4. 1 Sam. 1.15 nor poured out our soul to God like Hannah and therefore if any discomfort or disagreement have fallen out between us we may well thank our selves that we have not had wisdome and power to do better 1 Chron. 15.13 because we have not sought them at God's hand James 4.2 3. or not in a right manner for although thou God doest freely promise Blessings to his Church yet he will be enquired of Ezek. 36.37 and pray'd unto by his Children for his Graces or any the like mercies O therefore most gracious Father I most humbly intreat thee give 〈◊〉 me and my wife truly humble and penitent and contrite hearts Mic. 6.6 Isaiah 57.15 16. for this and all our former failings and give us wisdome and strength of grace for the time to come rightly to perform our duties to thee our God and mutually one to another whilst we live that so our Marriage may be a joyful and Christian-like merry-age indeed Prov. 5.18 19 20 21. to thy glory and our comfort to the end of our lives O then give us grace I most humbly beseech thee to fly all occasions of discord or disagreement that there may never be any such breach between us thy Servants as there hath been between too many Husbands and Wives in the World Let it be far from us upon any discontent unkindly to separate one from another 1 Cor. 7.5 except it be with consent for a time that we may give our selves to fasting and prayer and come together again willingly and joyfully as we ought to do And if either of us have failed in our Choice in not following the Apostles Rule to have been careful to marry in the Lord or any other Scripture Directions to have been considered better before hand 1 Cor. 7.39 for our comfortable Communion in Marriage I most humbly beg pardon for that which is past for the Merits sake of my dear Redeemer And now O blessed Lord give us thy heavenly Grace that we may follow the Directions of thy most holy word set before us Psal 119.105 and truly and religiously seek by all good means the eternal Salvation of both our Souls that we may be happy here and hereafter O give us wisdome to cherish love and increase it in one towards and with the other And let there be no bitterness between us in word or deed give us contentedness of mind with our present Condition 1 Tim. 6.6 7 8. Keep us truly faithful to each other according to our Marriage-Covenant in obedience to thy Command and fear of thy heavenly Majesty who art present in all places and before whose all-seeing-eyes all things are open and naked that we have done or shall do all the dayes of our lives Jer. 23.23 Give us I most humbly intreat thee Heb. 4.13 Prov. 6.34 35. Cant. 8.6 wisdome and power to avoid all occasions of jealousie that our hearts may truly trust one another in the Lord Numb 5.14 that peace and happiness may be our portion all our dayes help us by thy spirits grace to pray one for another and to seek thy blessing upon our selves and for our Children which thou hast or shalt in thy goodness graciously give thy Servants Gen. 33.5 inable us to bring them up in the fear and nurture and admonition of thee O Lord that they may fear and honour thee as their heavenly Father Prov. 1.7 Prov. 10.27 and obey us as is fit in thee our Lord as their earthly Parents that a blessing may be upon us and upon them and their Posterity to many Generations If it be thy blessed will bless I pray thee our Servants and our substance which thou hast or shalt bestow upon us It is thy blessing Prov. 10.22 O Lord which maketh rich and addeth no sorrow with it Be gracious I most humbly beseech thee to thy Church thorough the World Blesse these Nations and in them our most gracious King and his Royal Queen with his Royal Family and his Kingdoms with all Estates and Orders of Men in Church and in Common wealth Grant O Lord that Truth and Peace Zach. 8.19 Righteousness and Love with the Gospel of Peace may be a blessing to these Nations to Us and Ours to the end of the World if it be thy blessed will and pleasure Hear thy unworthy Servant most merciful God and grant that what I have asked according to thy Will and whatsoever else thou knowest necessary for this life or that happy life to come I most humbly beg them further in that Prayer which Christ Jesus hath taught us Our Father which art in Heaven c. A special Closet or secret Prayer for a Wife to seek the Lord for her Self and her Husband and Family that they may have grace and strength from God through Christ to perform their mutual Duties to each other live happily together and enjoy Gods blessing upon them and theirs for ever O Most loving God Isa 63.16 and my most tender Father in Jesus Christ Thou art Love and thy holy Spirit hath witnessed that he who dwelleth in Love 1 Joh. 4.16 dwelleth in thee O God and thou in him thou who didst require by thy blessed Son Jesus Mat. 5.44 That we should love our Enemies Eph. 5.25 and much more our Friends Husbands their Wives Titus 2. and Wives their Husbands and those that are near related unto them Behold 1 Sam. 1.11 I thy unworthy Hand-Maid a woman feeble in devotion 1 Pet. 3.7 the weaker Vessel who standeth in great need of thy strength and the help of thy spirit of grace Rom. 8.26 to inable me to seek thy face Psal 27.8 which I should be fearful to do but that thou hast not said to the Seed of Jacob Isa 45.19 Seek my Face in vain yea thou hast promised they that seek thee early shall find thee O let me find thee gracious Lord this day Prov. 8.17 and find help from thee in time of need Heb. 4.16 Thou in thy most wise Providence hast brought me into the Covenant-Bonds of holy Marriage with my dearly beloved Husband Mal. 2.14 15. we have taken one another for better or for worse for richer or for poorer to love and to cherish one another in sicknesse and in health and to keep us faithful to each other until death separate us I find by direction from thy word that there are many duties both proper to each and common both to Husband and Wife which by experience we may find without strength of grace from thee in thy Christ our Saviour we are not able to fulfil our very Natures are corrupt Psal 53.1 2 3. and we are subject sometimes to fretting passions provocations and vain desires 1 Sam. 1.6 Isa 32.4 yea subject to rashness and rash anger peevish discontent Act. 19.36 Pro. 21.19 Pro. 25.24 contention and frowardness
A contentious Wife will trouble a Family and bring disquietness to a quiet Husband Therefore the Wife is to be peaceable and the same ought to be the care of the Husband not to be captious chiding with his Wife for every small thing he seeth amisse But to follow the Apostles Rule 1 Thess 4.11 Study to be quiet especially with his Wife This is a hopeful means to prevent disturbance in a Family and to preserve Conjugal Love between Husband and Wife The nineteenth Direction or Gold-link of Love The nineteenth Direction or Gold-link of Love is to learn and act St. Paul his practice as it is recorded Phil. 4.11 12 13. If a Man hath married a Wife or a Woman a Husband which proveth not according to expectation First it may be a cross or careless Husband or one that is tyrannical over his Wife to make her his Slave or his Servant or otherwise that is a daily vexation to his provident and pious good Wife a common Tavern or Ale-house-Haunter or a desperate Gamester a mispender of his precious time or estate in idle or evil Company neglecting his Calling and Houshold occasions 1 Sam. 25.17 c. or a Nabal a Churlish Clown and ingratefull as Nabal was Or that a Husband hath failed of his expectation and hath met with a riotous mispending Wife or one that is perverse and unquiet or contrary to the Apostles Rule will usurp authority over the Man which she ought not 1 Tim. 2.12 If she prove sickly or diseased weak and unable to perform all Duties yet if she be faithful to him in the Marriage Covenant to keep her onely to him so long as they both shall live If God lay his Hand upon them with or in Tryals and Troubles Losses and Crosses in the World they must both labour by the Power and Grace of Christ to submit to God's Providence and to be content with their Lot and Condition It may be God did leave thee to thy self in the Choice of Wife or of thy Husband for tryal of thy Faith or Patience or other Graces Good Patient Job had not the best Wife that was so unkind to him in his great Affliction as you may read Job 19.17 It may be God saw it best for thee to have such a Wife or such a Husband to humble thee or for other ends and all for thy good which all things must be If thou love God and art called by Christ to repent and believe on him according to God's purpose as St. Paul Rom. 8.28 Therefore to study Piety and contentment shall be your great gain in the end as the Spirit of God witnesseth 1 Tim. 6.6 Labour then by Love to amend what you find amiss in each other and that by all fair means This will be a way to prevent worse evils and to preserve Conjugal Love between Husbands and Wives whilst they live The twentieth and last Direction A twentieth Direction or Gold-link of love or Gold link of Love to preserve Love between Husbands and wives which I shall give at this time is to pray constantly and piously with Faith and Fervency to God as reconciled in Christ There is Grace and Wisdome and strength in Christ to inable you to perform these and all other Duties required of you Read Joh. 1.16 Joh. 15.5 Col. 1.19 Col. 2.3 Phil. 4.11 12 13. both for and with one another not in private onely in your Family but in secret in your Closets if possibly it may be That the most blessed God will in and for the Merits of Christ pardon all Sins heal all Infirmities and by his free Grace in Christ supply all defects and reform whatsoever is found amiss either in Husband or Wife and by the Power and Spirit and Grace of Christ to inable them to perform all Duties first to God then to each other with care and faithfulness yea to all other Superiors Inferiors or equally so to live together as Heirs of the Grace of Life that your Prayers be not hindred The Husband may say to the Wife 1 Pet. 3.7 and the Wife to her Husband as Samuel said to the Israelites 1 Sam. 12.23 God forbid I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you Prayer is a Duty incumbent upon all to practice daily And the fervent Prayer of God's Children is effectuall James 5.16 17. If any be tempted to any Sin pray as St. Paul did 2 Cor. 12.7 8 9. Isaac prayed for his Wife and God heard him and gave her Children Genesis 25.21 Hannah she prayed for a Son and God gave her the Request of her Soul 1 Sam. 2.23 What should I tell you That Monica St. Augustins good Mother did pray for her Son and the Lord heard her and fulfilled her desires What greater encouragement can be or need to be to this duty Pray till God answer Joh. 16.23 then that gracious Promise of our Saviour That whatsoever we ask the Father in his Name he will give it us Joh. 16.3 Oh then my Beloved in Christ Pray as Jacob did Gen. 32.26 Hosea 12.4 be sure to practice this duty of Prayer not onely in publick in the Congregations joyn with the publick Prayers of the Church But in private in your Families and in secret in your Closets daily Persevere in prayer untill God bless you Rom. 12.12 And if you have not Prayer-Books to answer every Dispensation and to direct you in particular Petitions according to your present Necessities as who hath Then learn and labour to be able your selves by the help of the Spirit of Prayer and Supplication promised to Gods Church and Children Zach. 12.10 To make your Request known unto God upon all occasions Read Phil. 4.6 7. The peace of God shall keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus Math. 7.7 8. Husbands for your Wives and Wives for your Husbands and both for your Children with the greatest reverence and the best expressions you can as to your heavenly Father who biddeth Ask and you shall have Thus may you obtain this great Blessing That Love may continue firm and constant between Husband and Wife whilest you live to your comfort and joy in Christ Jesus for ever which that it may be by Gods Blessing and shall be my daily Prayer for you all And that all Honour and Glory may be given to God the Father God the Son and God the blessed Spirit now and for ever Amen Some Divine Prayers for Husbands and Wives That God will be pleased to give them spiritual wisdom and strength in and by the Grace of Christ for the faithful performance of their mutual Duties that a blessing may be from God upon them and their Posterities for ever Drawn by the Author according to the matter and end of this Gold Chain of Directions A Morning Prayer for the Husband or wife or either of them with their Family or any other fit Person to Pray when the husband is absent
contentment and continuance of Love between Husband and Wife is this That there ought to be free Communication of mutual kindness and conjugal engagements one to and with another that mutual Benevolence and Bond of Marriage-Love at times convenient according to the Law of God and Nature read the blessed Apostles Direction 1 Cor. 7.2 3 4 5 c. and that Law of God Leviticus 18.19 and Leviticus 20.18 and Ezekiel 18.6 These Rules observed This Marriage-kindness at fit times is one means to cherish and preserve mutual conjugal Love between Husbands and Wives when as the denial of this loving kindnesse is a dangerous occasion of Breach and Disquietnesse yea sometimes it may prove of separation and an occasion of Damnable sin if God restrain not by his special Grace yet a Bridle must be to restrain Intemperance in all Delights least excess destroy both Souls and Bodies That is a general Rule Phil. 4.5 Let your moderation be known to all men the Lord is at hand He is present to see all our Actions and to bless or punish according to our Obedience or Disobedience to his Commandements Thus you have a seventh Gold-link of Love The eighth followeth The eighth Direction or Gold-link of Love And this is That Husbands and Wives be careful of and ready to shew their love to each others Souls as well as to their Bodies or Estates That Husbands love their Wives as Christ loved his Spouse the Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle Eph. 5.25 26 27. or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Husbands ought to take care for the beauty of their Wives Souls as well as of their Bodies that they may be lovely to Christ their heavenly Husbands as well as to them Cant. 4.7 as the Spouse of Christ is to him The Husband which taketh no care for his Wives soul how can he expect that God should bless him with a good Wife The Husband should pray daily for his Wife as St. 1 Thess 5.23 Paul did for his Christian Thessalonians That her whole Spirit Soul and Body be preserved blameless to the coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The Soul is better then a whole World Mat. 16.26 What is a man profited if he gain the whole World and lose his Soul or what shall a man give in exchange for his Soul What saith that great and blessed Apostle He that provideth not for his own especially for them of his own houshold he hath denyed the Faith and is worse then an Infidel 1 Tim. 5.8 And if it be a Duty to provide for the Body of his Family or Houshold then much more for their most pretious and immortal Souls if it possible be in his power and most of all for his Wives Soul which is his second Self and is or ought to be most dear unto his Soul That her Soul may prosper as St. John did testifie of the Soul of his Beloved Gaius 3 John 1.2 That it may appear he loveth his Wife in Truth and so God may bless her unto him for the good of his Soul Body and Estate And so likewise Wives ought to be studious and careful for the good of their Husbands Souls as well as of the health of their Bodies and Estates This is a means by Gods blessing for the preservation of conjugal Love and gratious affections for true joy of Husband and Wife by the Grace and Power of Christ John 15.15 Phil. 4.13 For Husbands and Wives ought to be helpers and means in their places of each others Salvation this St. Paul intimateth 1 Cor. 7.16 requiring cohabitation and dwelling together and he expresseth a Reason What knowest thou O Wife whether thou shalt save thy Husband and how knowest thou O Man whether thou shalt save thy Wife That is be an outward means of Salvation by good Counsel or otherwise by Gods Blessing taking care of the means of Salvation for each other to their powers As the Wives may be a means to win their Husbands by their good Conversations 1 Pet. 3.1 2 3 4. As St. 1 Pet. 3.7 Peter directs So the Husbands may win their Wives if they follow St. Peters Counsel Live with their Wives as men of knowledge giving honour to the Wife as the weaker Vessel that their Prayers be not hindred And this is the greatest love which is shewed to the Souls of each other and a work of high esteem and unspeakable benefit James 5.20 Let him know saith St. James That he which converts a Sinner from the errour of his way shall save a Soul from Death and shall hide a multitude of Sins And thus may a Husband or Wife be helper and means for their eternal mutual happiness if by loving and wise carriage and deportment each to other they can win and gain one or other or both from any evil he or she is subject unto praying to God daily for a Blessing upon their good Endeavours This is a most pretious Gold-link of Love to preserve love and affection and happy peace and prosperity with Husbands and Wives during their lives Now I proceed to a ninth Gold-link A ninth Direction or Gold-link of Love in this Golden Chain of Love This is that Husband be an example to the Wife of Piety and Chastity Religious Love with care of Cherishing his Wife as the weaker Vessel especially in times of Sickness Weakness or other Infirmities as Christ was kind to his Disciples when they were troubled at the news of his Departure from them John 14.1 2 3. Let not your Hearts be troubled ye believe in God believe also in Me in my Fathers House are many Mansions if it were not so I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you And as Christ hath been to his Church and Children in all Ages especially in any sad Dispensation To speak comfortably as the Lord answered the Angel that spake for Jerusalem Zachar. 1.13 The Lord answered the Angel that talked with me with good words and comfortable words Or as Elkanah did to Hannah when peevish and spiteful Peninnah vexed her because she was barren And Elkanah said Hannah why weepest thou I and why eatest thou not I am not I better to thee then ten Sons I Sam. 1.8 And the wife ought to be careful not to provoke her husband by any unkind behaviour towards him but to be ready to shew her love to her husband in sickness and health and both to look to the example of Christ our heavenly husband The husband to love his wife as his own Body for he that loveth his wife loveth himself For no man yet ever hated his own flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it as the Lord doth the Church Ephes 5.28 29. Each followeth Christ his
O Lord Zach. 12.10 prepare our hearts to Prayer and so assist us with thy holy Spirit of Prayer and Supplication Rom. 8.26 27. that our Prayers may be acceptable Rev. 8.3 4. and we may receive a gracious Answer in and for the sweet Incense and Merits of the Lord Jesus Christ our blessed Lord and Saviour Amen O eternal Deut. 32.27 most gratious merciful everlasting everliving Exod. 34.6 7. Jer. 10.11 1 Tim. 1.17 Isaiah 46.9 10. Rom. 8.28 Rom. 11.33 34 35 36. and only wise God who orderest all things according to the Counsel of thy own most just and holy Will and disposest of all for thy own eternal Glory and the eternal good of thy Church and Children in Christ Jesus of whom may we seek for Protection and safety of Soul or Body or any other blessing but of thee our God and heavenly Father in our Saviour Christ from whom cometh every good and perfect Gift James 1.17 with whom is no variableness nor shadow of turning The last night we durst not lay down our eyes to sleep Psal 132.4 nor suffer the temples of our head to take any rest until we had begged thy gratious Providence for preservation of us and ours in particular and of thy whole Church in general And thou O blessed God who art the hearer of Prayer hast in thine abundant goodness heard our Prayer Psal 65.2 Psal 66.18 19 20. and brought us to the light of this day blessed be thy great and glorious Name thou mightest O Lord in thy Justice have consumed us by Fire to ashes Exod. 12.29 30. and made our Beds our Graves One or more of us might have been stricken with some terrible tormenting Sickness we might have been found dead in our Beds as many have been many other miseries might have befallen us But in thy great mercy thou hast spared us Lam. 3.22 23. and renewed thy mercies to us this Morning What shall we render to thy heavenly Majesty for thy Favours And now we dare not adventure into the World without intreating thy Protection and Blessing in and upon our just and lawful Endeavours We confess O Lord we are not worthy the least of all thy mercies Genesis 32.10 and thy loving-kindnesses which from time to time thou hast shewed to thy Servants We acknowledge we have not been sensible of that original corruption of our depraved Natures Eph. 2.1 2 3. and our proneness to Sin drawn from our first Parents corrupted by their lamentable Fall Genesis 3.6 7. Genesis 6.5 nor have we humbled our selves in sence of this our misery as we should have done we have not kept our Hearts with all diligence out of which are the issues of death Prov. 4.23 But our Hearts have followed our Eyes beholding Vanity Jer. 4.14 Psal 141.3 and vain thoughts have too long lodged within us We have not set a watch O Lord before our Lips and kept the doors of our Mouths but many idle unprofitable sinful words for which we must answer at the Day of Judgment have been uttered by us to thy dishonour Mat. 12.36 and evil example of others yea Eph. 4.4 29 30. too many times corrupt Communications to the grief of thy holy Spirit Psal 39.1 Psal 119.67 We have not taken heed to our Feet to walk in the right wayes of thee O Lord but gone aside from the Pathes of thy Commandements and so have been guilty of many actual transgressions both in thought word and deed breaking thy most righteous Lawes We have failed in the Duties of our several particular Relations as Husband to Wife and Wife to Husband Parents to Children and Children to Parents Masters or Dames to Servants and Servants to them not performing our Duties in the fear of God as we ought to have done We have not walked as becometh Christians towards others nor done as we would they should do to us according to that Golden Rule of our blessed Saviour Mat. 7.12 Phil. 1.27 So that by our good Conversation as becometh the Gospel of Christ others might have been stirred up to glorifie thee our heavenly Father Mat. 5.16 So that if thou shouldest enter into judgment with us O Lord Psal 143.2 how can we be justified by any our own righteousness in thy presence Phil. 3.9 10. O then behold us we humbly beseech thee in the face of thy Son Jesus Christ as washed clean by his Blood and accepted by his Merits Mat 3.17 He it is in whom thou art well pleased Acts 5.31 and him thou hast exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour to give Repentance to Israel and remission of Sins Psal 19.12 Oh give us true Repentance for all the Errours of our Lives past for Christ's sake and grant that being delivered out of the hands of all our Enemies Luke 1.74 75. we may serve thee without fear of them in righteousness and true holiness all the days of our lives Bless with us we pray thee all our Friends Psal 35.11 12 13 14. Mat. 5.11 and change the Hearts of our Enemies make them our Friends if it be thy will be gracious to our Children and Servants make our Children thy Children our Servants thy Servants Isa 41.8 and our Friends thy Friends Lev. 19.17 Let us reprove we pray thee and not give evil example Eph. 5.11 nor suffer our Children or Servants to be prophane Swearers or Cursers Lyars Drunkards or unjust Joh. 13.15 Psal 101.6 7. But grant that we may be good examples and that they may be faithful in the Land such as thy servant David would have make them religious like faithful Abraham's servant praying when they are sent about our occasions Lord send me good speed this day Genesis 24.12 that we and they may be blessed Bless with us thy universal Church scattered thorough out the whole World Be gracious we pray thee to the Nations of England Scotland and Ireland poure down thy blessings upon the Kings most excellent Majesty with his Royal Consort the Queen and all the Royal Family preserve Him and Them from all His 1 Tim. 2.1 2. Their and our Enemies Bless all the honourable Nobility the Reverend faithful Ministers of the Gospel in their several places with all the Magistrates Gentry and Commons of the Land and inable us thy humble servants rightly and justly to do our Duty to all our Superiours 1 Pet. 2.17 Inferiours and Equals and to this end increase we most humble intreat thy Majesty all necessary Graces in all our souls Give us we beseech thee a daily supply and increase of Divine Knowledge and heavenly Wisdome Lord increase our Faith Luk. 17.5 and give us such a Faith as purifieth the Heart Acts 15.9 and worketh by Loves Give us true Conversion from all our sins Gal. 5.6 2 Cor. 7.10 and Repentance to Salvation not to be
come unto thee O heavenly Father most humbly beseeching thee to embrace us in the everlasting Armes of thy Mercy Deut. 33.27 and to take us with all ours and all thine into thy holy Protection this Night Give us that comfortable sleep and quiet rest in our Beds Psalm 4.8 that we being refreshed by thy goodness may be better inabled to do thee faithful service in our several Places Vocations and Callings if it please thee to continue and preserve our Lives and Healths the next day to our comforts and the glory of thy Name O our most blessed God we beseech thee preserve with us thy Catholick Church all over the World especially that part of thy Church in these Nations Keep from all dangers we humble pray thee our most gracious King Ezra 6.10 give him a long life to thy glory Blesse his Royal Queen and the whole Royal Family and preserve we beseech thee all the honourable Nobility the Reverend and faithful Ministery in their several places the righteous Judges and Magistrates with all the Gentry and Commons of the Land Give all Wisdome and Power to honour thy Majesty in their Places and Orders in which thou hast set them to do thee service Bless we pray thee the several Cities Towns and Countries in the Kingdome keep them and us out of the hand of all our Enemies That under his Sacred Majesty we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty 1 Tim. 2.1 2. Be gracious unto all thy Faithful Servants under any manner of affliction by Sea or by Land at Liberty or in Restraint in Poverty or in Riches in Sickness or in Health especially any that are known to us or who have desired our Prayers Eph. 6 18 19. sanctifie thy afflicting Hand unto them that they may receive the peaceable fruit of Righteousnesse when they are sufficiently exercised thereby Heb. 12.11 and in every temptation strengthen them to bear 1 Cor. 10.13 and in due time make a way for them to escape Prepare us all for those eternal Habitations those blessed Mansions which Christ our Saviour hath prepared for us in Heaven John 14.12 Grant O Lord of glory Eph. 1.17 that we may be so prepared like wise Virgins Mat. 25.1 2 c. with Oyl in our Lamps that whensoever the Lord Jesus our heavenly Bride-Groom with his glorious Angels shall come to Judgment at Midnight Mat. 25.6 at Cock-Crowing or in the Dawning we may be admitted to enter in with him in to that blessed heavenly Kingdome of eternal happiness Thus by Prayer and Supplication with Thanksgiving we have made our Request known unto thee our heavenly and most gratious Father O let the peace of God Phil. 4.6 7. which passeth all understanding keep our Hearts and Minds in the knowledge and love of God through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ To whom with thy heavenly Majesty and thy blessed Spirit be ascribed all Glory and Honour Might Soveraignty and Dominion Victory and Salvation this night and for evermore Amen Prov. 19.14 House and Riches are the Inheritance of Fathers but a prudent wife is from the Lord. Therefore I desire the Husband that he will pray to the Lord to bestow amongst other Graces this Grace of heavenly prudence upon his wife and increase it in them both that they may be happy Again I desire that both Husband and Wife will be careful to remember and practice by the Grace of Christ that Counsel of that great Apostle St. Peter 1 Pet. 3.7 Husbands dwell with your Wives according to knowledge giving honour to the Wife as unto the weaker Vessel and as being Heirs together of the grace of Life that your prayers be not hindred Your mutual prayers one for another for a virtuous wife will be a Helper to her Husband Gen. 2.18 and will do him good by her prayers as well as otherwise and not evil all the days of her life as wise King Solomon witnesseth Pro. 31.12 A special Closet or secret Prayer of a Husband for himself and his Wife and Children and Family that God will be pleased to inable them to perform their mutual Duties to each other in the fear of God and by God's blessing live lovingly together during their lives to be prayed together or asunder O Most blessed and gracious good God 1 Tim. 1.11 my most merciful and loving Father in Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 6.14 15 16. Gen. 1.1 2. who in thy appointed time didst make the Heaven and Earth Psal 136.5 6. and Creatures in the World and in a special manner create our first Parents Adam and Eve after thy own likeness in Righteousness and true Holiness Gen. 1.27 and in the time of their innocency didst Marry them together Gen. 2.20 21 22 23 24. and institute the holy estate of Marriage which is a mystical representation of that spiritual Marriage and Union between Christ and his Church Hosea 2.19 20. Eph. 5.32 thou O our heavenly Father in thy Divine Wisdom and gracious Providence hast been pleased to bring me thy unworthy servant and my beloved wife into this high and honourable estate I confess O Lord I am now fully enformed that there are many duties required by thy holy Word incumbent upon me at a Husband John 15. â— and upon her as a Wife which by our own strength we are not able to performe as we ought 2 Cor. 3.5 that thy Divine Majesty might have the glory and we thy unworthy servants may have the joy and comfort in our married estate and although we are taught out of thy Word that in Christ our blessed Saviour there is both Wisdom and strength and grace Col. 2.3 Phil. 4.13 to be communicated to thy servants for the performance of every duty in any condition and that Christ our Redeemer hath promised That if we seek we shall find if we knock it shall be opened unto us James 1.5 6. James 5.16 John 16.23 If we pray with Faith and Fervency and in his Name our Petitions shall be granted Yet I thy humble servant confess for my part that I have not knocked at Heaven doors for wisdom and strength for myself and my wife that we might be inabled rightly and in the fear of God and in true love to perform our mutual duties to each other as becometh thy Children And I fear my dear wife hath failed in like manner Isaiah 63.15 16. Isaiah 64.5 6 7 8 9 10. at least that we have not sought this grace of thee O heavenly Father with that sight and sence of our own weakness And of that need of this wisdome and power and so not with that earnestness or with those fervent groans and sighs Rom. 8.26 27. or tears in our prayers nor with that wrastling like Jacob with God in Christ for this mercy as we should have done Gen. 32.24 25 26. Hosea 12.3