall I take Charitie commandeth mee compassion hasteneth mee to the dying Christians that by my advice or at least by my prayers I might expresse my commiseration And yet when I am just at my doore provided resolved intended to goe even then mine owne health the health of my familie and which is
must some-times rest What though I am an exul a stranger a sojourner here as all my fathers were I must have a lodging I must have a chamber I must have a roome and in that roome and in that chamber I may I must have some rest Yea and I must have some delight in it too and that not onâ—e alone but continually for so I am commanded by the Apostle Phil 4.4 who saith Rejoyce in the Lord allways and againe I say rejoyce Diverse indeede for diverse causes have wept but they have not allways wept Gen 27.38 Esau lifted up his voyce and wept but it was for the losse of his father's blessing The Elders of Ephesus wept Act 20 38. 2. Chr 35 25. yea they all wept sore but it was sorrowing most of all for the words that Paul had spoken unto them that they should see his face noe more A mourning I reade of that was in Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo when Ieremiah lamented and all the singing men and the singing women spake of their King in their lamentations and made them an ordinance in Israel That was for Iosiah who was slaine by the armie of Pharaoh Necho in the valley of Megiddo In Ramah was a voyce heard Ier 31.15 lamentation and bitter weeping Rachel weeping for her children because they were not This mee thinks come's home close neere to mee This was for the captivitie of Iudah and Benjamin or it was for the infants slaine by that bloody that presecuting Herod Here are children lamented so farre the cause of the weeping complyeth with mine But neither is my child slaine by a murderer nor yet is hee lead into captivity Noe Eph 4.8 hee who did leade captivitie captive hath freed my sonne from the fetters Rom 8 21. from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of â—he sonnes of God My child was not slaine as were all the children that were in Bethlehem and in all the coasts thereof Mat 2.16 from two yeares ould and under Noe Hee who was slaine for him hath saved him Hee who hath swallowed up death in victory Is 25.8 Hos 13 14. hath ransomed him from the power of the grave and redeemed him from death Lord though I am a weake though a sinfull woman make mee for ever to praise thee for this thy goodnesse Ps 107 8. and to declare the wonders that thou hast done both for mee and mine When the woman of Samaria came to draw water at Iacob's well my bountifull Iesus freely gave her to drike of the living water Io 4.14 which became in her a well of water springing up into ever-lasting life I am such a woman as shee was mine eyes have resembled the mouth of Iacob's well and though the well be deepe even deepe as my heart yet some-thing I have had to draw the water with My child mine infant hath drawne and drawne untill I am even allmost drawne drie And in this agonie and in this distresse my Christ hath come to cleanse my well to sanctifie my teares and to ease mee of my griefe 1. King 3.26 My bowells indeede did yearne upon my child as that woman 's did whose issue should have beene divided for the satisfaction of the harlot My child is divided though hers were spared The better part of him the soule is gone it is gone to God for his it is it is his owne share nothing but the earth of him remaineth with mee But I will I must be thankfull and though I find a reluctance in my chillowed heart yet the Prophet forbiddeth weeping for the dead Ier 22.10 and bemoaning of them Let mee begge for patience for submission for content and say The Prayer BLessed Lord God Ps 68.20 unto whom belong the issues from death vouchsafe to heare the cry of thy mourning hand-mayd Thou wert pleased once to blesse mee with increase and to make mee a joyfull mother of my now dead infant But oh that that very child which was framed and fashioned by thee is now come unto thee The first that sinned was a woman tempted by the Serpent Gen. 3.13 and that Serpent in his temptation stung so deepe that it hath reached now even to the fruit of my wombe for the sinnes of my selfe Yet Lord looke downe in mercy upon mee though a sinfull woman though the most unworthy of my sexe Mat. 15.28 even farre inferiour to that woman of Canaan for herfaith was greate but I alas have noe faith at all or but a weake one or but a dead one otherwise the promises of my Redeemer would controul my passion and the assurance of his mercies would dry up my teares Thou ô Lord hast freed mine infant from the burden of the flesh yet I goe heavily for it as if it were lost in my despaire Thou hast crowned it with immortalitie and yet my passion declareth that I mourne as if it were lost Ps 38.9 O Lord God thou knowest all my desires and my groaning is not hid from thee Thou seest how my teares doe flow through mine infirmitie thou hearest my sighs which arise from my dis-content I confesse it I am sorrowfull for it I am ashamed of it Act. 7.60 Lord lay not this sinne to my charge Thou hast taken nothing but thine owne O be pleased so to make mee thine owne by grace and then shall I be assured in thine owne due time to be receaved into glory Allay the heate of my passion by the pleasant gales of thy refreshing Spirit Graunt that my teares may be kept for my sinnes my sad laments for my deplorable condition through my many offences My heart is heavy for the losse of my child ô Lord lighten it ô Lord ease and comfort it with thy heavenly grace Ps 94.19 In the multitude of sorrowes which I have in my heart let thy comforts ô Lord refresh my soule My child thou knowest was deare unto mee because it was thy pleasure to lend him unto mee Hee was and hee is deere unto thee and thou hast expressed thy love in delivering him fron the evill 1. Thes 1.10 2. Tim 2.11 from the wrath to come Hee is deal in Christ Lord let mee be dead with Christ that I may allso live with Christ My child is dead because hee was sinfull but his uttermost farthing was discharged by Christ O thou who art rich in mercy Eph 2.4 for the greate love wherewith thou hast loved man-kind graunt that I may not dye in sinne but to it that so I may be quickened together with thy Sonne Make mee to yeeld my selfe unto thee Rom 6 13. as those that are alive from the dead and my members as instruments of righteousnesse unto thee my God Forgive my excesse of love to him that is gone my excesse of teares and sighs that have beene caused by his departure my want of patience and submission to thy holy pleasure and
minds that curse which wretched Ham the father of Canaan receaved from Noah when hee saw his nakednesse and tould his brethren Gen 9.25 Cursed said Noah be Canaan a servant of servants shall hee be to his brethren But because Shem and Iaphet tooke a garment vers 23 layd it upon their showlders and went backward and covered the nakednesse of their father and their faces were backward and they saw not their father's nakednesse therfore hee sayd Blessed be the Lord God of Shem vers 26 vers 27 and Canaan shall be his servant God shall enlarge Iaphet and hee shall dwell in the tents of Shem Canaan shall be his servant Consider with your selves that I am your mother Whatsoever imperfections yee have discovered in mee doe in some kind reflect even upon your selves for as your bodies were mine so my credit and good name you must account to be yours But I cannot thinke that yee will neede more advice for this which even nature it selfe should teach you to practise My time is but short my speech beginneth to saile mee I will not trouble you with much allthough something more I must say unto you which I hope yee will remember when I shall sleepe in the dust Your first and chiefest duety must allways be for the service of your God If yee will dayly observe the benefitts which hee sendeth you yee cannot choose but thanke him dayly for his blessings Let it be your care to ground your actions upon his written law Vnder-take nothing which is not warranted by his word and goe forward in nothing by unlawfull meanes or to a bad intent Beginne all in him and continue in him and end in him and hee himselfe will be your reward If yee allways preserve religion in your hearts yee will allways have quietnesse and content in your minds First make him your God and then distrust not his providence noe nor his love and compassion while yee remaine his children In whatsoever vocations yee shall leade your lives be sure that yee be conscionablie industrious and laborious in them then leave the event and the blessing to his good pleasure I would feine have you be his children much more then yee are mine for yee have nothing from mee but your sinne and corruption but from him you must expect both grace and glory If therfore yee strive to blesse and magnifie your God yee may be sure that your God will both blesse and glorifie you his children Prov. 10.22 Remember that the blessing of the Lord maketh rich and hee addeth noe sorrow with it Take heede therfore to your selves let him be in all your thoughts for even for them yee must account at his greate tribunall Take heede unto your words that they give none offence either to God or man Ps 62.4 There is a sort of people who blesse with their mouths but they curse in their inward parts I would not have you be of the number of them Ps 109 17. for as they love cursing so it shall happen unto them they delight not in blessing therfore shall it be farre from them vers 18 As they cloath themselves with cursing like as with a garment so it shall come into their bowells like water and like oyle into their bones Take heede allso unto your actions that there be not wickednesse in the intent nor sinne in the prosequution of them for howsoëver they shall appeare in the eye of the world they will be stricktly justly examined by the righteous judg First be yee sure that yee blesse your God and then yee may expect a blessing from him Deut 8 10. When yee have eaten and are full then yee shall blesse the Lord your God 1. Chrâ— 29.20 Remember the congregation of Israël how they blessed the Lord God of their fathers and bowed downe their heads and worshipped the Lord. Neh 9.5 Remember how the Levites encouraged the people unto it and said unto them Stand up and blesse the Lord your God for ever and ever and blessed be thy glorious name which is exalted above all blessing and praise Remember how the Psalmist moved them unto it when hee cryed Ps 66.8 O blesse our God yee people and make the voyce of his praise to be heard be thankfull unto him Ps 100.4 and blesse his name Remember how David resolved saying Ps 16.7 I will blesse the Lord which hath given mee counsell Remember how hee decreed saying I will blesse thee while I live Ps 63.4 I will lift up my hands in thy name Remember how hee encouraged his soule to this duety saying Ps 103 1. Blesse the Lord ô my soule and all that is within mee blesse his holy name vers 2. Blesse the Lord ô my soule and forget not all his benefits Who forgiveth all thine iniquities vers 3. who healeth all thy disease Remember how hee practised it when hee blesse the Lord before all the congregation 1. Chr 29.10 and sayd Blessed be thou Lord God of Israël our father for ever and ever vers 11 Thine ô Lord is the greatnesse and the power and the glory and the victory and the majestie for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine thine is the Kingdome ô Lord and thou art exalted as head above all vers 12 Both riches and honour come from thee and thou reignest over all and in thine hand is power and might and in thine hand it is to make greate and to give strength unto all Now therfore our God wee thanke thee vers 13 and praise thy glorious name And remember how Ezra blessed the Lord Neh. 8.6 the greate God and all the people answered Amen Amen with lifting up their hands and they bowed their heads and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground Thus if yee blesse him if yee love him if yee honour him if yee obey him hee will so blesse you that yee shall delight in his service and be filled with his goodnesse Carie in your minds those words of the Psalmist Ps 128.1 Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord that walkeeh in his wayes For thou shalt eate the labour of thine hands vers 2. happy shalt thou be Ier 17.7 and it shall be well with thee Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is Gen. 25 11. Remember how after the death of Abraham God blessed his Sonne Isaak So hee may you and so hee will you when I your poore feeble mother am streched forth and returned to the earth if yee will heare his â—…yce and observe his statutes If so yee will â—oe Deut 14.29 then the Lord your God will blesse you in â—ll the workes of your hands which yee shall doe Hee who created man in his owne image both â—ale and female and blessed them Gen. 1.27 even the same Lord will
and rent my heart and amend my life Ioël 2.13 and faithfully rely upon the passion of my Redeemer I may then assure my selfe that hee will correct mee with judgment Ier 10 24. and not in his anger I know that dye I must but in him I earnestly desire to dye When I was in health I thought not of mortalitie and therfore now I am in sicknesse I can skarce so much as hope for immortalitie But I will beseech him to spare mee a litle that I may repent Ps 39.13 before I goe hence and be noe more seene I faine would live not that I might adde to my sinnes but that I might be sorrie for my sinnes I would faine continue here a litle longer that so I might make my peace the surer Long I have continued in wickednesse ô my God spare mee a litle time to spend in contrition If I may enjoy my life but for a litle longer space I will resolve by the grace of my God to dedicate it wholly to the service of him and that I may in some measure make up my repentance before my departure I will beseech him if it may stand with his immutable decree to lend mee a litle more time wherein by his grace I may labour my reconciliation with him My time of death indeede seemeth to draw nigh and yet I doe not consider or at least I have not considered that all this time which I have lived I have beene truely dead Surely thus I have beene for so saith King Solomon Prov. 21.16 The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remaine in the congregation of the dead Thus have I beene dead even in trespasses and sinnes justly therfore now my life doeth hasten away Eph 2.1 and my death approacheth I am now layed upon my bed of sorrow Not as the un-chast Amnon was 2. Sam. 13.5 who lingered after an un-cleane enjoying of his sister Tamar onely counterfeiting a sicknesse Nor like the coveteous Ahab 1. King 21.4 who vexed himselfe because Naboth had denyed to sell him his vine-yard 2. Sam. 4.7 Nor like Ishbosheth ready to be slaine by a Rechab and a Baanah unlesse my sinnes and my sicknesse the effect of my sinnes be that Rechab and that Baanah But languishing I lye allmost despairing of recoverie by reason of the weakenesse of my neere consumed body and spirits through the sharpnesse of my disease Is 14.11 My pompe is even brought downe to the grave and the noise of my violls the worme is spread under mee and the wormes are ready to cover mee But let mee say with holy Iob Iob 10 20. Are not my dayes few Cease then ô my God and let mee alone that I may take comfort a litle vers 21 Before I goe whence I shall not returne even to the land of darknesse and the shadow of death A land of darknesse vers 22 as darknesse it selfe and the shadow of death without any order and where the light is as darknesse There is noe worke nor device Eccl. 9.10 Ps 6.5 knowledg nor wisedome in the grave whither I am goeing In death there is noe remembrance of thee ô my God in the grave who shall give thee thank 's Ps 115.17 Is 38.18 The dead praise not thee ô Lord neither any that goe downeinto silence The grave cannot praise thee death cannot celebrate thee they that goe downe into the pit cannot hope for thy trueth vers 19 The living onely the living hee shall praise thee the father to the children shall make knowne thy trueth Thou thy selfe hast professed that thou art not a God of the dead Matt 22.32 Ps 88.10 vers 11 but of the living wilt thou then shew wonders to the dead Shall the dead arise and praife thee Shall thy loving kindnesse be declared in the grave Or thy faithfullnesse in destruction vers 12 Shall thy wonders be knowne in the darke And thy righteousnesse in the land of forgetfullnesse Consider then Ps 13.3 Ps 69.15 and heare mee ô Lord my God lighten mine eyes that I sleepe not in death Let not the water-flood over-flow mee neither let the deepe swallow mee up and let not the pit shut her mouth upon mee Heare mee ô Lord vers 16 for thy loving kindnesse is good turne unto mee according to the multitude of thy tender mercies 1. Sam 2.6 Thou art hee who doest both kill and make alive who bringest downe to the grave 2. King 4.20 bringest up againe When the Shunamite's child had sate on his mother's knees untill noone vers 21 it then departed but shee went up and layed him on the bed of the man of God vers 32 and shut the doore upon him and went out And when Elisha was come into the house behold the child was dead and laid upon his bed vers 33 hee went in therfore and shut the doore upon them twaine and prayed unto thee my greate and powerfull God vers 35 And the child neezed seaven times and the child opened his eyes Mat 9.18 When the ruler of the Synagogue worshipped my Saviour and sayd My daughter is even now dead but come and lay thine hand upon her and shee shall live vers 25 Then hee went in and tooke her by the hand and the mayd arose O my God to thee I submit my selfe doe with mee as thou pleasest In thy power it is to spare mee for a while It will not be harder for thee to restore mee to health then it was to restore the dead unto life Faine I would live longer that I may repent more Lord if it be thy pleasure adde yet some more dayes unto my life restore mee to health and make mee praise thee for thy mercies Longer I would not live unlesse thou shalt be pleased with my life to renew mine obedience and yet dye I would not unlesse thou shalt first be pleased to give mee a sense of my sinnes and a sorrow upon that sense and a comfortable and contenting joy upon that sorrow Thou art the potter and I am the clay allready thou hast made mee and it is now in thy power either to breake mee into sheards or to preserve mee whole I who have cryed so much in the extreamitie of mine anguish doe now beseech thee with my teares to spare mee Mat. 8.8 O speake the word onely and thy servant shall be healed But yet howsoëver I submit to thine owne good pleasure Lord if it may be thy will let the skill of my Phisitians and the power of my medicines and whatsoëver shall be administred unto mee take a blessing from thee if thou shalt restore mee againe to thee and to thy service will I devote my life My time shall be thine my dayes thine my thoughts my words and mine actions thine So shall thy mercy be magnified and thy praise I will be for ever singing and will
order unto him and in obedience to his commands I will love my neighbour as my selfe I will love him with the same affection as my selfe For his sake for whom I love my selfe even for God's For the same reason as my selfe even for grace conferred in this life present and for a certaine hope of eternall glory in the life to come In the same order as my selfe which shall be above the world but inferiour to my God Vpon the same ground as myselfe even because of the image of God imprinted in him and because hee is capable of immortall happinesse lastly as long as myselfe even from the beginning unto the end untill this fraile flesh shall be forsaken by my pensive my sad and sorrowfull soule And that my brethren my neighbours may be the better assured of my love which cannot be firme unlesse I accord with them in the same beliefe Heb 4.14 and that it may be knowne that through the grace of my God I hold fast the profession of my faith wherein I have lived even the same which was taught by my Saviour and his Apostles according to the trueth and puritie of the same without leaning either to prophanesse atheisme superstition or any other errour or heresie and to the intent that they may joyne with mee in thanksgiving to my God for preserving mee in the same and in prayer unto God that I may continue in the same both to the end in the end I will therfore cheerefully faithfully and confidently rehearse the articles of my beliefe and say I beleeve in God the Father Allmighty Maker of heaven and earth and in Iesus Christ his onely Sonne our Lord which was conceived by the holy Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried hee descended into hell the third day hee rose againe from the dead hee ascended into heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father All-mighty from thence hee shall come to judg the quick and the dead I beleeve in the holy Ghost the holy Catholike Church the Communion of Saints the forgivenesse of sinnes the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting Amen Thus I believe Lord helpe my un-beliefe Mar. 9.24 Eph. 4.14 and graunt that I may not be tossed to and fro and caried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lie in wayt to deceave vers 15 but that speaking and believing this trueth in love I may grow up unto him in all things which is the head even Christ my Redeemer And that I may thus repent mee of my sinnes and continue in love and persevere in the faith and submit to his good pleasure I will with a bended heart and a sorrowfull spirit and weeping eyes pray unto him and say exercise 3 3. The Prayer of the sick FAther of mercies Lord of life thou God which art a refuge in the time of trouble Ps 6.2 have mercy upon mee Ps 143.4 for I am weake and my heart with in mee is desolate A sinner I am I must confesse it not deserving thy mercy a fowle a grievous sinner I am who have disobeyed thy statutes and broken all thy commandements and never have I set my selfe in any good way to seeke my peace and reconciliation with thee My conscience check's mee and my sinnes testifie against mee and mine adversarie the devill strjveth to pluck from mee my considence in thee O Lord be thou my protectour and my gracious father Be reconciled unto mee in Iesus Christ in whom alone thou art well pleased Io 16.23 and in whose name whatsoëver I shall aske of thee I am sure thou wilt give it unto mee Heavenly Father doe thou assist mee doe thou comfort mee in these my trpâ—… and afflictions Ps 60.11 o be thou my helpe in trouble for vaine is the helpe of man To thee I cry to thee I come with a panting heart with a sorrowfull soule with an humble spirit I have sinned ô I have sinned and done amisse and my portion might be justly therfore in the land of darknesse there to be tormented with the devill and his angells forever But ô thou who hast promised to heale all those that are broken in heart Ps 147 3. and to bind up their wounds be reconciled unto mee in the wounds of my Redeemer Speake peace unto my conscience in this agony Ps 143.6 in this sorrowfull and deepe sighing for my skarlet sinnes To thee Ps 143.6 and to thee alone I stretch forth my hands to thee my soule gaspeth as a thirstie land vers 7. Heare mee ô Lord that soone for my spirit waxeth faint hide not thy face from mee lest I be like unto them that goe downe to destruction O let not these teares be refused nor these groanes be sighed and sobbed in vaine but by the power of his passion out of whose pretious side did issue both water and blood be thou reconciled unto mee the unworthiest of thy creatures Though my soule be deepely stained with the pollutions of my transgressions yet his blood hath power to make it white as snow On that remission of sinnes by his torments and sufferings doe I wholly rely My selfe I abhorre Iob 42.6 and repent in dust and ashes my workes I disclaine for I know their unworthinesse on thee alone ô my Iesus I wholly depend and by thee alone I hope for remission Be thou my Iesus be thou my Saviour Cure mee by thy wounds heale mee by thy stripes ease mee by thy torments comfort mee by thine agonie refresh my fainting soule by thy bluodie sweat revive mee by thy death and ô Sonne of God and Saviour of the world present mee to thy father in the robe of thy righteousnesse Ps 94.13 Give mee patience in this time of adversitie that I may quietly and contentedly submit to thy good pleasure rely upon thy mercy be thankfull for thy chastisement and in all things so looke up unto thee in this time of my sicknesse that I may hereafter be raised to glory by the power of thy resurrection This sicknesse for ought I know may be unto death but in thee I trust it shall be a passage unto life If thou hast passed the sentence of the first death upon mee decreeing to execute it by this my sicknesse to lay mee in the dust by this present visitation howsoever be pleased ô my father for the worthinesse of thy sonne to free met from the horrour of the second death Let mee be found of thee in peace 2. Pet 3 14. Hab 3.2 Is 9.13 Iob. 3.25 Mich 6 13. 1. Pet 4 19. Ps 119.175 that it may clearely appeare to mee that thou art a God of trueth and in the midst of judgment remembrest mercy Vnto thee I turne for thou hast smitten mee and the thing that I so greatly feared is fallen upon mee My body thou
description of the manner of the sease p. 575 2 The cause of the Malady p. 581 3 The hope of recovery p. 592 The Prayer p. 605 25 Teares of a Mother on her deathbed blessing her children The Soliloquie Consisting of two parts viz 1 Her preparation to blesse them p. 609 2 The blessing it selfe ending in a Prayer p. 616 26 Teares of a dying Woman wherein is set downe her Religious exercises 1 a Soliloquie in which is set forth 1 a desire of life p. 627 2 Certainty of death p. 637 2 A godly preparation against the minuit of death p. 644 3 A Prayer of the Sicke p. 654 4 The Consolation of the godly in the hower of death p. 658 5 The Resignation of the foule into the hands of God p. 664 27 Teares in the distressed time of Civill Warrs The Soliloquie Containing a Patheticall grievous Lamentation for the present distractions both in our Church and Commonwealth by reason of these cruell most bloody warrs p. 669 The First prayer wherein is set downe 1. Gods Iustice in punishing his owne people in former times 2 His Iustice also in the present punishing us for our offences 3 An earnest supplication for our repentance and his forgivenesse p. 701 The second Prayer consisting of 1 A dolefull complaint of our grievous Calamities 2 An humble desire of the Remission of our sins 3 A fervent supplicatioÌ„ for righteousnesse peace p. 713 The third Prayer wherein the Lord is humbly implored that our bloody battels may bee turned into a spirituall war fare p. 722 FINIS THE FIRST SVBJECT Teares of godly sorrow or Devout Melancholy wherein a flexible disposition apt to weepe imployeth those Teares in a sorrow for sin The sanctified Ejaculation to precede each severall meditation and prayer Psal 5. vers 1. Give eare to my words o Lord consider my meditation vers 2. Hearken unto the voice of my cry my king and my God for unto thee will I pray THE MEDITATION WHy art thou so full of heavinesse Ps 42.6 o my soule and why art thou so disquieted within mee What nothing but teares Nothing â—ut sighs and throbs of â trembling soule Griefe without cause is madnesse and without moderation it is hopelesse I must â—herfore looke into the cause and hope it is Religion that raiseth this tempest But let mee not erre in my judgment Is my sin the cause of my sorrow Or doe not I rather adde to my sinne by the pretence of my ground That teare of a faithfull soule which floweth from the conscience of evill purifieth the conscience and freeth from punishment If the weight of my transgressions depresseth my soule the comforts of the Crucified shall restore me to ioy Oh the first cause of my blubbered eye was that which made our parents strive to hide them selves from the sight of our Creatour Gen 3.8 Since that very offence it hath beene a sin not to weepe and yet too much weeping may be turned into sin Teares are the effect of sin and teares may be the actours of sin Thus even our best actions have their pollutions our griefe for our offences may as well displease as pacifie the offended Deitie But surely I grieve for mine iniquities which have incensed my Creatour I sorrow because I can expresse noe more sorrow for my faults Thus farre my passion then is religion Ps 56.8 Lu 7.38 my God shall put these teares into his bottell Thus Mary Maydalene stood at the feete of my Saviour behind him weeping washing his feete with her teares and wiping them with the haires of her head My sin is the ground of my shame and my shame enforceth mee to come behind that Iesus Ier 9 1 whom Mary thus embalmed O that my head were waters mine eyes a fountaine of teares that I might thus weepe day and night for the offences which I have committed But doe not I slaunder my teares Am I not mis-taken in the cause God forbid Noe cause can be so great as the greatnesse of my sinns and yet even these may multiply when I most lament them O my God accept of the teares which I shed for my sinns sanctifie my sorrowes that they turne not into offences Yet I find in the Scripture other causes of laments 2. King 20.5 Ier 9.17 Thus the All-mighty not onely heard the prayers of Hezekiah but saw his teares too when hee pleaded for life The Iewes were commanded to call for the mourning women to make hast and take up a wayling for them that their eyes might runne downe with teares their eyelids gush out with water because the voyce of wayling was heard out of Zion the destruction of the lewes was hard at hand Thus the Prophets eyes did faile with teares Lam 2.11 his bowells were troubled his liver was powred upon the earth for tâe destruction of Ierusalem This griefe arose from the sense of their sorrow That the most high was prouoked by the sin of the prople What the Iewes deserâ—ed may be my râ—ward and what Ierusalem expected may be my heavy doome for the fame God is offended with mee and my sinns have merited the height of his vengeance Yet the more I sin the more hee spare's expecting some measure of my sorrow for my boundlesse offences O let my teares be his by a gracious acceptance as my sin is made his by his fathers imputation for hee alone who wept in the garden can pleade my attonement and by the power of his passion restore mee to comfort Incredulity in part did trouble the man in the Gospel Mar 9.14 whose sonne was Possessed with a devill both deafe and dumb yet hee cryed out and said with teares Lord I believe help my un-beliefe Deafnesse I find doeth hang in mine eare too even in the house of my God for when mine attention is required to the words which distil from the mouth of the preacher even then the poison of the serpent makes mee imitate the adder refusing to heare the voyce of the charmer Ps 58.4 5. When I should counsaile my brethren when I should publish the trueth when I should confesse my sinns woe is mee the string of my tongue is knitt Iam. 3.5 the dores of my lipps are sealed up and though mine unruly litle member is active in the language of all impiety yet it is stricken dumb with silence when it should publish mine enormities Whence growe's this dumbnesse whence this deafnesse Lord shouldest thou be so deafe to my cries or dumb to my heart I should never hope for the mercies of my Redeemer But some faith thou hast given mee in the merits of his passion doe thou increase it The seede is thine the planting is thine Lord let it flourish that the advantage may be mine Mar 13 32. It is as yet the least of all seedes let it grow into a tree that the birds the birds of Paradise may nest in the
to him in desert yet the same God which inspired him with his Spirit can if hee please enable mee to endeavour the fullfilling of that lawe But hee was a disciple and why may not I be ranked in the number What though I am a woman So was Tabitha Act 9.36 yet shee was a disciple and so I hope shall I be too First then I must strive for this theologicall vertue for by this I shall be knowne to be a disciple of Christ I swimme in plenty but doe I remember those that are pinched with necessity In my rich and curious dresses doe I remember the naked In my variety of dishes doe I thinke upon the hungry In the choyce of my wines doe I consider the thirstie In the enjoyment of my freedome doe I pitty the prisoners I feare that my heart is too much delighted with the things I possesse too litle affected with the wants of my brethren But let mee ever consider that 't is in the power of my God as well to make mee a beggar as those that wayte petition at my doore and from my plenty I may be driven to demaund an almes Hee that gives can take I must so demeane my selfe in prosperity as allways remembring that adversitie is neere What therefore I possesse I will not enioy as if I were mistresse but onely steward of it The shivering body of a naked beggar shall have a share and proportion to cover his nakednesse The empty bellie shall have meate to fill it the thirstie soule shall be satisfied with drinke the sick I will comfort the prisoners I will visit In my liberty I will commiserate the imprisoned in my health the sick in my drinke the thirstie in my meate the hungrie and in mine apparell the naked Lord what a world is this wherein I live Every one lookes on the rising Sun Riches are the Idolls allmost of every one and gold though the feigned yet the admired Deitie Prov. 14.20 The rich saith Solomon hath many friends I find it true But are those friends indeede which pretend to friendship Certainly not all yet this is my miserie that while I am rich I shall hardly distinguish betweene friend and foe Most that put on the vizors of friendship doe but comply with the plenty of my fortunes They have falsehood vayled under theshape of love which will never be discovered but by change of estate Surely thus to be rich is but to be miserable Were my treasures exhausted I should sitt alone without society or pitty The doves delight in the whited houses So long as I shine in rich aray the capps the knees will doe reverence to my ornaments but who respect's the meanely habited Prov 14.20 The poore is hated even of his owne neighbour such a one might I have beene yea such a one I may be made Let mee not therfore boast of that which is neither truely good nor mine nor permanent If I trust in these riches I leane upon a reede If I boast of my riches I forget their uncertainty If I am proude of my estate I disdaine the giver This tempting gold is nothing but earth upon which the pollicie of men hath set a vallew It was gotten with sweate and 't is preserved with cares But why ô why doe the children of the earth thus magnifie that which is in their power to scorne For gold the merchants hazard their lives the ploughmen sweate the thievs and robbers doe come to shamefull ends yea and most men defile their pretious soules 'T is that which imploye's the tongue of the pleader yea and sometimes corrupt's the justice of the Iudg. 'T is that which buyes the skill of the Physitian and rule 's and governe's the affaires of the world For that doe Kingdomes strive and the whole world contend's But thou glistering stupid Idoll why art thou so honoured Why so adored 'T is true thou art the price of whatsoëver wee desire the world to furnish us with both for necessity and delight and so farre I may suffer thee to lodg in my coffers But is it in thy power to prolong my life and preserve mee here beyond my time appointed Canst thou give mee health or strength Canst thou afford mee peace of mind and quietnes of conscience Canst thou endowe mee with spirituall and saving grace and purchase mee a seate in the heavenly Ierusalem Alasse poore simple dirt thou canst doe nothing that 's good nor they whom thou foolest with the coveteousnesse of thee Why then doest thou cheate the children of Adam betray them to hell by their honouring of thee But stay Why doe I thus blame this innocent metall 'T is not this that offend's This would have slept in the silent bowells of our mother earth had not the avarice of men disturbed its rest It is not the gould that â—…mpt's to wickednesse but 't is the sleight â—f the Devill which perswade's men to hoâ—our it Since then I can find noe fault with â—…y coyne let mee pray that noe fault may be â—ound in my selfe If I love it I sinne if I coâ—et it I sinne if I gaine it by meanes not varrented in Scripture I sinne if I increase it by extortion or biting usurie I sinne if I â—ut my trust or confidence in it I sinne if I make it the price and hire of wickednesse 〈◊〉 sinne if I vallew my selfe either greater or better for the possession of it I sinne if I unjustly deteine it from those who have right to it I sinne if vainly and prodigally I wast and exhaust it I sinne if I deny it to them that are in destresse I sinne Lord how many sinns depend upon this glittering earth I will therfore resolve to looke downe on 't as on a slave and never allow it a seate in my heart and willingly will I impart it to the needy and indigent I had rather it had dwelt in the darke vaults and cavernes of the earth then ever it should be a meanes to offend my God But since my revenues are plentifull what shall I doe with this which I posesse I will resolve by the grace and goodnesse of my God that so I will keepe it as if I had it not I will so use it as if I used it not I will so freely give it where necessity requireth that it shall plainly appeare I love it not and yet I will so preserve it as if I scorned it not With this I will relieve the poore I will cloath the naked I will comfort the distressed and whatsoëver good it may procure for my selfe or others I will labour to purchase it though with the expence of the coyne I will not for the love of this Is 32.6 make empty the soule of the hungry nor cause the drinke of the thirstie to faile for this is the propertie of persons that are vile I will never so setle my affection upon it as to suffer it to stoppe
tooke with him his two Sonnes Manassâ—… Ephraim and went and visited him This visitation is a Christian duety and not to be denyed even to our enemies much lesse to out parents 2. King 13.14 When Elisha was fallen sick of his sicknesse whereof hee dyed Ioash the King of Israël went downe unto him hee wept over his face said O my father my father the charet of Israel and the horsemen thereof Lesse then this I could not doe for the Prophet was a stranger to the blood of the King and yet the King both visited and lamented the Prophet Had I beene sick and my father in health â—how would hee have wept and grieved How would hee have repaired to Phisitians â—ought for my recoverie bought it at rates â—en beyond his estate rather have chosen 〈◊〉 have led his dayes in penurie and want â—en I should have dyed for want of cost â—nd I dyed and hee sur-vived hee would have â—ourned for mee many dayes 1. Chr. 7.22 as Ephraim did 〈◊〉 his children that were slaine by the men 〈◊〉 Gath or like Iacob when hee heard â—he falle report that Ioseph was slaine hee â—ould have mourned Gen. 37 34. vers 35 and have refused to be â—…forted and peradventure hee would have â—…d I will goe downe into the grave unto my child mourning Thus ô thus my father would have grieved for mee Yea if mischiefe should have befallen mee hee would have beene as readie to have sayd as Iacob did concerning Benjamin c 42.30 My gray haires shall be brought downe with sorrow to the grave But how did I deserve this love at the hand of my father 'T is true that nature and religion did teach him to be indulgent but did both or either of them perswade mee to my duety Did I honour him according to the commandement of my God Ex. 20.12 Lev 19 3. Did I feare him according to the law divine Did I love him and that entirely and would I have beene as forward to expresse my love and respect unto him as Rahab though a harlot did manifest hers when shee convenanted with the spies 〈◊〉 cluded Ios 2.13 saying Yee shall save alive my father my mother and my brethren and my sisters 〈◊〉 all that they have and deliver our lives 〈◊〉 death Would I have beene ready to 〈◊〉 presse my love and respect unto him if 〈◊〉 had required and opportunitie and meaâ— had beene offered as David did to his â—…rens 1. Sam. 22.3 Hee went to Mizpeh of Moab and 〈◊〉 unto the King of Moab Let my father I 〈◊〉 thee and my mother come forth and be with yâ—… 'till I know what God will doe for mee 〈◊〉 ready thus to comfort him thus to relieve 〈◊〉 if neede had required and thus to provide 〈◊〉 him to the uttermost of my power Did never depart from him at any time before had craved both his leave and his blessing When Elijah passed by Elisha as hee 〈◊〉 ploughing 1. King 19.19 vers 20 and cast his mantle upon him hee leâ— the oxen indeede but hee ranne after Elijâ—… and said Let mee I pray thee kisse my father 〈◊〉 my mother and then I will follow thee Yeâ— rather on the contrarie insteed of honouring him Mat 10 35. Mich 7 6. was I not at variance against him Was I not apt to dis-honour my father and to rise up against my mother Insteed of labouring to relieve and comfort him was I not more ready to say unto him as did the Prodigall in the Gospell Lu 15.12 Father give mee the portion of the goods that falleth unto mee Certainly had not hee sinned hee could not have dyed and had not I sinned hee could not have beene seperated â—m mee My neglect of my duety did move 〈◊〉 Allmighty to take him from mee that 〈◊〉 I may at least honour the memorie of him â—…w hee is gone whom peradventure I did 〈◊〉 truely reverence and obey while hee was 〈◊〉 Now ô now is that time of heavinesse â—…en upon mee wherein I must lament 〈◊〉 Zion and cry Lam 5.3 I am an orphane and â—…erlesse my mother is a widow Now my â—…forter my defender is gone I cannot â—…ose but suspect that even Christians will â—ome as bad as were the Iewes who judged 〈◊〉 the cause the cause of the fatherlesse Ier 5.28 and yet 〈◊〉 prospered Now the curse which the Pâ—…lmist prophetically layed upon his slanâ—eâ—ous enemie I dayly feare will happen unto â—nee Ps 109.12 even that none will favour this fatherlesse â—hild Hence flow my teares hence arise â—hese mists of sighes and these clowdes of â—rrow My father is gone hee 's departed hee 's â—…ead O what shall I doe to lament enough â—…e losse I sustaine How shall I sufficiently â—…ourne the departure of him whom all my â—…bbes and cryes can never re-call Weepe I â—ust I cannot choose but weepe Nature â—ommand's it and I hope religion will not â—orbid it Though David complained that â—hee was forgotten as a dead man out of mind Ps 31.12 yet hee could not possibly meane that the dead were forgotten by their sur-viving off-spring O noe the eyes of orphanes are full of teares when they call to mind their once indulgent fathers yea and in every teare â—eâ—meth to be a reflection of the deceased parent Our laments are not onely enforced by the greatnesse of our losses and the strength of our love to our departed fathers but even by religion it selfe which gives us a kind of encouragement to hope that in their moderation they have authoritie from God Deut 21.11 The captive woman among the people of God who was faire and beautifull and whom an Israëlite desired to have to his wife was to be brought home to his house vers 12 and then shee was to shave her head and to paire her nailes and to put the raiment of her captivity from off her vers 13 and to remaine in his house but first shee ought to bewayle her father her mother a full moneth before the Israelite might goe in unto her hee be her husband and shee his wife Mee think's I could willingly yeeld to be thus farre a slave as to mourne for my father for it is some content to mee in my losses to have yet the societie of my teares Allthough among the Iewes the very touching of the dead did make the living un-cleane yet among Christians wee have noe such lawes O how would I now goe kisse his cold and wann chee kes and weepe over his shrowded body yea and wash that face so full of palenesse with my warme and willing teares if all that I could doe would restore him to life againe I would not stick to touch him yea to kisse him and when my lipps would be wearie my teares should softly court his hollow and closed eyes A verie Iew might have done thus much who lived under the bondage of the
makest sick in smiting by reason of my sinnes yet in considence and full assurance of thy mercy I commit the keeping of my soule unto thee as unto a faithfull Creatour O let that live and it shall praise thee for in thee doe I trust let mee not be confounded neither let mee despaire of the greatnesse of thy mercies Ps 23.4 And though now I walke in the shadow of death yet I know that it is in thy power to restore mee to health Lord if it may stand with thy secret will be pleased to recover mee that I may glorifie thy goodnesse in thy worke of power Blesse all the lawfull meanes that shall be used for that purpose Give skill to the Physitians vertue to the medicines strength to my spirits and health to my body Let mee recover my strength that I may imploy it in thy service and restore mee to health that I may be more active in mine obedience to all thy commandements But if otherwise thou hast determined and resolvest at this time to make mee as water spilt upon the ground 2. Sam. 14.14 graunt mee a willing and ready submission to thy decree Either abate the torments of mine afflicted body or increase my patience that I may not offend thee in my sufferings Make mee to magnifie thee whether by life or by death and graunt mee so safe a passage and conduct in the armes of thy mercy that I may be conveyed safely into Abraham's bosome Graunt this ô father for the love and merits of thy Sonne Iesus Christ my onely intercessour and redeemer in whose name words I farther call upon thee saying Our Father which art in heaven Hallowed be thy name Thy Kingdome come Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven Give us this day our dayly bread And forgive us our trespasses as wee forgive them that trespasse against us leade us not into temptation but deliver us from evill for thine is the Kingdome the power and the glory for ever and ever Amen exercise 4 4. The consolation of the godly in the hower of death VVHerfore is light given to him that is in miserie saith holy Iob and life unto the bitter in soule Iob. 3.20 vers 21 Which long for death but it cometh not and digge for it more then for hid treasures vers 22 Which rejoyce exceedingly and are glad when they can find the grave This was the complaint of a faithfull man and may now be the lamentation of a sorrowfull woman I have grieved and I have mourned for my sinnes and my good God I blesse him for it is gratiously pleased in the bowells of his mercy and compassion to give mee an assurance of happinesse by the merits of my Iesus But when comest thou ô my sweete my longed for my desired Saviour Thou knowest my paines which draw from mee many sinsull thoughts and un-fitting cryes Thou takest notice of the cunning suggestions of my greatest adversarie and his busie allurements to rob mee of my hope Thou seest how sometimes hee would leade mee into carnall securitie and sometimes into a beliefe that my verie vicet are vertues or not seene by Thee or not to be punished by thee and sometimes againe hee striveth to hurrie mee into the verie gulfe of despaire But I know and am assured that through the merits of my Redeemer the gates of hell shall not be able to prevaile against mee Mat. 16 18. Io 13.1 Prov. 12.28 for whom thou lovest thou wilt love unto the end I know that in the way of righteousnesse there is life and in the path-way thereof there is noe death Hence away therfore yee fowle fiends and rebellious tempters What doe yee here fawning and grinning hoping to betray a penitent soule These teares which I shed for the wounds that I made in the body of my Saviour by my piercing sinns are too pretious a water for you to hath in too choyce a wine for you to tast of here are noe hopes for the enemies of mine indulgent Iesus Though my groanes alas cannot be free from the pollution of sinne yet they shall not advantage you in what yee desire Ps 119.115 Away from mee yee wicked ones I will keepe the commandements of my God Thinke not to affright mee with my approaching death Phil. 1.23 for I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ Death I feare thee not come come and trye thy power but know that thy countenance which is so terrible to reprobates is the producer of joy comfort to my wearied heart Thou poore feeble despised nothing what power or strength is left thee to boast of Grave why gapest thou why standest thou so open as if thou didst hope to tryumph Hos 13 14. and conquer mee My Christ did threaten to be thy plagues ô death my Iesus did resolve to be thy destruction ô grave and that repentance should be hid from his eyes Is 25.8 1 Cor 15.54 Hee promised to swallow up death in victorie and to wipe away teares from off all faces This hee did promise and this hee hath performed for by his blessed Apostle I am well assured that death it selfe is swallowed up in victorie Now I dare challenge you ô yee impotent and powerlesse adversaries I dare scorne vers 55 and contemne you O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victorie Thy sting ô death was pullud out by him who is the Lord of life The strength of thy sting was that law which was fullfilled by my mercifull Iesus Hos 13 14. Ps 49.15 Rom 14.9 Hee hee hath ransomed mee from the power of the grave hath redeemed mee from death Hee hath redeemed my soule from the power of hell for hee shall receave mee To this end hee dyed and rose againe re-vived that hee might be Lord both of the dead and of the living Ps 68.20 Ps 48.14 Rom 14 7. vers 8. Hee that is my God is the God of salvation unto whom belong the issues from death This God is my God for ever and ever hee shall be my guide even unto death I live not to my selfe nor doe I dye unto my selfe for whether I live I live unto the Lord whether I dye I dye unto the Lord whether I live therfore Phil 1.20 or dye I am the Lord 's Christ shall be magnified in my body whether it be by life or by death for to mee to live is Christ vers 21 Heb. 12 18. vers 22 vers 23 vers 24 and to dye is gaine I come not to the mount that might not be touched nor to blacknesse and darknesse and tempest but I come unto mount Sion to the generall assemblie and â—rch of the first-borne which are written in heaven and to God the judg of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect and to Iesus the Mediatour of the new covenant and to the blood of sprinkling that