if thou were one whom Sathan had in his owne power hee would permit thee to rest quietly he would not disturbe thee but finding thee to be inwardly enclined to seeke the Lord praying for pardon in his Sonnes merites which hee cannot endure without roaring and raging against thee suspecting that he hath lost thee now altogether though thou were somtimes something seruiceable or rather according to naturall corruption slauâ—shly enclined to his workes of darknesse before the Lord in fauour visited thee with his fatherly corrections to reclayme thee from Sathan and sinne to make thee his obedient Sonne and the more thou declinest from him and his tentations and the more thou louest and enclinest to serue God with a pure heart the more will hee euer seeke to molest thee and if it were possible to driue thee to dispaire But feare not whatsoeuer he shall obiect against thee or lay vnto thy charge though when he seeth thee weakest hee will trie his strength against thee most Beleeue that when thou art weakest God is strongest for thee and Sathan though hee dare to tempt the dearest children of God as he did Christ himselfe yet he trembleth when he seeth Christ with his holy Spirit assisting thee and by his merites layd hold on by a liuely faith comforting thee feare him not therefore but encline thine heart vnto God and know that this thy sicknesse hath not fallen vpon thee by chance or by Sathans malice It came euen by Gods meere prouidence in loue to correct thee here in the flesh to call thee home vnto him that thou perish not with them whom Sathan hath subdued that haue not walked in the feare of the Lord whome Gods louing corrections could not reforme A greater mercy of God can not be obserued then to draw a sinner out of the power and slauery of sinne and Sathan by a gentle hand to make him hiâ— owne Coheire with Iesus Christ his Sonne and it is the end of this his correcting thee Repent thee therefore of thy former sinnes and beleeue sted fastly that in and through the bloud and merits of Christ thou shalt assuredly be saued and so shalt thou finde that this enemie of thine will giue ouer further to pursue thee As touching the forgiuenesse of thy sinnes how haynous so euer they be in quality or how many so euer in number they shall not be imputed vnto thee Thou hast beene already taught that all afflictions of whatsoeuer kinde doe proceed and are inflicted vpon vs for sinne and especially for the neglect of hearing the word of God and practising what it teacheth And yet not alwayes simply for sinne but sometimes that the glory of God may the more appeare especially in healing the sicke Lazarus dyed and yet Christ said that his sicknesse was not vnto death not so vnto death but that hee knew hee could and would raise him againe though hee were foure dayes dead and buried And therefore was his sicknesse and death onely that the glory of God might be seene by raising of him and the faith of his Disciples be the more confirmed but we must impute our sicknesses and all other crosses as layde vpon vs for our sinnes and learne by the example of good Hezekias to turne our selues vnto God and to mourn not so much for our sicknesse as for our sinnes Thou therefore that art thus afflicted in body and no doubt in minde also repayre vnto God in liuely faithfull and earnest prayer aboue all things for the pardon of thy sinnes for prayer if it be feruent is the most euident argument that thou art the childe of God and preuaileth much for where true saith is there necessarily followeth true repentance faith and repentance for sinne and offending God are inseperable And if thy repentance be serious it will either produce outward teares or inward griefe for your sinnes though teares be not alwayes ready not verball prayers powerfull especially in a sick man whose powres are commonly so shaken with the force of the disease as griefe of the heart can hardly wrest teares from the eyes or words from the lips yet with God it shall be accepted both sufficient prayers and preuailing teares if thou finde such griefe in thy heart for thy sinnes and such a desire to be reconciled vnto God in Christ as may but moue inward and silent sighes vnto God who respecteth more the holy disposition of the heart then any outward action or gesture of the body it shall bee sufficient though some outward showe of faith and repentance be necessary for the satisfaction of such as visite a sicke person if he can but showe it by the tongue in speaking though weakely confessing his sinnes lifting vp his hands or eyes it may argue the inward heart wel prepared and that hee wanteth not the spirit of God And therefore if your sicknesse be so violent as that you cannot showe verball tokens of the working of Gods spirit in you whereby they that come to visite you cannot witnesse for you your sorrow by your outward coÌ„fession It is enough that God knoweth it by your inward true sorrow of heart It was enough that God saw that good King Hezekiah in his sicknesse inwardly bewayling his sinnes though hee could not with plaine termes vocally and with fluent words as hee was wont but inwardly to mourne like a Doue and to chatter like a Crane very weakely and obscurely yet God vnderstoode him and accepted his weake vtterance as a most earnest and effectuall prayer So that if it come to passe that thy weakenesse become such as thou canst not vocally and verbally pray as by thy sicknesse it may come to passe though thou be in present perfect memory thy heart though neuer so faint may yet haue a feeling of Gods mercies and may shew it selfe powerfull to God though it seeme weake vnto men for God is absolute in vnderstanding can and doth conceiue the meaning of thy heart farre better then in thy best strength thou canst thy selfe vnderstand it As for thy present sick estate thou must not be carelesse of it but after prayer for pardoÌ„ of thy sinnes thou mayest craue restitution of thy bodily health if God who can restore it thinke it fitter for thee then death and thou art not only not forbidden but commaunded to seeke the lawfull helpe of the Physician prouided that thou depend not so vpon the Art of the Phisician as to exempt and neglect thy prayer to God for a blessing vpon it for if God giue not a Diuine working vnto the physick howsoeuer it may seeme to worke it may helpe one part and hurt another A cluster of Figges healed Hezekiah and the washing in Iordan the Leaper yet neither the Figges nor the water of their owne nature cured their diseases it was God gaue the vertue to both and therefore whether thine infirmitie be inward or outward with the meanes vse prayer that God may giue
God and that our afflictions proceed from his finall anger neuer to bee appeased but these his sugiestions are false let vs not beleeue them let vs beleeue that whom God doth chasten he loueth and therefore we may assure our selues so much the more that we are the children of God by how much we finde these tentations in vs for if we were his as he would sugiest vnto vs that God is angry with vs and wee not his he needed not to trouble vs but he knowing that wee are the Lords hee worketh by all meanes to drawe vs to distrust in God and that the merits of Christ cannot auaile vs. But let vs be strong in the Lord let vs trust constantly and confidently in the merits of his sonne armed with the shield of faith and buckle vnto our selues the sword of the spirit which is the word of God which doth containe most sure promises that he will neuer leaue vs nor forsake vs let vs pray alwayes with all manner of prayer and supplication in the spirit and watch thereunto in a holy patience with all perseuerance So shall wee see the saluation of God his power and prouidence in deliuering vs out of all our troubles of whatsoeuer kinde or such inward comforte as shall make our most bitter and sharpest afflictions sweet and easie And for asmuch as sinne is the greatest and most heauy burthen of misery that any poore childe of God can be afflicted with It is the principall part of a Christian to seeke to be vnburthened of the same not as to bee carelesse in the search of his sinnes and so to feele no burthen for he is like a man sicke vnto death and yet will acknowledge he feeleth no sickenesse at all but he that findeth his sinnes most grieuous vnto him and most deiected for them is nearest vnto pardon so he acknowledge them and in a liuely faith in Christ repent them Comforte for a man afflicted in conscience by reason of his sinnes COnsider first whosoeuer thou art that art troubled in minde 〈◊〉 thy conscience afflicted by 〈◊〉 â—f thy great sins 〈…〉 not thy case alone to be a sinner it is a common disease and sickenesse of the soule originally deriued from the transgression of Adam and remaining in the nature of all his posteritie outwardly shewing it selfe in vngodly wordes and deeds spoken or done against the Law and honor of God and inwardly by the thoughts desires of the heart conceiued against the Law of the spirit And happie is hee that can consider his owne wayes and that can and doth examine and finde out the sinnes which are hidden in his owne heart which to all other men are concealed but not from God The heart is an vnfadomable depth of sinne and rebellion against God and the best man by nature is guiltie of many secret and hidden as well as open and known sinnes for The imaginations of mans heart are onely euill from his youth And many odious sinnes proceede from that corrupte fountaine Such as men are ashamed to reueale and were it possible they would conceile them from God him selfe and therefore they often striue to keepe them in their priuate bosomes vntill they become so heauy burthensome as they can no longer beare them without vnspeakable horror and vnquietuesse of minde vntill they become as a worme so venemous in the Conscience as eateth and deuoureth all peace and comfort of the heart which the Deuill seeketh continually to feed and agrauates the sinnes grieuously in the minde of a poore sinner that he begins to fainte and as it were to sincke vnder the burthen of his afflicted conscience which is the most heauy crosse of all crosses a burrhen importable where it lighteth and it seemeth to bee in some measure thine owne case and is indeed dangerous for that soule that sinneth and perseuereth therein shall dye and it seemeth thou feelest the weight of grieuous sins which makes thee sad melancholicke and heauy which is yet a token that thou art not so dead in sin as that there is no feeling of sinne in thee which may be an argument that there is some life of grace yet in thee and that the spirit of God is not altogether dead in thee for if thy conscience were so feared vp and hardned that there were no sinne felt of thee thy case were farre more dangerous and though thou groanest and grieuest vnder the burthen of thy sinnes it may be onely for feare of the Iudgement of God and his punishments due for thy sinnes which is in it selfe but a seruile and slauish feare But if thou grieue that thou hast offended God by thy sinnes and dishonoured him by thy transgressions this proceedeth of a godly sorrow and so a signe that there is yet place and time for thee to repent turne vnto God therfore despaire not of the mercies of God in Christ who through thy faith if it be liuely and stedfast will be thine Aduocate by whom and by none other or other meanes thou shalt be reconciled to God and not dye in thy sinnes Thy sins are great great and fearefull the iudgements of God for sinne yet greater then both is the mercy of God towards a truly penitent sinner he is much displeased for sinne yet retayneth not he his anger long against a sinner if he returne vnto him for mercy is more pleasing vnto him then Iustice And though he seeme to turne away his louing fauour from thee being a notorious sinner and suffer thee to lye plunged and as it were wallowing in the bloud of thy sinnes and leaue thee destitute of all inward feeling of comfort yet if thou were the most haynous sinner and haue but an inclination an inward true desire to regaine his fauor and be truly sorie that thou hast offended him hee will turne againe and haue compassion vpon thee he will put away thine iniquities and cast thy sinnes into the botome of the Sea for as high as the heauen is aboue the earth so great is his mercie towards them that truly feare him God is iust in deede But if it may be so said he is more mercifull then iust but to none but to such as doe not onely feare and grieue for their sinnes as did Iudas and Esau But to such alone as in a liuely Faith take hold of the merites of Christ who in deede died for sinners but not for such as die in their sinnes as they did There must a reconciliation be made betweene God a sinner before he can assure himselfe of pardon and remission of his sinnes and that must not be delayed it must be to day before to morrow for as life is short and vncertaine and repentance requireth some time to be perfected though there be one example as of the Thiefe vpon the Crosse of suddaine repentance it is not so easie or speedy a worke to be well done there be many
that hath bene the principall instigator of me to sin and now the chiefe accuser of me for sinne and thinketh that he had and hath such a share in me throgh my former often consenting vnto his inticements that thou my God were not able to take me out of his hands But now holy heauenly and mercifull Father in Iesus Christ through thy grace vndeseruedly working in me I haue found him a deceiuer an imposter an enemye who hath done what lyeth in him to worke my ruyne by my rebelliō against thee throgh his continuall tentations vsing all his impious Instruments to deceiue me the pleasures of the world the lust of mine own flesh which hath bin euer prone to be allured by him And I wretched creature blind in all good thinges neuer obserued what a dangerous course of life I haue to this day walked in vntill now Now deere Father as it hath pleased thee of thine owne free mercie to open the eyes of my sinning soule to see that I haue lōg erred and that all that I haue hetherto done hath bene euill So now seeing mine owne wicked deseruings giue me power to repent me for all my sinns Reforme me O gracious Father reforme mee and by thy grace ease and comfort my grieued hart through the powerfull and effectuall working of thy spirit henceforth in mee that now at the last I may taste of thy goodnesse and rich mercy in Iesus Christ Though I haue nothing in my selfe to moue thee to haue compassion vpon me yet remember that I haue a deseruing and a preuailing Aduocate with thee whose merites may moue thee and his mediation preuaile with thee for me And therfore I haue hope that I shall be pertaker of his all sufficient satisfaction made for all sinners among whome I cannot but acknowledge my selfe the greatest and least deseruing thy fauour O my God I feele my miserable estate I acknowledge the grieuousnesse of my sinnes and that for them thou mayest iustly condemne me but that I haue learned by thine own promises that there is mercie with thee that thou delightest not in the condemnation of a sinner but rather that hee should repent and turne vnto thee and liue Lord haue mercie vpon me haue mercy vpon me for I am weake I feele a burthen of my sinnes that presseth me downe and nothing can raise me but thy mercies in Iesus Christ. O giue me a liuely faith that I may apply the preuailing merites of that sacred Lambe crucified for all beleeuers to the washing away of all my sinnes and to the ease of my guilty conscience heauily burthened therewith so shall my poore afflicted and distressed soule be refreshed my heart now grosly defiled shall be made cleane mine affections now altogether ranging after vnholy things shall be changed into perfect obedience vnto thee and Sathan that hath long and maliciously pursued me with his most violent tentations shal◠flye at the presence of thy holy spirit in me and all my thoughts imaginations desires words and workes shall be sanctified and made holy by the same Spirit O hide not therefore gracious Father hide not from me thy louing countenance but turne away thy face from my sinnes blot out all mine offences out of thy remembrance create in me a cleane heart restore to mee the ioy of thy saluation and stablish me with thy free spirit and let me neuer returne again to my former slauery of sinne and I shall offer vnto thee the vnfayned sacrifice of praise for thine vnspeakeable mercies All honour glory to Christ my Redeemer and to the holy Ghost the obedience of mine vnfayned heart for that he assureth mee of all these incomprehensible blessings Amen Lord euer more and more encrease my faith Comfort for the sicke THe miserable estate of a man perplexed in conscience for his sinnes is the greatest affliction that can befall a man in this life which is the sicknesse of the soule for a wounded conscience who can beare And next to it there is not a greater then is the extremitie of the sicknesse of the body and therefore neede these two sicknesses aboue all other crosses to be especially sought to be eased the first with spirituall the next both with spirituall and corporall comfort They are Twinns borne together and liue together though the one by inspiration the other by propagation And therefore if the soule be diseased the body can not though it may seeme contrary be in perfect health It will shew apparent tokens of the sicknesse of the minde and if the body be ouermuch tormented with the grieuousnesse of sicknesse the soule cannot but feele through a mutuall loue which is between the soule and the body a kinde of griefe and sorrow I will therefore apply vnto thee whome I see to be cast downe by thy bodies infirmity the counsell comforts which may first ease thee of thy inward feares and troubles for it can not be but that Sathan that auncient enemie of al mankinde hath beene busie in the time of thy health to draw thee to sin that by sinne thou mightest offend God that by offending God thou mightest be reiected of him and now finding thee visited by the hand of God with grieuous sicknesse fore-showing either the speedie approaching of death or a gentle forewarning thereof hee cannot be lesse watchfull and diligent in this thine extremity nay farre more then hee was in thy most healthfull estate to trouble thee for when thou wert healthfull and strong thou couldest nor but be by the corruption of thy owne nature proane to sinne And this common enemie of mans saluation worketh vpon our corruption and our ablenesse to sinne And when hee findeth vs most weake in our bodies and our sences and powres labouring against the violence of our infirmities then he commeth and presenteth vnto our guilty consciences the sinnes which he before prouoked vs to commit In the sicknesse of the body hee findeth fit oportunity to trouble vs for although hee knoweth not the time which God reserueth in his owne wisedome and power when any man shall dye yet when sicknesse comes he knowes it is the fore-runner of death and therefore hee knoweth that then or neuer hee must imploy all his Engines and batteries or else for euer rest frustrate of any hope to preuaile And therefore he will solicite thee now to distrust in the mercies of God in Christ and will suggest vnto thee that now thou seest and feelest that GOD is displeased with thee and that hee hath no delight in thee as if thou were his he would haue hee would not torment thee as hee doth and that thou were as good to cast off all thy hope in him as to deceiue thy selfe vainely trusting that hee will yet shew thee any mercy or louing countenance These fearefull assaults it cannot be but thou dost or mayest endure at this thy capitall enemies hands if thou be in deede the true childe of God for
tentations that I may be able to resist whatsoeuer assaults of the deuill and his Ministers As for mine owne power alas it is euen weakenes it selfe but my hope and strength is of thee I can alledge nothing neither canst thou finde any thing in mee either woorthie or acceptable whereby I might haue hope either to haue my sinnes forgiuen me or to be released or eased of my sicknesse or to be restored to my former health or strength yet I haue hope O Lord that thou in mercie wilt pardon my sinnes in the merites of my Redeemer and that for his sake thou wilt either restore me to health or speedily to end this my grieuous infirmity which if for the grieuousnesse of my sinnes thou thinke sit to lay yet more heauily vpon me strengthen me so much the more with perfect faith and godly patience that I may beare it that the apprehension of death which is something terrible to flesh and bloud daunt me not But that I may rest assured that thou thus rebukest mee not in thine anger nor that thou chastisest me in thy heauie displeasure but rather of thy loue which is better vnto me then life O Father what shall I render vnto thee for all thy benefits for they haue bin infinite towards me And euen this thy fatherly correction I acknowledge not the least for hereby Lord I finde thy gracious purpose to be to reclayme me from my wonted sinnes which without thy mercy cannot but procure not the death of my body only but of my soule also so dearely redeemed by the bloud of thy dearest Son O strengthen Lord strengthen my faith that I may now at the last take such firme assured holde of the merites of Iesus Christ that all my sinnes and vngodly deseruings may be couered and that his righteousnesse may be imputed vnto me I doe confesse O Lord to my shame and griefe that before thou diddest correct me I went awry I followed too much the desires of my corrupt hart But now Lord I doe heartily repent me that euer I offended thee but if it be thy gracious good wil and pleasure and if in thy wisdome thou thinke it fit to restore mee to my former health which I humbly leaue vnto thee I shall endeuour by thy grace to walke more warily and shunne the enticements that haue seduced me and the allurements of Sathan that haue deceiued mee But if thou haue determined this my sicknesse to be my last and finall trouble I shall most heartily embrace it with a longing expectation for the time of my dissolution And when the time commeth accept it with a ioyfull and glad heart and that I may be the more truly and readily prepared at the instant of the departure of my soule from my body wash me throughly and make me cleane that I may appeare before thee in the immaculate roabes of Christs righteousnes and not in mine owne polluted garments of corruption That I may heare that most sweet and comfortable voyce of my Redeemer Come thou blessed of my Father enter into and possesse the ioyes prepared for thee from the beginning of the world which grant gracious Lord God for Iesus Christes sake to whom with thee and the holie Ghost be all honor praise and glory for euer O Lord encrease and euermore and more strengthen my faith and fill my heart with vnfained godly desire to be speedily dissolued that I may liue with thee in heauen Amen A Prayer to be said for a sicke man or woman of faithfull friends that come to visite him or her LOrd God Almighty and Father of incomprehensible mercy we here assembled before thy Maiestie in the name of thy most beloued Son Iesus Christ are bold to present our humble petitions vnto thee in the behalfe of this sicke person lying heere visited with sicknes which thou mightest iustly haue laide and inflicted vpon any of vs as great sinners and haue spared him or her but such hath been thy mercy hetherunto towards vs as to afford vs health expecting the time wherein we cannot auoyde but must taste of the same cup. We acknowledge Lord that thou neuer sendest this or any other crosse or affliction to any no not to such as thou louest best but the end therof though bitter for the time to flesh and bloud is happinesse yet doest thou iustly whatsoeuer thou doest and we acknowledge that sinne is the cause of all thy fatherly visitations And forasmuch as it cannot bee but that this sicke party is oppressed in the weakenes of his body by the strong tentations of that common enemie Sathan who endeuoureth so to lay his sinnes to his charge whereof no man is free that if it were possible he might so farre feare him with thy seuere Iustice for the same as that he might despaire of thy mercies and consequently of his owne saluation Wherefore wee thy weake seruants here assembled doe humbly and hartily pray thee to abandon and abolish that infernall Serpent that his false suggestions creepe not into the heart of this sicke party but arme him or her so with a liuely faith that thy holy Spirit may so possesse his soule that the enemie may finde no place for his tentations Besprinkle his heart so with the meritorious bloud of thy Sonne that the deuill seeing and obseruing a stronger then himselfe to possesse the house of his soule he may be enforced to flie and no further to pursue him Cause Lord that some tokens may appeare in this sick person that his soule and conscience are quieted by the presence of the holy Ghost in him whereby we thy most humble suppliants may receiue some comfort in the fruit of our prayers for him And as touching his sicknes we submit our desires to thine owne will yet if thy good pleasure be so as to restore him to the former health which wee in his behalfe entreate thee to the end that hee and we may glorifie thee for thy great mercie in healing him and that he by this thy fatherly correction may learne to liue the residue of the time that he shall here enioy in new and more perfect obedience But if otherwise thou be pleased to dispose of him namely to take him out of this mortall-life giue him wee humbly pray thee an vnderstanding heart to know and to consider his mortality and the glory to come a sound minde perfect memory with a feeling faith patience and obedience that without feare with cheerefull alacrity hee may surrender his soule vnto thee Receiue it good Father as the soule of an Elect Saint and send his body which must rest and remaine in the earth vntill the generall rising againe of the dead a most ioyfull resurrection that he may then enioy the full perfection of glory with thee both in soule and body which we humbly pray thee in the name of Iesus Christ graciously to graunt and that it would please thee to come quickly and finish the worke which thou hast begun
pursued the Lawe lawfully against thee and by them iustly and in the Iudgement of God thou be committed to this place of restraint thou hast that thou deseruest for to borrow other mens goods to wast them ryotously vpon thine vngodly and wanton delights is most wicked it is too much so to consume thine owne substance but so to consume other mens when thine owne is spent prodigally thou art not fit to haue thy libertie for by thy lewde course of life others are induced by thine example into the same excesse of ryot and fitter it is that the prison should keepe thee in and in order then to corrupt others abroad to the breach of the diuine Lawes of God who in Iustice doth punish thee for thy sinne and yet if this thy restraint may worke reformation in thee it sauours of the loue of God towards thee If therefore thou canst and doest repent thee of the ill spent life and canst and doest faithfully seeke the fauour of God for pardon of thy sinnes in his Christ thou maist imbrace thine imprisonment and not impute it to the seueritie of thy Creditors though they were the meanes vnder God for thy good they nothing lesse intending then to doe 〈◊〉 good but to come by their owne thereby but if thou be one whome God hath a purpose to reclaime from euill to make thee good thy restraint is the beginning of thy happinesse for Happie is the man whome God correcteth They are not strangers from his Couenant of grace but sonnes and daughters whome he doth chasten therefore though thou haue plaide the part of that Prodigall sonne in consuming thy patrimony and thy goods in wantonnesse this thy restraint may call thee home againe to thy louing fathers house and will make thee not a seruant but imbrace thee as a sonne by thy repentance in a true faith What haue all thy pleasures yeilded thee which thou hast so eagerly followed when thou wert at libertie but huske for swyne durt and draffe wherewith Satan feedeth them that followe him hee seasons them with sweetnesse to the fleshly minde yet is that sweetnesse but to fleshly mindes and is meere poyson to the soule wherewith if thou feele thy selfe at any time to be infected thou hast now time to take Physicke to cure thee thou art here in the place where thy heauenly Father hath appointed thee not to destroye thee but to dyet thee and to prepare thee to receiue some bitter Pilles to purge thee from the contagious humours of thy sinnes which the corrupte ayre of wicked companions of thine hath inspired into thee and it may be if thou hadst had thy libertie stil in the open fields of this corrupt worlds delights where thou art restrained for a Peny in comparison it might haue beene a pound so the procuring of thy freedome would haue beene the more hard to be obtained if at all But thou art in prison be thy debte much or little if thou cannot paye it and thy Creditors will exacte the vttermost Farthing what is thy last and safest refuge thou maist appeale vnto the Magistrate but hee cannot but maintaine his Lawes some mittigation by mediation may bee obtayned yet thou must endure the will of thy Creditor whose seuerity may in part against his will be moderated but his heart is in the hands disposing of the Almightie and therefore make thy petitions vnto God confesse thy euill and prophane life acknowledge thy sinnes that haue caused thy trouble repent thee heartily of them bee patient in them and thou shalt see that God who made the heart of thy Creditor can molifie it and insteed of his vttermost seueritie turne it into charitie and bee thou of a meeke spirit and of an humble heart towards thy Creditor and settle thine affections vpon heauen and heauenly things praye faithfully and feruently to God it may please him to worke the meanes to free thee but in his good time Innocent Ioseph lay two yeares in miserable imprisonment falsly accused yet highly beloued of God therefore thinke it not long for God seeth the time fit to deliuer thee better then thou thy selfe But when thou art sufficiently humbled and brought to the true feare of God and obedient to his will thou maist be assured he will let thee goe free A Prayer to be often said of a man imprisoned for debte O Lord my God in Iesus Christ I doe acknowledge that I haue grieuously offended thee by my sinnes which haue so deeply deserued thy displeasure as that thou either thinkest me vnworthy of the libertie and freedome which other men enioy in the world or in thy wisedome that restraint and imprisonment are more profitable for me then libertie I doe confesse indeed that my libertie hath wrought in me many occasions to offend thee and my restraint through thy grace may worke some reformation in me When I was free of this my trouble I did not so walke as I ought to haue done but many wayes abused that freedome which thou affordest me by committing many vnseemely and vngodly actions which thou hast forbidden and by omitting many good and godly duties which thou hast commanded which brought me to necessitie necessitie inforced mee to borrow to supply my wants and borrowing and not repaying procured the dislike of my Creditors and their seueritie in thy Iustice haue brought me into this place of vnsauourie restraint from whence I haue no meanes to bee freed but by thy meere mercy and prouidence onely wherein I know thou art able to deliuer me if thou thinke libertie more profitable for mee I cannot but confesse O Lord that I haue not onely deserued this but a farre sharper punishment for my sinnes yet as thou art a most gracious and louing Father so art thou euer ready to forgiue sinners vpon their hearty repentance and their sinnâ—â— being forgiuen thy propertie is either to remoue altogether or to mittigate their punishment Lord my debtes are out of measure greater to thee then my greatest can bee vnto man and my debtes to thee are encreased by the cause whereby I am become debter in this kinde vnto man But if thou Lord maist be pleased to pardon my debtes whereby I stand indangered to thee my debtes due vnto men shall bee the more easily satisfied and I shall be the sooner deliuered from this my captiuitie for he that is freely forgiuen of thee though he be in bands at the pleasure of men yet is he free in thee and he that is thy free-man hee cannot bee restrained according to the will of man further then thou shalt permit Therefore most gracious Lord God rich in mercie and goodnesse while thy will and pleasure is to permit mee in this place of restraint to remaine graunt that I may euen here enioy the libertie of a godly minde faith in thee obedience to thee and patience in thee with necessary meanes from thee for my reliefe and sustinance for thou seest my
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
reforme thee to saue thee Ieremie the most famous amongst the Prophets confesseth that before the Lord touched him with affliction he was like a wilde and vntamed Colte and Dauid the worthiest among the Kings acknowledgeth that before he was afflicted he went awrye And Paul the chiefe among the Apostles thought it his greatest glory to suffer affliction for Christ and many they were that he suffered see 2. Cor. 6. Outward affliction or inward sorrow for thy sinnes hurt thee not the one argues the loue of God towards thee the other thy desire to obay him There is nothing more hurtfull to thee nor more offensiue to God then thine impatience thy murmuring and grudging at Gods gentle chastisements which are the euils of thy minde and most afflict thee whereas true patience in faith is as a brasen Bulworke against all the attemptes and assaults of sinne and Satan the workers of all the crosses troubles calamities in the world Imbrace therefore whatsoeuer befalleth thee with godly patience and the Lord assist thee Thine in Christian good will I. NORDEN The Table of the perticulars contained in this Booke A Prayer for the morning A Prayer before a man goes to his nightly rest 1 A preparation to godly patience page 1 2 Touching sinne the cause of all afflictions the confession and repentance of them and patience in troubles pag 20 3 Comfort for a man afflicted in conscience by reason of his sinnes pag. 47 4 A prayer for the forgiuenesse of most haynous sins that afflict the weake conscience of a sinner pag. 67 5 Comfort for the sick p. 77 6 A prayer to be often said of a sick man or woman 79 7 A prayer to be said for a sick man of faithfull friends that come to visite him 105 8 For such as are oppressed with pouerty and want not impertinent for the rich 112 9 A prayer to be said of such as are oppressed with necessity want of things necessary 133 10 A short prayer to be said of him that is in necessity and want 146 11 Generall counsell comfort for men imprisoned 153 12 Against Treason for which a man is worthily imprisoned 168 13 For such as are imprisoned as guilty or vehemently suspected of murther 173 14 A prayer for a man imprisoned guilty of murther 179 15 For such as are imprisoned for committing any offence against the Lawes of the Kingdome deseruing death 185 16 A prayer to be said of a prisoner accused and like to be condemned to death for some fact against the lawes or to any other corporall punishment 190 17 A prayer to be said of a penitent offender going to his execution or to any corporall punishment 200 18 For such as are imprisoned for debt 205 19 A prayer to be often said of a man imprisoned for debt pag. 216 20 A caueat for cruell creditors that keepe poore men in prison whom they know vnable to pay that for which they keepe them in prison 226 21 Encouragement for such as are enclosed and afflicted with enemies flatterers and their slaunders 241 22 A prayer for a man that hath vndeserued enemies and is subiect to slaunderous tongues flatterers and false friends 253 23 Counsell comfort for him that is persecuted for his constant profession of the Gospell of Christ. 263 24 A prayer for a man persecuted for his faith and profession of the Gospell of Iesus Christ. 281 25 Comfort and encouragement for such as are banished or enforced to liue out of their owne natiue Countrey either for feare of persecution for Gods word or of the furie of enemies that pursue them without iust cause 292 26 A prayer for a man banished frō his natiue Countrey for some crime committed or enforced to forsake it either for feare of persecution or of some mighty aduersary that doth vniustly oppresse him 304 27 Comfort encouragement for Parents that are crossed and grieued at the vngodlinesse and disobedience of their children fit for all Parents to reade pag. 314 28 A prayer to be vsed of godly Parents for the reformation of vngodly and disobedient children and for patience not ouermuch to afflict themselues for the stubbornnesse and disobedience of a wicked son 332 29 A perswasion to patience in the crosses that often fall out betweene man wife fit to be considered of married folkes for their mutuall comfort with counsell to such as intend to marrie 341 30 A prayer to be said by man and wife together or by either of them at any time in priuate 359 31 How the husband ought to behaue himselfe towards his discontented wife 367 32 A prayer to be said often of a man who hath a wife of refractarie conditions 374 33 How the wife ought to behaue her selfe towards her husband though hee be faultie and hard to be pleased 379 34 A prayer for the wife that is vnequally yoked with an vnkinde vnthrifty or an vngodly husband 385 35 A comfortable conclusion shewing the benefit of afflictions to the end we may beare them in what nature or kinde soeuer they befall vs with the more resolute and godly patience 401 37 A prayer for the forgiuenes of sins and for the neglect of our duties in seeking to know God by the hearing of his word and the practise of the same fit daily to be vsed 391 36 A necessary prayer for strength to beare whatsoeuer afflictions with patience and for faith to resist the tentations of Sathan 418 A PRAYER FOR the Morning O Lord GOD heauenlie Father when I doe consider how many wayes and by how many sortes of sinnes I haue offended thee night and day and doe duly call to minde how graciously thou hast kept mee this night how many blessings and fauours I haue receiued of thee without number I am euen astonished at my great ingratitude and doe vtterly condemne my selfe of highest rebellion against thee Many haue beene the dayes weekes months and yeares that thou hast here afforded me to liue and in all the time of my life hetherunto thou hast graciously preserued mee plentifully releiued me continually kept me vnder thy fatherly protection in all my nights and dayes and hast beene euermore watchfull ouer me that I haue from time to time from night to day and from day to night beene euer sustained through thy grace though I haue some times felt thy correcting rod by some crosses for my sinnes yet haue they beene euer easie in comparison of my deseruings and profitable vnto me Lord pardon and forgiue me my sinnes forgiue my manifold offences wash me throughly by the blood of Iesus Christ my Redeemer and clense me from all my pollutions for they are many and I am ashamed that euer I gaue way vnto them But now Lord now though late I pray thee to leade me by thy Spirit in more obedience stay me that I runne not this day into any vnseemely or vngodly actions withholde mine eyes from vanities keepe vnder the vngodly affections
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