â—â—perbissiâ—oruÌ„ origo Plin. nat â—ist l. 7. c. 7. The child in my womb is made of the like substance as I was And though I now have growth strength beauty or comelinesse yet I was once imperfect enough when I was newly begotten of man and conceived in the womans womb Alas how vile are those materials of which my body was made Scripture draws a veyl of modest and metaphorical expressions over this unsightly act of generation And when I consider oh my soul the poor original of my body Alas what preheminence have I herein above a beast what cause to abhorre all thoughts of pride and to walk humbly all my dayes If the Peacock let fall his plumes when he beholds his black feet have not I cause to be cast down with a less esteem of my self Phil. 3.21 when I consider my vile body In nothing more vile then in its first coagulation of ignoble matter MEDITATION 5. Thou hast cloathed me with skin and flesh Job 10.11 thou hast fenced me with bones and sinews Though in regard of the matter and manner of my generation my body is no better then a bag of flegm a lump of blood a moistened clod of earth yet when I raise my mind to the work of my Creator who fashioned me round about covered me in my mothers womb and formed me in the lowest parts of the earth I have then no cause to say to my Father what hast thou begotten or to my Creator why hast thou made me thus If I may in every creature see some prints and footsteps of the wisdome power and goodnesse of God in their formation production and conservation of their kind in a continual succession for the use of man how much more cause have I to search out this work of God in which there is as much of excellency curiosity and exactnesse of skill as in all the creation besides Much is said by Philosophers Physicians Anatomists c. concerning this great secret of Nature the Child in the Womb. They speak with much probability and rational conjecture of the manner and matter of generation conceptions of the very day when the womb by its natural heat begins to operate towards it when it receives its first change into a fleshy substance what day the brain heart and liver begin to be distinguished and when it receives a humane shape in other parts though the whole be no bigger then a small flie Also how it is nourished and in what place and posture it lies if male and in what if female What day it receives by the gift of God a living soul and when it begins to stir and calcitrate in the womb c. But the further I dive and search into this matter the more I am at a loss still new questions do arise which I cannot resolve Ps 139.6 Even this knowledge is too wonderfull for me Solomon hath put a question which I think himself could hardly answer Knowest thou how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child Eccls 11.5 Therefore oh my soul let mesing that song of David and if possible with Davids heart I will praise thee Psal 139.14 15 16 17. for I am fearfully and wonderfully made marvellous are thy works and that my soul knoweth right well My substance was not hid from thee when I was made in secret and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth Thine eyes did see my substance yet being imperfect and in thy book all my members were written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there were none of them How precious also are thy thoughts unto me O God how great is the summe of them But I must not I cannot here leave off this delightful Meditation but must again praise the Lord for that he hath not executed the curse of Adam to the uttermost upon us Though sin hath robbed us of many most desirable perfections yet there is that left with which and for which we may glorifie God If we survey the frame and building of this earthly tabernacle we shall find that rare fitness of every part and that symmetry of the whole that we cannot but say its builder and maker is God What shall I say of the several members and particles of our bodies of the scituation of the more noble parts and subordination of the rest of the influences of the higher parts on those that are less noble of the many channels of conveyance whereby the inner parts transmit bloud strength and spirits to the exteriour and most remote What of the beauty strength tenderness majesty and singular faculties of some parts of the contiguities and artificial connexion of all parts what of the sagacity of the five senses the mixture of the four elements the correspondence our bodies have with all creatures the resemblance of the three regions yea of the three heavens c. For which causes Man is called a little world the measure of all things the pattern of the Vniverse the miracle of miracles c. Yea mans body is yet in regard of its majesty strength beauty and noble faculties of its several parts in some measure after the image of God (a) 2 Chr. 16.9 Dan. 9.18 Psal 34.16 Job 40 9. Psal 74.3 Isa 49.16 c. And God himself is pleased to represent his perfections and operations by several parts of the body of man If therefore the serious prying into any one part take up the time and study of the learned insomuch that Galen was turned from Atheism in studying the secrets of mans body and presently praised and acknowledged our Creatour then oh my soul let that which made him a Christian make me a more thankful Christian that I may more zealously glorifie God with my body and may hereafter have all its primitive perfections restored at the Resurrection when God shall raise it in honour and incorruption and make it like the glorious body of Jesus Christ MEDITATION 6. Anatomists themselves are utterly to seek what reason to give for the opening and shutting of the womb But though I know not the natural causes hereof yet I find by the effects that the child is quick within me And oh that I could say with like certainty that though I know not the way of the Spirit or how grace comes in and sin goes out how Christ enters and Satan is dispossessed yet I feel by the effects that whereas lust did once conceive and bring forth sin yet now grace conceives holy motions and brings forth religious actions that whereas my heart was a cage of unclean spirits and barren of goodness yet now Christ is formed within me now I feel by happy effects that grace is quick within me and quickens me to every good work Psal 103.1 Wherefore blesse the Lord oh my soul and all that is within me blesse his holy name Luk. 1.43.49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great
things and holy is his name And whence is this to me that the grace of Christ should come to me MEDITATION 7. Rebecca conceived Gen. 25.22 23. and the children strugled within her and she said If it be so why am I thus that is if I am heard of God in my request and am with child by his blessing whence is this strugling this painful conflict and strange unquietness of the fruit of my womb And she went to enquire of the Lord and the Lord said unto her Two nations are in thy womb c. So when I look into my self and observe the commotions that are in the womb of my heart I conclude Surely there are two nations within me the flesh with all its motions lucting against the spirit and its grace Gal. 5.17 and the Spirit with its gracious influences alway striving against the sinfulness of my carnal part Now blessed be God that seeing sin will yet keep possession that it hath no quiet abode within me but meets with reluctancy and opposition from my spirituall part But oh wretched creature that I am how often is evil present and prevalent with me how many are those pangs of sorrow those sighs and grones that my mischievous and restless corruptions cause within me But if it be so that the power of the most High hath overshadowed me and true grace be implanted in my soule then I shall seek to the Lord that he would cause the better part in me to be the more prevailing part that he would water and give encrease to these tender beginnings and give me at last a safe and happy deliverance from this body of death MEDITATION 8. If men strive and hurt a woman with child Exod. 21.22 23. so that her fruit depart from her and yet 〈◊〉 mischief follow he shall be surely punished c. Women with child are liable to many dangers A fall a bruise an accidentall stroke a fright a strain the taking somewhat that proves expulsive or the disappointment of somewhat they longed for these and such other contingencies are noxious to them and often-times cause abortion or the mischance of her fruit departing from her Such was the case of the Church when it was with child with many Converts Rev. 12.2 3. the great red Dragon watched the destruction of her and of her fruit And thus is with every repenting soul What security soever there be among those careless women that are at ease Isa 32.9 10 11. how little inward care or sorrow they feel while they forget God how unacquainted soever with the hurt and smart of sin or Satans striving with them before they are acquainted with God yet no sooner do they espouse themselves to Christ and conceive purposes of holy living and begin to be fruitful in any grace but they shall have many adversaries in the world and especially the god of this world striving against them to afright them to tempt them to receive such principles company suggestions as may quench their graces or to deprive them of that Spiritual food they long for or to intice them to straine their consciences or some way or other to cause them to fall that they may be wounded bruised c. and the fruit of grace depart from them But oh my soul hath God such care of the unborn infant as to provide a speciall law in its behalfe and will he not much more take care of that grace which he hath begotten in my Soul Oh my God keep me that the Evill One touch me not MEDITATION 9. In sorrow shalt thou bring forth Children As the first general curse Gen. 3.16 In dying thou shalt dy brought not onely the pains of death but intended also all the miseries of our life so this particular curse upon women brings not only pain in travel but comprehends all the infirmities of Child-bearing I find that the child in my womb brings many weaknesses and aches upon me but oh how sad and deplorable are those deeper sicknesses and maladies which I have brought upon it It s body partaking of my substance partakes unavoidably of my natural pollution It s Soul though it come immediately from the Father of Spirits yet I know not how is upon its infusion into this tender infant subjected to the common misery of the Children of Adam who having lost the image and likenesse of God sinne and corruption must needs follow I am an unclearne vessel Psal 58.3 sa 48.8 and how can any clean thing come out of me Oh my soul what need have I to be sanctified throughout both in Body and Soul and Spirit And Oh my God repair by thy grace what sin hath made so defective in me and mine MEDITATION 10 Our blessed Saviour and Great Prophet Jesus Christ foretelling the miseries that should shortly come on Judea Jerusalem sayes Wo unto them that are with Child Mat. 24.19 Lu. 23.29 and to them that give suck in those days And in another Evangelist Behold the dayes are coming in the which they shall say Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never have and the paps that never gave suck And indeed of all persons none more miserable in the time of War than women with child or women that give suck because their care is double and their persons uncapable of flying and shifting for their lives as those who are single may and do And of all murthers none more horrible in all its circumstances 2 Kin. 8.12 Lam. 5.11 then to rip up women with child Wherefore oh my soul let me be thankfull to my God that there is peace in our borders and any quietness and safety in my habitation and that I am free from those terrours and affrights with which many others in a time of common calamity are undone Oh how many Women with their unborn infants have been butchered in many places in ages past and martyred by blood-thirsty Papists in these later ages of which histories are too plentiful And if there be now any in my condition in any place especially among Christians that is exposed daily to the rage of a devouring Sword the Lord be pleased either to restrain the Enemy and the Avenger Psal 8.2 Rev. 6.10 or to avenge the cause of the murthered that according to thy own Law they may not go unpunished but may give life for life Yea Lord hear the crie of the oppressed and give their adversaries blood to drink for they are worthy MEDITATION 11. My little children of whom I travel in birth again till Christ be formed whithin you Where any place is blest with a painfull Minister and Pastour after Gods own heart Gal. 4.19 they have in them much of the Apostle's temper For when I consider their painfull studies their sighes and teares their spending their spirits in ardent Prayers and laborious Preaching their compassionate exhortations passionate supplications and their giving themselves wholly to these things 1
bearing it was burned quick I have set down these memorable instances in the very words of the Historian and I say the pains there mentioned are such as do well night equal the pangs of travel But those blessed women suffered for God Object and therefore had both his assistance acceptance But my pains are the meer fruit of sin of the curse And therefore what are these instances to the purpose What do they concerne women in travel All afflictions of whatever kind are the fruit of sin Answ T is sin that caused the emnity in the seed of the Serpent against the seed of the Woman 'T is by sin that we are born to trouble are of few dayes and full of evil 'T is sin that fills the creature with vanity under which the whole Creation grones and travells in pain together untill now Sin is the Mother and Nurse of our miseries So that if it be a sufficient reason for you to be dejected and impatient under your pains because they are the fruit of sin then there is the like reason for every afflicted person to complain and desponde and refuse to be comforted even Martyrs themselves for no crosse could befall us in life nor any violent death have been inflicted upon us if sin had not made so wide a gape at which all calamities do enter upon us Hence it is that the Church did alway acknowledge Gods justice in all the evils that came upon them And the Emperour Mauricious when bloody Villianes came and kil'd his wife and children before his face and then came to murther him also uttered no other words but these Righteous art thou O Lord and just are thy judgements But the main thing you speak of wherein they had the advantage is this that they suffered for God and so do not you But let me tell you that neither the punishment be it never so bitter nor the cause be it never so good do make a compleat Martyr without Patience If this patience be wanting that they be unquiet murmuring and clamorous under the hand of God I doubt they shall not be soon cannonized in Heaven as here upon Earth Their sufferings are not accepted if not patiently endured They do not dy to the Lord unlesse they lay down their lives and offer themselves a wiling sacrifice dying out of love to God not out of unwilling subjection to the violence of Man Want of Patience shewes want both of Faith and Love And if want these we are but as sounding brasse and rinckling Cymballs If there be any thing we keep from God and resign not up all readily and intirely to him we give him nothing but we love something more then him But if we part with a little willingly if we be chearfull givers of our money to the needy and honour the Lord with our substance this is thank worthy with God because 't is supposed that the mortified mind is alike ready when God requires it to part with the whole for Christ The same principle if a right principle act us that inclines us to give a penny must prompt us also to yield up all even life it self when God requires it And were there is this habitual forsaking of all in affection out of acknowledgement of Gods right to all we have this mental resolution is with God interpretative Martyrdom So then observe that in all our Actions or Sufferings for God we must not lay so much stresse on the thing it self as the principle and end aimed at by the doer or suffererer God alwayes accepts the will for the deed when impossibilites are the only bars to our per formance but he never accepts the most costly actions or sufferings without a willing minde The upshot of all is this that if we are sick with any naturall or adventitious malady pained with any hurtful or accidental casualty when we suffer any loss in our Estates or torments in our flesh if then our patience have its perfect work if we submit to the will of God and ly down under his hand as Isaac under the hand of Abraham trusting in his name and saying with Job though he kill me yet will I trust in him if we bear all cheerfully out of obedience to him who disposes and sanctifies all to his people this is acceptable with God this is suffering for God this is glorifying God in the fires and the Spirit of God and of glory shall rest upon such Therefore lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees and be not wearied nor faint in your minds remembring that if you thus suffer in obedience to him you suffer for him and may lay hold therefore of Gods promises to the afflicted which do equally concern you with any other sufferers Again you have strange examples among the Papists what the women of that sect will inflict on their own tender bodies in their times of pennance Take but one instance Elizabeth Dutches of Turaine was wont at certain times Spalath 〈◊〉 lib. 3. c. 10.129 to provide most cruell scourges and taking three or four of her maids with her shut her self into her closet and gave to each of them a scourge in their hands and stripping her selfe naked commanded them to lay her on with lusty stripes and this she endured with such willing patience that she would never groan or cry under their lashes Now if those delicate Ladies can so patiently bear any the most unmercifull chastisements they lay upon themselves how much more should you bear the chastisement of your heavenly Father who is not insensible of the smart he puts you to and will not be unmindfull to give you an expected end Consider further how gracious our God is in his readinesse to support his people under all afflictions I have read of one a Theodorus a Martyr put to extreme torments Socr. Schol. lib. 3. c. 16. by Julian the Apostate and dimissed again by him when they saw him so invincible The historian sayes (b) Ruffin hist Eccles lib. 1. cap. 36. he met with this Martyr a long time after and asked him how he could bear such unsufferable pains he answered that at first it was grievous but after a while there seemed to stand by him a young man in white who with a soft handkercheif wiped off the sweat from his body and bad him be of good cheer insomuch that it was a punishment rather then a pleasure to be taken of from the rack sith when the tormentors had done the Angel was gone Thus when our friends can do little for us God can send his Angells who excell in strength to suggest comfort and minister help to us But however he himself will alwayes be with us to make our beds in our sicknesse to support our tyred bodies with his everlasting Arms and to uphold our souls with his free Spirit Thus our Saviour promises to all his people in whatever condition they be I will not leave you
precious promises that it shall be given them that they shall find and that it shall be opened unto them And as sure I am that there is none in heaven be sids him nor any other name given under heaven 1 Tim. 2.5 for there is but one God and one mediator between God and men the man Christ Jesus Heb. 7.25 who is able to save them to the uttermost that come to God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them He is the way the truth and the life The way whereby our prayers have accesse into the Fathers presence the truth whereby the Fathers Will is revealed to us and the life whereby we enjoy the glory and presence of God for ever Now who would desire to walke by star-light when the Sun shines at noon day or to be beholden to the borrowed righteousnesse of any Romish Saints when the Sun of righteousnesse himself is risen with healing in his wings If our Saint-worship were tolerable methinks it should have been in the dayes of Moses and the Prophets but our adversaries the Papists do confesse that this Doctrine and practice was then altogether unkown And if the Israel of God did never petition Abraham Isaac or Jacob Noah Daniel or Job to intercede for them much lesse doth this foolery become us to whom a Saviour is born and to whom a Son is given Isa 9 6 Heb. 10.14 who by one offering hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified i. e. hath made perfect provision for his Saints that their prayers shall through him be received while they live and their souls received when they die Therefore let others if they will not be disswaded fetch a compasse about by the mediation of canonized Saints Eph. 4.21 Heb 4.14 Iohn 6.45.14.6 but let us who have received the truth as it is in Jesus hold fast our profession and goe by him onely to the Father In a word They that expect the least crumb of comfort by the mediation of Saints shall speed no better then Dives in beseeching Abraham for a drop of water to coole his tongue in hell Luk. 16.24 But leaving these wretches to their incurable folly let us proceed T is not sufficient for women or any other to pretend a good heart towards God but they must also offer him the calves of their lips Rom 8.26 I confess the chief requisite of a praying Christian is to lift up the heart to God in desires and groans that cannot be uttered to flie to him for help in distress and to make him our rock of defence As the Israelites when affliction was upon them they remembred that God was their rock and the most high God their redeemer Psal 78.35 (a) Perkins cases of Consc lib. 2. c. 5. Of this the Apostle speaks Pray continually that is mentally but I say this is not all we must glorifie God with our bodies and spirits which are his we must lift up our hands with our hearts to God in the heavens Lam 3.41 Isa 62.7 we must bow our knees to the father of our Lord Jesus Christ and not keep silence but utter our requests with our tongues and open our mouths that our lips may utter his praise and that we may with verbal expressions quicken our selves in making our requests known to him with supplication and prayer We must offer our strong cries and smite on our breasts with the Publican and bemoane our selves with Ephraim and seek the Lord with weeping and with supplication As for the many qualifications required in the Person and Duty I shall summ them up in the words of a most learned Divine (b) Dr. Reynolds on Hos 14. â— p. 13. Job 11.13 Luke 15.17 18. God is so holy and jealous of his worship that he expects there should be preparation in our accesses to him Preparation of our persons by purity of life preparation of our services by choice of matter preparation of our hearts by finding them out 2 Sam. 7.27 Isa 64.7 Ps 57.7 8. 2 Chr. 30.19 1 Joh. 5.14 2 Sam. 7.25 Rom. 8.36 Aug. ep 105. ep 121. c. 15. Hos 12.4 Am. 7.1.7 Mat. 15.24.27 Mr. Parre his Abba Father D. Wilkins his Gift of prayer Mr. Cobbet his practical disc of prayer stirring them up fixing them fetching them in and calling together all that is within us to prevail with God And a little after he addes We must attend to Gods will as the rule of our prayers to his precepts promises for the matter of our prayers to the guidance of his holy Spirit as the life and principle of our prayers without which we know not what to ask Prayers thus regulated are most seasonable and soveraign duties in times of trouble The key which openeth a door of mercy the sluce which keepeth out an innundation of judgements Jacob wrestled and obtained a blessing Amos prayed and removed a curse The woman of Canaan will not be denied with a denial As for other circumstances conditions modes and concomitants of Prayer as Faith Humility Sincerity Importunity Patience c. I shall refer the Reader to those many English Authors which have purposely and profitably handled this subject and so crave leave to go on to what follows CHAP. III. Repentance the duty of women with child REpentance is never out of season except with Esau and Judas we go about it too late 'T is the common duty of all whether married or unmarried whether with child or not to renew the daily practice of Repentance but as the Scriptures abundantly testifie it is most especially requisite when afflictions are felt or feared and dangers approach so that it must needs be seasonable for women in this condition to renew their repentance without delay For whereas it is unsafe to trust to our former repentance lest it be found defective and unsound therefore the surest course is to repent again and again Who among the daughters of Eve can remember the sin of her who was first in the transgression without shame and sorrow And yet while you blame her folly in eating the forbidden fruit the guilt thereof without repentance will redound upon your selves Her sin was turning from the Creator to the Creature Repentance is a returning from sin self the world and the tempter to God And while you carry a burthen in your wombs then if ever you had need to be eased of the heavier burthen of sin which cannot be done without repentance You must repent of the miscarriages of your lives if you would be provided against the danger of a miscarrying womb You must willingly endure the pangs of repentance if you would safely bear the pangs of your travel You must use your self to godly sorrow in the time of your strength if you expect any comfort from God in the hour of your pain You must humble your self before God if you desire that God should then raise you up You must