Touching sinne, the cause of all afflictions; the confession and repentance thereof, and pa­tience in troubles.

FOr asmuch as sinne is the cause of all our afflictions, and that there is neither crosse, or any kinde of trouble that be­fall vs,Sinne cau­seth affli­ctions. but sinne causeth it: In vaine it is to hope for remedie, reliefe or ease, vntill wee haue in some measure vnburthened vs of our sinnes: for, as an old house pulled downe to bee re­built, must be rid of all rotten materials and rubbish, before any good and sound founda­tion can be laid: so before wee can receiue any inward com­fort, or outward release of our troubles; we must cast out of our hearts, and clense our soules, of [Page 21] all the filthy & loathsome dregs of sinne, that lurke in them: & that can we not doe but by a strict and serious examination of our hearts; and to call to minde how wee haue spent the time past; and then shall euery man finde cause enough, why God in his Iustice might inflict vpon vs, in steeede of our light afflictions (which are but his Fatherly corrections) his most heauie iudgements & seuearest punishments; and in steed of our temporall and momentanie miseries, cast vs into perpetuall torments.

Knowing then that the cause of our calamities, to bee our sinnes, and hauing vpon due search found out our long hid­den iniquities, can we but ac­knowledge;No man is here puni­shed accor­ding to the merit of sin that God hath not dealt with vs, nor afflicted vs ac­cording to the measure and multitude of our wicked deser­uings? But as a louing father, [Page 22] hee hath by his gentle chastise­ments, as it were onely wincked at, and beckened vnto vs, to put vs in minde onely of our faults; least by continuing in them, and multiplying of them, he should haue cause (in steed of gentle corrections) to vse his Iustice: therefore hauing found in our corrupte hearts, our vngodly and impious inclinations, which haue begotten in vs infinite actuall sinnes; we may not any longer couet to conceale them, but heartily, plainely and faith­fully, acknowledge them vnto God: (though we cannot call all our antient sinnes and the faults we haue committed long agoe to our remembrance) for Who can vnderstand all his faults? Psa. 19. 12. saith Dauid, yet Dauid him selfe confessed his sinnes to God; sometimes in generall, sometimes in particular: he did not hide his iniquities, but con­fessed them against himselfe, and [Page 23] was not ashamed to set them down in many of his Psalmes: to teach vs (if occasion be) to dis­couer our sins for the satisfacti­on of men, but especially vnto God,Psal. 32. 5. as Dauid did, who forgaue the punishment of his sinne: Yet had he afflictions still, not as punishments, but as fatherly physicke, to keepe his heart and affections in more due obe­dience: and though Dauid said he did not hide his sinnes from God; it is not therefore to bee collected,No man can hide his sinnes from God. that he could, or any man can hide his sinnes from him, howsoeuer couertly and secretly they commit them: But who so confesseth them not, he intendeth to hide them as much as lyeth in him from God that seeth them, and thereby dou­bleth his offence:1. Io. 1. 9. But who so ac­knowledgeth his sinnes vnto him, he is faithfull and Iust to forgiue them, and to cleanse him from all his vnrighteousnesse.

[Page 24] To acknowledge our sinnes then,The en­trance into Gods fa­uour is to confesse our sinnes. is the very entrance into Gods fauour; which being ob­tained, (not by the confession of our sinnes,) but in, and through a firme faith in Iesus Christ, through whose merites we may freely aske, and assure our selues of the remission of our sinnes: for he hath promi­sed to doe it, who is most faith­full and iust in his word, and that doth Dauid approoue; saying: I confessed against my selfe my sinnes vnto the Lord, and hee forgaue the punishment of my sinne. He forgaue him, as not to punish him in the seueritie of his Iustice, though he remem­bred him with his gentle corre­ctions often, as hee doth his deerest children; yet not all a like:God doth not punish euery man a like. some hee chastiseth after a most milde manner, some more sharpely, yet fatherly; as he fin­deth men docible and tractable, or refractarie and hard to bee [Page 25] reformed: for, some are more and sooner reformed, with a sharpe looke of the Lords countenance, then some with many stripes;Mat. 26. 75. As Peter, when he had thrice denyed his Master Christ: Christ but turned his face towards him at the crowing of the Cocke, it was rebuke e­nough; he went suddenly forth and wept bitterly, in token of his repentance. Some againe, will hardly remember their sinnes, vntill it be said vnto them, Thou art the man, as Nathan, tolde Dauid; who before that, had slept in his sinne of adultrie and murder, a whole yeare, neuer thinking of it: But when he was admoni­shed from God by a parable; then he confessed his sinnes, and repented them; saying I haue sinned against the Lord: Ioy­ning with his confession, sor­row and repentance for his sinnes. And the same mouth [Page 26] that reproued him for his sinne, and that he should dye for the same; pronounced the forgiue­nesse and pardon of them; The Lord hath put away thy sinnes. 2. Sam. 12. 13.

Whereby we may learne, that the Lord seeketh no seue [...]r [...] re­uenge against a sinner,Though God for­giue our sinnes hee keepes vs in awe by some crosse confes­sing and repenting his sinnes, though he leaue some token of his displeasure against sinne, and of his loue to the sinner, in keeping him in future obe­dience by his fatherlie disci­pline, least he should too much presume of pardon of second sinning, by the mercie of God declared by the remission of the former: And therefore, al­though he had pardoned Da­uid his sinne, and had forgiuen him the punishment of it; yet Dauid went not without a to­ken, that he should remember that he had offended, and gi­uen the enemies of God occa­sion to blaspheme:Ver. 14. God pro­nounced [Page 27] the death of the child.

God sees it necessarie, and we cannot but thinke it expe­dient euen for vs, That al­though God doe assure vs that our sinnes (sincerely acknow­ledged) be forgiuen vs; yet that he beare a kinde and fatherly hand ouer vs, to retaine vs in future obedience, by some dai­ly vnsauory potion, to cure and to keepe our carnall apetite in order, that we returne not to our former iniquities: And therefore not to think it strange, when any crosse or affliction befals vs; But rather thereby to take occasion to call our selues daily to accompt what we haue done against the Com­mandements of God, and to acknowledge that for those sins that we haue done, God cor­rects vs.

Let vs beware that we bee not found of the number of those,Beware of hardnes of heart. whom neither Gods an­grie [Page 28] countenance, which ap­peareth in the seueritie of his punishments; nor his fatherly chastisements, and instructions, contained in his word, can re­claime from committing sinne, nor from whom Gods gentle correction can draw hearty confession of them, and true repentance for them.

We must also consider, that it is not enough for vs to con­fesse our sinnes barely to God; for hee knoweth them better then wee our selues: but with our confession wee must ac­knoweledge that God may iu­stly condemne vs for them.We must with con­fession of our sinnes ioyne re­pentance in faith. And therefore wee must ioyne with the confession of our sins, true and sincere repentance for them; which yet auaileth not, without a liuely faith, in taking hold of the blood and merites of Iesus Christ, in whome, and for whose, sake our sins are par­doned: And this faith must bee [Page 29] certaine, it must be an assured confidence of the promises made in Christ, in whom a sin­ner (truely penitent, and faith­fully confident) is iustified: and neither by our bare confession, or best workes, but by the meere mercy of God, in his Sonne.

As there is no man but sin­neth daily;Math. 27. 34. So hee must daily confesse his sinnes to God, and truely repent them; not as Iu­das & Kayne: Iudas confessed he had sinned; We must daily con­fesse our sinnes be­cause wee daily sinne, but not stay vpon con­fession as Kaine and Iudas did. betraying the inno­cent blood, and repented, but not in faith; his repentance was a desperate sorrowe, not for the sinne hee committed, but for the horror of his reproba­bation: So did Kayne confesse his sinnes, My sinnes are grea­ter then I am able to beare; but he tepented not to the obtai­ning of mercie: Confession of sinnes, and repentance (with­out faith) auaileth not. It auai­led [Page 30] not Pharaoh, though hee confessed the righteousnesse of God, and his owne, and his peoples sinnes: But Peter con­fessed his sinnes and repented with tears:Pro. 9. 27. So did Marie Mag­daline, and their repentance is recorded by the holy Ghost;Io. 11. 2. to teach all posterities, how to bewayle their sinnes a right: They were great sinners, yet through faith and repentance obtained pardon; which to the comfort of greatest sinners, sheweth, that there is yet place of repentance, and acceptation into Gods fauour for them, vpon sincere repentance.

God himselfe affirmeth, that He desireth not the condemna­tion of a sinner, Ezec. 18. 32. but rather that he repent and be saued: And a­gaine hee saith: Haue I any de­sire that the wicked should dye, Ver. 23. or shall he not liue, if he returne from his euill wayes? And what is it to returne vnto God, but [Page 31] true repentance for our sinnes? And we are to consider, that, that repentance which is per­fect indeed,What true repentance is. is ioyned with the keeping of Gods Commande­ments: and none can say or as­sure himselfe, that his confessi­on of his sinnes, and his repen­tance, is accepted of God; vn­lesse he adde all his desires, to fulfill the Lawe of God: for the breach whereof, God affli­cteth his owne dearest children with sundrie crosses to preuent his cursses which hee inflicteth, either here vpon the disobe­dient and vnrepentant; to cause his owne to auoid sin, by the ex­ample of his seuere iudgements, whereby hee beginneth here to punish them; or reserueth his punishments of them, vntill his finall condemnation of them.

Markes of repentance,Markes of true repen­tance. are contrition and vnfained sorrow for sinne committed, ioyned with a liuely faith in Christ, for [Page 32] pardon of them, and a setled desire and purpose euer here­after to walke in a holy feare, to displease God againe by our sinnes; namely, by the out­ward breach of Gods Com­mandements: for the commit­ting of things contrary to the Lawes of God, is that sin we should repent vs of; which by reason of our corrupt nature, we cannot, but cōmit, without the especiall grace of God; which although it be the free guift of God, it is not obtained with­out liuely faith and prayer in Christ; by whose stripes we are healed, and for whose sake we are heard, and in whose blood we are washed from our sinnes.

But sorrow of heart, may be great and yet auaile vs nothing; as it did not Kayne, Iudas, Esau; vnlesse true faith bee ioyned therewith: Sorrow indeed may cast vs downe, which if it bee not in an humble and faithfull [Page 33] acknowledgement of our vn­worthinesse, to be called or ac­cepted as the children of God,Sorrow for sinne and faith in Christ must goe toge­ther. by reason of our sinnes; it may proue desperate. And therefore sorrow for sinne and faith in Christ to be pardoned, ioyned together, will assure vs, that God is our God and that wee are his people; that, he is our Father and that wee are his sonnes and daughters.

If then we finde in our selues the burthen of our sinnes; true­ly and plainely confesse them to God, and heartely repent them; we cannot but through faith in Christ, assure our selues that our sinnes are pardoned: and hauing an inward assurance thereof,It is onely the grace of God that worketh repentance we must acknowledge, that these graces proceede of no other thing, then of the meere merites, and mediation of our alone and onely Sauiour Iesus Christ,Rom. 8. 29. who disdaineth not to call vs (thus receiued into the [Page 34] Communion of the Saints of God) brethren, whom God knewe before the world was; predestinated, to be made like to the Image of Iesus Christ,Eph. 1. 5. 6. 7. adopted in him; and by whom, we haue redemption in his blood, euen the full forgiuenes of all our sinnes, through his grace, wherewith hee hath made vs freely accepted of God.

Now then, we being through the grace of God, made the Sonnes of God,Wee bee made the sonnes of God in Christ, in & by whom wee haue power to pray vnto the Father brethren and coheires with Christ; shall wee thinke that he will not also fur­nish vs, with the spirit of his Son, which dwelling in vs? we shall be able, faithfully to cry Abba Father; and what is that, but to teach vs how to pray to God his heauenly Father, in his owne name.1. Io. 5. 14. Therefore Whatsoeuer we shall aske the Fa­ther, he will grant it vs, for his sake: so we aske according to his [Page 35] will in a liuely faith, and wa [...] not; Iam. 1. 6. for he that wauereth, is like a waue of the sea tost with the wind.

Though therefore our Tri­bulations be great, and our af­flictions many waies grieuous;We ought to take our afflictions patiently because they are sent of God. yet seeing they proceed from so louing a Father, we may not thinke them to be inflicted vp­pon vs in displeasure, but in a Fatherly regard of our soules health: Which as sinne hath impaired, so his gentle chastise­ments, are as wholsome medi­cines to heale it. And as no Physicke, be it neuer so salu­tarie for the health of the body, is sauorie to the Palat; So Gods corrections, howsoeuer they are sent, as eyther Antidotes to preuent sinne, or Medicines to cure it; They are not pleasant to Flesh and Blood for the time: But as corporall phy­sicke, though harsh in the tast, hauing it working in an vn­sound [Page 36] sound body, begetteth health; and is then much commended, with many thanks to the Phy­sitian. So if we can well digest our troubles & afflictions here, for a little while, and by vertue of them (seasoned with Faith and perfect Patience) euacuate our grosse and filthy corrup­tions, that suffocate our hearts with sin; wee shall feele a most wished renouation of the health of our mindes, and finde our af­fections changed; euen as a body distempred with a Feuer, distasteth the most sauorie thinges, as long as it possesseth the Body; and afterwards be­comes to it perfect taste: So, although, as long as we be hol­den with the corrupt infirmitie of our naturall wills, no good dutie, or heauenly grace, can be so toothsome vnto vs as plea­sure, and the sinnes wee delight in: But being purged and die­ted, by the afflictions that our [Page 37] louing Physitian doth com­pound for vs; we shall finde sin, and pleasures, and all carnall de­lights, to become bitter and harsh vnto our hearts.

God many times sends vs troubles and afflictions, that by easing vs of them againe,God sen­deth some­times affli­ctions, to make vs to acknowe­ledge his power with thankeful­nesse in re­moouing them. we may knowe, that as he can cor­recte vs, so he can comforte vs: He neuer maketh a wound but hee healeth it: nay such is his mercie, power, and prouidence, as hee cures the most deadly wounds that our selues doe make vpon our selues, through our sinnes, by his owne free mercie in his Sonne; and the medicines he vseth, are his fa­therly chastisements.

Should we not therefore take his salutarie, and gentle stripes with patience,Gods stripes hurt vs not but heale vs. that doe not onely not hurt vs, but heale vs? If wee were indeed the first of Gods children, that haue beene afflicted and trou­bled [Page 38] in this life, we might stag­ger at our crosses and calami­ties, that are so infinite; But, if we set before vs the worthy examples for our imitation, which Saint Iames sets before vs, euen our brethren the Pro­phets, Apostles (and such as were the most beloued of God) for an example of suffering,Iam. 5. 10. and their patience, such as haue spoken and taught in the name of the Lord, and his Christ, who indured most ignominious tortors, and most cruell affli­ctions; for his sake of whom the world was not worthie; be­ing the Ambassadours of the eternall God: wee could not but beare our light and mo­mentanie afflictions, with most resolute, and godly patience, and as we haue heard, so if we beleeue the patience of Iob, and what end the Lord made with him, namely, in not onely re­mouing his miseries, but in re­storing [Page 39] him to greater glorie, euen here, then he had before; and which was greatest of all and the end of all, the Crowne of life; we should acknowledge with holy Saint Iames, That we are blessed that endure here, the chastisements of the Lord.

If then it be a blessed thing to endure troubles,They are blessed that suffer with Patience. he must needs be the childe of God, that is here corrected, and doth suffer it with patience, though the fault be in our selues, for which we are afflicted; and therefore to impute it to no other cause but to our sinnes.

There is a kinde of suffering indeed, couered with a kinde of counterfeit patience:Counter­feit Pati­ence. As when men are inforced to vn­dergoe the ineuitable torments of death, for capitall crimes, committed against the Lawes of Nations, or suffering things they cannot auoide: as there [...] to showe their im­pious [Page 40] and vaine-glorious va­lour, and vngodly resolution at their vnauoidable execu­tions, vndergoe them, as if they were nothing daunted therewith: yet were their in­ward hearts seene, they would appeare, fraught and full of horrour. But we are to learne of Saint Paul, who had his tri­bulations and reioyced in them, affirming, that tribulation bringeth forth patience, and pa­tience, experience, and expe­rience, hope; which hope maketh not ashamed: for, through the loue of God, which is shed a­broad in our hearts, by the ho­ly Ghost; patience becōmeth an assured testimonie, that they that thus suffer, are beloued of God.

We need not therefore thinke or conceiue,Afflictions here the li­uery and badge of Gods chil­dren. that our afflictions here to be any disgrace vnto vs; f [...]r they are the liuery, and badge of Gods dearest chil­dren. [Page 41] It is a glorious thing to be adorned with the note of the honour of any great mans ser­uice; and shall wee thinke it a base thing, to weare the cognisance of the King of Kings, and which our Sauiour Iesus Christ himselfe, hath worne before vs? yet without sinne in himselfe, but bare the curse for ours: we suffer for our owne sinnes, he endured all and more; and more heauie crosses for vs, then wee are able to beare for him. What tormēts endured he not?Christ af­flictions here in the world. he was poor, though all the world were his: hee had not a house to hide his head in; hee had enemies more then wee all; he was slaundered, railed on, buffered, spet on, crowned with thornes, besides infinite and vnspeakable iniuries; and finally, put to a most cruell, shamefull, and ignominious death: a death inuented for theeues and murtherers; and [Page 42] hanged as so capitall a malefa­ctor, being altogether in him­selfe innocent; Lord and Crea­tor of heauen and earth: and shall we most wretched sinners, guiltie of ten thousand impie­ties, worthie for the least of them to be vtterly confounded, repine at the good will of God, in sending vs so fauourable to­kens of his displeasure for our sinnes, and loue of our salua­tion? God forbid! knowing, and being so sufficiently instru­cted,Nothing befalleth vs but by the prouidence of God. that nothing doth or can befall vs, but by the meere pro­uidence of our most louing Fa­ther; neither sicknesse, nor po­uertie, nor enemies, nor any whatsoeuer crosse: which hee doth also so graciously temper in his mercie, as they are neuer more heauy then he maketh vs able to beare them, with his owne guifte of setled patience, through the free guift of faith.

Wherefore let vs apply our [Page 43] hearts to wisedome, and learne to know, and to acknowledge, that all the troubles and affli­ctions that fell so heauily vpon innocent Christ,Christ suf­fered not for himself but for vs. were not for sinne in him, but for ours; and were most heauily layde vpon him, to make ours light: And that whatsoeuer crosse, af­fliction, or trouble, befalleth vs, our sins procure them and yet there is no more required of vs for the mittigation of them, or remouing them from vs;What is re­quired of vs for the release of our sinnes. but a full acknowledgement of our sinnes, vnfained repentance for them, faith, in, and obedience to God, and patience for a little space to beare our corrections: If these things be not in vs, how can we thinke our selues, or be thought, in the least measure to haue our troubles remoued or mittigated, but rather to ac­knowledge our selues worthie to be more seuerely punished in his Iustice?

[Page 44] Let vs therefore afore all thinges,How wee ought to make peace with God. make our peace with God, which by no other means can be, but onely by the merits and mediation of Iesus Christ; which we must apply vnto our selues, through a liuely saith: praying in the same (with a godly feare, and feeling of our sinnes) for remission and par­don of them: and that hee will so arme vs with his heauenly graces, as wee may bee able to beat downe all impatience, and to giue vs power to resist that armed enemy Sathan, who en­deauoureth to make vs to think, that our crosses are the curses of 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 [Page 25] 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 [Page 46] 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,Sinne the greatest af­fliction that can befall a man. 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 [...] [...]f thy great sins, [...] not thy case alone to be a sinner:Sinne a common di­sease and sickenesse of the soule of euery man. 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 [Page 48] 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: Gen. 8. 21. And many odious sinnes proceede from that corrupte fountaine;All sinne proceedeth from the corruption of the heart. 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 [Page 49] 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 [Page 50] 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,A seruile feare. 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,1. Io. 2. 1. 2. or other meanes, thou shalt be reconciled to God, and not dye in thy sinnes.

Thy sins are great,Gods mer­cies grea­ter then our sinnes. & great and fearefull the iudgements of God for sinne; yet greater then both, [Page 51] 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;Micah 7. 18. 19. 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, Psal. 103. 11. so great is his mercie to­wards them that truly feare him. [Page 52] 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,God died for sinners, but not for such as dye in their sinnes. as in a liuely Faith take hold of the merites of Christ; who in deede died for sinners, but not for such as die in their sinnes, as they did. There must a reconciliation be made, be­tweene God & a sinner, before he can assure himselfe of pardon and remission of his sinnes, and that must not be delayed: it must be to day before to mor­row; for, as life is short and vn­certaine, and repentance requi­reth some time to be perfected (though there be one example, as of the Thiefe vpon the Crosse of suddaine repentance) it is not so easie or speedy a worke to be well done: there be many lets, which you shall finde in your selfe, and many blockes [Page 53] Sathan will lay in your way; therefore what you purpose to doe, doe it speedily, willingly, faithfully and fully.

There is no meanes for you to be eased of the burthen of your sinnes,The means to be eased of sinne. but to cleaue vnto God in the merites of his Christ, whome God the Father hath sent into the world, to saue all those (be they neuer so great and grieuous sinners) as doe truly confesse,1 Ioh. 4. 14. hartily repent, and faithfully beleeue, the par­don of their sinnes; and that they shall be saued through him.

If therefore thou truly belee­uest in Iesus Christ, and appliest his death and merites, vnto thy selfe, in a full assurance, and a setled perswasion that he dyed euen for thee;The bloud of Christ is able to clense the greatest sinner. then were thy sinnes neuer so great and hay­nous in quality, neuer so many in number, were they as red as scarlet, or coloured as purple; [Page 54] his bloud, euen the bloud of that Lambe shall make them as white as snowe: And therefore did Dauid crie, wash mee, O Lord,Psal. 51. wash mee and make mee cleane: And what should hee wash, but his sinnes? And wherewith, but with the meri­torious bloud of Iesus Christ? And before you can be thus washed and cleansed; before you can haue the terror of your conscience eased, and appeased; You must confesse, and lay open your sinnes before the Lord, and say with a feeling, and faith­full heart,Ver. 3. Against thee, against thee, O Lord, onely haue I sin­ned and done euill in thy sight. It must not be a lip confession:What con­fession wee must make. as to acknowledge thy sinnes with thy mouth, and to retaine them in thy heart: Such a con­fession is hypocriticall, and en­creaseth thy sinnes: were thy sinnes neuer so small in thine owne opinion, yet oughtest [Page 55] thou to thinke them great, and grieuous, and so they are; for, the least sinne that a man com­mits, is the breach of the Law, and he that breaketh the least,Iam. 2. 10. is guilty of the greatest: It see­meth, thou dost in deede feele already the grieuousnesse of thy sinnes, by thy heauinesse and mourning:Sorrow for sin a good beginning of true re­pentance, yet, not perfect without perseue­rance in wel doing. which is a good be­ginning of repentance; but vn­lesse thou doe therewith, con­ioyne Faith in the merites and bloud of Iesus Christ, and dost truly purpose and endeuour to leade a new life; thy repen­tance will be still imperfect. Thou mayest also feare God, and yet little profit thee, except thou beleeue in the mercies of God in Christ; for the deuils themselues feare and tremble, at their finall sentence of vtter con­demnation. To feare God, as a Sonne, is in deede a most hea­uenly vertue, and is found in none, but in the very sonnes and [Page 56] daughters of God: for their feare is not so much of the pu­nishment for sinne, as for that they haue offended so louing a God by their sinnes: But to feare God, for the first, is to feare him as a Slaue, that feares more the whip, then to abuse his Maister. And this feare pro­ceedeth of the suggestion of Sa­than,Sathans il­lusions. who tempts and allures thee to sinne; perswading thee that thy greatest sinnes are but veniall, and easily pardoned, by saying onely Lord haue mercie vpon me, or by some superficiall and light confession. And when the sinne is committed, he tells thee that thy sinnes are so great and haynous, as they can not be forgiuen: Agrauating that seruile feare, which often drawes silly weake soules, to dispaire of Gods mercies.

Thou grieuest that thou hast sinned, because thou hearest that euery sinner shall die: And [Page 57] yet thou thinkest it sufficient, to thinke, yea and to confesse thou art a sinner; and Sathan would haue thee goe no fur­ther: And so farre he will per­mit thee to goe, without hinde­ring thee, as he did Kayne and Iudas; but when hee sees thee begin to leade a life, contrary to that he hath led thee and lul­led thee in; when he obserueth thee, to shew any fruites of true repentance; [...]. 4. 14. hee will then tell thee, it is a needlesse labour; for thy sinnes are so great, as God will neuer forgiue them, though thou repent neuer so m [...]ch.

Beleeue not this auncient ly­er,Not to be­leeue Sa­thans sug­gestions. though hee doe perswade thee, that thy sinnes are so great, as the bloud of Iesus Christ can not preuaile to heale thee of them; beleeue him not, I say, for he himselfe knoweth, (though to the agrauation, and [...]ncrease of his owne torments) [...] Iesus Christ came into the [Page 58] world to saue greatest sinners, that repent and beleeue in the merites of Christ: of which number, because hee knoweth he cannot be, he laboureth, and vseth his infinite infernall Mini­sters, to draw as many as hee can, to his disobedience and condemnation. Beleeue him not, nor feare him not, hee is a lyer in his suggestions,S [...] Iusi [...] and weak in his power: and though he doe perswade thee, that thy sinnes are so great, as cannot be pardoned in the bloud, and by the merites of Iesus Christ, be­leeue the contrary; for, he him­selfe knoweth, and hath con­fessed, Christ to be the Sauiour of the faithfull, and he that shall finally condemne him, and all vnbeleeuers.Math. 8. 29 Art thou come to torment vs before the time, saith he? foreshowing, that there is a time appointed for his vtter condemnation at the last day. Hee knoweth, that Christ came [Page 59] to saue sinners, and that without exception of any sinne,Sathan guilty of the sinne against the holy Ghost (the sinne against the holy Ghost ex­cepted) of which sinne hee is highly guilty, and therefore neuer to be forgiuen.

Take vnto thy selfe therefore a spirituall courage, and defie this reprobate lyer, this malig­nant aduersary, to his face; and tell him, in a liuely feeling of the spirit of God, in a true and firme faith,1. Ioh. 4. 14. that thou beleeuest in Christ thy assured Redeemer, and hee shall not onely not preuaile a­gainst thee,Iam. 4. 7. but he shall flie from thee: And for thy more strength put on the whole armour of God, and he will buckle it vnto thee, that armed Christ against this common and mortall aduer­sary;As Christ triumphed ouer Sa­than so shal all be­leeuers. who ouercame him, and triumphed ouer him: hee will arme thee so on all parts, that thou shalt not feare to encoun­ter him hand to hand, as Christ did: Thou shalt combate with [Page 60] him, and conquer him as Dauid did Goliah; and therefore yeeld not to his tentations, feare not his suggestions: Looke vp vnto Christ thy Sauiour, though hee be in the heauens glorified, and hath his Throne of glory there; hee will yet be thy safe second here;Euery faith full Chri­stian com­bating with Sathan, hath Christ his second. hee will be euer on thy side: therefore, if through frail­ty thou shouldest be in some measure foyled (as it seemeth thou art) be not discouraged, he will enter the List for thee, and in thy behalfe: And as soone as that infernall Champion, doth but obserue, that thou art se­conded, by him, that hath alrea­die conquered him, he will not abide the field, he will flye and forsake any further pursuit of thee.Sathan no­ting where­unto man is enclined, feedes him with occa­sions to of­fend.

Yet remember, that this ene­mie will seeke and spie all occa­sions, to take thee at any aduan­tage; and will marke where­unto thou art still enclined; and [Page 61] according to thy cōmon course of siuning, hee will feede thee with occasions, to moue thee to offend thy louing God and Ie­sus Christ: and therefore must thou continually wrestle (as long as thou liuest here in the flesh) not onely, with the infir­mities of flesh and bloud, but against principalities, against powers, and against spirituall wickednes; against worldly gouernours, the Princes of the darknesse of this world,Eph 2. all in­uisible: And thinke not thy chiefest conflict,We are ne­uer free from trials. to be with the visible men of this world; but looke euery houre to be assay­led by one spirituall enemie or another: and when thou feelest any motion in thy heart, to any kinde of sinne; thinke thou pre­sently,Sathan hath swift wings to follow, and to tempt sinners. now I must either fight or be foyled, for there is no string away: Sathan hath swift wings, he will ouertake thee, and finde thee out goe where thou wilt; [Page 62] and that thou findest in thy selfe, by the present horrour of thy conscience for thy sinnes, which hee layes before thee as in an vgly glasse; shewing them to be so monstrous (as they be vnto thee) as hell it selfe: Be not yet dismayed, take hold of Christ, though not with thy hand (as the woman in the Gospell) yet with thy heart; fasten vpon him with a liuely faith, and hold him fast, for nothing preuailes with him, nor against Sathan and sinne, but a strong and liue­ly faith in Iesus Christ.

In this assurance stand fast, be not afraide,Most wor­thy men haue beene guilty of great sins. though thou be guilty of many and great sinnes; so was Dauid and many worthy men of olde, yet they obtayned pardon, and were (through the merites of Christ imputed righ­teous. The mercy of GOD wrought vpon their sinnes; for, if all men were of them selues righteous, needing no repen­tance, [Page 63] how should the mercies of God appeare? what auayled then the death and merites of Christ?If there were no sinne, there needed no Redeemer. Why should he be re­puted a Redeemer, a Sauiour? or wherefore should he be cal­led a Mediatour if there were no sinne, or sinners? Hee came not to call the righteous, such as feeling no sinne in themselues, hold themselues iust; but hee came in deede to call sinners to repentance, and to saue (through his bloud) such as feele and acknowledge their sinnes: Therefore be thou not afraid, though thou feele thy sinnes burthensome vnto thee; hee, euen Christ, came to ease them, if thou faithfully beleeue in him: And thinke not but faith and true repentance can and will turne Gods iustice into mercy; his anger into fauour; and his most heauie displeasure into loue; euen into that loue wherewith God loueth his dea­rest [Page 64] children freely; for he lo­ueth none;None can loue God, but such as he loueth. that loue not him, and none can loue him, but such as he loueth; for, to loue God, and to be beloued of God, are of God alone: And they to whom he vouchsafeth this hea­uenly fauour, to loue him, are filled with all fulnesse of what­soeuer may make them assured of their saluation, quieting and pacifying their afflicted consci­ences, and giuing them, inward setled peace.

Therefore, if thou haue, and feele an inward godly sorrow that thou hast offended so lo­uing a God, and hast in thy selfe a desire to be reformed, and to be reconciled to God; Thou needest not feare, for the loue of God towards thee; is not ab­sent, neither are thou altogether destitute of thy loue towards him: And therefore whatsoeuer Sathan doth suggest against thee, beleeue him not, beleeue [Page 65] thy Redeemer; he is the truth, he (euen he) doth assure thee, that at what time so euer thou shalt repent thee of thy sinnes from the bottome of thy heart, the Lord will put them out of his re­membrance. Christ is the truth, the way, and the life. He is the truth that hath promised this, and he will assuredly performe saluation, euen to thee; though thou be a grieuous sinner, if thou truly repent, and faithfully beleeue, that thy sinnes are pardoned in his bloud; who is also the way: he hath traced out, before thee and for thee, a perfect example of righteousnesse, patience and obedience; walke in it; then, as he is also the life, he shall be thy life: and mauger sinne, Sathan, and death, thou shalt liue, and liue for euer.

Pray therefore vnto GOD faithfully and feruently,Pray. and he will assuredly ease thee, euen here, of that heauie burthen, wherewith thy conscience see­meth [Page 66] to be grieuously afflicted, and oppressed.

And for thy further instructi­on and helpe, if thou be so igno­rant, as not knowing how to pray to thy comfort, thou mayst vse the Prayer following;God accep­teth in­ward sighs for sinne. or according to the measure of that grace, which God hath giuen thee, sigh and groane, in­wardly to God, who accepts euen inward desires, to repent and to be reconciled to God, as if they were prayers in deede, so it be in faith from the heart: or thou mayest vse any other godly prayer, which may best expresse the sorrow of thy heart for thy sinnes, the forgiuenesse of them, and the assurance of thy saluation.

A Prayer for the forgiuenesse of sinnes, that afflict the weake conscience of a sinner.

OEternall, euerli­uing, and most lo­uing Lord God, in Iesus Christ, towards them that feare thy name, and walke vprightly before thee; and a seuere Iudge vnto impenitent sinners; who onely knowest the thoughts and secrets of all hearts: from whose all­seeing eye no sinne or sin­ners can be hidden. Con­sider Lord, that I was ori­ginally made to thine owne Image, in righte­ousnesse and holinesse: [Page 68] and that I became corrupt, and consequently sinfull by his transgression, in whom I was first made ho­ly; and doe confesse my selfe O Lord, one of, and the worst of all the cursed seede of him, in whom all posterities became accur­sed; and I cannot conceale the corruption which I haue had & receiued from them, by whom I was be­gotten, and borne: and that this corruption (now become mine) hath begot­ten, and brought forth so many and monstrous sins in me, as I am not onely, not worthy to be called thy Sonne, but ashamed to be knowne to be the worke of the hands of so [Page 69] great, so gracious, and so righteous a God; for, my sinnes (O Lord) are so great, so hainous, so odi­ous, and so many in num­ber, as haue so farre ouer­gorged my corrupt heart, & so infected my wretched soule, with the filthinesse of them, that I feele euen the stink of them, so loath­some vnto mine own guil­ty Conscience, as I cannot but holde my selfe detesta­ble in thy sight; Mine Ini­quities are gone euer mine head, a burden too heauie for me to beare.

O wretch that I am, how dare I come into thy pre­sence, such a trayne and troope of intollerable sins accompaning me?

[Page 70] Thou canst not Lord, but obserue & see, and see­ing and obseruing, my hai­nous sinnes, how can I but feare, that thou in Iustice, wilt, not only put me back and reiect me and my prai­ers, but worthily and deser­uedly confound me?

I haue an accuser, a Iudge and an executioner within me: I am Arraigned, and condemned, euen by the accusation and witnesse of mine owne guilty Consci­ence; the horror whereof, hath beene, and is such, as hath made mee affraid to seeke to thee (whome I haue so deeply offended) for pardon, lest that in thy fury, and in the seueritie of thy Iustice, thou shouldest [Page 71] leaue me to the will of him that hath bene the princi­pall instigator of me to sin, and now the chiefe accuser of me for sinne; and think­eth that he had, and hath such a share in me, throgh my former often consent­ing vnto his inticements, that thou my God, were not able to take me out of his hands.

But now, holy, heauen­ly and mercifull Father, in Iesus Christ, through thy grace (vndeseruedly) wor­king in me, I haue found him a deceiuer, an impost­er, an enemye; who hath done what lyeth in him to worke my ruyne, by my re­belliō against thee, throgh his continuall tentations; [Page 72] 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.

[Page 73] 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, [Page 74] 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 [Page 75] 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 [...] [Page 76] 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 [Page 77] 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? Sicknes of the soule, & sicknes of the body great affli­ctions. And next to it, there is not a greater, then is the extre­mitie of the sicknesse of the bo­dy: and therefore neede these [Page 78] 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:The soule and body feele one the others sicknesse. 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 [Page 79] not be but that Sathan, that aun­cient enemie of al mankinde,Sathan in our health tempteth vs to sinne, and in sick­nesse pre­sents it vn­to vs. 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 [Page 80] 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,Sathan is most busie to tempt vs, to di­strust God, when wee are neerest our death. 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 [Page 81] 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,The true childe of GOD, is most temp­ted of Sa­than, wher­by he may know that sathan hath no share in him. if thou be in deede the true childe of God: for, 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 [Page 82] corruption) slau [...]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:When wee are w [...]a­kest, and Sathan bu­siest, God in Christ is strongest for vs. 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 [Page 83] 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,God shew­eth great fauour by drawing vs out of the power of Sathan by sicknesse. then to draw a sinner out of the power and sla­uery of sinne and Sathan, by a gentle hand, to make him hi [...] 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 [Page 84] 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,Exo. 15. 26. and practising what it teacheth:The neg­lect of the word and seruice of GOD, a great sin. 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,Ioh. 11. 4. 15. 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 [Page 85] 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:Prayer an argument of the child of God. 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 [Page 86] God, are inseperable: And if thy repentance be seri­ous, it will either produce out­ward teares,The effects of true re­pentance. 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 [Page 87] of such as visite a sicke person,Fit signes of repen­tance in a sicke man. 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 cōfession; 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; [Page 88] 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;A sick man may in­wardly pray, thogh standers by obserue it not. 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,Wee may pray for health in our sicknes, and seek to the Physi­cian, so we depend not more vpon his [...]rt, thē vpon Gods blessing. 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 pardō of thy sinnes, thou mayest craue resti­tution of thy bodily health; if God, who can restore it, thinke [Page 89] 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 a blessing.

Beware thou seeke not to the reputed cunning men and wo­men, To abandō cunning men and women▪ so reputed. who are supposed to heale by their Charmes and Spels; [Page 90] who if they preuaile in any cure, it is (by the permission of God) by the deuill. The surest reme­die is, to haue thy recourse to God,2. Kings. and not to Baalz [...]b [...]b: as Ahaziah, who dyed the death, for running to Witches and Wi­zards, the limbs of the deuill: but put thy trust in the all-suffi­cient God alone, vsing such law­full meanes as hee hath appoin­ted, both for the ease of thy soule, and health of thy body; and then recommend the issue, to him with godly patience; committing thy will to his will.

If he restore thee to thy for­mer health, be thou thankfull to him, and let thy thankfulnes appeare, by a new and godly course of life, and true obedi­ence.How thank­fulnesse should ap­peare vpon recouery. If he haue otherwise de­termined of thee, namely, to call thee out of this miserable mor­tall life, reioyce, and be glad; for thy soule, now sicke in sin, shall suddainly receiue a new [Page 91] and glorious life; thy body now oppressed with griefe, shall be at rest;Comfort▪ against death. though it perish and rot in the graue, it shall rise a­gaine, and meete the soule, and be thereunto again vnited with farre greater glory then thy hart can thinke: In the meane time, seeke or thinke of nothing, but of the things that are aboue; and endeuour to haue thy heart, thine vnderstanding, thoughts, and affections, so qualified, and the Lampe of faith in the merits of Christ, so liuely enlightned, that thou mayest ioyfully meet the Bridegrome Christ, in soule and body, when hee shall ap­peare in the cloudes, in glory and maiestie, to giue euery man according to his works.

Be not afraide therefore of Death;Not to fear death, for it frees vs from many troubles, and brings vs many blessings. it is but the seperation of the soule (now, as in a prison) from the body, which is but a carkasse full of naturall infirmi­ties, which the soule possesseth [Page 92] for a little time, fraught onely with miseries, with griefe and feare; which, being dissolued, shall bring end to all thy cares, dangers, feares, miseries and af­flictions; and bring thee to the Paradise of God, where thou shalt feele no more of these vn­sauourie things of the flesh; for, the Lord will transforme, this thy vile, base and corrupt body, and make it like vnto his most glorious body. Then shalt thou be no more subiect to sinne, or sicknesse; no aduersity, nor an­guish shall afflict thee, no ene­mies shall trouble thee, no slan­ders disgrace thee: And where thou art here mortall, subiect to all the former euils, thou shalt be there immortall: The face of God, which is the fountaine of light, shall there shine vpon thee; and no darknesse shall ouershadow thee: all perfecti­on of ioy, glory and gladnesse, thou shalt finde there; and be so [Page 93] plentifully filled with the con­templation of the aboundance of those heauenly pleasures; that you will or can delight in nothing, but in the beholding of the most glorious face of Ie­sus Christ, and onely delight in the association of that heauenly company: which ioyes, if thou truly knewest here, as thou shalt enioy them there, Thou woul­dest be content, rather to en­dure a thousand deaths, then to be depriued of them.

Prepare thy selfe therefore,How to prepare vs for death. with all diuine furniture; with faith, hope, loue, and all other holy and heauenly affections; to goe the way of all flesh. Lay wil­lingly downe thy carnall part in the graue, to become dust, whereof it was made, and com­mend thy soule into the hands of God that gaue it, and of Iesus Christ who redeemed it: And according to the counsell, that God gaue to Hezekiah, set thy [Page 94] house in order. And aboue this thy corpora [...]l habitation, set thy soule in order; and as much as in thee lyeth, haue peace with all men: Depart in the loue, of, and to thine enemies.

And, as farre as the possibi­litie of thy earthlie substance,How to dis­ [...]ose of worldly things be­fore we die, and how to leaue all. will extend; owe nothing to any man, when thou departest hence, but loue: and thinke not much, neither let it grieue or trouble thy minde, to leaue thy worldly wealth, which was but lent thee; thy father, mother, wife, children, lands, possessi­ons, siluer, gold, and the things that haue beene, or are, most deare vnto thee; to hasten to this heauenlie habitation; where eternall glorie shall bee thy wealth, the eternall God thy Father, Iesus Christ thy brother, all the Saints and Angels, and all the holie and most glorious heauenlie companie, shall bee far more comfortable vnto thee, [Page 95] then all the former, who were both mortall and inconstant: And in steede of the base and vncertaine possessions in the earth, thou shalt possesse a King­dome,The ioyes of heauen are inex­pressible. for euer: In steede of thy gold and siluer, and thy most precious Iewels, thou here, for a moment enioyest; thou shalt enhabite a Citie, whose walls are gold, garnished with all ma­ner of precious stones, farre ex­celling the rarest and richest that euer the earth yeilded; whose beauty, and excellencie, the tongue of man, no not of an An­gell, can truly expresse, to our apprehension; But shadowed out vnto vs vnder these most precious ornaments, incom­prehensible.

Should any carnall conside­ration therfore hinder thee, from a willing minde, to change this thy mortall and miserable life (as short, as euill) for a life so glorious and permanent? The [Page 96] longer thou continuest here,Why wee should de­sire to dye. the more cause thou hast to desire to be dissolued; for that thou here doest augment daily thy sinnes, and euery day brings new griefe.

Prepare thy selfe therefore without delay; make thee rea­die, that when GOD shall call thee, thou mayest be willing to goe: And for thy better pre­paration, vse prayer often, in a liuely faith; and if thine infirmi­tie will permit thee, vse this prayer following, or any other godly prayer, with holy medi­tation, to season thy soule through the holy Ghost, com­mending thy spirit vnto God in Iesus Christ.

A Prayer to be often said of a sicke man or woman.

O Lord my GOD, and my most lo­uing and mercifull Father, in thy beloued Sonne Iesus Christ; I, thy most vnworthy creature, heauie laden, with the bur­then of my manifold and grieuous sinnes; much op­pressed, with the infirmity and sicknesse which thou hast iustly inflicted vpon my corrupt and weake bo­dy; doe humbly pray thee to pardon my sinnes, and giue me patience to beare this thy gentle correction; in which I doe heartily [Page 98] submit my selfe vnto thy heauenly will; whether it be thy pleasure, to permit me yet a little while, to en­ioy the health of my body, to serue thee; or to take my soule out of the lothsome prison of my sinfull car­kasse into thine owne hands; where I know it shall be safe, and not pe­rish: And therefore Lord giue me a godly contented minde, to suffer my body, to returne vnto the earth, from whence it was taken, there to rest vntill it shall please thee to raise it a­gaine, at the last resurre­ction, and to make it, of a mortall, an immortall; and of a corruptible, to make it a perfectly glori­ous [Page 99] body. In the meane time, O Lord, I doe be­seech thee, to fortifie and strengthen my soule, a­gainst all 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 [Page 100] (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 [Page 101] 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 [Page 102] 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 [Page 103] 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 [Page 104] 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, [Page 106] 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 [Page 107] 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 [Page 108] 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; [Page 109] 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, [Page 110] 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 and determined for [Page 111] him. And graunt that we may all, in all humblenesse, faith, constancie and obe­dience, wayte when thy pleasure shall be to visite any of vs, with thy finall fatherly visitation.

O Lord encrease his, ours, and the faith of all that belong vnto thee; that wee all may looke, and long for the time of our dissolution, with pati­ence, in assurance in the end, to liue eternally with thee, through Christ our Lord and Sauiour, Amen.

For such as are oppressed with po­uerty and want: not imperti­nent for the rich to read and consider.

POuertie,Pouerty and want a great affli­ction. and want of things necessary, for the maintenance of this pre­sent life, is not the least affliction that can fall vpon man: And that lighteth many times, as well vpon the knowne poore, as vp­on them that thinke themselues rich; for riches, and pouerty, haue wings; for as the poore man, hauing his wings clipt, that he cannot mount, or soare to the pitch of other men: So the rich are often, so deplumed, as they fall into the poore estate of mea­nest men; and therefore, as the rich may fall, so the poore may rise:Riches and pouerty variable. Let neither then the rich presume, nor the poore despaire: for the Almighty God, that go­uerneth all things, hath two hands; with the one hee doth cast downe the proud, and with [Page 113] the other he exalts the humble: In the rich is required thankful­nesse, and obedience; In the poore, lowlinesse and patience; and in both, godly diligence and faithfull prayer: otherwise, the rich cannot prosper, nor the poore be relieued. If the rich man fall into pouerty, it is his blemish; if a poore man become rich, it is his glory: yet, let not him that riseth, disdaine him that falleth; for both are from the Lord.

To fall,Easier to fall then to rise. there are manie meanes in a man himselfe, but to rise, being fallen, is not in man; and therefore the meanes both of mens risings and fallings, are duly to be considered: art thou fallen from riches to pouertie? examine thy life & conuersation: art thou risen from pouerty to riches? consider well in thine owne heart, whether by right or wrong.

Many may prosper and wax [Page 114] rich by diligence (in a lawfull calling) & many become poore through idlenesse: many are borne rich, and dye poore; and many borne poore, waxe rich: when the rich become poore, it may be either in Gods iustice, or in his mercy: for, if the rich become proud, & presume vp­on their wealth;Riches and pouerty may both proceede of Gods mercie. despising the poore; it is iust with God, to take that from him, that he abu­seth; yet, also in mercie, to humble him: for there is not a more preuailing means, to make a man know himselfe, then po­uerty; And there is not a more acceptable thing to God, then a man to abase himselfe in his sight: nor a thing more offen­siue, then a man to exalt him­selfe, by reason of the greatnes of his wealth; which he arroga­teth to himselfe, as if it were his owne, when in deede it is but lent him: And therefore God often times takes it from one, [Page 115] and giues it to others: And in steed of his wealth, giues him want; that hee may know, that it is neither in the wisedome, nor by the diligence of man, either to get or to retaine his wealth gotten, without the meere mer­cie and blessing of God.

But, where true faith in God is, ioyned with godly care and diligence, in a lawfull calling, there wanteth not prayer; And where faith and faithfull pray­ers are, there is true prosperity: And to that man,The ground of true pro­sperity. a little meanes sufficeth to sustaine his estate, and to nourish his life: for, A small thing that the righteous hath, is better then the great ri­ches of the wicked.

Therefore in thy case of po­uerty and want,The cause and meanes are to be examined how a man comes poore. thou must con­sider, and duly examine, the cause, whereby thou art become poore, and to be in this misera­ble estate; whether by thine owne idlenesse, corruption of [Page 116] thy life, in wasting either thy patrimonie receiued from thy Parents, or thy riotous expen­ding of that thou hast lawful­ly gotten by thine owne in­dustry.

To receiue meanes, for which thou neuer trauailedst (as many doe from carefull Parents and friends) or to get by thine owne labours,To get, and ryotously to spend, is idlenesse it selfe. and to consume it wast­fully in euill company keeping, by gaming & ryot, is worse then Idlenes it selfe, which yet in him selfe is a capitall sin; one of those, for which Sodom, Gomorah, &c. were burned to ashes: for Idle­nesse was in that Citie; as it is, wheresoeuer it raigneth, the cause of many other sinnes; as of luxurie,Idlenesse the cause of many sinnes. drunkennesse, whore­dome, and all other most mon­strous, and most abhominable vices: yet doe all these com­monly accompany wealth, easi­ly gotten: As when a man finds he hath meanes comming daily [Page 117] in, lightly without labour, hee measures it not by the vncer­tainty, of the continuance, as ap­peareth, by his wanton and needlesse expence, but by a vaine hope it will last euer.

But, if thou become poore, and thus cast downe, by the lo­uing hand of God, to call thee from thy sinnes; as by losse of goods, by sicknesse, fire, ship­wracke, or the like ineuitable crosses;God sends pouerty & want to weane vs from sinne that fulnes procured. Thou mayest account them fatherly corrections, and mayest rather reioyce in, then to repine at them; for he inflicts this want (of thy former fulnes) as Physick to purge thy corrupt heart, of thy carnall delights, and from abusing of thy liberty as thou hast done, which bred in thee security; and security sin, and forgetfulnesse of thy dutie to God: as in that rich glutton in the Gospel, who hauing plen­tie of all things delightfull to his carnall part, became so delici­ous, [Page 116] [...] [Page 117] [...] [Page 118] as he fared daintily euery day, richly roabed in fine linnen, and yet so hard hearted, as al­though he saw poore miserable Lazarus, hungrie and naked, lye at his gate full of sores, cry­ing for some crummes of the broken meate that fell from his Table, had yet no remorce or commiseration on the lamenta­ble estate of that poore man, who was more refreshed by the rich mans dogges, licking away the filth of his sores, then by any comfort receiued from the glut­ton, or his gluttonous feasts.

There was great difference betweene this rich man,Great dif­ference be­tweene the rich gluttō aud poore Lazarus. and this miserable begger: The one was had in greatest reuerence, admi­red and honored for his wealth; the other held in great con­tempt, generally despised, by reason of his basenesse and po­uertie: But neither did the rich man continue long in his pomp, nor the poore in his penurie: [Page 119] Both died, and both caried to their places appointed by God; the rich man to hell, the begger into Paradise: the first to per­petuall torments, the other to a most blessed and glorious Be­ing.

Consider this duly with thy selfe therefore, thou, that com­plainest of pouertie, and want: whether wouldest thou enioy here the pleasures of this life (for a season) with this man, wealthie and glorious, and in fine to haue his reward; or to endure a little want, pouertie, and worldlie basenesse, for a little time, and be with Laza­rus pertaker of eternall glorie? I know, if thou wisely consider both, thou wilt not onely not grudge nor repine at thy poore estate,God dea­leth well with vs, to take away the meanes that make vs proud. but wilt rather be thank­full vnto God, that he so louing­ly dealeth with thee, in keeping thee from the meanes to make thee proud, to forget thy selfe [Page 120] and him: As I thinke, thou canst not be ignorant, that riches, health, and earthly happinesse, commonly carie men, not ha­uing faith and the feare of God, into many noysome lusts, and vngodly and wanton desires: And that pouertie and want, sicknesse and other like crosses, are the good & gracious means, that God vseth, to with-hold his dearest children from run­ning astray; although it cannot be denied also, but that a faith­lesse poore man may haue his heart infected, and poysoned, with as haynous sinnes as the rich: for it is not wealth that alwayes makes a wicked man, though it be a great temptation and prouocation to many and grieuous sinnes: It is not the money but the minde, wherein the error lies; and it is not po­uertie,Pouerty nor riches make men good or euill. of it selfe, or anie other crosse that maketh an euill man good; but it is a meanes which [Page 121] God in his wisedome vseth to preuent the danger, that wealth often worketh: A knife in a childes hand hurteth not, but he is a silly Father, and she a simple Nurse, that will not tak [...] it from the childe, for feare of the hurt it might do the childe. So riches of themselues hurt not, but the abuse of them, may peruert the reputed owner; for no man is the true owner of the wealth he possesseth; hee is but a disposer of it, and it is the well vsing or abusing of it, that draweth vp­on the Steward, a blessing, or a curse.

If thou that art become poore, and doest acknowledge it iustly layde vpon thee, it is the entrance into assurance, that God hath layde it vpon thee in mercie;Pouerty to some, bet­ter then riches. if in mercie then, no doubt but in loue: be assured, that thy pouerty is better for thee then riches, for hee know­eth better then thou what is best [Page 122] for thee; Take it therefore with patience; in faith, and embrace it so much the more, by how much thou mayest assure thy selfe, it is a token of the loue and fauour of God towards thee, to humble thee, and to make thee so much the more like vnto thy Redeemer, who became poore, to make thee rich; hee abased himselfe, to bring thee to ho­nour; hee was here in worldly want, to furnish thee with all spirituall aboundance; he hath chosen the poore of the world, to make them rich in God; hee keepeth his owne dearest chil­dren lowe here, that he may ex­alt them hereafter: for, it is not possible that any man shall liue here in pompe and pleasure, and all earnall delights, and yet as­sure himselfe, of the glory to come, prepared onely for his Elect Saints that suffer heere. And if Christ our Master and Redeemer, suffered heere po­uerty, [Page 123] ignominie, rebuke and shame, before he in his humane nature ascended into glory; shall any man perswade him­selfe that hee shall attaine the glory to come, by a delicate, loose, carnally delightfull, and worldly glorious estate here?

How then are many carnally minded men deceiued,Men i [...]d­ged happy and vnhap­py accor­ding to their welth and want. that measure the loue and fauour of God, and his displeasure to­wards men, according to their worldly prosperity and aduer­sity? censuring Gods dearest children seasoned with any kind of affliction, to be the very out­casts of the world, forsaken of God; and the rich, wealthy and glorious in the world, to be his choyse darlings and fauourites; then which, nothing is more contrary▪ although their estates, in deede (seene with a carnall eye, and iudged by outward ap­pearance) may be censured as they seeme, but not as they are [Page 124] in deede: for, the outward most glorious, are not commonly gracious within (though they may be) neither are the out­ward poore, commonly in­wardly and spiritually rich: But the godly & faithfull poore man, were his case as hard, as was that of poore Lazarus; yet is he the beloued of God,God iudg­eth not ac­cording to the out­ward ap­pearance. who iudgeth not as man doth, parti­ally, by the outward show, but according to equity: He doth not iustifie the poore, before the rich; if the Rich be rich in grace, and the poore a wicked man; God, in deede, by promise re­gardeth the poore, and careth for them; namely, for such, as in a liuely faith depend vpon his prouidence; liuing iustly, and in an holy diligence in his law­full calling.

If thou thus behauest thy selfe in thy pouerty, the promise of God, is a promise made euen to thee, that hee will neuer faile [Page 125] thee, nor forsake thee. Thou mayst then safely cast thy care vpon him, for he will take care of thee. Thou shalt not want foode and rayment; and hauing that, content thee with it, it is a plentifull portion: for what more hath he, that hath his Ta­ble spread with diuers dishes, and sundry varieties; but onely feedeth his body with fewe? And hee that hath diuers and sundry sutes and sorts of gar­ments,Foode and cloathing a sufficient portion. one sute sufficeth to couer him at once. If then thou bee fed and cloathed, giue the glory to God that giues it.

It may be thou wilt say thou hast a great charge, wife and children to maintaine; a great burthen vnto thee, who require greater supply, then thou by thy best industrie canst prouide for them; Thou must allow and allot vnto thy selfe and them, according to thy meanes; Thou mayst not feede or cloath thee [Page 126] or them, as peraduenture thine and their haughty hearts may require; But feede them mode­rately, and cloathe them mo­destly: for in the superfluity of these two necessaries,Superflu­ous foode and ray­ment haue vndone many. many haue not onely exceeded, and vndone themselues, but haue turned thereby, many times the bles­sings of God into wantonnesse; And so in steede of the continu­ance of Gods blessings, they haue caused him to punish them with pouerty, and want: As who so obserueth, cannot but see infinite numbers, that haue receiued great portions and patrimonies from their Pa­rents and friends, that through the excesse of these, together with their lewde, lasciuious, and wicked liues, haue drawne vp­on them, such a heauie weight of pouerty and want, as they haue either beene depriued of their libertie, for the debt they ranne into to maintaine their [Page 127] vanities; or haue beene enfor­ced to begge their bread, and (like the prodigall Sonne) haue beene constrayned, through commaunding hunger, to eate the scraps, that they before scor­ned, to touch with their fingers; and that in a iust recompence of their former nicenesse and vani­ties; who yet, if this gentle cor­rection may reclaime them, and cause them to reforme their wicked liues, to seek after God, through a liuely faith and faith­full prayer; may be receiued into the fauour of God,God is rea­dy to re­ceiue a pro­digall. who is ready to receiue a sinner repen­ting, be he neuer so poore, neuer so base, neuer so loathsome in the eyes of men; as were Laza­rus and the lost Sonne.

As thou therefore art grieued vnder the burthen of thy mise­rable and poore estate, so grieue aboue it, that thou hast offended God, who correcteth thee for thy sinnes: Crye for pardon, [Page 128] pray for spirituall graces, seeke the Kingdome of God, and the righteousnesse thereof, haue a liuely faith, repent and be pati­ent, vse the meanes, hearing and reading of the word of God, practise abstinence, from the fulfilling of thy corrupt will; which thou canst not obtaine, but by repentance, and that re­pentance cannot be but by faith­full prayer, which will produce perfect patience, wherein if thou wayte the Lords leasure, for the time, and his pleasure for the meanes, assure thy selfe, thou shalt be competently and time­ly relieued;God neuer faileth the faithfull. for he hath promi­sed, neuer to faile those, that faithfully [...] call vpon him, and truly obay him: And he is most faithfull to performe what hee hath promised. As for his power to doe it, thou needest not doubt, for his power is so abso­lute, that he is able; and his loue to his, such, as he can and will [Page 129] so augment thy least portion, that a little oyle in thy Cruse, and a small quantity of meale in thy vessell, shall not diminish, vntill more supply come. And as for the feeding of thy charge­able Family, he can doe it with the smallest showe of meanes: he had but seauen loaues and a few fishes,Math. 15. 33. 34. and yet with that little in showe and quantity, hee replenished foure thousand men, besides women and little children. And with fiue loaues and two fishes,Math. 14. 17▪ he fed fiue thou­sand, and that,Mar. 6. 38. that remained when all were satisfied, was more meat then, in show, then was [...]efore they began to eate. And can he not feede thee,God can sa­tisfie his children with little. and thine, if thou be faithfull; seeme thy store neuer so small? nothing shall hinder in but sinne, infide­lity, and impatience: If thou beleeue faithfully, pray feruent­ly, and wayte patiently, he will doe it. Though it may seome [Page 130] vnto thee, that they store doth not onely not encrease, by pray­er, but diminish by spending; yet beleeue in him that made all things, and yet maketh things to supply his childrens wants. And although hee doe not with thee and thine, as he did for the children of Israell, Deut. 29. 5. who, trauai­ling forty yeares in the Wilder­nesse, he so preserued their gar­ments, and euen the shooes on their feete, that they decayed not; yet if thou distrust not his power and prouidence; as the one decayes, hee will supply it with other.

Thou wilt peraduenture say, that these were the extraordina­rie workes of God, his miracles of olde, and no such things are seene in our dayes: It is true, why are they not seene? onely because wee want liuely faith; our hearts are dull in beleeuing, the eyes of our vnderstandings are darkened, and cast to the [Page 131] earth, we looke not so into the power, nor so beleeue the pro­mises of the Almightie,It is a great dishonour to God, to thinke he cannot doe now as he did of old, for the re­liefe of his. as hee hath made them in his meere loue towards vs. Wee cannot glorifie God, more then to trust his word, and nothing dishono­reth him more, then to thinke that he either cannot, or will not performe what he hath promi­sed: But wee may not thinke, that we shall haue any thing on­ly for the asking (for, wee can­not so presume vpon an ordina­rie friend) but before wee pre­sume to aske the supply of cor­porall things,Before cor­porall wee are to aske spirituall things. we must be well furnished with spirituall graces, which must first and before all things, be sought for at the hands of God:Math. 6. 13. for, he and none but hee can giue them. It is the righteousnes of that Kingdome which wee are commaunded, aboue all things to seeke. And hauing obtained this, wee may assure vs, that all inferiour and [Page 132] carnall things shall bee admini­stred vnto vs: And although carnall men thinke, that GOD worketh not myracles now, in prouiding for, & preseruing his children, as in the first ages; which in deede is a great dero­gation of the good will, the po­wer, and prouidence of God; as if he were lesse louing, or lesse able, or of lesse vnderstanding, then he was in our Fathers dayes to helpe his children: he is Al­pha and Omega. God, as he was so, he is, and will be for euer. As hee was yesterday, he is to day, and will continue the same for euer: and therefore, if faith faile thee not, if thou refraine from euill and doe good; if thou seeke helpe at the hands of God in whatso­euer danger, supply is whatso­euer necessitie, and comfort and ease in whatsoeuer crosse or mi­sery, rather then God will de­nie that which he knoweth most necessary for thee, he will worke beyond the ordinary course to [Page 133] help thee: beleeue in him, serue him, call vpon him, wauer not, be constant, faint not, and thou shalt see assuredly the saluation of the Lord.

A Prayer to be vsed of such as are oppressed with necessity and want of things necessarie.

O Lord my GOD, who hast bin euer­more, mercifull, louing, and a ready help­ing Father, to all those that haue serued thee with a pure, and called vpon thee with a faithfull heart; and a patient God, euen to greatest sinners, among whom and aboue others, I acknowledge my selfe to [Page 134] haue deserued the least mercie at thy hands, by reason that I haue not on­ly too much neglected my duty in seruing thee, but haue (in steed thereof) too much yeelded my selfe to many vnprofitable & for­bidden wayes; and I know and acknowledge, that thou dost most iustly cor­rect me for my sinnes: and I thanke thee gracious Fa­ther, that thou hast re­membred me; for before I felt thy fatherly rod of pouerty, and want, I went astray; but now Lord, I desire to turne me to the keeping of thy commaun­dements.

As long as I prospered in the world, the vanities [Page 135] of my minde estranged my heart from thee; and, if I should haue still enioyed what my sinfull heart defi­red, I should still haue gone astray: But now Lord, I am vnfainedly so­rie from my heart, that I haue so long followed mine owne corrupt will, and in spending so many dayes and yeares in va­nities.

Lord I now returne vn­to thee; receiue me (though as the prodigall Sonne) who haue sinned against heauen and against thee, and doe acknowledge my selfe vnworthy to be cal­led thy Sonne: I am wor­thily become poore, in mi­sery and want; and know [Page 136] not to whom to repaire for succour, being despised of men, and scorned of mine acquaintance; by rea­son of my pouerty; which I doe confesse, hath not befallen me by chance; it is by mine owne wretched deseruings, which thou hast obserued, and now in loue, by this thy father­ly correcting mee, put me in minde to consider what I haue beene: and I doe confesse, that I haue beene vnseruiceable vnto thee, and vnprofitable to my selfe and others: Ther­fore dost thou iustly in pu­nishing me: and yet thou dealest louingly in corre­cting me; & I embrace▪ this fatherly chastisement of [Page 137] thine, as an argument that thou wouldest preuent, a more seuere iudgement, incident to those that run on in their disobedience.

Lord, thou hast iustly depriued mee, of the su­perfluous things of this world; which, though I cannot but confesse they were deare vnto me, yet not so deare as dan [...]geros; for I now finde, that how­soeuer sweet they seemed vnto my carnall minde; they bred in my heart ma­ny fearefull sinnes, which now I feele as pricks in my soule; and thy correction seemeth to encrease my feare, seeing and feeling it in my minde (as it is cor­rupt) heauie, and burthen­some: [Page 138] but when I doe con­sider it, as it is, in thy pur­pose, I finde it to be an ease vnto mine inward part, through thine owne gift of faith, in beleeuing it to proceed of thy meere loue; and of patience to beare it, knowing it to be a most wholsome medicine to cure mee of my disease of sinne, which in it selfe is mortall.

Howsoeuer, I haue de­serued to be more seuerely punished, & to be brought to a more miserable and poore estate then yet I am; yet Lord remember thy mercies, and the merites of Iesus Christ thy Sonne; and for his sake lay it not ouer heauily vpon mee: [Page 139] Leaue mee not altogether destitute of things necessa­rie for my competent re­liefe here: but, as thou hast iust cause, fatherly to cor­rect me; So, yet graciously protect me, & preserue me from too great miserie; though I deserue not thy mercie, yet I haue a meri­torious Mediatour with thee, for whose sake thou mayest be pleased to miti­gate my hard and mise­rable estate, and to giue me patience to vndergoe it, with competent foode and rayment, and content­ment therewith.

And defend me Lord, from the iniuries that vsu­ally thy poore children are enforced here to endure: [Page 140] In thee I trust O Lord, whose prouidence I hold my chiefest portion; for of thee commeth my saluati­on, my safety, and suffici­encie.

Thou diddest create me (Lord) and madest mee a liuing creature; who can­not subsist or continue without such ordinarie meanes, as thou hast ordai­ned for humane sustentati­on, which thou affordest vnto the most brute beasts, that call not vpon thee: how much more vnto them that faithfully aske it of thee? I come vnto thee most mercifull Father in Iesus Christ; who, as thou hast, made all things, and possessest all things: so [Page 141] thou giuest and disposest all things; to euery man a portion, according as thou thinkest most fit for euery man: And therefore for­asmuch as thou seest po­uerty a fitter portion then riches; and want then wealth; I accept it with hearty thankfulnes, know­ing that thou art able to relieue me, as well with lit­tle as with much; And though my portion bee small; thou hast promised to nourish me, and to su­staine me: Thou refreshest the thirsty soules, and fil­lest the hungry with good things, and by promise, nothing wanteth to them that [...]eare thee.

The meanest of thy [Page 140] [...] [Page 141] [...] [Page 142] creatures which thou hast ordained for the vse of man, and the least portion thereof, blessed by thee, cannot but bee sufficient, be it but pulse with Daniel and his fellowes, yea the meanest dyet, shall so fru­ctifie to the reliefe of my weake body, as I, in faith feeding vpon the same, shall liue thereby; and when thou wilt, thou canst encrease my portion, as thou diddest the oyle and meale of Eliahs Hostice.

Also consider Lord, that pouerty and want, not affording for the time, competency to supply our great necessity, enforceth to borrow; and mens harts are hard, and Creditours [Page 143] cruell; Let me neuer fall into their hands, but as thou diddest send a pre­uailing guest vnto the wi­dow of Sarepta (Eliah) by whom (through thy power and prouidence) her little oyle and meale (euen who­ly consumed) was so en­creased, as she had suffici­ent, not onely for the re­liefe of her and her family, but to pay her debts with the rest. This was thy do­ing O Lord! And thou art still the same God, who in my greatest necessity canst raise meanes, either by the help of man, whom thou somtimes appointest to relieue thy distressed ones, or by blessing my lawfull labours and ende­uours: [Page 144] If they all faile, thou hast infinite other meanes, reserued onely in thine owne wisedome, to helpe in most neede: If thou couldest send that raueuous fowle, to feede Eliah in his hunger, much more canst thou afford or­dinary meanes to relieue me, and to enable me to pay all men their due; a duty required of thee: and I cannot performe it but by thee; into whose hands I had rather fall, then into the hands of cruell and mercilesse men.

I am vnder thine hand, O Lord, support me with thy grace; strengthen my faith that I faint not, that being in thy prouidence [Page 145] relieued, I may (as I truly doe ascribe vnto thee, whatsoeuer comfortable supply I shall enioy at thy hands) humbly recom­mending my selfe, and mine estate vnto thy bles­sing, in the name of Iesus Christ: to whom with thee and the holy Ghost, be all honour, praise and thankes for euermore, Amen.

Lord encrease my faith.

A short Prayer to bee said of him, that is in pouertie and want.

O Eternall God, most mercifull and lo­uing Father in Iesus Christ, thou hast created me of the dust of the earth, and hetherunto sustained my earthly body by earth­ly meanes; which I ac­knowledge to proceede of thy goodnesse onely, and of thy meere blessing; without the which no­thing can succeed comfor­tably vnto me; but through thy blessing, the weakest means shall bee sufficient to sustaine me; and for all thy mercies, thou requirest [Page 147] onely in mee a liuely faith in thee, prayer vnto thee, and patient wayting on thee: So, though my por­tion be h [...]re pouertie, yet as long as thou art pleased to showe thy selfe a louing father towards me, I shall be releeued, nourrished, protected and preserued, in my greatest want of the necessaries, required for the sustentation of this short momentanie, misera­ble and mortall life: Lord, I beleeue thy promises made vnto all beleeuers, that in their greatest ne­cessities, Thou wilt neuer faile them, nor forsake them: Lord I beleeue, confirme my beleefe; make mee strong in faith, that I may [Page 148] serue thee faithfully and pray vnto thee feruently; that so I may vndergoe my troubles, and wayte thy gracious pleasure pa­tiently, to be supplyed in what I want (timely) know­ing▪ that thou art a God that shewest mercie; and yet as a louing father thou correctest thine owne deerest children, to retaine them in obedience; thou hast corrected me, I feele thy rod, thy rod of loue, not of thy heauy displea­sure and wrath; for, if thou shouldest deale with mee, and punish mee according to my merite, I could ex­pect no mercy. I haue of sended thee, I haue sinned against thee, and doe ac­knowledge, [Page 149] that pouertie and want (though heauy▪ and burthensome▪ vnto flesh and blood) cannot be a sufficient punishment for my euill deseruings; and were it not that thy mercies doe farre exceede thy souerity, I had not one­ly more deepely beene afflicted, but had perish­ed long agone.

O Lord, I acknowled­ge this thy correction iust and gentle; yet consider Lord that I am weake to beare it, and therefore I humbly praye thee to sup­port mee with thy hand, that I fall not altogether, and furnish mee with thy grace, that I fainte not.

I see no humane helpe [Page 150] O Lord, whereon to de­pend or hope; there is none to succour mee but thou, whome I haue offen­ded: and how dare I come boldy to begge of thee, whose many and infinite blessings I haue so much and often abused? If there­fore I should come in myne owne name, thou mayst iustly turne thee from me; O happy am I that I haue one with thee in whose name I may come and bee receiued: I may pray and be heard, I may aske and receiue what I want: heare him O Lord, for me and in my behalfe; he is my Mediator, and whome thou so dearely lo­uest, as thou hast promi­sed [Page 151] to deny mee nothing for which he asketh of thee for me: and who is not ignorant of this worlds miseries? hee was Patient in suffering as a man, and now though exalted to the Throne of glorie, he des­piseth not those that suf­fer here as hee suffered; therefore Lord, for his merits sake heare me, mi­tigate my miserie, supply my necessities, raise mee out of the [...] worlds disgrac [...], [...] out of the [...] of miserie wherein I sticke [...]st.

Lord, confirme my faith in thee, open the eyes of my dull apprehension of thy power and proui­dence; showe me the well [Page 152] of liuely releefe, as thou didst the spring of relee­uing water to miserable Hagar; that I may be re­freshed with the Cuppe of thy saluation, and may rightly vse such meanes for my releefe, as in thy wisedome thou shalt raise vp and prouide for mee: and giue mee grace that I abuse not thy guifts, but to vse them to thy glory; so shall they bee to my comfort. Giue a blessing to all my labours and godly endeauours; and that in the feare of thy great name, I may liue in perfect obedience; that prospering, I may praise thee, and in my hardest estate, be patient; recom­mending [Page 153] my selfe and it, to thy gratious and father­ly prouidence, vnto the end. Amen.

O Lord increase my faith.

Generall counsell and comfort, for men imprisoned.

IMprisonment is the depriua­tion of humane libertie, and befalleth vpon men commonly that haue before abused their freedome: for, it is the nature of humane frailtie, to runne and ra [...]ge after pleasures and car­nall delights, hauing the raines of the bridle of libertie loose, nothing to curbe it; It attemp­teth many vnlawfull actions a­gainst the lawes of God▪ and men, to fulfill corrupt de­sires, and licencious appetites; Therefore doth God (as a lo­uing father) curbe the bit of [Page 154] their corrupt wills,Why God depriueth men of their liber­tie. to keepe them in obedience; finding no other meanes auailable, to make them to knowe them­selues: though hee is able to take away the strength and vse of all their sinning parts, and to make them vnable to followe or performe their impious in­clinations: but he dealeth more fauourably with men, then they can deserue, by their restraint.

A father, louing his vngodly and disobedient child; if he can­not otherwise tame and reforme him by counsell and gentle cor­rections, but that he wil still run into forbidden wayes, & dange­rous and vngodly courses, he findeth at the last, no other preuai­ling remedie, but to take him, & fetter him, restraining him by force from his impious course of life, yet in loue: So doth our lo­uing and heauenly father, after tryall of such as he loueth, by counsell, by instruction and holy [Page 155] documents out of his word, & many times by gentle corre­ctions & fatherly chastisements; which not preuailing to their reformation, hee vseth this re­straining meanes, he depriueth them of their libertie, by impri­sonment; from whence, they cannot at their pleasures runne out, after their former vngodly delights and accustomed vani­ties; onely to learne them to liue within the more compasse of obedience; and to bring their corrupt mindes; wills and af­fections, into some better or­der: and when hee hath suffi­ciently tryed them, he lets them goe free.

And therefore consider, who­soeuer thou art, that art thus re­strained, that thou maist haue (if thou be any way inclined to feare and serue God) farre more time and libertie to per­forme many godly duties,The Prison a place of libertie to serue God. more and more, freely in this [Page 156] place of restraint, then when thou hadst thy libertie: there thou maist ruminate and exa­mine thy selfe of the abuses of thy former freedome, wherein thou didst many wayes offend God and transgresse the Lawes of thy Soueraigne; which in this place thou canst not so free­ly doe: but rather thou maist here meditate of better things, howsoeuer thy desire may bee corrupt by nature, and haue a longing desire to be at libertie, to fulfill thy former delights, as the Children of Israell longed and looked back to the Onyons, gowrdes, flesh-pots of Egypt, be­ing freed from greater captiui­ty then thou indurest here.

The least restraint that a na­turall man hath (that loues the delights of the world,It is a death to a carnall man to bee preuented of his plea­sures. and his fleshly pleasures) is as death, to be preuented of them: If he haue but the Go [...]te, or any other impediment of any part of [Page 157] his body, which disableth him to follow or performe his for­mer vanities; he longeth to bee eased, that hee may renewe his sinnes, by accompanying his former associates in the delights wherein they mutually were wont to spende pretious time, in the large and delightsome field of this world where are as many occasions, tentations, allurements & prouocations, to miscary the thoughts, as the Eye can see, the Eare heare, or any of the Sences obserue; all tending (in carnally minded men) to the offending of God: and if a man haue not the speciall gift of so­brietie, continence & tēperance; the libertie and freedome of this deceiuing world, & the cor­rupt inclinations of the flesh, cannot but seduce him, though hee bee in part of some good inclination; yet here hee shall finde a secret Satan, & his pu­blick prompters to miscary him▪

[Page 158] Thou therefore that art thus restrained and limited within the walles,The minde may bee at libertie when the bodie is imprisoned beyond which thou canst not goe; thy minde is yet at libertie, if it be seasoned with vertue, faith, in and obedience to God; thou maist send forth thy prayers which are not lockt in, which cannot but returne with greater comfort then thou didst enioy when thou wert at large. But if it be tainted and in­fected with vnholy thoughts and desires, though they raunge abroade to Tauernes, Thea­ters, and other prophane pla­ces, where thy heart directeth them, they returne no good, but euill vnto thee: and if thou finde thy selfe still inclinable to vanities; here thou maist learne (according to the condition of some of thy fellowe-prisoners) to be more vaine: but abandon their societie, and seeke the company of, and conuerse with them of thy fellowes that [Page 159] feare God, for it cannot be that a prison which should bee as a schoole of vertue (though too much fraught with many vi­cious) should be altogether destitute of some, fearing God, and of whom thou maist either learne good, or to whom thou maist doe good.

It is lamentable to see, and grieuous to consider, that the Prison being a place intended for correction of men offending God and the Lawes of men,Many are worse after then before they were imprisoned should not onely not be bet­tered by their restraint, but are many times founde to be worse conditioned at their comming out, then before they were committed; which doth argue them so impious as they feare not God, nor reuerence man: they haue no feeling of their sinnes which caused their re­straint; but, in steed of sorrow for their sinnes, they indeauour there, to learne the sinnes where­with [Page 160] they were little acquain­ted before: these are men past feeling of their euill deseruings; they conceiue not, that God corrects them in this place for their sinnes, and that the Ma­iestrate punisheth them for their offences: but in steed of acknowledging their faultes, they seeke to cleere themselues, by the malice of some enemie, some false accuser, some cruell creditor, when indeede their owne sinnes haue beene the cause of their restraint. And therefore such as feare God will take it as a fatherly correction, and attribute it to the loue of God, that by this meanes see­keth their reformation and sal­uation.

Submit thy selfe therefore vnto his will, and doe not think that this befalls thee by chance, or through the malice of an ene­mie, or the hardnesse of the heart of a Creditor: If an [Page 161] enemie haue accused thee,None is re­strained of his liberrie but by Gods Prouidence though man may bee the meanes. or a Creditor arrested thee, thinke they were but Gods Ministers; though peraduenture thou bee not guiltie of the thing for which thou art accused and im­prisoned, yet remember what thou hast formerly done: for, God many times punisheth a man, and that seuerely, for a sinne formerly committed and long concealed, vpon an accu­sation whereof the Partie is not guiltie; yet being guiltie of a former hainous crime, that de­serueth like punishment, the Lord is not vniust to punish him, how and by what meanes soeuer.

God is prouoked by sinne, to inflict the least correction vpon man; and as there is no man but he is a sinner,As all men are sinners so all men deserue c [...]rrection. so there is no man is free from one crosse or affli­ction or other; to put him in minde, that God is displeased with his sinne, and yet he per­mitteth [Page 162] some men to runne on long, euen to their last gaspe, free from any seene crosse or ca­lamitie: but these not the hap­piest men; for, whom soeuer God chasteneth not here, hee reserueth for them a more se­uere punishment in the end; a prison farre exceeding any worldly restraint; for he that is in this world a prisoner, is at length deliuered, liuing or dead; but from that future, is no time limited or permitted to be freed through all eterni [...]ies.

Thinke not therefore this ea­sie restraint grieuous, whereof so good vse is to be made; for by this thou maist learne, if a temporall and momentanie im­prisonment be so loathsome and irckesome vnto thee,If a corpo­rall prison be irksome what may we thinke of the in­fernall? where thou hast yet some (though small) libertie; what will that bee where thou shalt haue no freedome, no intermission of torment and horror? besides, [Page 163] thou hast here some compa­nions and friendly fellow-pri­soners, whose company thou maist frequent to thy comfort; but the companions which they shall there finde, are hideous, fearefull, such as haue no other qualitie but to torment and suf­fer, and be tormented.

Know therefore that God in his singular prouidence and loue restraineth thee here a pri­soner,God re­straineth men here to giue thē libertie hereafter. that thou shouldest here learne to auoid that which is prepared for the rebellious and obstinate wicked ones here­after: For, if thou reforme thee not being restrained, and be­come obediente, what may be thought of thee, being at li­bertie? But vsing thy restraint as thou maist & oughtest, thou art in farre better, case then are many Libertines: Heere thou maist read the worde, and me­ditate thereon: heere thou maist pray and excercise holy duties, [Page 164] without such varietie of occasi­ons (as the freedom of the world affordeth) to distract thee: Yet I would not that I should be vnderstood, that because cor­porall restraint, is a meanes to haue the minde at libertie, when the body is in Prison, that any man should wilfully occasion, or voluntarily seeke his owne restraint:The cause of impri­sonment is to bee considered. but rather that being thus restrayned, to consider du­ly, the cause why you are rest­rayned: for the cause much im­porteth the ioye, or griefe; the hope or feare, of a Prisoner.

Pharaohs Baker and Butler, were both in Prison;Gen. 39. 14 the one hanged, the other restored to his Office; yet both deserued Im­prisonment, for offending their Maister: But Ioseph and Iohn Baptist were Imprisond, the one through the false accusasion of his vnchaste Mistresse,Math. 13. 4. the other through enuye, in telling Herod of his Incest: The first had his [Page 165] freedome & made Cheef vnder Pharaoh in Egypte; the other lost his head to please a Whore.

There are many causes of imprisonement,He that is imprisoned without iust cause, may re­ioyce. and many, causelesse imprisoned; and both haue cause to reioyce: the first that God in his fauour calles him to knowe himselfe, by the consideration of his of­fence for which hee is commit­ted; the other may the more reioyce that he is punished be­ing an innocent,1. King. 22. 27 as was Micha­iah the Prophet of God, who was cast into prison, for telling Iehosaphat and Ahab, that they should not prosper in fighting against the King of Si­riah.

The deerest children of God haue suffered imprisonment for diuers causes,Most godly men haue beene im­prisoned. especially for speaking the truth from God; as Paul, Peter, &c. whose imprisonments tended to their euerlasting freedome: for, to [Page 166] suffer for righteousnesse sake is a blessed thing; but to suffer as an euill doer, hath no promise of inward comfort or outward re­leefe; especially, if he continue impenitent for the euill he hath done: yet, all hope is not taken from a sinner, who, for the of­fending of the Lawes of God or men is imprisoned; especially, if he truely repent, and with a liuely faith returne vnto God, were he as guiltie as the Theefe vpon the Crosse, who from the prison was brought to the Crosse; at the Crosse to Christ, and from the Crosse to Paradice with Christ.

It behoueth therefore to consider the cause of thine im­prisonment; for,As the cause is, so ought the counsell to be. as there are seuerall causes, so are there se­uerall councelles and comforts to be applyed.

If thou haue offended the Lawes of thy Soueraigne,Diuers causes of imprisonement. which may be done by diuers forbid­den [Page 167] actions, deseruing death or some other seuere punishment; as treasons, rebellion, murther, theftes, and the like: Some a­gaine are punished for debte, for slandering their neighbours, or doing such iniuries against them, as the Lawe of man (grounded vpon the Law of God) hath power to punish with imprisonement: in all which,What is re­quired of a man impri­soned. is required Patience to beare it, prayer in faith to God to be eased, with true & hearty acknowledgement of thy fault to God, against whome euery sinne is committed, and to seeke reconciliation with the partie offended: so shall re­straint (for what cause soeuer) become the more easie to bee borne: And first I will touche the most capitall and most hai­nous offences; such, as if thou haue committed, or any of them, and bee restrained for them, there remaineth for thee [Page 168] in the seueritie of Iustice, no­thing but the expectation of the censure and Sentence of death: and therefore fit for thee to learne how to prepare thee, that though thy body perish, thy soule may be saued.

Against Treason, for which a man is worthily imprisoned.

ABoue all other sinnes,Treason the most capitall sin. that can be committed against the Lawe of man, there is none so great, so grieuous, capitall & hainous, as is Treason against the person of a Soueraigne, of whome no man ought to moue his tong; no, not in his most pri­uate chamber, but to what may tende to the welwishing of his welfare and prosperitie; much lesse ought any man to moue his hand, or heart, to touch him to his hurt: for, such is the sacred Majestie of a King, being [Page 169] in earth▪ Vicegerent vnder God, in the Kingdomes where­in the Lord hath placed him: that he ought in all things to bee obeyed next vnto God, aboue all other, of all his sub­iects: And whosoeuer goeth about, by counsell, conspiracie, or consent, to betray him, is not onely worthy of imprison­ment, but of the most cruell tormenting death that can bee deuised by man:A Traytor worthy of most cruell death. and therefore, if thou shouldest be guiltie but of the knowledge of such a pra­ctice, and didst conceale it, thou art not to be graced with one minute of life, nor by the prayer of any good subiect for thy deliuery; but to haue thy deseruing, not as [...]ad Baarah and Rechab, who thinki [...]g to pleasure Dauid, slew the King their Master Ishbosheth, whome Dauid caused to be slaine with the sword: But the like or worse then Reualiacke had for [Page 170] killing that famous King of France; whose torments were as horrible as the wit of man could deuise.

The Maiestie of God is so imprinted in the person of a King,The Ma­iestie of a King daun­teth a Trai­tor. as when wicked men haue vndertaken any desperate enterprise vpon them, they haue beene many times so daun­ted, as they haue had no power to act their villanies; or haue suddainely so discouered their wicked intention, by counte­nance, gesture or speech, as hath bewrayd the guilt of their conscience, and haue beene preuented of their intended mis­chiefe. Among many other most memorable examples of Gods Prouidence, the disco­uery of the many treasons and conspiracies intended, and rea­dy to haue beene executed, euen vpon the person of our late most famous Queene Eli­zabeth by Parrie and others, [Page 171] are so perspicuous, and her de­liueries so wonderfull, as can ne­uer be forgotten. And his late Maiesties admirable deliuery from the conspiracie of the Gow­ries is yet fresh in euery mans memory, to Gods eternall glo­ry, and the ioy of all his King­domes.

When Quintinanus a vil­laine, being solicited to kill the Emperour Commodus by the conspiracie of Lucilla the Em­perours sister, had taken vpon him the murther, wayted the time and conuenient place to execute the Treason;Traytors bewray their in­tentions, by outward gesture. attending the Emperours comming; when he saw his Maiestie, hee began to tremble, his counte­nance changed, his gesture al­tred, and his tongue could no longer conceale his guiltie con­science: but before the Em­perour came neere him, held out his murthering dagger in his hand, cryed out, This the [Page 172] Senate sends thee: whereupon he was preuented and appre­hended.

If therefore thou be appre­hended and imprisoned, as guiltie of this most hainous and monster of all sinnes; examine thine owne heart, confesse and bewray thine intention to the satisfaction of men, especially of thy Soueraigne; and acknow­ledge thy sinnes to God, re­pent them; It may be the Lord may yet vpon thy sincere and serious repentance, haue com­passion on thy soule, though no good subiect will pitie thy death,No good subiect will pitie the death of a Traytor. or wish the prolonging of thy life; but the seuearell death. So hainous is Treason and so odious are Traitors.

For such as are imprisoned, as guiltie, or vehemently suspe­cted of murther.

NExt vnto Treason, Murther a crying sin. Mur­ther is the most crying sinne; whereof, if thou be guil­tie, especially if it were wilfull, and imprisoned for the same, remember, that Who so sheddeth mans blood, by man shall his blood be shed: Though the Mur­ther be neuer so secretly done, neuer so closely kept, neuer so long concealed; so odious it is to God, that he seldome or ne­uer suffers it to goe vnreuealed: The very Barbarians helde Murther so hainous a sinne,Act 28. 4. as they did thinke it could not es­cape the vengeance of God,The blood of the mur­thered cryes a­gainst the murtherer neither indeed can it, for, as the guiltlesse blood of Abel cryed against his murtherous brother Kayne, so doth the blood of euery man (guiltlesly [Page 174] slaine) crye against the mur­therer, and huntes him from place to place whether soeuer he flye; where soeuer he hides himselfe, the murthered see­meth still to be in the eye of the murtherer; whether he sleepe or wake hee is still tormented; and the Deuill that inticeth a murtherer, perswading him by many false perswasions, which he conceiueth in his minde, by this or that meanes he may es­cape when he hath committed the Murther; he layes the mur­thered before the eyes of the guiltie conscience of the mur­therer; and telles him, loe here is that innocent person thou hast wilfully murthered; God will seuerely reuenge it, hee will giue thee into the Magi­strates hand to be here tormen­ted in the flesh, and take away thy life, and then cast thee into eternall torments as thou de­seruest.

[Page 175] If, therefore, thou be guiltie of any such grieuous crime, and be derected, and impriso­ned, thou maist thanke God, who hath discouered thee and restrained thee in this place, from whence thou canst not es­cape, to the end,The prison is a fit place for a mur­therer to repent, if he haue a­ny grace. thou shouldest no longer raunge the world with a tormenting conscience, but rather casting off all vaine hope to be freed, betake thee to repentance for all thine of­fences; and especially, for this thy most odious facte, crye earnestly and faithfully to God for mercie, that he will still the crye of the innocent murthered, that soundeth so fearefully in the eare of thy guilty conscience: crye for pardon in Christ, for whose sake there is mercie with God, if with a true and liuely faith thou craue it.

If thou be guiltie, and yet but onely vpon suspicion commit­ted, the facte not fully reueiled; [Page 176] if thou confesse it not to the Ma­gistrate, thy burthen will be for the more heauie,It is not sufficient for a mur­therer to confesse the fact to God, but to men. though thou thinke it sufficient to confesse it in secret and silence to God, who needs not thy confession of the facte: for hee saw it done, and knew thine intention before thou didst it; he hath seene and obserued thee since, how thou hast runne hether and thether for safetie, and how thou hast sought all meanes to hide it and escape: but all in vaine: there is [...]o hiding thee from his sight.

Thy sinne is grieuous, thou hast laid violent and murtherous hands vpon, and taken away the life of the Image of God, though a humane creature: and [...]s the facte is done against God, so thy repentance or hardnesse of heart, are knowne to him alone, not to man, a­gainst whom also thou hast grie­uously sinned; therefore must thou openly acknowledge the [Page 177] facte before men, that thou maist free the innocent that may be otherwise had in suspition, to be actors of that which thou thy selfe hast done; and so double thine offence,The guilt­lesse maybe suspected and suffer, for the fact of another not confes­sed. in causing another to suffer for thy sinne; and so heape as well his blood (as the blood of the murthered) vpon thine owne conscience: Therfore as thou art discouered, taken, kepte from any hope of escape; make of necessitie a vertue: take that punishment with a godly patience, that by all thy secret intentions, inuen­tions and subtile practises, thou canst not auoide: craue forgiue­nesse of thy sinnes of God, vpon the knees of a most peni­tent and relenting heart: and if it be possible, wrest through bit­ter sighes and sorrowe, euen teares of blood from thy bloody conscience, in heartie and faith­full prayor to God in his Sonne Christ, who shed his blood for [Page 178] thee, and thereby able to wash thee from thy bloody sinne; if thou truely repent and doest faithfully and feruently praye for pardon: and if thou be de­stitute of the power to pray of thy selfe, thou maist vse the former prayer, made for a man grieued in conscience for the hainousnesse of his sinnes; or this short confession and prayer following; and that often, vntill thy conscience become at peace with God: and then howso­euer, both the Lawe of God and men condemne thee for the facte, and that thou suffer death for the same, take it with god­ly patience; for better it is for thee to suffer here a temporall death for thy sinne, then to car­rie the burthen of a tormenting conscience (not suspected) to thy graue, which (though man doe not) shall accuse thee when it will be too late to crye for mercie.

A Prayer for a man impriso­ned, guiltie of murther.

O Lord God, whose mercies are aboue all thy workes, and yet I wretched creature haue not deserued the least part of the same, but ra­ther vtter confusion both of body and soule: not onely, for my manifold and grieuous sinnes, com­mitted euen from my youth; but aboue all other of my grieuous sinnes, I feele the heauy burthen of this one sinne, this capi­tall and crying sinne, in thy seuere Iustice impar­donable; the wilfull ta­king away of the life of [Page 180] thine innocent creature, whose blood cryeth a­gainst mee, as did that guiltlesse blood of Abel crye against his murthe­rous brother Kayne; who was reiected by thee, by reason of his impenitency: deale not so with mee (deare father) I praye thee; I am heartely forty for my wicked facte, and doe acknowledge it to be most hainous; yet not ex­ceeding thy mercy: which as farre as the heauen is aboue the earth, so is thy mercie aboue thy Iustice: and as farre as the East is from the West, so farre canst thou put this my grieuous sinne from mee: which, though it be as red [Page 181] as blood, yea blood it selfe; yet is the blood of that Lambe Iesus Christ, of more then sufficient ef­ficacie and vertue to make it white as snowe.

O cast mee not vtterly out of thy fauour, though I be a most grieuous sin­ner! for, my soule is hea­uy within mee, my heart is cast downe, I dare not looke vp vnto heauen where thou sittest a seueate Iudge; and I tremble to thinke how grieuously I haue offended thee.

I am fallen, O Lord I am fallen into the hands of my most deadly enemie Satan, that pursues mee with deadly hatred; he, he (O God) prouoked mee [Page 182] to this vngodly deede, and now he seekes to draw me to dispayre of thy mer­cie; into whose hands O Lord I cast my selfe, know­ing, that there is yet mer­cie with thee, and in Iesus Christ perfect Redemp­tion: I am also fallen into the hands of men, whose Lawes I haue by this mine vngodly facte wilfully broken, by whose Lawes I am condemned, and that worthily: and there is none to comfort me but thou alone, against whom especially I haue commit­ted this bloody sinne: for which, as I doe acknow­ledge to haue deserued the death not onely of my wretched body, but also [Page 183] of my most sinfull soule; so I beleeue that the death of my body shall be a sufficient satisfaction to the Lawe of man; and the griefe and sorrowe of my truely repenting heart (through the preuayling death of my Sauiour Iesus Christ) shall bee a satisfa­ction to thy Iustice.

And as I doe acknow­ledge that I haue deserued to dye; so I beseech thee Lord to prepare me there­vnto with Patience; faith; firme and constant assu­rance of thy mercy; that I fainte not at my approa­ching death: but may bee assured, that as thou for­gauest the Theef vpon the Crosse; & receiuedst him [Page 184] into Paradice; so thou wilt receiue my soule, in the merites of Christ my Sa­uiour, when through death it shall leaue my sin­full body: which graunt gracious Lord God, for his sake that dyed for penitent sinners; among whome I cannot but confesse I am the greatest: and the greater shall thy mercy appeare.

Lord confirme my faith in thee to the end, and in my end. Amen.

For such as are imprisoned, for committing any offence against the Lawes of the Kingdome, deseruing death.

AS the Lawes and Ordi­nances of Kingdomes are many,Euery man knowes the offences a­gainst the Lawes that deserue death. to meete with the sinnes and transgressions of men, which are infinite; so the cau­ses of mens restraynts, impri­sonments, and punishments, are not to bee named or num­bred: yet euery man common­ly knowes the offences that de­serue the same, and haue not yet the grace, or power to auoide the committing of them.

Thou art in prison, knowne or vehemently suspected of some grieuous facte committed against the Lawes, deseruing the executing sword of the Magistrate vpon life or mem­ber; thy case is hard and dan­gerous, deserued death, or [Page 186] some other seueare punishment hangeth ouer thy head, at the pleasure of the Iudge.

It behoueth thee therefore, to looke into thine owne heart, and to examine thine owne con­science strictely; whether thou be guiltie or not, of the cryme laid vnto thy charge, or of any other grieuous cryme which thou hast long concealed: for, God many times doth punish an offender for some wicked facte (formerly committed and neuer discouered) by the suspi­tion of a cryme;God some­times pu­nisheth an offendor for some former sin▪ by the suspition of a fault he did not com­mit. and punisheth it as the acte done: and there­fore if thou feele thy selfe guil­tie of any grieuous offence commited against God by the breach of the Lawes of man, which thou hadst cleane for­gotten; if thou be after vn­iustly accused or suspected of another, which (if thou were guiltie of it) deserued as seueare punishment as the former, and [Page 187] thou receiue it, though (in that) thou be innocent; yet in Gods Iustice, this thy punishment is for thy former offence iust.

He that wittingly or wilful­ly disobeyeth the Lawes of man,The offēce of mans Lawe is the offence of Gods. is guiltie of the breach of the Lawe of God, by whom Magistrates that establishe Lawes for ciuile gouernment of their subiects, are set and ap­pointed; and haue their autho­ritie and power (to punish of­fendors from God: and there­fore should euery soule submit it selfe to the powers ordained by God: And seeing thou hast highly offended these Lawes, fit it is that thou shouldst be ap­prehended & restrained of thy raunging libertie, whereby thou maist not onely offend others, but bee a meane to intice others to thy example of sinning.

Receiue therefore thine im­prisonment and punishment with patience; murmure not [Page 188] against the Magistaate, that thus in Gods steed, and as his Minister correcteth thee;The sooner an offender is preuen­ted of his sinne, the happier is he. who if hee had let thee runne on fur­ther in thine impieties, the greater had beene thy sinne, and the greater would haue beene thy finall punishment: whereas now, thou mayst haue time to examine thy life past, and to repent thee of thy sinnes, and to seeke to God in Christ for pardon; and therefore hast thou rather cause to thanke God for thine imprisonment, then to grudge that hee correcteth thee: so shalt thou make profit of thy restraint, in redeeming thy for­mer ill spent time, and learne to frame thy heart to more obe­dience to the Lawes of God and man, for the time thou hast yet to spend in this life.

If God haue ordained the Magistrate in Iustice to take away thy life, iustly deseruing it, thou (through faith) by true [Page 189] repentance and prayer, maist enioy a farre more glorious life, for thy present ignomi [...]ious death.

If any other punishment be by the Lawes due for thine of­fence, & that it may be satisfied with the depriuation of any part of thy body, according to the qualitie of thine offence, or to inflict any other corporall punishment vpon thy flesh; thinke it is in fauour,Better to suffer here, then here­after. and that God seeth it better for thee to suffer here a little smart then hereafter, perpetuall torments: and therefore seeing thou hast offended, and made thy selfe guilty of crime, so seuearely pu­nishable; submit thy selfe to the will of God, and to the au­thoritie of the Magistrate, in obedience, faith, and faithfull prayer.

A Prayer to be said of a Pri­soner, accused and like to bee condemned to death for some facte against the Lawes, or to any other cor­porall punishment.

O Mightie, omnipo­tent, and most righteous Lord God, I acknowledge thy Iudgements to bee iust, and thy Wisedome and Prouidence vnsearchable, wherein thou hast found me out, and discouered my sins, which I haue done (as I thought) in secret: but thine all-seeing eye pierceth through the cloudes; no darkenesse can hide sinne and sinners [Page 191] from thy presence: Lord, seeing thou hast found out mine iniquities, and brought my grieuous sins to light; I doe appeale from thy Throne of Iu­stice, to thy Seate of mer­cie: for I doe confesse, that in thy iust Iudgement I am worthy to bee perpetually condēned; but in thy mer­cie I may find fauour: and in the merits of Christ thy beloued Sonne, I may yet be saued, though my mor­tall body here perish.

Thou hast power O Lord, to worke the hearts of the seuearest Iudges of the earth, with Iustice, to ioyne mercie; not to ex­tende the seueritie in pu­nishing of me as the Lawe [Page 192] for mine offence may iu­stlie require.

But aboue all earthly Iudges I stand most affraid of thy displeasure, which I doe confesse I haue iu­stly deserued by mine of­fences, many in number; but this for which I am now restrayned, is not the least: yet not so great but thou canst forgiue and pardon it. But before I can bee assured of thy fa­uour in pardoning mine vngodly deseruings, for which I lye here, vnder thine and the hand of the Magistrate, in bandes; I must and I doe humbly and heartily seeke to bee reconciled vnto thee: But alas, what am I dust and [Page 193] ashes? what am I? a meere worme: what am I? (the vilest of all sinners) that thou shouldest vouschafe to accept my reconciliation with thee the Almightie God, Creator of heauen and earth, be­tweene whose sinceritie and my sinnes, betweene whose goodnesse and my vilenesse, and betweene whose greatnesse and my weaknesse, is so infinite difference, euen as be­tweene heauen and hell? O! how can I thinke, that (although thou canst) thou wilt bee reconciled vnto me, that haue so grie­uously offended? How can I expect any fauour of thee, whom by the breach [Page 194] of all thy commandements I haue so highly incensed against me? I haue sinned, Lord I haue sinned, and many wayes transgressed thy Lawes; and had it not beene of thy meere mercy, I might haue beene (as I haue often deserued) con­founded long agone.

I doe acknowledge O Lord, and thou knowest that this is not the first grieuous offence that I haue committed; and therefore, were I innocent in this, for which I am ap­prehended and impriso­ned, I cannot but confesse that I haue deserued the punishment in Iustice due for this.

But Lord, call not all [Page 195] my former sinnes to thy re­membrance; cast not vp the whole account of all mine impious actions, knowing that I am of the seede of him that first was in thy sauour holy, and that first rebelled, and be­came (and I in him) diso­bedient and rebellious: yet as hee fell of himselfe, and I in him, together with all his posteritie, So was the seed of the woman promised to come, & he is come; & hath suffered ac­cording to thine owne will, to reconcile, euen me (the greatest sinner) and all beleeuers into thy fa­uour againe; the shedding of his blood hath made the attonement: and he it [Page 196] is, yea euen hee alone, in whome I beleeue I shall finde thee reconciled vnto me. Then Lord doe with my body here (which is the actiue part of all my sinnes) what seemeth good in thine owne eyes: for as one haire of the head of thy children, falleth not without thy Prouidence, how much lesse can his life bee taken from him without thee?

My life and my death are in thy hands, though the sword be in the Magi­strates; yet it is not his but thine, and he but thy Mi­nister: therefore if thou saye strike he striketh; if thou saye spare he spareth.

Seeing therefore Lord [Page 197] I am thus in thy disposing onele, and haue learned out of thine owne promi­ses, that all things worke, & worke together, for the good of them whom thou hast chosen: my sinnes Lord, that hath caused mine apprehension; mine apprehension mine impri­sonment; mine imprison­ment, the knowledge of mine owne wicked deser­uing; and my deseruing, death; may all worke to­gether for my good: for, except I had beene re­strained, I had not thought vpon, but had runne on still in my sinne: had I not beene punished, I had not felt thy displeasure for my sinnes; so should I neuer [Page 198] haue sought to thee for succour, and pardon for my sinnes.

O the incomprehensi­ble depth of thy Wise­dome and mercy, in thus visiting me! for before I was restrained, I forgot my selfe & thee: my selfe, what a wretched creature I was; and thee, what a powerfull and iust Iudge thou art: yet louing to them that repent, which is also thy guifte: I know and confesse my selfe now to be an offender, and in danger, and that thou art a iust God and an auenger of sinne.

Lord dispose of mine offending body, as it plea­seth thee: it is dust, turne [Page 199] it to dust, when and how thou wilt; and punish it in what manner and mea­sure thou wilt; yet seaso­ned with thy compassion: As for my soule, Lord re­ceiue it, when through Iu­stice by the Magistrate or otherwise, it shall be en­forced to leaue this my sinnefull body: which graunt for Iesus Christs sake, Amen.

Lord encrease my faith, and prepare mee [...]o obey thee in what soeuer it pleaseth thee here to doe with me.

A Prayer to be said of a peni­tent offender, going to his execution; or to any cor­porall punishment.

O Lord God Al­mightie, though thou be iust in pu­nishing, thou art merci­full in forgiuing and sa­uing sinners; among whome there is none so great, O Lord, as I am, who haue long liued in the practise of infinite im­pieties, neuer thinking of the danger which now is deseruedly fallen vpon me: I am worthily con­demned to what thou wilt inflict vpon mee; Lord giue me patience to take [Page 201] it without repining or grudging at the iust pro­ceeding of the Magistrate, whose Lawes I haue offen­ded; nor against them by whome I was found guil­tie; nor against the Iudge, by whose Sentence I am condemned: for they are all thy Ministers (O Lord) and haue done nothing but what thy good plea­sure is they should doe: And therefore I impute vnto thee (O Lord) all equitie, Iustice and right­eousnesse; to my selfe no­thing but sinne, shame & confusion.

O God, though thy Iu­stice requite, that sinners should here be punished, yet thou reseruest mercie [Page 202] to them that are sorie that they haue offended thee; I am sorie O Lord, I am so­rie, that I haue committed the least sinne against thee; but this grieuous sinne, for which I am inforced to suffer, I lament and re­pent more then death it selfe; because I haue there­by dishonoured thee, wronged those to whome I rather should haue done my best dutie: I haue cau­sed others to sinne by the example of my sinne, and haue inticed them that otherwise might haue li­ued without the danger I haue drawne them into: so that I may be said to be guiltie, not onely of mine owne blood, but of theirs [Page 203] also that haue sinned by my meanes, or with mee, and deserue like punish­ment.

O Lord remember that all men are sinners; and there are great and crying sinnes, and there are sinnes of infirmitie: but Lord, the sinnes that I haue com­mitted, haue cryed, and thou hast heard them; they cryed vnto thee, for this punishment which thou hast determined iustly to be inflicted vpon me; and as the censure is already past vpon me, which I can­not auoid, so doe I expect the time, beseeching thee in the aboundance of thy mercies, to giue me con­stancie to perseuere in a [Page 204] liuely faith vnto the end.

If my lot (Lord) be vn­timely death; and that I see I must suffer for the guilt of my trangressions here; let me finde fauour with thee, as that Theefe did who suffered for his sinnes, and was receiued into Paradice; not of de­sert but of thy free mercie: O deale not with me Lord, after my merit, for then the death of my body or what soeuer corporall pu­nishment, were no satisfa­ction to thy Iustice; Haue mercie therefore vpon me, O Lord, and what course soeuer man taketh with my body, receiue thou my soule into thine eternall Paradice. My heart is pre­pared [Page 205] O God, my heart is prepared, and into thy hands Lord I commend my body to be punished, and my soule to be glori­fied in the merits of Iesus Christ my Redeemer. Amen.

O Lord encrease my faith and confirme it to the end.

For such as are imprisoned for debte.

THe Law of equitie,Though the Law of God com­mandeth to owe to men nothing but loue, yet there must bee lending & owing, but there ought to be no de­frauding by owing. which is the Lawe of God, re­quireth that a man should owe nothing to man but loue and good will; which is hard (at all times) for the most of men to performe: there must bee as there euer hath bin, lending & borrowing, buying and selling, [Page 206] Debitor and Creditor: some debters would, but cannot paye; some haue wherewith & will not paye: the first may be pityed,Eccl. 29. 4. the other exacted: For the same Lawe of equitie, giueth lawfull power to a Cre­ditor (vpon conuiction) to cast him into prison, and there to detaine him till he paye it.

Many thinke that what is lent them, is as if they found it, making no reckoning to re­paye it: and so in steed of satis­faction and thankes, they bring griefe vnto the Lender. But in the same Chapter ver. 3. men are aduised that haue occasion to borrowe, to keepe their word, to deale faithfully and kindely with the Lender, so shall their necessities bee al­wayes releeued: But, Men of euill conscience (as is there fur­ther said) standing in neede of another mans helpe, Ver. 5. 6. will kisse their hand, and humble themselues, [Page 207] vntill they haue gotten what they desire, and when they should re­pay it, they prolonge the time, and giue a carelesse answer; and though they bee able, yet scarse giue the halfe againe, or deceiue him of his mony: and insteed of thankefulnes and loue, they giue him curses & rebuke, euill words for the good hee hath done them: And this is the cōmon course of politicke and wilfull Bancke­ruptes and euill disposed per­sons,The pict­ure of Ban­krupts. that get what they can in­to their hands, of others mens goods: and either voluntarily take shelter in one prison or another, intending a forceable moderation and qualification of their debts, or else conuey away their goods and estates se­cretly, and fleeth the Country, intending to pay nothing at all; though their estates be able to discharge their debtes, and to leaue competent meanes (of the rest) to maintaine and re­leeue [Page 208] themselues: by which si­nister and too common a disho­nest practise, many haue vniu­stly inriched themselues. But such fraudulent getting goods, come little short of (if it equa­lize not) meere roberie: though for a while they may smile at, and reioyce in their impious pollicie.

If thou therfore haue, or in­tende thus subtillie to defraude thy Creditors, hauing sufficient to satisfie them, and in the meane time sufferest thy Cre­ditors to want,They that can & will not pay are worthilie punished. who peraduen­ture haue as much need as thy selfe; there is not onely no pi­tie to be had of thine imprison­ment, but fit a more seuere pu­nishment were inflicted vpon thee, especially if thou be of the number of them that will ra­ther spend that in prison; or in standing out in Lawe, to de­fraude a Creditor (knowing, that in equitie it is due) then [Page 209] with the same money to make him honest satisfaction, or in part.

But if thy debt haue grown by meere necessitie of borrow­ing, and thou at the time of re­ceiuing it, hadst a true, sincere, and godly purpose to repaye it, by probable expected meanes: and in the meane time some crosse by the finger of God hath befallen thee,They that willingly would and cannot pay are to bee pityed. whereby thou art indeed preuented of thy true meaning of the perfor­mance of thy faithfull promise: thou art to bee excused in thy breach, and pityed in thine im­prisonment, not hauing conue­niently wherewith to pay: and if thy Creditor (able to for­beare) doe continue the hard­nesse of his heart towards thee, still detaining thee; thinke it a fatherly chastisement vpon thee to inure Patience in thee; wherein if thou submit thy selfe to Gods will, in working for [Page 210] thee by faithfull prayer, thy Patience shall produce the ex­perience of the loue and fauour of God towards thee; so shalt thou not need to bee so much ashamed of thine imprisonment, as he may be iustly condemned that detaines thee: thou maist reioyce seruing the Lord; when he shall be sorie that hee dealt so vncharitablie with thee.

It behoueth thee yet to exa­mine thy selfe, and thy life past, whether thou haue liued in the feare of God, and in godly di­ligence in thy calling, or whe­ther thou hast past thy time in idlenesse,Fit to exa­mine the cause, that driueth a man to bor­row. in ryoting, gaming and company keeping (accor­ding to the course of too many in this corrupt age) and hast beene compelled, through thy deserued necessitie, to supplie either thine owne vanities, or thy poore family to borrow, not knowing any meanes, nor [Page 211] hauing a godly purpose to re­pay it: if it be so, and thy Cre­ditors haue 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: [Page 212] and yet, if this thy restraint may worke reformation in thee, it sauours of the loue of God towards thee.

If therefore,A good man may be indeb­ted, & im­prisoned for it, and that no ar­gument of Gods dis­pleasure. 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 [Page 213] 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,The plea­sures wher­vpon men spend their meanes, are no­thing but drosse. 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 [Page 214] 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,The last fit refuge for a poore man that cannot pay his debts. 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 [Page 215] 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, Gen. 39. 14. to 21. lay two yeares, in mi­serable imprisonment (falsly accused) yet highly beloued of [Page 216] 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 [Page 217] 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 [Page 218] 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 [Page 219] 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 sinn [...] 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 [Page 220] 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▪ [Page 221] faith in thee, obedience to thee, and patience in thee; with necessary meanes from thee, for my reliefe and sustinance, for thou seest my miserie, and what comfort this comfortlesse place affordeth, where I can neither sleepe, nor wake but vnder locke: But Lord, as Paul and Ioseph through thy onely loue towards them, and thy prouidence ouer them, found grace and fauour with their keepers; so worke in the hearts of them, vnder whose custo­die I am, that they vse no stricte seueritie towards me; that I may call vpon thee more freely and fer­uently.

[Page 222] O Lord, I am poore, and my Creditors haue no pitie; there is no compas­sion in man, but with thee is mercie and timely Re­demption: thou hast thine owne time to correct, and thine owne time and meanes to comfort; a time to cast downe and a time to rayse vp: though thou seeme to forget thy poore prisoners, in permitting them to suffer long, and to endure much; yet hast thou a fatherly care of them, and in thy good time doest euermore deli­uer them.

I beseech thee, in the loue thou bearest to Christ thy Sonne, my Mediator; that when thou seest the [Page 223] measure of mine imprison­ment is sufficient to satis­fie the seueritie of my Cre­ditors, worke their hearts to that compassion to­wards me, (though I bee vnable to pay them all) as that they may remit my restraint, and admit me to my former libertie; that I may the better follow the meanes▪ by mine owne lawfull industrie and thy blessings, whereby I may attaine vnto such a por­tion, as I may be able (as I am willing) to pay them all: and to owe nothing to any man (before I goe hence, and bee no more seene) but loue.

If it bee thy good plea­sure Lord, to take me out [Page 224] of this life, before I can make ful satisfaction to my Creditors, impute it not vnto me as a sinne, but ac­cept my will to doe it, as the true performance of it; that in peace with thee and (as much as in mee lyeth) with all men, I may surrender my soule into thy hands, which (though my body be) my soule is not so imprisoned, as to be restrained from com­ming vnto thee, nor pre­uented of it ascention to the place of libertie and glorie, where Christ my Sauiour is ascended; not­withstanding the crueltie of them, that now couet to retaine my flesh, where­of (it may be if they could) [Page 225] they would wish to make some profit for their sa­tisfaction, which I must then leaue vnto their wils to be disposed.

Most humblie comen­ding my selfe, my soule and my body, into thy di­uine and heauenly custo­dy, vntill the time, In the name of Iesus Christ thy Sonne: to whome with thee and the holy Ghost, be for euer (as hath beene from the beginning) eter­nall glorie, Amen.

O Lord increase my faith, endue me with perfect Pa­tience, and in thy mercie, timely deliuerie.

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.

THE practise of Christi­an charity, hath euer­more beene to doe to other men, as a man desireth o­thers to doe vnto himselfe; and is grounded vpon the words and strict commaund of Christ himselfe: who willeth all men, that whatsoeuer they would that men should doe vnto them, Math. 7. 12. they should doe vnto others. Luk. 6. 31. And a­gaine by way of caueat, he saith: Take heede what ye doe, Math. 4. 24. and how ye deale with other men, for what measure ye met to them, the same shall be measured to you againe; this is the truth:Men ought to doe as they would be done vn­to. yet, are ye so hard hearted, as for a little mo­ney or other matter, to keepe a poore man in prison, depriue [Page 227] him of his liberty, preuent him of the exercise of his calling, disable him to prouide for his owne, and the reilefe of his poore wife and children, and yet account your selues Chri­stians? If ye be Christians in deede, and not in name onely, you cannot but commiserate the necessity of your brethren, and approue your selues Christians, by louing them, by helping them, by relieuing their necessi­ties, and that freely, for Christes sake, whose they are, as he hath commanded.

Be not such louers of your selues, as onely to respect your owne priuate profit, and to en­crease it by oppressing your poore brother (for, so he is how­soeuer base, and howsoeuer your selues are glorious.) And in steed of comforting, ayding and relieuing him, to imprison him, the more to impouerish him; doth not this show you [Page 228] are none of the houshold of faith? who loue one another, helpe one another, relieue one another, as fellow members of one body, whereof Christ is the head?

There is a prouerbe in deed, Charitie begins at home: Charity begins at home: a prouerbe often ill applied. And so it seemes; and where it be­gins, there it ends; where it is bred, there it lyes; at least it neuer goes abroad to the com­fort of the comfortlesse, to helpe the poore, to relieue the Wi­dow and the Orphan.

This, keeping charity in a mans priuate bosome is the cause, that man is become a de­uill to man; Wolfes, deuouring one another,The course of cruell men. by vsurie, by ex­tortions, by fraud, by deceitfull contracts, and vncharitable bar­gaines: in wrapping poore inno­cent men (that stand in neede of the helpe of your aboundance) in bands, morgages, and such griping and cruell conditions, as [Page 229] poore men are not able to per­forme; and vpon breach of payment, or not performing some vnreasonable conditions, you vnconscionably exact the penalties, take the forfaitures, and all aduantages, that the se­uerity of the Law will allow you, thereby vndoing husband, wife, children, and many times the friends of a distressed man; and many times not satisfied with all that the poore man and his friends are able to make, you keepe the poore body of the party in prison, for the vtter­most farthing; and content your selues oftentimes, to passe by the Grate where you heare the poore crie for bread, bread! O wofull and most impious vn­charitablenesse, fearefully con­demned by the sentence of God himselfe.

Nay, who hath not heard with his eares (hatefull to be heard) some cruell man say, hee [Page 230] would make dice of his debters bones?Some brag to make dice of their poore debtors bones. he were as good to say, hee would eate his flesh like a Caniball: And what lesse doe they, that enforce a poore deb­ter to perish in prison, there to leaue his bones, and flesh too, for the satisfaction of the Credi­tor, to make vse of both his bones for dice, and his flesh for Mummy, fit Relicks for cruell creditots, sweet odours for their consciences, and wholsome Phi­sick for their hearts?

Alas, what will a poore mans carkasse profit you? what vse can you put it vnto being dead in prison? if you retaine him till he pay that he cannot pay, dye there he must.

But your policie is there,The policy of some creditors. to keepe him in miserie, to draw compassion towards him of some of his friends, to engage themselues for your satisfaction; It sauours indeede of policie not of piety. Is not one mans [Page 231] vtter vndoing enough, but the ouerthrow of two or three more, and their families for company, as often times it hap­peneth by your extreame cru­eltie?

O miserable Creditors! can you truly pray to God (that is mercifull) forgiue my debts, How can a cruell cre­ditor pray, forgiue me as I for­giue? as I forgiue my debtors: your selues so vnmercifull, as not onely not to forgiue them, but to perse­cute them to death or despera­tion. God hath trusted you for all that ye enioy, onely as his Stewards to dispose as hee hath appointed, not as you take li­berty; going so farre beyond the bounds of your warrant, as to turne the blessings of God into vsurie; and to the circum­uenting of Gods poore distres­sed children that want your helpe: you haue receiued much, and much will be required of you; not of your siluer & gold, not of your lands and possessi­ons; [Page 232] God hath no need of that, that he can giue and take at his owne pleasure: That vsury that he requires at your hands, is faith; if faith be in you, you will loue him; if you loue him, you will loue his image, your bre­thren;A godly rich mans best vsury. if you loue them, you will expresse it by the tokens of loue; namely, to doe them good, to giue to the needie, to feede the hungry, to cloathe the naked, to visite the prisoners; but if in steede of giuing, to take from them, in steede of feeding to starue them, in steede of cloathing, ye strip them; and in steede of visiting prisoners, ye make prisoners; how appea­reth the loue of God in you? for, if you loue not your brethren whom ye daily see, how can you loue GOD whom ye haue not seene?

How fulfill you the Law of this loue of God, when ye doe little or no good to the poore, [Page 233] and least vnto your selues?They are deceiued that thinke goodnes to consist in goods. you thinke goodnesse consisteth in goods; you are commanded to doe good vnto all, and especially to them of the houshold of faith; And because you thinke none faithfull, but such as giue for giuing, lend for lending, and re­quite one good turne for ano­ther; the truly faithfull in deed, are sildome accounted of the number, of them that are in the houshold of the faith of them which keepe touch with you; which in deede may be a marke of a morall honest man, but it is in deede the true note of a truly faithfull man, who hath euer a godly care and holy de­sire, to performe promise in eue­ry honest action, to the vtter­most of his power: but this kinde of faithfull men, are com­monly of the poorest ranke, not of the ranke of the men, com­monly reputed good men; for hee is a good man that is full of [Page 234] goods, though of little good­nesse;Pro. 10. 15. 16. But his goods are in deede vnto him as a strong Citie, Pro. 10. 15. and yet make him more wicked, ver. 16.

Deceiue not your selues, you that haue the strong supposed Castles of wealth for your see­ming defence, but remember that he that made you rich, can make you poore;If the rich change robes with the poore, the poore will be the Gentle­man, the rich the begger. and hee that made the poore, can make them rich: Put the poorest in your roabes, and put their poore ragges vpon your selues, and then, who will call you Master? who then will stoope and bow vnto you as now they doe, as if they were your vassals?

Remember, there was a glut­ton and a Lazarus; A rich Mi­ser, and a miserable Begger; which of them had the best por­tion? the Glutton in show, but the base Begger in deede: the storie is no fable, and is so au­thentick, as needes no witnesses [Page 235] to proue the truth of the ones perdition, and the others salua­tion:The rich Glutton and poore Lazarus. And such gaines as the Glutton gat, many rich men di­ligently seeke, and yet forget what they shall finde: It is not reported that the Glutton was a vsurer, an extortioner, a de­frauder of men by bargaining; But that he was rich, and despi­sed the poore, and therefore was he cast into hell: It is not said hee kept poore men in pri­son, nor that any man perisht by his meanes, but onely Lazarus whom he would not relieue.

Is not this a most fearefull example for you that haue a­boundance, both of foode at full, euery day rayment and riches, and yet see the poore pine in the streetes, and poore men in prison, lamentably cry­ing for bread and meate, and yet haue no compassion on them?

You therefore that haue bin long guiltie of crueltie, in op­pressing [Page 236] poore men, it is neuer too late for you to returne to him that is so louing,Luk. 19. and so rea­die to receiue a sinner that repenteth: It is neuer too late to become a Zacheus of a Publi­can, to be good Christian; he climed vp vpon a wilde Figge-tree to see Christ, and he willed him to come downe; Christ would dine in his house with him,A worthy example for rich men to fol­low. as happie guest; whom Za­cheus receiuing gladly, was con­tent, for a testimonie of his true repentance, of the ill getting of his goods, to giue halfe of it to the poore; and if he had taken from any man by forged cauila­tion, (which importeth all the hard and vngodly meanes hee had vsed to oppresse any man) to restore it foure folde.

O worthy example, and now doth the same Christ call vpon you, who are at the height of a more vnfruitfull Figge tree, which yet seemeth to you to [Page 237] yeeld you much and most sweet fruit; sweet in the taste, but you shall find it bitter in the belly; it is a wilde fruit, & hard of dige­sture; come downe, come down quickly from the height of your vngodly gaines, receiue Christ, he will dine with you, not as with Zacheans vsurers, oppres­sours of the poore, but as you shall become Zacheans, to giue not halfe, but part of your goods to the needie members of Christ;Good counsell for the rich. and what you haue si­nisterly gotten by cautulous bargaines, and by imprisoning men, and causing them either to perish in their bodies or in their estates, for the obtaining of that they cannot pay you; remit it either in whole, or in such a part as may stand with their abilities, to pay and to maintaine (though but in a meane measure) them­selues, their poore wiues and children by the remainder; though it doe come short of [Page 238] Zacheus his repentance and good deedes, yet it will be such a beginning, as being accepted of God, he will say vnto you as he said vnto him, euen that day that you shall thus begin, with a true heart and liuely faith to repent you; this day is salua­tion come in your houses.

O sweet salutation, that brings saluation; and harsh and hellish are the gaines that bring damnation.

Consider in time, put it not off till the day of your death; no not to the making of your last Wills:A dead mā hath no goods. doe good with your goods whiles they are yours, when you are dead they are none of yours: That which you intend your Executors should doe when you are dead, doe it your selues while you are li­uing: for that when you are dead, the goods that you now possesse, shall be at the deuoti­on of others, though you intend [Page 239] them to neuer so godly and cha­ritable vses; It is s [...]ne by daily experience, the intentions o [...] best men and women are abu­sed: And what can your inten­ded workes, to be done in your names after your deathes, profit you? onely that such a rich man when he died, when hee could keepe his goods no lon­ger, gaue these and these Lega­cies to be performed; and their names be registred as chiefe be­nefactors to such and such good vses: Alas, what auaileth this carnall ostentation, if your names bee not written in the booke of life?

First, and before all things then, reconcile your selues vnto God, by a free confession of the wrongs and iniuries you haue done vnto men; though peraduenture you may cloake your crueltie by the Lawes of the Kingdome, that admit for­faitures & all aduantages, more [Page 240] in terrour,Rich cre­dico [...]s must not w [...]rke all extre­mities that humane lawes per­mits. then for the admit­tance of such extremities, as are daily done vnder colour of hu­mane lawfull tolleration. The diuine law of God admits no such libertie, but commands all men, especially the rich, to doe good vnto all, especially to such as are of the houshold of faith, whom, as it is not in your wise­domes to distinguish, hauing amongst vs neither Iewes, nor knowne Pagans or Athiests; doe good to all men: then shall you not misse some of that hea­uenly familie, so will God re­ward you.

As for such as are wicked debtors,Wilfull able deb­tors may be enfor­ced. able to pay and stand out, leaue them to the power of the iustice of the Law; only helpe the poore, and doe your best to relieue the needie; so shall you lend vnto the Lord, who will become a debtor vnto you (if it may be so said) in the behalfe of the poore you [Page 241] shall relieue, and will recom­pence you here in this life with competencie; and hereafter with eternall glorie.

Encouragement for such as are molested and afflicted with enemies flatterers, and their slaunders.

MAny troubles and affli­ctions are incident to the children of God; and amongst the rest, the feare of, and the vexations of enemies is not the least, yet necessarie; for he that hath no enemie seemeth secure;Enemies are necessa­rie. securitie breedes a carelesnesse of godly duties: They that haue no changes,Psal. 55. 19. namely they that fall into no troubles, feare not God, saith Dauid; therefore are enemies necessarie: for, they will not onely vexe them whome they hate, with all manner of euill practises to [Page 242] worke their hurt, but will bee diligent obseruers of their liues and conuersations; that they may bring them into shame and rebuke among the people: And therefore Dauid prayed vnto God, To guide him in his wayes, because of his enemies, Least they taking aduantage of his errors, should publish his disgrace.

By the watchfulnesse of thine enemies, thou maist learne to beware how thou walkest; whereas if thou hadst none, thou mightest runne into many forbidden actions, and yet thinke thy selfe vpright.

It is better to haue many open enemies,Enemies are better then flatte­ring friends then one flat­tering and dissembling friend: of thy knowne enemie thou maist beware, but by a false friend thou maist be betrayed; and yet hardly is a true friend knowne from a flattering ene­mie: they both speake faire and [Page 243] alike, which thou maist heare, and beleeue both alike; they may both offer to doe thee equall offices, which thou maist with like acceptance im­brace; but their mindes, mea­ning and intentions, are hidden; and the best way to trye and distinguish them,The way to trye a true friend from a flat­terer. is, to make them seuerally acquainted with some slight matter, wherein thou maist seeme to haue of­fended; intreating their opi­nions seuerally, whether the of­fence be not such, as thou maist feare some danger: thy friend indeed will tell thee that it is indeed dangerous, but the flat­terer will tell thee, t [...]sh, it is nothing: of him beware, that will sooth thee vp in thine euill, for he will discouer thy secrets.

The greatest and most se­cretst mischiefe that can befall a man, is, when he knoweth not his enemie from his friend; and therefore is an open enemie to [Page 244] be preferd before a false friend: by the words of an enemie,It is a mis­chiefe not to knowe a friend from a flatterer. vt­tered of thee, or to thee, thou maist knowe what hee meanes towards thee; but by the flattery of a fawning friend, thou canst not but be deceiued, and fall into the hands of an enemie, supposed to bee thy friend:Rom. 16. 18. Faire speech and flattery deceiue the hearts of the simple: And when a flatterer hath his opportunitie, hee will bring slaunder vpon him he flattered.

But be thou vertuous,The best meanes to auoid slan­der is to liue ver­tuously. and thou shalt either discouer the flatterer, stoppe the mouths of slaunderers, or turne their eares from them that heare them. Remember how slightly Dauid past ouer the railing of Shemei; he tooke it as sent from God, from whome seeke thou counsell, and hee will either dis­couer the hidden intentions of the flatterer, or withstand the most violent practises of thy [Page 245] open enemie; nay, if thou relye faithfully vpon him, and pray for his defence feruently, hee will make thy very enemies thy friends; yea, bee they neuer so malicious, neuer so violent, ne­uer so close in their counsels, ne­uer so politicke in their deuices, thou shalt auoid them.

But, beware thou giue no cause of offence to any man,Math. 18. 7. as Christ commandeth;To giue no cause of of­fence. for woe is pronounced against them by whome offences come: and take not offence vpon euery light occasion, for so shalt thou neuer be free from being taken as an enemy to others; or pro­cure others to bee enemies to thee: and if thou feele thy selfe culpable of causing offence, thou shalt be worthily branded with the marke of a contentious per­son, whose company, neither wil the godly admit, nor the wic­ked, desire: so shalt thou seeme vnworthy the societie of either.

[Page 246] If therefore thou haue erred in thy tougue, by backe-biting others; or gone so astray in the course of thy life, as for which thou canst iustly accuse thy selfe,If offence be commit­ted, seeke reconcilia­tion spee­dily. or bee iustly accused; make speedie reformation, and delay not to bee reconciled to them that are offended thereat: for thereby thou maist redeeme the good opinion of the good and peaceable, which thou hast lost; and stoppe the mouthes of the wicked, and their slaun­ders, whome thou hast iustly occasioned to speake euill of thee.

And if thou haue taken of­fence at any mans words or deeds (vnlesse it be in the cause of God,Take no offence at any mans words or deeds, vn­l [...]sse they [...] to the dis [...]n [...]r of God or the King. or the King) thou be­wraist thy weakenesse; for, if thou bee a true and faithfull member of Christ, thou wilt beare with reproaches, disgra­ces, yea losses by his example, rather then to be moued to re­uenge; [Page 247] for vengeance is the Lords, and blessed art thou, if for well doing, or vndeserued­ly thou sufferest these things: if for euill, it is a iust recom­pence for thy sinne.

If therefore thou be reuiled, reuile not againe, according to the example of Christ: if thou be railed on, say with Dauid (rayled on and cursed by She­mei) it may be the Lord hath bidden him: and thinke not that any man can speake euill of thee, or doe hurt vnto thee, but God hath a hand in it, ei­ther to punish thee in Iustice,God hath a hand in whatsoeuer befalleth vs. or to reforme thee in mercie: for, thou art but a man, whose nature is, to passe by and to wincke at thine owne; and too strictly to marke another mans erronious words and workes.

And, because thou art so dull sighted, as either thou wilt not or canst not see thine owne faultes, God openeth the eyes [Page 248] and the mouthes of other men,Because we see not our owne faults God makes other men to obserue them. to obserue and preach publick­ly the faultes thou thinkest thou hast committed in secret.

From hence springs quarels and contentions, and from thence, mutuall enmitie, ma­lice and reuenge; make vse therefore of these backe-biting reports, heare them with si­lence, and bewray not a double faulte in thy selfe;God vseth enemies of­ten times to reclaime vs from sin. as first to commit vnseemely things, and then to take them as thine ene­mies, whome God vseth as his meanes to reclaime thee from thine errors: thou oughtest ra­ther to loue them, and to doe them what good thou canst, though they seeme to hate thee: If they curse thee,Lue 6. 27. 28. blesse them, if they slaunder thee, pray for them.The grea­test hurt we can doe our ene­mies, is to doe them good.

Thou canst not doe thine enemie a greater hurt, nor thy selfe more good, then to doe him good, for the hurt he in­tendeth [Page 249] to thee;Rom. 12. 30. for, So shalt thou heape coales of fire on his head: Pro. 25. 21. 12. And therefore hast thou not onely no cause to grudge that God sendeth thee enemies to watch ouer thee, to keepe thee humble and in obedience, and vpon whome (through thy patience) thou maist worke much good; in louing them, and seeking to be reconciled to them: if they then showe them­selues so furious, and desperat­ly bent against thee, as they will not be reclaimed, thou art not barred of thy remedie by the Lawes, and the Magistrate beareth the sword to punish them, and to defend thee: and if thou finde no preuailing meanes thereby, to bee freed from their danger, bewray thy case vnto God in faithfull prayer, who is a iust God to defend thee in thy iust cause, and a powerfull God, whome thy mightiest enemies are [Page 250] not able to resist.

Though thine enemies anger and furie be neuer so great, and threaten thee with sundrie things which they will doe against thee, and euen gnash their teeth vpon thee, as if they would eate thee vp; bee not affraid:The way to preuent a furious enemy. bee onely faithfull and patient, and thou shalt ei­ther see thine enemies become thy friends, their hatred come to an end, or them selues to va­nish and consume away; onely liue thou godly, pray faithfully, and vse all ordinarie meanes lawfully: then bee assured, if thine enemies were more then they are, more powerfull and more furious then they be, they shall stumble and fall.

God in his prouidence, can finde secret and vnexpected meanes to deliuer thee from most deadly enemies, if thou call faithfully vpon him; and therefore cast thy danger vpon [Page 251] the Lord, and hee will defende thee.

It is not in thine owne power or policie,Humane policie or force, with­out the fear of God preuaile not against an enemy. that can saue thee, vnlesse with it and aboue it, thou craue, and haue the power and wisedome of God and his blessing, to second any other meanes thou canst vse; for, what is a sword, a speare, or armour of esteemed proofe, or the strength of a horse, to saue thee? they are all vaine and of no force of themselues, as ap­peared by that monster Goliah armed completely with a Hel­met, Brigandine, and Bootes of brasse; a speare like a Wea­uers beame, and a sword; did these things saue him? trust in none of these outward meanes, trust in the Lord, he is a strong rocke, a fortresse and defence, in whome, and in or by no other meanes, canst thou bee safe.

It is hee that breaketh the [Page 252] hornes,God wea­keneth the power of the ene­mies of his children. namely weakeneth the power of the wicked, and strengthneth the godly: he will guide thee by his counsell, hee will protect thee by his power, and prouide for thee in his pro­uidence; and in the end, receiue thee to glorie, out of the reach of all thine enemies.

Brooke thou therefore with godly patience,We must vndergoe ignominie and slaun­ders for a while, and after comes glorie. all reproaches, disgraces and slaunders; it is but a little while, and a light burthen to beare; and in the end thou shalt receiue for the ignominie and slaunders thou vniustly indurest here, glorie for euermore. And therefore commit the safetie of thy body, and preseruation of thy soule vnto the Lord in well doing, in continuall faithfull prayer; and he will heare thee and deliuer thee.

A Prayer for a man that hath vndeserued enemies, and is subiect to slaunderous tongues, flatterers, and false friends.

O Lord my God in Iesus Christ, lo­uing & mercifull, I beseech thee see and con­sider the malice and secret practises of such as are be­come mine enemies, whereof I neither knowe the true cause, nor haue wittingly deserued their hatred or malice thus a­gainst me.

They priuily backe-bite me, and slaunder me be­hind my backe; they vp­braide me, and speake euill [Page 254] of me vnto my face, vn­iustly: giue mee patience O Lord, to beare it, and wisedome so to carry my selfe in my conuersation and vocation, as they may haue no iust cause thus to afflicte me.

I knowe and doe ac­knowledge, that the sins which I haue committed against thy Maiestie, de­serue corrections; but Lord, though I haue offen­ded thee; to these mine ene­mies I haue done, nor ne­uer intended any hurt: yet thou seest and knowest what they haue done and what they intende against me.

Preuent them of their purposes, frustrate their [Page 245] deuices and turne their policies and practises they intend against me, either to nothing, or against them selues.

If they wilfully and ma­liciously perseuere; let them fall into the danger they wish to me.

Thou knowest their former flatteries and dissi­mulations, and how they falsely pretended friend­ship, onely (as it now ap­peareth) to supplant me and to confonud me, if thou permit them.

Lord who can auoide the oylie words of a false heart, but shall be seduced by them, vnlesse thou that knowest the inward thoughts discouer their [Page 256] deceite?

Lord make me to know the secret intentions of all those that flatter me to doe me hurt; and giue me wis­dome to auoide the furie and force of mine open enemies; and graunt mee grace to walke euer in thy truth; knit my heart vnto thee, that I fearing thy name, and depending faithfully vpon thee, I may make mine enemies asha­med of their slaunders and malicious practises against me.

Rescue me O Lord, and deliuer me in thy righteous­nesse, in line thine eare vnto me, and saue me from them that hate me.

Be thou my strong rocke, [Page 257] whereunto I may alwayes re­sort when mine enemies as­saile me, In slaunderous words or wicked deedes, publickely, or priuatly.

Deliuer mee O God, out of all their dangers, out of the hands of all vn­godly and cruell men; for, in thee is my trust, in thee is my strength, and of and by thee are the meanes to preuent the mischiefes they pretend and practise against me.

O stay my feete that they slippe not, least they reioyce at my fall, and Set a watch before the dore of my lippes, that I offend not with my tongue.

Though they speake euill of me, though they [Page 258] lay wayte for mee, and though they take counsell together against mee, yet giue mee not ouer vnto their wills.

Though I heare their slanderous tonges, though I know they detract mee, and speake all manner euill against me: giue me pa­tience, not to be moued, to recompence euill for euill.

Preuent me of their lay­ing wayte for me, and fru­strate all their combinati­ons and practises against me. And keepe me euer in thine obedience, for I am of my selfe weake, and may giue offence; or at least, offence may bee raken, where no cause is giuen.

[Page 259] If they haue any iust cause against me, wherein I cannot iustifie mine in­nocencie, being by nature fraile, and may erre; yet giue mee not ouer vnto their wills, but according to mine vnfained hearts desire, to be reconciled vn­to them: work their hearts to embrace peace with me, and loue towards me, as thou knowest I vnfainedly desire to show towards them.

If their hearts be so har­dened, as no submission nor my sincere affection towards them, can obtaine reconciliation with them, but that they will still con­tinue to insult, and as it were to triumph ouer me; [Page 260] I shall euer (as I doe) ap­peale vnto thee for iustice, to deale with them as thou wilt, whose iudgement be­tweene them and me, I ac­knowledge most iust.

And therefore Lord, though they by their great­nes, wealth & wit, in some thinges preuaile against mee, and insolently make their boasts, that they haue surprised me, and gotten their wills of me; so farre as they may say in their hearts, that thou hast for­saken mee; giue me euer a strong and constant faith in thee, that I faint not, nor be afraide; for, when they thinke most to triumph ouer me, thou art able to frustrate their hope, and to [Page 261] enforce them to sue to me for peace, whereunto my heart is truly enclined.

But Lord, thou seest that the more I seeke for peace, the more they seeke to vexe mee, and to op­presse mee with actions at law; diuersly troubling me, and that vniustly, that heartily desire to liue in peace.

Their hearts are in thine hands O Lord, and if thou thinke it fit to keepe mee yet vnder their tyrannie, more to humble me, I am in thy hands, doe with me what thou wilt, for I know that what thou doest, or permittest to be done vnto me, is in loue, and I know thou seest my troubles; [Page 262] and when thou in thy wis­dome shalt thinke mine af­flictions sufficient, thou wilt be pleased to restore me to comfort and peace.

In the meane time, while mine enemies are in my sight, and I in theirs; guide me in my wayes, protect and keepe mee vnder the safe shadow of thy wings, then shall I not feare what man can doe vnto me.

Lord euermore encrease my faith.

Counsell and comfort for him that is persecuted, for his constant profession of the Gospell of Christ.

KNow this, thou that art afflicted and persecu­ted,God shew­eth not his anger when he suffers vs to bee persecuted for the pro­fession of his truth. for the profession of the Gospell of Christ, and for thy faith in him; that hee doth not suffer thee to be punished, as if hee were angry with thee, as hee sometimes sheweth him­selfe in some other afflictions, which hee inflicteth vpon men for their sinnes, whereof no man is free; but herein hee sheweth thee an extraordinarie fauour; First, in illuminating thee by his holy spirit, whereby thou kno­west him and his truth, which thou canst not comprehend by thy naturall wisedome, were it neuer so profound and deepe, in carnall vnderstanding: And [Page 264] secondly, in making [...]hee a con­stant witnes of that truth which it hath pleased him to reueale vnto thee; and in that he giueth thee strength and godly cou­rage, to stand constantly and re­solutely in the open and pub­lick acknowledgement of thy faith in him, and patiently to suffer persecution for his sake; which grace and mercie is giuen thee of God; first, to know, then to beleeue, and conse­quently to suffer for his name; which patient sufferings are the fruites of his loue towardes thee.

Christ himselfe approueth thee blessed,Math. 5. 10. if thou suffer for righteousnesse sake:1. Pet. 4. 14. If thou be but rayled vpon, for the name of Christ, thou art blessed.

If thou hadst no further te­stimonies of his loue, then these short assurances and comforts, it were sufficient: But he fur­ther addeth, If thou thus suffer, [Page 265] the Kingdom of heauen is thine by promise:If we suffer for Christ, his King­dom is ours by promise. and, if thou be tru­ly faithfull, thou canst not but feele the truth of this promise; and therefore doubt not, but hold fast by the promises of Christ; be constant, be not dis­mayed at whatsoeuer threats of thine aduersaries, not thine, but the enemies of Christ Iesus him­selfe, as Paul sometimes was when hee persecuted those that professed the name of Christ.

They were but men he per­secuted,Christ is persecuted in his mē ­bers. Christian men; and in them hee persecuted Christ. Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? If then thou be persecuted for Christ, remember that Christ is persecuted in thee.

What an honour then is this vnto thee,It is an ho­nour to suf­fer for Christ, and he will re­ward. to be persecuted for thy Maister, who is Lord of heauen and earth? Doest thou thinke, that if thou suffer for him, he will not freely reward thee for thy fidelitie? Will an [Page 266] ordinarie Maister of a silly ser­uant, suffer him to be beaten, wounded, and abused, for him and in his cause, and will he not reward him? If his Master as­signe him a seruice, wherein hee trusteth his fidelitie and con­stancie, and hee like a coward denie his Maister, reuolt, and take part with his Masters ene­mies: will hee not thinke him a perfidious seruant, and punish him?

How much more will Christ reward thee, if thou stand stout­ly, and in a Christian constan­cie in the defence of his cause? (though hee can without thee defend and maintaine his owne) but that hee will make thee a witnesse of the truth,A dange­rous thing to reuolt from the truth for feare of corporall punish­ment. which all that shall be saued doe stedfast­ly beleeue: But, if for feare, of, or for the enduring of a little temporall punishment, thou shouldest reuolt, forsake him, and denie him before his ene­mies, [Page 267] hauing such a royall and rich reward set before thee, as the Kingdome of heauen and eternall glorie, if thou perseuere vnto the end: and contrarilie, perpetuall shame and ignomi­nie, if thou denie him.

He that for feare of trouble, persecution, or death it selfe, for Christ, will denie Christ, he is not worthie of his merites; by which, and by no other meanes, thou and all beleeuers are to be saued.

Denie him not therefore be­fore men,Hee that denies Christ be­fore mē, he will denie him before his Father. that must acknow­ledge thee before his Father in heauen: If thou faint and for­sake him here, it is a denying of him, and he will denie thee to be one of them hee hath redee­med, when he shall giue vp vn­to God his Father, those that he hath chosen out of the great masse of mankinde, by his all­sufficient sufferings, to bring them to glorie; which is the [Page 268] free reward, assured to be giuen to as many as constantly pro­fesse his name, and for his sake patiently endure here, persecu­tion and troubles.

The sufferings that thou here endurest,Sufferings are heere short, our glory eter­nall. are short and momen­tanie; they endure but a small time, they are quickly past o­uer; were it that thou shouldest be burned, or to vndergoe anie other torment for thy faith in Christ: If imprisoned, suffe­ring hunger, colde, nakednesse, and stripes, what were thy suf­fering, to the eternitie of bles­sednesse?

If thou be depriued of thy goods, and of the dearest things thou enioyest in this world, con­sider what things they are;If wee wil­lingly for­sake earth­ly things for Christ, we shall re­ceiue hea­uenly. are they not such things as come and goe inconstantly? If thou haue lands and possessions, thou art but Steward of them; If thou haue wealth, thou art but the disposer of it; and if an or­dinarie [Page 269] death befall thee, as it is decreed it must: Thou must forgoe it all, and giue account for all. If thou voluntarily leaue them for Christes sake, thou shalt finde a farre greater trea­sure in heauen.

If thou haue some beneficiall Office,Losse of honor and office for Christ. or place of dignitie in the world, and for the profes­sion of Christ thou bee thrust from it, and lose thine honour and reputation among men; what losest thou, seeing thou art sure of a more high and ex­cellent place, and of farre greater honour in heauen?

If thy Parents & thy friends (contrarily minded) disdaine thee, discountenance thee, and cast thee cleane out of their fa­uour and societie, and seeme to be ashamed of thee; vndergoe it with godly patience: for Christ (for whose sake thou en­durest these things) will not be ashamed of thee, but will ac­knowledge [Page 270] thee to be his adop­ted brother, and coheire with him of the Kingdome of his Father.

Thinke it therfore an honour and no shame vnto thee, to be brought forth in the open view, and vpon the publick stage of the world, to be a witnesse of the truth of Christ, and to suffer for the same:Hee that willingly suffereth for Christ, hath more honor then he that on­ly preach­eth it, when there is no danger. Thou shalt be esteemed in the sight of good and godly men, aboue those that onely preach it, and barely professe it, when there is no feare of troubles for it, and in the time of persecution, will not auowe vnto the world by their suffering, what they haue taught, and outwardly professed in the world; for it is one thing to professe and publish the truth of Christ with the mouth, in time of peace, and another thing to auouch it boldly, seeing trou­ble and euen death it selfe be­fore their faces, for the con­stant [Page 271] perseuerance in the same.

It is commonly reputed an ignominious thing to be impri­soned, and a more reproachfull thing, to be put to death, after the manner of wicked men; But let not this at all daunt thee,Thinke it no disho­nor to suf­fer for Christ as a malafactor for Christ at his death (whose cause thou maintainest) conten­ted himselfe to be hanged as a Thiefe and a Murtherer; for such were the companions of his death: yet was the Crosse whereon he suffered, a more triumphant Chariot of honour, then the most pompous tri­umph of the greatest Monarch of the world, for his greatest victories: And be thou assu­red, that if thy lot, in the wise­dome and loue of God be such towards thee, as to number thee among his faithfull witnesses, constantly suffering death for his sake, thou shalt be crowned among the victorious Martyrs.

Remember the most honou­rable [Page 272] title, that St. Paul giueth vnto that constant seruant of Christ, Stephen: stiling him the Martyr of Iesus Christ: And of Antipas whom St. Iohn calleth a faithfull Martyr of Christ; Then which,A Martyr for Christ a most glo­rious title. there cannot be a more glorious remembrance of the dead.

Thinke not therefore that thou art the first that hath suffe­red for Christ; but, if thou look into the eleuenth of the He­brewes, thou shalt see such a cloude of like witnesses, that haue professed and suffered as thou doest, as will encourage thee to stand fast vnto the end.

And if thou consider the times, not farre past, thou mayst vnderstand of an infinite num­ber of thine owne Country men and women, euen the weakest sexe, who haue gone the same way before thee, with vnuan­quishable patience, euen to death; and therefore with like [Page 273] patience runne the same race, looking vnto Iesus Christ the Author and finisher of thy faith: who, for the ioy that was set be­fore him, endured the bitter death of the Crosse, and despised the shame, and is set at the right hand of the Throne of God, where thou shalt behold him and his glory, and be pertaker of it, after thou hast endured a little speaking against of sinners,Persecuti­on a most glorious liuery of Gods chil­dren. persecution and death it selfe; which is the most glorious liuerie of Gods dearest children, whereby they are fashioned to the image of their Redeemer; and which shall giue an end to all thy sor­rowes, and shame, and bring thee to endlesse ioy and glory: which, not onely the Apostles of Christ, but euen late Martyrs vnderstoode, rei [...]y [...]ing that they were accounted w [...]rthy of the honour, to suffer for their Masters sake.

What canst thou then less [Page 274] conceiue, but that it is the meere loue of God in Christ towards thee,God in his loue suffe­reth his here to be persecuted for his sake. to make choyse of thee among and aboue many others, to afford thee this honour; to be a maintainer of the glory and authority of the truth of Christ, against the falshood and false authority assumed by Anti­christ?

Therefore, let it not trouble thee, neither be thou the more fearefull, to stand fast in thy profession, because thou seest a million of Newters, on euery side of thee,The reuolt of others should not cause vs to feare. who for the loue of their riches, pleasures, and car­nall commodities; the nicenesse of their owne dainty flesh, their affection to father, mother, wife, children, and esteemed friends, to be content to runne with the time: and in steede of renouncing the things of this world for Christ, rather to re­nounce Christ for the world.

In what a miserable case are [Page 275] these poore people (poore, be they neuer so rich:Ill to be in­different.) that hold it a thing indifferent, to follow God or Baal, Christ or Anti­christ? forgetting that Christ dyed for them; and that they shold acknowledge him, whose bloud, not Antichristian Bulls and Pardons, must clense them from, or to dye in their sinnes.

The reason of this their luke-warmenesse, is, for that the spi­rit of God,The cause why many are luke­warme. by whom the faith­full haue power and strength to maintaine the truth to death, dwelleth not in them, who wor­keth mightily in the children of Saluation; so that persecution for the same, daunteth them not: scourgings, whippings, scossings, mockings, stonings, burning, or whatsoeuer death, cannot remoue their constancie in the profession of what they beleeue.

To conclude therefore with thee, who art now vnder the [Page 276] crosse of persecution, not know­ing what end the Lord wil make with thee: submit thy selfe to his will, vndergoe with godly patience, whatsoeuer the ad­uersaries of the Gospel of Christ shall lay vpon thy body, thy soule they cannot touch; and commend both thy body and thy soule, into the hands and good pleasure of GOD thy heauenly Father in Christ, in whom thou art blessed, for whom thou sufferest, and for whose sake, thou shalt receiue a glorious reward.

In hope of which reward, all the former Martyrs that haue beene content to spend their liues for Christ, were willing to lay downe their liues, desiring to be dissolued, and to see the face of him, for whom they suffered.

Feare not therefore (if occa­sion so require) to yeeld thy body to the mercilesse enemies [Page 277] of Christ:They that kill the bo­dy, cannot touch the soule. they may kill the bo­dy, the soule they cannot touch: But, if thou shouldest forsake him, he will forsake thee, and hee it is that can kill thy body and thy soule too, and cast both into hell.

If a man take away thy life for Christ, they doe thee a fa­uour against their willes;Good to loose a cor­porall to finde ahea­ly life. they depriue thee of a mortall, that thou maist immediatly receiue an immortall and a most glo­rious life from their tyrannie: thou shalt be transported to the louing imbracements of thy Sa­uiour Christ, and enioy the most amiable sight of him, and the societie of the whole com­pany of heauenly Ang [...]ls, and of thy fellow Martyrs gone be­fore thee; and be pertaker with him and them, of that glorie, that so farre passeth all humane apprehention here, as cannot be conceiued or vttered.

O loose not this most blessed [Page 278] recompence, for a little suffe­ring: but stand fast, and Christ, that before thee and for thee, suffered infinite greater tor­ments then thou canst suffer, or that man can inflict vpon thee, shall sende that comfor­ter the holy Ghost, to streng­then thee in thy greatest ago­nies,God doth comfort his at the time of their martyr­dome. and spirituall distractions; he will stand by thee, and will show thee his louing, and amia­ble countenance, as he did at the death of his faithfull Martyr St. Stephen.

Wherefore faint not; flie not, vnlesse thou (without breach of thy faith) maist auoide the daunger by the prouidence of God, by flying from one place or Citie vnto another, alwayes commending thy spirit vnto him that gaue it: so where so­euer thou bee persecuted, hee will receiue it and glorifie it; and both thy soule and thy bo­die shall be made eternally glo­rious, [Page 279] when all men shall bee iudged according to their faith in Christ.

This exhortation, I doe confesse may be thought super­fluous,In this time of the freedome of the Gos­pell, this discourse may bee thought su­perfluous. in this blessed time of peace, and freedome of the Gospell; for that (Gods name be glorified) there is neither seene, felt, or heard, of any persecution among vs for the profession of the Gospell of Christ; and let all men pray for the continuance of it, and for the long life and preseruation of him, (a succeeding religious Dauid) vnder whome by the mercy of God, we at this day doe so freely enioy it.

They are the greatest bles­sings that God,A religious King main­taining the Gospell, a great bles­sing. in earth, can bestowe vpon vs; the free vse of his word, and a King so reli­giously inclined: as, it alreadie appeareth, all his studie and en­deauour is, to further and to maintarne the true profession [Page 280] and preaching of the heauenly word, which his most worthie and religious father left inuio­late.

Yet it may offende none, that this exhortation (which may seeme out of date) is inserted among other troubles requiring patience; for, though our gene­rall libertie be such, that euery man at his libertie may freely professe the word,Why this treatise may be at this time borne with­all. and vse the meanes for the increase of his knowledge, faith and zeale; yet may there bee among so great a people, of diuers opi­nions and practises of Religion: some priuately oppressed, scof­fed at, and mocked, and it may be violently constrained to re­nounce the truth, which in it selfe is a persecution; who me­clitating on this exhortation, may peraduenture bee comfor­ted, nothing fearing (but by the helpe and prouidence of God) any alteration, or change [Page 281] of that most holesome and hea­uenly doctrine which is here amongst vs, freely taught and plentifully preached; but shall be maintained and defended; which God graunt it may be, as long as the Sunne and Moone endureth.

A Prayer for a man persecu­ted for his faith and pro­fession of the Gospell of Iesus Christ.

OEternall, merci­full, powerfull and euer-louing Lord God, in Iesus Christ; the onely keeper, Protector and maintainer, of thy children that suffer here in the world for the true pro­fession of the Gospell of Christ: looke downe I [Page 282] humbly beseech thee, and behold what man doth vnto me for thy name sake: for, thou hast assured those that sincerely pro­fesse that truth which thou hast taught in thy word, in their sharpest and seue­rest persecutions, to bee either preserued and de­fended from their tyranny, or to be so strengthened by thy grace, that they shall be able to beare what soeuer they shall be infor­ced to suffer.

In hope and assurance of this thy mercie, I re­ioyce that thou accountest me worthie to bee one, though the simplest of the witnesses of the truth of thy word, though I ac­knowledge [Page 283] my selfe to be weake, and by mine owne strength, vnable to beare what is laid vpon mee for thy sake.

But as thou hast promi­sed Lord, so let me feele the effectuall working of thy holy Spirit, in giuing me wisedome, to answere the aduersary; patience and power, constantly to vndergoe, whatsoeuer thou shalt admit to bee laid vpon me; for, thou hast promised that no more shall bee imposed vpon me, but by the strength of the same Spi­rit, I shall be able to beare it euen vnto death, for thy Christs sake.

If therefore deare fa­ther, [Page 284] thou haue so deter­mined, that death shall be the end of my tryalls here; giue me a willing minde to imbrace it, and leaue mee not vnto mine owne power; for the flesh is weake, but thy Spirit shall ouercome the weakenesse of my carnall parts: then shall my spirit and inward faith, with patience, passe ouer whatsoeuer torments of my outward body. Thy presence shall be so sweet, as shall swallow vp the sense of my bodies suffe­rings; or so mitigate the same, as I shall indure it, with patience, in hope and assurance of that future glorie, promised in Christ, prepared with [Page 285] thee in heauen.

My flesh is dust, where­of all the limbes and linea­ments of my body are made; and as they are dust, so I know in thine appoin­ted time, they shall againe returne to dust, and that by the course of Nature: but if thou haue decreed it vntimely to perish by suffering for the profession of thy name; it shall bee but for a season, and then be restored, and my soule (redeemed by his blood, for whose sake through thy grace I shall bee ready to lay downe my life) shall not perish, but passe euen from the fire to felicitie, from the Crosse to a Crowne, from sorrow to [Page 286] ioye, from the hands of malicious mortall men, to the custodie of louing and eternall Angels.

O fortifie and streng­then me, in the assurance of his merites, for whose sake I suffer here; which I confesse, is nothing wor­thie of the glorie prepared for them, that constantly suffer for the testimonie of a conscience cleare of vaine glorie in suffering: yet is this suffering glo­rious, to him whom thou makest truely godly; for I confesse Lord, it is not the suffering, but the cause and mannet of suffering, that make the man that suffers a true Martyr in­deed.

[Page 287] The cause, thou know­est O Lord, is for that I truely and faithfully pro­fesse thy name: graunt that I may suffer what thou hast determined, in per­fect patience and true hu­militie; and that I faint not, at whatsoeuer pu­nishment or affliction shall be presented to my weake heart, to terrifie me from suffering; for, I know that thou art then neerest, when all worldly comfort seemeth farthest off.

Let mee not therefore, in thy cause bee affraid of the faces of men, that set themselues against thee in me, for it is not mee they persecute, but Christ my Sauiour in me: [Page 288] for what aduantage can they haue, in taking from me (a worme) this my wretched life? which if they spare, it cannot long endure: and what is my death O Lord, vnto thee, if they take it from mee, but the weakest witnesse of thy truth? the defence whereof, alas, I cannot maintaine of my selfe; and therefore according to thy promise teach mee, euen at the instant of my greatest accusation; that through my ignorance, in a zeale which I cannot maintaine by thy word, I should giue aduantage to the aduersaries.

Lord, giue mee wise­dome, strengthen and [Page 289] confirme my faith, main­taine thine owne cause in me and by me; touch my tongue with that celestiall coale, from thine Altar; then shall I be able to giue a good account to them that shall question me, for the hope I haue in thee: hold mee by thy right hand, that I starte neither backe, nor a side for feare.

Thou art stiled the Eter­nall, the Almightie; who hast said, thou wilt not giue thy glorie vnto Images, nor thy praise vnto any other for thine owne sake; therefore for thine owne sake, O Lord, looke vpon the afflictions, not which I suffer onely; but what, and whereso­euer [Page 290] thy poore children persecuted doe suffer for thy sake; euen by his meanes, that makes him­selfe euen drunke with the blood of thy Saintes, and that thirsteth, euen for the blood of Kings (thine annointed) that honor him not.

Thou seest it O Lord, and feelest the miseries of thy poore children affli­cted here for thy names sake, by his mercilesse mi­nisters.

O represse the rage and furie of these mercilesse men, that falsly conceiue of the sauing blood of Christ, and yet are neuer satisfied, with shedding the blood of those, whom [Page 291] thou hast chosen to bee witnesses of the truth of it; as thou hast reueiled it in thy word.

Thou art the God of glorie, glorifie thy name, and make perfect thy praise, in strengthening thy weake children to witnesse thy truth with faithfull boldenesse, euen before and to the faces of thy greatest aduersaries: make perfect thy power in our weakenesse; thy wise­dome in our ignorance; and thy great glorie in our deiected basenesse: and giue mee wisedome and strength, to vnder­goe with all spirituall pa­tience, these and all other my troubles, and meanes [Page 292] if it please thee, to auoyde the danger which seemeth neere vnto me; submiting my selfe willingly to vn­dergoe what thou hast de­termined for me.

Lord euermore encrease and confirme my faith in Christ my Redeemer.

Comfort and encouragement, for such as are banished, or enforced to liue out of their own natiue Countrie, either for feare of persecution for Gods word, or the feare of enemies, that pursue them without iust cause.

IT is a heauie crosse for a man to be banished the Countrie wherein he was borne; from his parents, friends and alies.

[Page 293] But in such a case,The cause of banish­ment is to be conside­red. the cause is most especially to be conside­red, for which thou art abando­ned, or dost abandon thy selfe.

If thou be banished by au­thoritie, it is for that thou art an vnprofitable member of the Common-wealth wherein thou hast beene bred and brought vp; and then is thy banishment iust and fit: for, as one infected sheep couchant with the sound, may indanger many, it may be the whole flocke; and to preuent it, a good Shepheard will cull it out from the rest, he will tarre it, dresse it, and vse his best meanes to heale it; but if his art and industrie cannot preuaile, he either abandons it from the flocke, or knockes it in the head.

Euen so, a politicke State fin­ding an infectious member in the Common-wealth, by whose wicked, lewde and vn­godly example and inticements, [Page 294] other good subiects may be in­dangered to be seduced;An infe­ctious mē ­ber in a Common-wealth fit to be pu­nished or banished. after admonition and threates of the Lawe (which not preuailing) it thinketh (and is) fit in policie, either to banish him (which is the least punishment) or to ex­tende the seueritie of the Laws vpon him.

If therefore thine exile pro­ceede of thine owne vngodly merite, take it with patience, and thinke it a fauour of the State, to hold it satisfied for thy transgression, when it might in seueritie, haue taken thy life.

It is also one thing to be ba­nished from, and another thing for a man to flie his Countrie.

Banishment presupposeth some great offence committed,Banishmēt presuppo­seth offence or danger. suspected, or conceiued to be done by a man, against the Lawes of the Kingdome, from whence he is abandonned, or against the Religion therein professed: And a man to flie his [Page 295] Countrie, argues either a guil­tie conscience for some offence done, for which hee dares not stand to the rigour and tryall of Iustice: a common refuge for malefactors, and often attemp­ted also, by some that stande fearefull of the furie and vio­lence of some great and vnresi­stable enemie.

It is not alwayes vnlawfull for a man to forsake his Coun­trie:It is not alwayes vnlawfull for a man to flie his Countrie. as if he be persecuted for the true profession of the Gos­pell of Christ, in a mans owne natiue Countrie, hee may by Christs owne warrant, seeke refuge in another:Mat. 10. 23. Hee that is persecuted in one Citie, let him flie to another.

Paul and Barnabas, Act. 14. [...]16. Christs worthy Apostles, being op­pressed by the malicious Iewes in Iconium, for the profession of the name of Christ, fled to Li­stra & Derbe, where they more freely preached the Gospell.

[Page 296] Neither is it vnlawfull to flie the furie and rage of a malicious enemie: [...]. King 17. 3 Eliah fled by Gods command, from the furie and threates of Ahab that sought his life;Cap. 19. 3. and after from Iezebel: when Pharaoh sought to kill Moses, Exo. 2. 15. Moses fled to the land of Mydian. Gen. 27. 43. 44. Iaacob was enfor­ced to flie out of his natiue Countrie to Haran, for feare of his brother Esau.

Beware that thou in flying mistake not the cause,Not to flie from the truth to false Reli­gion. as to flie from the truth, and from the true worship of Christ, to falshood and Idolatrie: If for the profession of the truth thou be accused and restrained, be­fore thou canst make lawfull escape (though thou be assured to dye for Christ) vse no sini­ster practise to auoide it as di­strusting God,Mat. 26. 56. as the Disciples did, that fled from, & forsooke Christ when he was taken: nei­ther flie thou as an euill doer, [Page 297] as a Theef or a Murtherer,Not to flie as an euill doer. or as guiltie of any other grieuous of­fence, for which thou darest not to abide the tryall: though for a time thou maist escape the sword of the Magistrate; but the guilte of thine offence will followe thee, into what re­mote Countrie soeuer thou goest; and wheresoeuer thou carryest the guilt of thy crying sinne, there also followes the Iudgement of God; as it fol­lowed Kayne that slew his bro­ther, who ranne and ranged from place to place, but still the Iudgement of God,Gen. 4. 11 12. as a Blood-hound found him out: Thy best refuge, is to flie vnto God, by repentance and prayer for mercie.

Many euilly disposed per­sons, presuming to escape the Lawe by flying the Kingdome, haue perpetrated most impious actions: murthers, treasons, re­bellious, theeueries and the [Page 298] like,Many com­mit grie­uous of­fences, in hope to flie before they be appre­hended. and haue escaped; but could neuer escape the Iudge­ment of God, which hath ei­ther enforced them to returne, and then to receiue their con­digne punishment; or haue en­dured greatest miseries, dis­graces and shame, where they haue thought to be in most se­curitie and ease; for, howsoeuer runnagate traytors, thinke that by committing some capitall mischiefe against their Soue­raigne, or State wherein they liue, to fulfill the desire of some foraine Potentate, in hope of promised reward and fauour; or vnder pretence of being ac­ceptably entertained into some supposed Catholicke Societie: What gaine either of these? the first, condigne suspition of fals­hood and trecherie, against him who put him trust, to per­forme a mischiefe at home: for how can helesse thinke, but that he that hath sworn to be a faith­full [Page 299] subiect to his Soueraigne, and will so capitally violate his fidelitie, but he will be false to him? and so in steed of reward he receiues most deserued dis­grace: As touching the second sort, that vnder coulour of Re­ligion, abandon their Countrie, in hope of high aduancement in forraine parts; are they not scorned of such as are their an­tients abroad? and are they not enforced to aduenture their liues, to seduce their owne na­tiue countrie-men from their allegeance; and as much as in them may lye, to betraye their owne Countrie to strangers? yet thinke them safe by flying away, where the Iudgement of God meetes them in euery Countrie.

Whether shall I goe from thy presence?Psal. 139. 9. 10. saith Dauid, whether shall I flie from thy Spirit? Take the sea for thy re­fuge as Ionas did, thinking to [Page 300] flie from God,God finds a wicked man out goe where he will. did he not finde him out in the most secret cor­ner of the ship? run from land to land, from one Nation to ano­ther people: God will finde thee out among many millions.

What then doth a forraine Countrie benefite a fugitiue, when wheresoeuer he becomes, he carryes a hell in his bosome, which will torment him in euery place, in company and alone? the worme of his guiltie conscience will torment him; God whome hee so highly of­fended, will appeare a fearefull Iudge vnto him: and where God in his anger pursues a wic­ked man,A forraine Countrie frees not a wickedman from the Iudgement of God. there is no place in the world that can secure him: one mischiefe or another, one horri­ble end or another will follow him at the heeles, and at length seize vpon him, without vn­fained repentance and faith in Iesus Christ.

As this is true, that capitall [Page 301] malefactors, cannot hide them­selues from Gods iudgements in any remote Region. So true it is, that such as are banished, or doe voluntarily flee some in­euitable danger of vndeserued enemies,The chil­dren of God bani­shed, finde Gods fa­uour euery where. as Dauid did from Saul, if hee depend vpon God, shall finde his fauour, loue, pre­sence, and protection; euen amongst Barbarians, Turkes, and Scithians: for, hee is vni­uersall in his power, vniuersall in his prouidence, vniuersall in his knowledge: He obserueth and seeth his, whether so euer they be banished; and his mercies follow them, and com­passe them about. If they seeke him, they shall finde him: as Dauid found him in the Deserts of Ziph, among the rockes of Engedie, & wheresoeuer he fled.

There is no place where God is not present, in his mer­cie or iustice; and whosoeuer seeketh him in faith and faith­full [Page 302] prayer, findeth him euery where: if they pray vnto him, he heareth them.

If then thou be vniustly ba­nished, or lawfully escaped danger, by sorsaking thine owne Countrey, and art in any for­raigne and strange Region: Be mindfull of the mercies of God towards thee; and acknow­ledge that it is he that hath deli­uered thee, and who will giue thee meanes, to liue among a strange people;Where GOD is with a man, there is his home. Then mayest thou thinke it thy home: for where a man is well, there is his Countrey.

And, admit thou be enfotced to become a seruant, or a slaue in forraigne parts for thy re­liefe; yet, if thou truly feare, and sincerely serue God, thou art his free man. Therefore make thou this thy banishment (by thy patience) a token and mark of thine integrity.

And, if thou remember any [Page 303] grieuous sinne,A man may repent his sinnes, and serue the Lord in any strange Countrey. that thou hast committed in thy natiue Coun­trey; thou mayest as well repent it in thy banishment, and more freely (if it may be so said) then in thine owne Countrey: for, among strangers there is not such oportunity to sinne, as a­mong familiars: There is no time, nor place, wherein a righ­teous man can be barred, or preuented, of seruing the Lord, as well in the Wildernesse, as in a Chamber, as well in compa­nie, as alone; for, a faithfull heart is neuer idle; it serues God as well in prison as in the Temple. Serue God therefore in feare; be faithfull in him, and thou shalt be comforted as well in the place of thy banishment, as in thy Fathers, or dearest friends house: And if God see it expedient for thee, he will call thee home againe, to the place from whence thou art abando­ned, to glorifie him.

A Prayer for a man banished from his natiue Countrey, for some crime commit­ted; or enforced to for­sake it, either for feare of persecution, or of some mightie aduersarie that doth vniustly oppresse him.

O Lord God, power­full, and onely om­nipotent, all-see­ing, and vniuersally wise; knowing all things, the be­ginnings, proceedings, and ends, of all men and their actions: Thy pro­uidence and protection, reacheth from the heauens to the earth, the Sea, and to the ends of the world: So that none can runne, or [Page 305] be enforced to flie vnto the place, where thou canst not finde him out; in iu­stice to punish him for his sinnes, or in mercy to com­fort him for thine owne names sake.

Lord, I acknowledge, that I haue grieuously of­fended thee, by the mani­fold sins that I haue done, not onely against thine owne prescript lawes and commandements; but al­so against the Lawes of my Soueraigne: which hath incensed thy heauie dis­pleasure against me; and in thy displeasure, Man is worthily moued to perse­cute me, enforcing me to abandon euen mine owne natiue Countrey, for feare [Page 306] of the punishment I haue deserued.

And now Lord, being come into this place of ba­nishment, estranged from, and abandoned of all my friends, familiars, and ac­quaintance; conuersing a­mong vnknowne people, whose conditions, quali­ties, and professions, are, as yet hid from me: I doe most humbly pray thee, to be fauourable, and a Fa­ther vnto me, in yeelding me reliefe, euen such as thy faithfull seruant Iacob, in his flying from his brother Esau, desired, & bountiful­ly receiued at thy hands foode and rayment; and moue the hearts of this people, among whom I [Page 307] am enforced to liue, that I may finde fauour in their sight.

Thou hast promised, ne­uer to faile, nor to forsake any that faithfully trust in thee: and that though fa­ther, and mother, and all friends forsake them, thou wilt be a father vnto them, giuing them their daily bread, which implieth all necessarie blessings for soule and body: and that all things shall worke to­gether, for the good of those that loue thee: As the selling of Ioseph; his Mistris false accusation; his imprisonment; all wrought for his aduance­ment in a strange Land; yea, among a prophane [Page 308] people: So may this my banishment, and liuing a­mong a strange people, worke (by thy blessing) to my comfort.

Thou art vniuersall in thy wisedome, vnsearch­able in thy prouidence, mighty in all thy workes, and to whom all people, Nations and tongues are subiect: work I pray thee, that I may either returne to mine own natiue Coun­trey, in peace and safety, or that I may enioy here, or wheresoeuer thou shalt be pleased to dispose of mee, meanes to sustaine mee.

Thou art euery where, Lord, and raignest and ru­lest ouer all people; thou [Page 309] possessest and disposest all things for all men: The whole earth is thine; the whole masse of gold and siluer is thine; the Cattell vpon all the mountaines, and in all the valleyes vp­on the earth are thine, and thine to giue.

Thou gauest Abraham and Lot, portions of lands, and Heards of Cattell in aboundance, in a land wherein they were stran­gers. Thou blessedst Iacob constrained to flee, a poore man only with a Scrip and a Staffe: and thou brough­test him againe, to the place from whence he was constrained to flee, with mighty Droues.

Lord, how mercifully [Page 310] diddest thou worke for Io­seph, abandoned from fa­ther; mother, and friends? solde as a Slaue, falsly ac­cused (guiltlesse) impriso­ned, yet at last, made the chiefe (vnder a strange King) of a mighty people.

When Eliah was enfor­ced to flee from Ahab the King; such was thy fatherly care of him, that rather then hee should want his necessary foode, thou ap­pointedst the very Rauens to bring him foode, mor­ning and euening. And cōmandedst a poore Wi­dow to feede him in Sarep­tha: And because she was poore, thou through thy power and loue, of thy ser­uant, vouchsafedst to en­crease [Page 311] her little oyle and meale, (neere totally con­sumed) into so great a quantity, as shee had not onely sufficient, aboundantly to releeue her selfe, and her family, in the ex­treame dearth and famine: But to pay her debts with the remainder.

When Dauid was enfor­ced to flee, from the feare­full fury & malice of Saul, thou diddest not leaue him destitute of necessa­ries, euen in the very mountaines and desert places.

O my God, how can I, but assure my selfe of thy like power ouer mee, thy loue towards me, and thy prouidence for me, hauing [Page 312] receiued so many sweet te­stimonies of thy helping so many, whom in their ba­nishments thou hast sustai­ned, and relieued in for­mer times?

Thou art the same God, and of the same power and prouidence: therfore Lord forsake not mee, in this place where I am a stran­ger, where I haue no friend, no meanes of any constant assurance to be relieued.

Lord let not my sinnes hinder the worke of thy mercies towards me; but pardon all my sinnes, and blot out all mine offences, through the bloud of my Sauiour Iesus Christ, whose merites extendeth to the [Page 313] saluation of all beleeuers through the whole earth.

O embrace mee Lord with the armes of thy mer­cies, euen here, where I am a stranger: keepe me vnder the shadowe of thy winges; teach mee wise­dome, that euen here I may seeke thee, and finde thee; and may receiue here such reliefe and com­fort, as I, here giue glory to thy holy name, for thine vndeserued fauor towards me, Amen.

Lord encrease my faith.

Comfort and encouragement for Parents, that are crossed and grieued at the vngodlines and disobedience of their children: fit for all Parents to reade.

AMong the Iewes, It was once a note of disgrace for a womā to be bar­ren, and now many grieue they haue chil­dren. it was a reproach, and a kinde of shame, for a woman to be barren: and now in this our age, many men and women that haue begotten and borne children, become grieued and ashamed, that euer they begat, or bare them, by reason of their disobedience and vicious liues.

Children are the gift of God, and a great blessing and com­fort to godly Parents, if they be good and vertuous, if they feare God, and walke in his wayes; and then can they not but obay their Parents.Pro. 10. 1. A wise and a godly sonne maketh a glad fa­ther: and 17. 25. but a foolish and wicked sonne, is a heauines to his mother.

[Page 315] When children proue wic­ked, disobedient,Rebellious children greatest griefe. rebellious, and refractarie, it is the greatest griefe vnto godly and religious Parents, that any earthly crosse or affliction can yeeld: for as the comfort is great vnto a man to beget sonnes and daughters, whom God hath chosen to en­crease the Kingdome of Christ: So contrarily, a greater griefe there cannot be vnto him, then to obserue his children, enclined to be members of Sathan or An­tichrist: Especially when a god­ly Father hath endeuoured through a godly and religious care, to educate a sonne in the true feare and knowledge of God, & yet to see him to proue wicked and vngodly.

But, thou that art thus affli­cted through the wicked and ir­religious course of a rebellious sonne, after all the good meanes thou hast vsed to reduce him to obedience, & the feare of God: [Page 316] Consider with patience, that although God haue giuen thee power to be his Father,Though parents be­get and beare chil­dren, they cannot make them good. in be­getting him, and to his Mother to beare him: yet neither thou in begetting, nor shee, though she nourished him in her womb, did giue him either forme or life: How much lesse canst thon or she forme or frame his minde to vertue and godlinesse? thou mayest giue good & wholsome counsell vnto his eares; but thou canst not infuse grace and goodnesse into his heart: yet it is thy duty to doe thy best en­deuour, to giue him good and godly counsell; with faithfull prayer to God, that hee will so water the seede, as it may bring forth good fruit: and more the most godly Parents cannot doe.

It is with Parents in their de­sires, to make their children fruitfull in godlinesse, as it is with the husbandman that co­uets [Page 317] a fruitfull haruest, who ma­nures his ground, soyles it, ploughes it, sowes it, harrowes it; and as neere as he can, keepes and preuents the vermine, from deuouring the seede sowne; yet it is not his labour,Parents may doe their best endeuour, but it is in GOD to make good children. skill and di­ligence, that can make it spring vp: he cannot forme the blade, nor infuse the graine into the eare: Nor so preuent the ver­mine, but that they will de­uoure some of the seede: nei­ther can the most godly Father by his best counsell, make good an vngodly Sonne: Hee may sowe the good seede of the feare of God, vpon the ground of his heart; hee may harrow it with sharpest and seuerest threates, and may endeuour to preuent venemous vices, that offer to choke the good seede that hee hath sowne: But if his heart be stonie, thornie, or neere the high way of the common sinnes of this world; All his labour, [Page 318] care, and diligence will proue in vaine; he must leaue the in­fusion of grace into his heart vn­to God, and to worke the pra­ctice of godlinesse in him,The duty of godly Parents to pray for their chil­dren. to whom a godly Father becomes a daily and faithfull petitioner, that he will driue away Sathan, and the swarme of his wicked instruments, from deuouring the good seede, and from sow­ing the tares of sinne, and the weedes of vngodlines in him.

This corrupt world is so full, and fraught with wicked and ly centious youth, that as soone as a young man or Mayde hath liberty, to enter into the compa­nie and societie of wantons, and vngodly youth, they become commonly so infected with their manners,The socie­ty of wic­ked youth, [...]he meanes to make many cor­rupt. as they drinke in all kindes of vices, as it were wine, making them many times so drunken with vanities, by ex­amples and lewd enticements, as the best counsell of wisest Pa­rents [Page 319] cannot make them, truly sober againe. And to keepe youth in, according to the dis­cretion of prudent Parents, is thought by children, a meere slauery and bondage: so that Parents are many times (as it were) at their wits ends, how they might best manifest their affections towards them: for many of them haue learned now to obiect against their Parents that sharply reproue them for their sinnes,Rebellious children can make arguments against good Pa­rents out of Scrip­ture. that they ought not too much prouoke their children to discontents. And againe, if they denie them meanes to gad abroad, and to spend with their companions what they list; that Parents are worse then Infi­dels, if they will not giue mainte­nance vnto their children. Thus the deuill teacheth them Scrip­ture, to defend and to maintaine their sinne.

This is no faigned reproofe of youth in this age: I haue [Page 320] heard these their obiections with mine eares, grieuous to the heart of a godly Father, that seeth and obserueth, that the more indulgent he is to an euill Sonne, the more lycentious li­berty he takes: and the more bountifully he shewes himselfe vnto him, the more hee pre­sumes, and the more hee con­sumes.

Yet must not godly Parents desist from, or giue ouer the meanes to winne and reclaime a refractarie Sonne, Parents may not giue ouer to counsell their chil­dren. according to the counsell of the Preacher: In the morning sowe thy seede, and in the euening let not thine hand rest; for thou knowest not whe­ther shall prosper, this, or that, or whether both shall be a like good.

Parents must be alike instant and industrious at all times; in the morning, euen in the infan­c [...]e of their children, they must begin to sowe good seede: and at noone, namely in their youth [Page 321] to continue it: and in the eue­ning when they are come to the estate of men, they must not giue ouer. It may be God hath appointed this or that time, or this or that counsell, to take effect.

If nothing will preuaile with him, leaue him to the Law which God by Moses hath or­dained, for a rebellious Sonne: namely, Deut. 21. 18 If any man hath a sonne that is stubborne and disobedient,The aunci­ent punish­ment of an vngodly sonne. which will not hearken to the voyce of his Father, and to the voyce of his Mother, and they haue chastened him, and hee will not obay them; Then shall his Father and his Mother take him, and bring him to the Elders of the Citie, and shall say vnto them This our Sonne is stubborne and disobedient, and will not obay our admonition: then the men of the Citie shall stone him with stones vnto death.

If this necessary Law were [Page 322] executed at this day, youth would be more tractable and obedient to their Parents.Many chil­dren for want of publicke punish­ment grow rebellious. And now, for want of some compe­tent punishment, to be inflicted vpon them, they haue no feare (many of them) neither of Pa­rents, of God, or man. And Parents (for the most part) are so doting ouer their children, that they will neither them­selues punish them, nor willing­ly suffer the Magistrate, vntill they directly fall vnder the sword of Iustice; and then there is howling,Late la­mentation of some pa­rents. weeping, sorrow, and heauinesse, with wishes, Would God hee had neuer beene borne.

The lenity of Parents, and li­berty of Children, breede many inconueniencies in a good and well gouerned Cōmon-wealth. Nay, the liberty of youth of all sorts, being well considered, cannot but be found a mischiefe where it is (as now in this King­dome) [Page 323] permitted;Euill youth a mischiefe to the com­mon welth. he that hath but the meanest vnderstanding, and is conuersant among the multitude, cannot but see it, and obserue it.

Who seeth not, that youth as soone as they are able to sin, conioyne themselues with such as are more expert in sinning? And learne of them, all manner of vngodlinesse, pride, drunken­nes, whoredome, gaming, swea­ring, blaspheming; And yet ma­ny silly Parents, winke so long at their impieties that at length they see many times the glory of their children to come to shame. And some good Pa­rents would reforme it in time, and cannot.Foolish mothers most guilty of making ill chil­dren. And many foo­lish Mothers are most guil­tie of their childrens too much liberty, and sinne; who, because they haue borne them of their bodies (it may be haue giuen them suck of their breasts) they are so tender ouer them, as they [Page 324] must want nothing that the fond Mother can shift for: As her breasts were open for them when they were in their swad­ling cloathes; now their purses must be open, to put them into euery new fashion. The Sonne hee must meete such, and such his companions at such a ga­ming, or such a Tauerne, or such a show: and it were a shame for him, and discredit to his Pa­rents, that he should goe with­out money in his purse, to spend as others doe. And poore silly Parents, especially the sottish Mother, will make meanes to supply his wantonnesse, till at length the young nouice (turned Gentleman) proceedes swag­gerer; thence raised to a degree higher: takes the title Roarer, then turnes hee off all feare of Father, Mother, and all autho­rity. The poore Parents sitting sometimes sighing, for the in­tollerable expence of their pro­digall [Page 325] sonne; then againe they smile, to thinke, and to heare their flattering neighbours, to giue such high commendation of their sonne, a proper, com­ly, and well clad Gentleman, and like to come to great pre­ferment.

This is the beginning of an vngodly,All pareuts not to bee condemned though ma­ny are. disobedient and stub­borne sonne; and yet all parents that haue a sonne of vile, vi­cious and dissolute qualities, are not guiltie of their sonnes disobedience; as the father of the prodigall sonne was, who to fulfill the wanton desire of his sonne, gaue him a portion, without respect of the bestow­ing of it well or ill: how hee spent it, appeares; viciously and vngodly, whereof partly the father was guiltie. As at this day, fathers and mothers are, that feede their children with portions, wherewith they pur­chase often times shame and [Page 326] confusion vnto themselues, and griefe and sorrow vnto their pa­rents.

Thou complainest of an vn­thriftie, stubborne and disobe­dient sonne; consider how thou hast bred him and brought him vp: if thou haue done thy duty towards him, in training him as much as in thee laye, in the knowledge and feare of God, and he hath cast thy counsell be­hind his backe, and kickt a­gainst thy godly instructions, thou art cleere, and his wicked­nesse and distruction shall fall vpon himselfe.

But, if thou haue beene too indulgent and too fauorable,A fearefull example of a father too indulgent, and chil­dren stub­borne. in restraining him from his wic­ked wayes, remember what befell vnto Elie the Priest, and to his two wicked sonnes Ho­phnie and Phineas, whome God distroyed in one day; and Elie their father hearing of their vntimely death, fell backeward [Page 327] from his feate and brake his necke: a fearefull example for a father, that onely vsed no other meanes of raistraining his sonnes, but onely the tender words;1. Sam. 2. 24 Doe no more so my sonnes, doe no more so.

A wicked sonne of a good father,A wicked son comes commonly to a shame­full and fearefull end. may liue long in his wicked course of life, but com­monly he vntimely perisheth and commeth to a fearefull end, as too many examples are ma­nifested before our eyes.

But lest a good man seruing and fearing God truely, ha­uing a wicked and vntamable sonne, to whome he hath done all the godly duties of a father, in bringing his sonne to good­nesse, and to a godly course of life, and cannot; should be too much discouraged and cast downe through sorrow and griefe, that hee should be the father of such a sonne: let him but consider, that his sonne, [Page 328] though wicked, is the creature of God,What god­ly parents should doe, when they haue done their best duties to make their children good and cannot. knowne vnto him before hee was formed in the wombe; his beginning, course of life, and end determined by God, and the meanes: and therefore when such a father hath done his vttermost godly endeauour, to make his sonne good by counsell, and findes contrarie effects of his hope; let him onely praye for him: The best and last dutie, that a louing and well-wishing father can show for the good of his best beloued sonne. If this worke not the reformation of his wicked childe, hee may cast off all sorrowe and griefe for that he cannot reclaime him▪ and before the world he may iustly disclaime him.

They therefore,A good fa­ther not to be taxt for an vngodly sonne. that will taxe and condeme such a father, for hauing such an vngodly per­son to his sonne, are vncharita­ble, as long as the wickednesse [Page 329] of his sonne, proceedes not of any neglect or knowne error of the father.

Doe we not vnderstand, that most godly parents hauing two or more sonnes, of equall education and equally instru­cted, that the one proues tra­ctable, vertuous, religious, fearing God, and another cleane contrarie?

Had not Izaak by his wife Rebecha, Good fa­thers may haue wic­ked chil­dren. two sonnes (borne twinnes) Esau and Iaakob, the one wicked, the other the Elect of God? shall wee thinke that Kayne (that Reprobate) was not as well instructed in the feare of God by Adam his father,Gen. 4. 3. as Abel was? yet the one a mur­therer, and the other a godly, religious and milde man. Shall we thinke that Dauid instru­cted not his sonne Absolon in the feare of God,2. Sam. 15. though hee became a rebell against his owne father? And what shall [Page 330] we thinke of Ismael the sonne of Abraham, Gen. 16. 12. the father of the faithfull? was it for want of di­uine instruction, that he became a fierce and cruell man, whose hand was against euery man, and euery mans hand against him?

Will any man be so iniurious or so vncharitable, to iudge or condemne these godly pa­rents for the wickednesse of their children? doth it not here­by appeare, that good men, not­withstanding all their care & dili­gence to make them good,Wicked men haue not alwayes vngodly children. may haue wicked children? neither doth it follow, that wicked men haue alwayes vngodly chil­dren: It is God, who as hee formes the bodies of good and bad in the wombe, so he frames the mindes of such as he inten­deth to make the vessels of sal­uation, and giueth them the meanes to become wise in him, religious and faithfull in him; [Page 331] yet yeeldeth he the libertie of his word equally alike to both: but they haue not both equall grace to imbrace and to pra­ctise it alike.

Idolatrous Ahaz had religious Hezekiah: 2. King 16. [...] 3. 23. good Hezekiah had wicked Manasses; 2. King. 20. 21. & 21. 18. & 22. & 23. wicked Amon had godly Iosiah; Io­siah idolatrous Iehoahaz.

Infinite are the examples in all ages,Godly pa­rents may haue wic­ked, and wicked pa­rents good children. showing that good men haue had wicked children, and wicked fathers good sonnes; that no man should presume vpon the towardnesse, or dispaire of the vngodly be­ginning of his children; but to commend both, to the goodnes and prouidence of God in faith­full prayer; vsing the meanes, leauing the wicked to God, in prayer for their reformation, and the godly to him, for con­tinuance and perseuerance vnto the end: in whose secret coun­sell it is determined what shall [Page 332] be the end of them, that feare not God, nor reuerence man.

A Prayer to bee vsed of godly parents, for the reforma­tion of vngodly and diso­bedient children, and for patience; not ouermuch to afflict themselues for the stubbornesse and disobe­dience of a wicked sonne.

O Gracious, merci­full, powerfull, & euermore louing Lord God, the Creator of all man-kind; to whom thou giuest, and into whome thou infusest di­uers and seuerall portions of vnderstanding, wit, wisedome and grace; and none by nature can attaine [Page 333] vnto the least measure of these blessings but by thee: Fathers thou hast ordai­ned to beget, and Mo­thers to conceiue and beare fruite, to the in­crease and multiplication of humane kinde; but it is not left vnto the power of parents, to propagate grace in their seede.

Seeing then good Fa­ther, that thou hast giuen vs power to propagate their earthly and carnall parts, (yet all formed by thee in the wombe) and hast reserued vnto thy selfe, the disposition of their mindes and affe­ctions: So I humbly pray and beseech thee, to dis­pose the inclination of [Page 334] them whome thou hast giuen me power to beget; & beget in them good and godly desires; reforme the vngodly life and conuersa­tion of that disobedient and vagodly son of mine, whose behauiour is much grieuous vnto me; and I doe confesse, that mine owne sinnes haue prouo­ked thee to anger against me, and thy displeasure appeareth, in that hee whome I receiued, in hope to be a comfort vnto me, and the staffe of mine olde age, is become, not onely disobedient vnto me, but as it were, rebel­lious against thee and thy counsell.

Thou art a God righte­ous [Page 335] & absolutely holy, ha­ting iniquitie; & it cannot be hid from thee, how I haue neglected the training him vp in thy feare: Yet thou also knowest O Lord, that I haue laboured and endeuoured by my best counsell, to winne him to the feare and seruice of thee; if it haue beene in vaine, thou hast wisedome and power to supply in him, what is defectiue in me to giue him.

I haue endeuoured to make him to know thee and to walke in thy wayes; but he hath contemned mine instructions, and cast my counsell behinde his backe: hee will not vn­derstand, that thou art a [Page 336] God of power to punish him, or a God of mercie to comfort him, if he re­turne from his sinnes, to the obedience of thee.

Lord, it is onely in thee to reclaime him as thou didst the prodigall sonne, whome thou vouchsafedst to receiue vnto mercie, after his long going a­stray; whereby it appea­reth, that no man erreth so farre, but thou canst re­call him; O recall this mine erronious sonne, re­duce him into the feare of thy great name, and make him one of the sheepfolde of thy Saints.

He is the worke of thine owne hands O Lord, though I wretched man [Page 337] begat him in corruption, his mother conceiued him in sinne, and bare him in miserie; yet are these no hinderance to the worke of thy grace in him: For what is, or hath bin the man, that hath not had the like corrupt be­ginning? thine owne be­gotten Sonne excepted.

Enoch that walked vp­rightly before thee, Abra­ham the father of the faith­full, Eliah and Iohn Baptist, and all thine Elect vessels came by nature of the same corrupt seed, as hath this (though) my vngodly sonne.

Thou wert pleased to sanctifie these fore-fathers of ours, whome if thou [Page 338] hadst left vnto themsel­ues, they had beene as this my sonne, ready to lift vp their heeles against their parents and thee.

Lord, giue thou grace, wisedome, faith and obe­dience, vnto this my sonne: these are thine, and onely thine to giue.

I, indeed haue beene, as the hand to giue him (from thee) food for his body, whereby, by thy blessing he hath beene cor­porally sustained and growne strong in the flesh, though weake in spirituall graces, which are not in me to instill into him, no [...] bestow vpon him.

He is indeed of the po­luted seede of offending [Page 339] Adam: yet maist thou be pleased, and I humbly pray thee to accept him into thy fauour; instructe him in thy feare, indue him with heauenly know­ledge, and a perfect faith in thee; and guide him by thy grace, in a godly, re­ligious and sincere conuer­sation; that he may cease to doe euill, and cleaue vnto that which is good; then shall hee serue thee, and I shall prayse thee for his reformation and salua­tion.

Let neither his sinnes nor mine O Lord, any more prouoke thee to an­ger, lest thy seuere iudge­ments should fall vpon him, and shame and [Page 340] griefe vpon vs his parents: but his repentance shall be our comfort, and wee shall reioyce in his con­uersion, and not onely we his parents, but all the godly shall reioyce at his returne into the spirituall Societie of thy Saints.

Graunt it gracious Lord God, for thy Christs sake, whose righteousnesse, accept as his righteous­nesse, and thy sonnes me­rits for mine and my sons many sinnes. Amen.

Lord increase in him the holy feare of thy great name, faith and obedience vnto thee, and giue me grace with patience and prayer, to wayte his holy reformation.

A perswasion to patience, in the crosses that often fall betweene man and wife, fit to be consi­dered of maried folkes for their mutuall comfort; with counsell to such as intend to mary.

THere is no man or woman fit for mariage estate,They that mary ought to knowe why ma­riage was instituted. that is ignorant, and consider not of the causes for which that holy estate was instituted of God: But now in this latter age, ma­ny rashly enter into it, neither knowing the causes rightly, nor vse it reuerently, which is the occasion of many breaches, be­tweene man and wife.

In former times men and wo­men were onely maried;Where for­merly men and women were onely maried, now boyes and gerles. but now boyes & gerles, that onely feele by natures instinct, that mariage is a pleasant life, and are onely led by that lawe of lust, to runne and rush head­long into that sacred estate, [Page 342] without feare or wit; like a barde horse into a battle: not fore-seeing nor considering the dangers and troubles they runne into; which holy estate ought not to be vndertaken, but with highest reuerence vnto, and in the feare of God the author of it.

Many onely consider, that God created man male and fe­male, the man for the woman, the woman for the man; and consider not the sacred vse,Carnall respects in mariage commonly leade men and women to mary. nor the institution of mariage: they looke not into the begin­ning how God created man, and the woman of the man, to the end they two should by this coniunction become one, and of one heart and one minde in two bodies: they can perad­uenture saye, that indeed, the woman was made of the ribbe of the man; but that, that bone became flesh of his flesh, and by that meanes they two be­came [Page 343] one, they cannot con­ceiue; and yet will aduenture, without either examination or consideration of the danger to take a wife, and the woman a husband; their least duties to God, not learned of them at all nor considered.

Hastie mariages,Hasty ma­riages bring hasty re­pentance. bring com­monly as hastie repentance: not that praise worthie repentance for sinne, but for the sorrowe their vnaduised mariage hath brought them vnto; rashly vn­dertaken without asking coun­sell of God, whence doe spring all the troubles, iarres, brawles and discontentes betweene the man and the wife, thus vnadui­sedly coupled together.

But man and wife conioyned together in the Lord,The true course how man and wife should conioyne themselues in holy ma­riage. namely where they onely aime to liue together in his holy feare, and humblenesse of heart in a liuely faith, craue his holy fauour and fatherly direction, to guide and [Page 344] gouerne them; and after due reuerence vnto the Lord, they yeeld mutuall and godly loue one to another, with due obe­dience to God; and after, one to the other, labouring to keepe peace, vnitie, and concorde be­tweene themselues, in ayding, helping, cherishing & sustaining each other, in pouertie as in ri­ches, in sickenesse as in health, and be of like godly affection one towards another, with daily mutuall prayers to God, that he will giue a blessing vnto them: they may assure them­selues to liue in plentie and peace; and whatsoeuer crosses, troubles or afflictions befall them, they encourage one the other in the feare of God, to beare them together with equall patience; and whatso­euer blessing they receiue at the hands of God, they together giue thankes for the same.

These maried folkes thinke [Page 345] it not sufficient (as many doe) to ioyne hand in hand,Not ioyning of hands but hearts in the feare of God. a token of their intire affections one to the other; but heart with heart in the feare of God, neuer to be disioyned, vntill death deuide them.

But how can hearts be truely ioyned together, that are of con­trarie dispositions, as many proue to be, that make showe of a godly loues beginning? can bitter and sweet? can loue and hatred? can ioye and griefe dwell together? and how can hearts contrarily affected com­fort one the other in the Lord? can a truely louing wife reioyce to see her husband grieue?Hearts con­trarily af­fected can neuer be ioyned to­gether in the Lord. or can a religiously kinde husband sing seeing his wife lament? will they not rather enquire the cause of each others sadnesse, and seeke the meanes to remoue it? their ioye & sorrow should be one, as they are one, they should beare equally one ano­thers [Page 346] burthen, and neuer to be bitter one towards the other.

It is against the nature of man to hurt wittingly or wil­fully his owne flesh, but rather to vse all meanes to perserue it: and therefore as man and wife by this sacred coniunction, are of twaine, made as it were one intire bodie, though disiunct in person; how can the one seeke to hurte the other, but they must both feele the smart?

Discorde and dislike be­tweene man and wife,Discorde betweene man and wife a great crosse. is a crosse of all crosses, a griefe of all griefes, and a miserie aboue all miseries vnto either partie fea­ring God: for, as peace and concorde betweene them, buil­deth and establisheth the house, so quarels and brawles turne it vpside downe.

Peace and loue twixt man and wife, makes bitter waters sweet; but hatred and iarres bring best things out of taste.

[Page 347] The good agreement be­tweene man and wife,Eccl. 25. 1. is one of the three things commended by God and man, and the con­trarie condemned of both. If the loue and vnitie of brethren bee so sweete and pleasant a thing,The loue of man and wife a most pretious oyntment. as that Dauid compares it to the most pretious oyntment; what may be thought of the mutuall loue and godly agree­ment betweene a man and his wife, when as either of them is to forsake father and mother, brother and sister, and all friends to betake them each to other?

A miserable thing it is, and (aboue all other former times in this our age) to be lamented; to see and obserue, and many times to feele the discordes and quarels, that arise betweene the husband and the wife, the one snarling at the other, as dogges about a bone: Tri [...]ing things and matters of [...] [...] ­ment, often times [...] [Page 348] against other,Small mat­ters in these dayes breedes quarels be­tween man and wife. in words vnseem­ly, to vpbrayde, and very vnci­uily to checke and taxe each o­ther, to the great offence to God, the Author of that holy coniun­ction, to the great disturbance of the whole family, and to the euill example of others.

Who is it that hath not heard (or beene personally acquain­ted with) the complaints of di­uers married folkes of both sexes?Many are the com­plaints be­tween man and wife. The man exclaiming a­gainst the woman, the woman against the man; As if they were not onely, not of two, made one flesh by that sacred and misticall vnion: but that they were of two contrary kindes; the man a Tyger, the woman a shee Beare.

There is no discord▪ to that betweene man and wife; nor harder to be appeased, where in deede there should be no loue, to the loue betweene man and wife, nor harder to be bro­ken. [Page 349] But no meruaile, though it thus fall out now in this last age;Whē there was but one couple in the world, one accused the other, much more now. for when there were but two; one man, and one woman in the earth, did not one accuse the other before God? Gen. 3. And shall we think, that he that seduced them, will be lesse dili­gent to make dissention, be­tweene man and wife now? He tels the man: Thy wife is of a stout stomack she hath a tart and curst tongue: And suggests vnto the woman; Thy husband is a froward man. How canst thou brooke him? Thus labours hee to set enmity between man and wife, as God set enmity between man and him in the beginning.

And such is humane frailty, as it is easily moued to things euill, as to strife and debates, without much setting on, but hardly to peace and concord, by best counsell.

The stronger should beare with the weaker, and the wea­ker [Page 350] should subiect her selfe to him she ought to obay: but we see many times, and among ma­ny maried couples, that this su­periority and inferiority is be­come preposterous;A preposte­rou [...] go­uernment where the foot guides the head. the foote would either guide or controle the head, and the head must giue way to the heele, or else the head shall haue little rest.

Neede wee seeke Palestine, for proud Iesabels; for enticing Dalilahs; for mocking Michols; Scolding Zipporahs; lustfull Ra­hels? or Egipt for wanton wiues like Potiphars? They are pitti­fully and plentifully found nere home.

The woman in deede is said to be first in the transgression; and the Scriptures in many pla­ces,The Scrip­ture con­demnes the woman to be more apt to giue offence then the man. testifie that the woman is most proan [...] to giue cause of of­fence; yet not to be taken so ge­nerally, as if there were no wo­men, as worthy commendation as worthiest men: Neither are [Page 351] we so to iustifie men in generall, as if there were none, to be in this point condemned as well as the women: for either may giue equall cause of offence to other; And the woman to complaine as well of the man,The man not excu­sed. as the man of the woman: but the woman the weaker.

Haue not many good wo­men foolish and sottish Nabals, brainsick Lamechs, some lasci­uious Rubins, others furious and contentious Ism [...]els, hating and quarelling with euery man, and euery man hating and disdai­ning them? Some poore wo­men haue drunkards, some spendthrift-Gamesters,Wiues of­ten cum­bred with idle and vnthriftie husbands. some following Harlots, and the like: this must needes enforce the weake woman to speake: yet, be her reproofe neuer so faire and gentle, doth it not often­times beget in such vngodly husbands, cursing, swearing, rayling, reuiling, and sometimes [Page 352] blowes? Some women also are so selfe conceited of their owne wit or worthinesse, as doe the husband what he can, hee can­not be free from brawles,Contenti­ous women driues their hus­bands oftē out of the house. that many times driues him out of his owne house. Her conten­tious words, are like the conti­nuall dropping of a rotten house, wherein a man can neuer lye dry. It is better to dwell in a little corner of the house in peace,Pro. 27. 15. then in a Palace with such a contentious woman.Cap. 21. 9.

Now then thou man, that thus complainest of the euill of thy wife, and thou woman that thus exclaymest vpon the dis­tastfull course of thy husband. Take either of you a strict view, and seriously▪ examine your owne seuerall▪ wayes,Man and wife ought mutually to examine themselues before they reprooue each other. and be not partiall. Be not so quicke sighted, to prye into the faults of thy wife, and to rest blinde in obseruing thine, owne. And thou wife, be not so clamorous [Page 353] against thy husbands imperfec­tions; and yet to flatter thy selfe as if thou needest not to reforme thine owne errors: and then, as the accusers of the woman ta­ken in Adulterie, and brought to Christ, were willed, if they were guiltlesse, to cast stones at her; and being all in their owne consciences faulty, in as great sinnes; they became silent, and secretly departed. So, no doubt, if thou man be innocent, thou mayest iustly complaine against thy wife. And thou woman, if thou be faultlesse, thou mayest lawfully [...]axe thy husband: but, if it appeare to either of your consciences, that you are both faulty; be both silent, and passe by one anothers infirmities, and be at peace.

But heere is the mischiefe: the wife iustifies her selfe; she hath done what shee can to please her husband: but he is still so froward, so testie; and so cho­lerick, [Page 354] as shee were better to be out of her life,Man and wife must be equally content with their lot. then to liue with him. Thou woman, thou too­kest him, to loue him, and to dwell with him, were he better or worse. And thou must now take thy lot (being hard) as well with patience, as thou couldest embrace it (if it were most plea­si [...]g) with delight. And thou man, that thinkest thou hast the frowardest wife of any man in the world; remember shee was of thine owne choyse; Thou tookest her for good, if shee be become worse then shee was, thou hast beene an vnprofitable guide vnto her: thou hast bin either too obsequious vnto her, in giuing her too much her will, or too bitter vnto her, procuring her hatred.

The humours of many men in the beginning, are, to be so fond, as their daliance cannot be sufficient in priuate, but they must discouer it in publicke; a [Page 355] seeming pleasant beginning,Many seem fond in the beginning, that quick­ly growe colde. yet often presageth a sorrowfull ending. No violent thing con­tinues long: and therefore, al­though loue be the most com­mendable among all other gra­ces, yet if this kinde of loue be too seruent, it lasteth not long; it is but as a morning dewe; as was the loue of Amnon towards Thamar: 2. Sam. 13. But where true loue is in deede, it springs from an higher fountaine, which neuer dries vp. That loue betweene man and wife,1. Pet. 4. 8. that begins, con­tinues, and ends in the feare of God, couers the faults that each may commit against other, and keepes all iarres, quarrels, and controuersies, out of the house.

But, a griefe of griefes it is to see, many, and many times men and women to come together, in such seeming sweet embrace­ments, as if they were aboue measure affected one towards the other. And yet stay but a [Page 356] little while, and you see a cloud of controuersies fall betweene them; and then their loue turnes to hatred, their former mutu­all kindnesse, to crosses and curses.

And whence ariseth this sud­daine distraction,Vnequall matches sildome prosper long. but 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: Pro. 18. 22. 19. 14. but a pru­dent and vertuous wife, Men and women ought to pray to God to di­rect them, before they con­clude ma­riage. is the gift of God; And, he that findeth such a one, rec [...]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 [Page 357] 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,Gen. 24. 12. 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,The choyse of a wife or husband, is a matter of great mo­ment, lightly regar­ded. 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 [Page 358] God) it many times comes to a helli [...]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 [Page 360] 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 [...]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, [Page 361] 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 [Page 362] 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 [Page 363] 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 frō aboue; that whatsoeuer thou haue determined, shall [Page 364] 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; [Page 365] 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 [Page 366] 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 h [...]lpe, succour, and re­lieue the poore and nee­die; and to doe vnto other [Page 367] 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 discontented Wife.

IT is before shewed: and there is none that is, or ought to be (of either sex) [Page 368] ignorant, that the man and the wife are of two distinct per­sons, made one entire misticall body:The man is the wo­mans head, and the woman a principall member of that head. The man the head of the woman, and the woman a prin­cipall member of that head, whom she ought to obay.

In the head, is, or ought to be reason, wisedome, iudge­ment, and all other gifts, where­by it may rightly guide, and di­rect the inferiour members, and the whole body.

Therfore thou man that hast taken a wife, and made her a member of thine owne body, thou art bound to loue her with a perfect loue, according to the counsell of the counsell of the Apostle, who spake by the spi­rit of God.Ephe. 5. 33. T [...]he loue of a man towards the wife, consisteth in comfor­ting her. Let euery man loue his wife as himselfe. And this loue consisteth in cherishing her, in giuing her competent maintenance in defending her from danger, as thou thy selfe desirest to cherish, maintaine, [Page 369] and defend thine owne person. Thou must dwell with her, thou must doe vnto her all such du­ties, as that holy estate where­unto you haue beene both cal­led, and as the faith plighted each to other requireth. And thou husband, thinke not that because she is the weaker, and made subiect vnto thee,1. Pet. 3. 7. that thou therefore shouldest neg­lect her, or tiranize ouer her; but to be so much the more tender ouer her, by how much she is weaker. Thou must loue her, as Christ loueth the Church (whereof thou art a member) and gaue his life for it.

And thinke not,A man ought not to leaue his wife, because of her in [...]r­mities. that because thy wife hath some infirmities, that therefore it is lawfull for thee, to loathe her, or leaue her; for, if Christ should so deale with his Church, or with thee, a member of it, as to cast it, or thee off, for the blemishes of it, who could be loued of him?

[Page 370] Let not therefore euery fault that she commits in her weake­nesse, cause thee to be bitter vn­to her, in words, gesture, or deedes;Bitternes may moue the mee­kest wo­man. for by this meanes, thou mayest cause the meekest wo­man to become like one of the furies: But dwell with her, as a man of knowledge, in passing by her infirmity; for, if thou loue her, thou wilt not obserue (at least reproue) all that shee doth, through weakenes, against thy liking.

If her faults be wilfull, and in thine opinion grosse and intolle­rable, such as by nature thou seemest not to be able to beare; Shew not in thy hastines a more grosse infirmity, in being too furious:How the Husband ought to behaue himselfe towards his Wife. but reproue her with meekenesse; admonish her gently; Let thy corrections be comfortable counsell; strike her not, for it is the greatest re­proach in the world, for a man to beate his wife: And it is the [Page 371] way in deede (though she loued thee before) to cause her to hate thee. And what gaynest thou by thy seuerity, but a heape of coales vpon thine own head?

If thou canst reclaime her by counsell,A mans greatest commen­dation, is, to win his wife with meekenes. thou shewest great wisedome: If thou canst beare with her faults, so they be not capitall against God, thou shalt be commended of all good men for thy patience.

If neither reproofe, nor coun­sell, nor conniuencie, will bring her to obay thee, yet art thou not to leaue her: But consider seriously with thy selfe, whe­ther the cause, or some great part of it be not in thee, where­by shee is moued to speake, or doe that, whereat thou takest offence.

Art thou not a Gamester?A husband must thus examine himselfe. art thou not Prodigall of thy purse? art thou not idle in thy calling? art thou not often in [Page 372] Tauernes, Ale-houses, in lewde and suspicious companies, con­suming that vpon strangers, which should maintaine thine estate and family, when perad­uenture thy wife and children languish in penurie at home? hast thou not, or dost thou not purpose to make away some things that thy wife brought thee (goods or lands) against her will?

If any of these occasions moue her,Men most faultie are aptest to abuse their wiues. thou hast reason to beare with her, and more rea­son to reforme thy selfe: for, commonly men thus giuen ouer to these vngodly courses, are most apte to abuse their wiues: if thou be innocent & free from these, and thy wife through her vnciuile and immodest cariage towards thee doe abuse thee, and neither counsell nor kind­nesse, gentle intreatie, nor se­uerest threates will calme her, thou must sit downe by it in si­lence, [Page 373] and saye, It is my crosse and I will beare it.

The best course thou canst take to remoue this inconue­nience, is for thee to giue good example,How a hus­band should behaue him selfe, that hath an vnkind wife. to liue vertuously, to serue God, and to praye with her, and for her, to repent thee of thy sinnes vnfainedly, and suffer these domesticall and houshold crosses patiently. Be not wilfull nor too wise in thine owne conceite, as to thinke thou canst tame thy wife more by tyrannie then tractability; & search, and peraduenture thou shalt finde thine owne faultes as great or greater then hers: If thou could as well see thine owne as thou obseruest hers, thou wouldest acknowledge thine owne sinnes hath caused her to become a trouble vnto thee: reforme therefore what is amisse in thee, and thou shalt finde a comfortable issue of thy good endeauours and prayer.

A Prayer to be said often of a man, who hath a wife of refractarie conditions.

O Gratious Lord God, mercifull and euer-louing Father in Iesus Christ, who hast the disposing of all hearts, the working and setling of all good affe­ctions in man and wife, the one towards the other! Thou art the Father of all that loue thee; the keeper and helper of all that come vnto thee in a liuely faith, who receiue comfort of thee in whatsoeuer trou­ble or affliction.

[Page 375] I humble my selfe be­fore thee, and pray thee in the name of Iesus Christ, to pardon and to forgiue me my sinnes, the ground of all my troubles, the greatest whereof O Lord, I finde to be the vnquiet­nesse of my wife and her infirmities: thou gauest her me, and I tooke her for a helper; but thou seest she showeth her selfe rather a crosse then a com­fort vnto me, to the griefe of my heart; and the more, by reason we offend thee by our contentions.

Lord, consider her weakenesse and her infir­mities, and giue her wise­dome and grace to re­forme them.

[Page 376] The corruption of na­ture O Lord, is strong in vs both: in her to commit things grieuous vnto mee; in me too great and vnad­uised reproofe of her: Lord, vouchsafe vnto vs both thy holy Spirit; worke in vs conformitie and obedience to thy will, & patience to beare one the others weake­nesse.

I cannot Lord, excuse or cleere my selfe of deser­uing thy iust displeasure towards me, by reason of mine owne sinnes; but must and doe confesse my selfe worthily crossed by her, that should haue bin my comfort: for how can I expect obedience of her [Page 377] that is by nature weake; when I my selfe that shoulde showe more strength, obey not thee?

O Lord, reforme in me whatsoeuer thou seest im­perfect; then maist thou in mercie be pleased to re­forme her.

We came not together Lord, without thy proui­dence! wee were conioy­ned by thee, and by thee commanded to loue and to cherish one the other; wherein as we haue both come short of our duties through our frailties; so we both feele the bitter­nesse of the breach of our duties eche to other which thou hast comman­ded: O take from mee [Page 378] Lord, whatsoeuer iust cause shee may obiect a­gainst me, in defence of her pretended discontent­ments; and season her heart O Lord, with meeke­nesse, humblenesse, pa­tience, peace and loue.

Let neither of our na­turall infirmities O Lord, nor Satans practise and malice, moue or make any more contentions, qua­rels or debates betwixt vs: but as thou hast made vs by thine holy ordinance one, so let our loues, mindes and affections be one; that wee may hence­forth liue louingly, peace­ably and religiously, in thy faith, feare and obe­dience; and truely seruing [Page 379] of thee, as long as we both shall liue. Amen.

Lord, encrese my faith, and send vs quietnesse, peace and loue for euer more.

How the wife ought to behaue her selfe towards her husband, though he be faultie and hard to be pleased.

THe complaintes of hus­bands of their discontents,Wiues complaints are more common then hus­bands. proceeding from the supposed euill of their wiues, are not seene so common, as are the clamours of wiues against their vnthriftie and vnkind husbands: yet it may be, if they were equally ballanced, there would be no great difference in the weight; but that, commonly husbands haue more priui­ledges ouer their wiues, being [...] [Page 396] become wise in thee, and righteous before thee; not trusting in a seeming and outward and verball holi­nesse; but neuer to rest sa­tisfied, vntill I finde the effectuall working thereof in my soule through thy holy Spirit; and an assu­rance through faith, that my sinnes and my former neglect, through the me­rits and mediation of my Sauiour Christ, accor­ding to thy promises in him, be freely pardoned and forgiuen me.

Thou hast taught mee O Lord, to praye, that I may doe thy will here in earth, as thy will is done in heauen; and yet such is the corrup­tion of my will, that it see­meth [Page 397] to striue to preferre it selfe before thy will; & by this vntamed and peruerse will of mine, I haue done all that I haue hetherunto done, as it were to crosse thy will, although I haue verbally prayde, as thou likewise hast taught mee, Not to be led in temptation: I haue not onely yeelded to euery temptation of­fered to moue me to sinne, but haue sought many (and many times) occa­sions and opportunities to sinne; in so much as I haue turned those blessed Peti­tions which thou hast taught me to make vnto thee, for my reformation and consolation, into meere wantonesse & sinne.

[Page 398] O heauy is thy wrath, and seuere are thy iudge­ments due vnto me for these my transgressions and wicked deseruings: I could not auoyde thy se­uere sentence of vtter con­demnation, were there not mercie with thee, aboue thy displeasure: and had I not a Mediator with thee, and such a power­full and preuailing Aduo­cate, as can worke peace with thee for me when thou art angrie; what should become of me? In him therefore O my God (worthily offended with me) I fall downe before thy foot-stoole in his name, for whose sake thou hast promised to [Page 399] heare most grieuous sin­ners, and to pardon grea­test offenders; and the greater the sinnes are which thou forgiuest, the greater appeareth thy mercie: my sinnes are great, yet farre greater are thy mercies: yet Lord, I haue not therefore the more presumed (vpon thy mercie) to commit sinne, or to omit my dutie, in walking more religiously and vprightly before thee then I haue done. Consi­der Lord, that corruption hath seduced me, and Sa­tan deluded me, and now I finde that I haue gone astray, and gladly would I now returne vnto thee, neuer to fall backe againe [Page 400] (assisted by thy grace,) and therefore Lord, extend the Scepter of thy louing fauour towards me, in to­ken of thy reconciliation with me; so shall my heart within me (now cast down for feare of thy iudge­ments) reioyce and be glad in thee; my soule shall cleaue vnto thee, and therefore Lord, cast the cancelled Bill of my sins out of thy hands into my heart, as an acquittance for all my sinnes, purged through the blood of that immaculate Lambe Christ Iesus, to whom with thee and the holy Ghost, be all honor and prayse for euer.

Lord euermore increase my faith.

A comfortable conclusion, show­ing the benefit of afflictions, to the end wee may beare them in what nature or kinde soeuer they befall vs, with the more resolute and godly patience.

IT is before obserued, that God exerciseth all his children with one crosse or affliction or another; not all and euerie one alike,Crosses that men suffer here are infinite. neither in weight, measure or number, which to expresse in perticular, is impossible, for they are without number: yet the greatest and most prin­cipall are before remembred, as a preparatiue for euerie child of God to looke for them, and to settle them selues to vnder­goe them with patience, when they come: for euerie child of God may be assured, sooner or later to taste of some of them; and that when one trou­ble is past, to prepare himselfe for another; for commonly [Page 402] when one crosse is gone another comes.Why God afflicteth his chil­dren here. God will not leaue his children idle, and to liue in carnall securitie here, lest they should forget him, and so turne his fauour into wantonnesse.

Therefore saith Dauid, Psal. 42. 7. As one deepe calleth another deepe by the noyse of the waters, One trou­ble calles for another so one affli­ction calles for another. Sinne calles for sicknesse, sickenesse for pouertie, pouertie for enemies, enemies for contempt, vexation and slaunder. If thou haue nei­ther sickenesse, pouertie, ene­mies, nor contempt; yet sinne thou hast, which calles also for disobedience in thy children, dis­quietnes in thy wife, falsehood in thy seruants, losse of goods, death of thy vertuous children, or thy louing wife; these are commonly reputed crosses, and who is free from them all?

Be assured if thou be the true child of God, one, or some, or all these will visite thee by [Page 403] turnes.Psal. 40. 12. Innumerable, troubles saith Dauid, haue compassed me about on all sides, Gods chil­dren must suffer here. and that is the condition of Gods deerest Saints, here to suffer affliction on all sides, and to be exercised with temptations of diuers sortes. The seruant is not aboue his Lord; Ioh. 15. 20. if they haue persecuted me, saith Christ, they will also persecute you: if Christ had trouble here, so must we.

As Christ through many troubles and persecutions came to glorie, so must euery of his Elect drinke of the same cup: Through many troubles, they must enter into the Kingdome of heauen. Hee that will liue reli­giously and in the feare of God, must looke for tryals and troubles in the world,The godly must looke for tryals. and con­tinuall temptations of Satan, to drawe him to sinne, that by his sinnes he may offend God, that if it were possible God might forsake him.

[Page 404] The most godly haue many sinnes,If we sinne we shall be punished. and sinne is the cause of all troubles, as appeareth by that which is said before; and if we sinne, shall we thinke we shall not be punished? though not as the meerely wicked in Gods hote dipleasure; but in loue, and the punishments may seeme alike with that of the wicked, but their endes not alike.

Wherefore then should a man (fearing God) be sorrowfull for his afflictions?Iam. 3. 39. 40. seeing he is there­by occasioned to search and to trye his wayes,Afflictions are not the cause of sor­row but sin that pro­cure them. that finding himselfe guiltie of disobedience to God, he may the more spee­dily returne vnto him, lifting vp his heart and his hands to him and say, I haue sinned and rebelled against thee, therefore dost thou worthily punish me.

Fooles, saith Dauid, by reason of their trangressions, and be­cause of their iniquities are af­flicted: [Page 405] and is not euery man that feareth not God,Euery man that fea­reth not God is a transgres­sing foole. in the rancke of Dauids fooles? nay, who is so righteous, that hath not committed folly by sinning? and who then can be free from affliction? If God should not correct vs her [...] for our sinnes, he could not but reserue vs for destruction hereafter; for such is the vilenesse of sinne, and so odious to God, as he neuer lets it goe vnpunished in Gods dea­rest Saincts here for a little space, and the obstinate hereaf­ter for euer: therefore better to suffer chastisement here for a moment, then to be heere free, and hereafter perish for euer: better to be corrected in the world, then to be condemned with the world.

And we must consider, that as we seeme and find our selues endued with a greater measure of guiftes and graces then some other men: so we must thinke, [Page 404] [...] [Page 405] [...] [Page 406] that God will trye these graces in vs,God will trye the graces and guifts hee giueth vs by afflicti­ons. and the power and vertue of them by afflictions and trou­bles here; that through our pa­tient suffering, we may be knowne to be what we would be reputed to be; for, the wic­ked commonly come not in to such calamities as the children of God doe, vnlesse by their wilfull running into miseries and dangers by their impious actions: but the godly are not so much agents to procure, as patients to suffer their affli­ctions: they are tryed as siluer from the drosse by the fire of tribulation, to make them per­fect.

Yet such is Gods great mer­cie and fauour towards his owne,God pro­portions our afflicti­ons accor­ding to our faith. as although he punish them, he proportions their af­flictions according to their strength, and their strength ac­cording to the weight of their correction; giuing them grace [Page 407] to possesse their soules in pa­tience in greatest crosses, & cau­seth them to reioyce in them, through the hope of the eter­nall weight of glory promised.

Seeing then,They are in an ill case that suffer no troubles. that all Gods children are to suffer in one kinde or another: and they that liue at their libertie and in the pleasure; of sinne without trou­ble, in what a lamentable case are they, that doe not onely not fall into like affliction, but boast of their freedome from all kinde of crosses?

Are there not some that say, I was neuer troubled by Sathan, I neuer felt any of his tempta­ti [...]? Another, I haue neuer [...] sicke in all my life? A third, I knowe no enemie that I haue? A fourth, I want no­thing, my corne and Cattle pros­per, and I haue enough to main­taine me during my life? Ano­ther boastes of his thriftie chil­dren; Another of his beautifull [Page 488] buxum and louing wife.

Doe not many silly men thus foolishly [...]latter themselues,Men that are not af­flicted [...]lat­ter them­selues that God loues them. and thinke that God dealeth thus fauourably with them aboue others, as an argument of his loue towards them, farre aboue those that are many wayes af­flicted? but let them consider it well, and they shall finde the contrarie; for, if God indeed loued them, he would assured­ly correct them: for hee chasti­seth euery sonne that hee recei­ueth; for euery man is a sinner, and for sinne he correcteth.

Therefore haue such men as are free from troubles,They that haue no troubles may suspect themselues greater cause by farre to suspect them­selues to be out of Gods fauour, then to boast of his loue; and to thinke rather, that they are vn­der the power and slauerie of Satan; and that the world & the pleasures of the [...]lesh haue be­witched them: for where Satan is silent, he suffers men to sleepe [Page 409] securely: he is loath to trouble them, out of their secure slum­ber; And hee is content [...]hat the world should smile vpon them, and to giue them all sensuall content, neuer desiring to crosse them. And this maketh many poore soules, falsly to imagine, that they are here euen in Para­dise, when the deuill hath them Captiues.

But, when it pleaseth the Lord of his great mercie, to al­ter their carnally pleasing condi­tion; and to giue them some bitter potion,As long as Sathan findes men to runne on in secu­rity, hee troubles them not. or some precious eye-sal [...]e, to make them see the danger they stand in, by awa­king them by his correcting rod; And they begin to be sensible of their miserable estate, and to encline to repentance: Then shall they finde Sathan (before silent as a Lambe) roaring as a Lyon, bereft of his prey, labou­ring by all infernall and [...]latte­ring meanes, to retaine them [Page 410] still. And where before he see­med not to appeare in his like­nesse, in vsing any apparent tentations, finding them already sufficiently chayned vnto him: seeing now his Captiues, like to breake loose, and to escape; They shall finde he will vomte out a floud of hellish tentations after them, to bring them backe againe; and will leaue no meanes vnattempted, neither inward tentations, nor outward allurements, nor the enclinati­ons of a mans own will, to ouer­throw them: And where be­fore hee was contented, they should be free from troubles and afflictions; hee will now worke all the meanes he can, to loade them with all kindes of miseries; not to make them better, but, as much as in him lyeth, to driue them to despaire in God: And (as Iobs wife, by his instigation said to her hus­band) to curse God and dye.

[Page 411] So that their case is dange­rous that liue securely free from Sathans malice,A dange­rous case to liue se­curely. from feeling of their sinnes, and from worldly troubles; and happy are they that suffer here vnder the gentle hand of God, and according to his will.

Sathans tentations,The afflic­tions of the godly are not strange and grea­test afflictions, are no new and strange things, but vnto them onely that haue long beene lul­led in the lap of all kindes of pleasures: When crosses in deed light vpon them, they thinke them strange; but vnto the dea­rest children of God, they are, and haue beene euer familiar; and Gods Elect Saints haue beene euer companions in afflic­tions.

Therefore St. Peter, to the comfort of all afflicted, to the end of the world, saith, Dearely beloued, 1. Pet. 4. 12. 13. thinke it not strange, con­cerning the firie tryall, which is amongst you to try you: as though [Page 412] some strange thing were come vn­to you: but reioyce, in as much as ye are pertakers of Christes suffe­rings, that when his glory shall appeare, ye may be glad and re­ioyce. Therefore let euery man comfort himselfe in his proper affliction; And consider well the course that Almighty God taketh with afflicted men, be they punished in his anger in iu­stice, or chastined in his mer­cie:The natu­rall man makes no difference, betweene iust iudge­ments, and fatherly correcti­ons. the naturall man maketh no distinction betweene iust pu­nishments, and fatherly corre­ctions; hee thinkes the chastise­ments of Gods children, to be of the like nature, as are his iust iudgements vpon the wicked. And therefore maketh no diffe­rence, but concludes all vnder one and the same sentence of wicked men, because they are alike punished: and in deede it is hard for a man to iudge his owne; much more hard, to de­termine of another mans deser­uings [Page 413] b [...]fore God; who often times keepes the godly still in trouble, and easeth the wicked: which maketh the carnall man to thinke the wicked to be in Gods fauour, and the childe of God in deede, not to be belo­ued of him.

But marke well the purpose of God,Great dif­ference in the wise­dome of God, in easing the godly and the wicked in thus relieuing, com­forting, and easing a wicked man of his troubles! thinke not it is in his loue, but in that he ob­serueth in him a minde enclined to some stubborne opposition against his commaunds, which he would put in execution, but that his crosses and afflictions hinder him: As Pharaoh, being afflicted, entreated Moses to pray for him; and being eased thereof, he forgat his affliction. So the children of Israell, when they rebelled against God, and GOD afflicting them for their disobedience, assoone as by sub­mission and prayer they were [Page 414] eased, they fell to their old and wonted stubbornnesse: And this doth God fore-see; name­ly, that neither affliction, and misery on the one side; nor prosperity and outward felicity on the other, can bring a wic­ked man to be good, a rebelli­ous to be obedient.

As touching Gods corre­cting,The end why God easeth the troubles of the godly. and againe comforting his owne children, it is to another end; for when by his chastise­ments he hath sufficiently tryed and humbled them, and brought them to the knowledge, and acknowledgement of that, for which their calamities and cros­ses are fallen vpon them; name­ly, for their sinne and disobedi­ence: Then hee begins as the skilfull Chirurgion, to lay mol­lifying and healing plaisters of loue vpon their wounds; hee workes inward assurance of the free pardon of their sinnes, in their consciences, by the appre­hension [Page 415] of his mercies in Christ.

The godly may be visited with sicknesse,The godly and the wicked, may be a­like afflic­ted. so may the wic­ked, and either of them reco­uer their health; They may likewise fall into pouerty and want, they may be alike impri­soned, they may fall into equall outward crosses, and be alike eased of them. But to the com­fort of the one, and that Gods glory may the more appeare in his recouerie and release, through his faithfull prayers; and to the further condemnation of the other; reseruing for him a greater punishment, howsoeuer hee may thinke, that God hath restored him in his loue.

And therefore,Men afflic­ted, ought to hold fast by God. be sure who­soeuer thou art that sufferest af­fliction here, to hold fast by God through a strong faith: and know that thy crosses are sent thee, to exercise thee with patience and obedience, and to make thee better. And there­fore [Page 416] if God be pleased to ease thee of any of thy troubles, it is in his great mercie, to make thee to know, and to acknowledge, that thy crosses and correcti­ons, and the cure of them, come onely from God; who requi­reth of thee onely thankfulnesse, and new obedience: for, if thou vpon recouerie of thy sicknesse, vpon supply of thy wants, vpon thy freedome of imprisonment, or vpon release of wha [...]soeuer troubles, thou shouldest re­turne to thy former sinnes; thou must looke for new, and more seuere and (speedie) punish­ments.

Be well aduised therefore, repine not at thine afflictions, but in patience possesse thy soule: wayte the good pleasure of God for thy deliuery;Wee must waite Gods deliuerie. & forget not in all thy troubles, to lift vp thine eyes to him that striketh thee; entreate him in an hum­ble heart by faithfull prayer, in [Page 417] the name of his Sonne: faint not, and hee will ease thee, or release thee.

A necessarie Prayer, for strength, to beare whatso­euer afflictions, with pati­ence; and for faith, to resist the tentations of Sathan, that will suggest, they pro­ceede of Gods meere dis­pleasure.

O Lord my GOD, who in thy wise­dome, diddest first forme me in, & broughtest mee out of my mothers wombe: In thy goodnes hast relieued mee; and in thy prouidence, as a Fa­ther, preserued mee vnto [Page 418] this day: And before I was borne, diddest determine all things, that I should suffer in this my mortall life;

Leaue me not now, I be­seech thee, nor forsake me, for now are the troubles and tryals befalne mee, which thou hadst determi­ned from the beginning; onely through my sinnes, whereby I haue grieuously offended thee.

I thanke thee Lord, that thou hast so fatherly a care of me, as not to suffer mee to runne on in my sinnes, without this gentle corre­ction.

I confesse, O Lord, be­fore I was afflicted, I for­gat to serue thee; nay, I [Page 419] forgat mine owne sinnes, I followed mine owne wan­ton and vnruly desires, and corrupt will, as I was mis­led by that deceiuing guide, that miscaries all those that forsake thee, and follow him: And there­fore I acknowledge thy iudgements iust, and my troubles deseruedly layde vpon mee; yet not in so heauie a manner, as thou iustly mightest inflict them:

For, as the troubles and afflictions are infinite, which thou canst finde out, to inflict vpon thy sinning children: So migh­test thou haue layde the most heauie of them vpon me, because my sinnes are [Page 420] great and infinite; And I cannot but acknowledge, that had it not beene, that thy mercies surmount my sinnes, I had perished vn­der my troubles long a­gone.

If thou haddest obser­ued euery of my sinnes, and for euery of them haue inflicted vpon seuerall pu­nishments; I could neuer haue beene able to beare the least part of them, I should haue fainted and sunke vnder them.

But, such hath beene thy fatherly loue towards me, that thou hast not pu­nished me, according to the tenne thousandth part of my deseruings.

Though sometimes I [Page 421] haue felt thy rod, and haue beene sensible of thy cor­rections, yet neuer ouer­pressed with them.

I haue had sicknesse, but thou healedst me: I haue had enemies, but thou hast defended me; I haue been in diuers mortall dangers, but thou hast preserued me; I haue beene in want, but thou hast relieued me; I haue had many domesti­call crosses, but thou hast giuen mee patience to beare them: And although I be not yet free from some of them; yet will I not feare or faint, now (by thy grace) hauing had so many testimonies of thy fatherly louing kindnesse towards me, in working so [Page 422] many gracious deliueries for me.

My sinnes then prouo­ked thee to correct me: I am a sinner still, and there­fore I cannot but look, for my continuall sinnes, con­tinuall chastisements. But Lord, let not thy correcti­ons be such punishments as thou inflictest vpon such as haue neither feeling of their sinnes, nor are sensi­ble of thy punishments; I confesse my sinnes, I feele thy correcting hand gent­ly layde vpon me;

And I finde, gracious Father, that though thou be displeased for my sins, yet art thou not so seuere in thy chastisements, as I iustly deserue. Thou pro­portionest [Page 423] my correcti­ons, according to thine owne gift of faith and pa­tience, which thou fatherly doest furnish mee withall; so that I am in some mea­sure able to beare them: or thou giuest mee faith and patience, according to the weight of thy corrections; otherwise it were not in my power, to beare the least of thy chastisements; but with much impati­ence, murmuring, and grudging, whereunto thou knowest my weake nature is enclined.

And thou Lord, well knowest what a malicious and subtill aduersarie I haue, Sathan, that ende­uoureth to draw me, to re­bell [Page 424] and to kick against thy fatherly corrections; sug­gesting vnto me, that they proceede of thy finall ha­tred towards me: and co­ueteth to feede my carnall enclination, with the vaine pleasures and delights of the world, and the lusts of my corrupt heart; and to reiect the yoke of thy gen­tle chastisements.

But Lord, thou hast taught me to know; and I haue found him (as in deede he is) a lyer, an ene­mie, a tempter.

O giue mee wisedome to obserue, and strength to withstand all his tenta­tions and a [...]lurements, that I may onl [...] [...]elie vpon thy prouidence, mercie, and [Page 425] goodnes; wherein I know that all the troubles and afflictions which I now endure, and that thou shalt hereafter impose vp­on me; are the true and in­fallible tokens of thy loue towards me: And there­fore shall neither my hope nor my patience in suffe­ring, be weakened, not­withstanding his malice.

Though I should walke through the valley of death; yea, if Death were instant before me; I will not feare: for, thou art with me in all my dangers, to succour mee. Thy rod & thy staffe they comfort me: Affliction and sorrow may endure for a little time, and then cōmeth ioy.

[Page 426] Thy dearest children, O Lord, endure troubles; but as they come of thee, so are they eased againe by thee.

Thou hast sent me great troubles, O Lord, and ma­ny aduersities haue befalne me, but not without thy prouidence; and thou hast hether-vnto sustained me in them all.

I will therefore goe forward in thy strength, who hast hether-vnto vp­holden me by thy power. And therefore my trust and sure confidence is, that I shall neuer perish, in whatsoeuer troubles. Though sorrow and hea­uinesse, vnder mine af­flictions, may seeme to [Page 427] oppresse me, and to presse mee downe; yet taking perfect holde through a liuely faith, of thy neuer-fayling promises: I am as­sured in thy good time, to be finally relieued & com­forted. In the meane time O Lord, giue mee perfect patience, and let my faith neuer faile mee; But as thou hast willed me, I cast my burthen (euen the bur­then of my sinnes, for which thou correctest me, and the troubles which thou inflictest vpon me for my sinnes) vpon thee my Christ, who hast suffered both for my sinnes, and for the punishment of them. And hast promised to nourish me, to sustaine, [Page 428] maintaine, and vphold me in all my tryals.

Lord, I haue had expe­rience of thy goodnesse, mercie, and fauour to­wards me, euer since I was borne; by thee I haue beene stayed▪ from the wombe; Thou tookest me out of my mothers bow­els; I haue euer since tasted of thy goodnes, thy power hath held me vp; thy pro­uidence hath euermore found out meanes to re­lieue mee in my greatest necessity, to defend me in my greatest dangers, to ease mee in my greatest griefe.

O my God, grant that I now may not distrust thine accustomed mercies, [Page 429] but may still assure my selfe, that when greatest danger shall befall mee, that rather then thou wilt leaue me helplesse, thou wilt giue thine Angels charge ouer me, that I shall not be vtterly out of hope of helpe; and that thou wilt send from heauen and saue me.

Thou hast promised to couer the faithfull, euen with the wings of thy pro­tection. I beleeue Lord, therefore I pray, that thou wil [...] sustaine me, and deli­uer me out of some of my troubles.

I embrace thy chastise­ments, O Lord, with a thankfull heart, knowing that, that man is blessed, [Page 430] whom thou correctest: Be not therefore far from me, O my God, though I be compassed about with ma­ny troubles. Though feare possesse my soule, confirme my faith, & I shal not faint.

Thou hast promised not to be farre from them that call vpon thee faith­fully: let not therefore faith faile me, O Lord, and then lay what thou wilt vpon me; for I know thee to be my Lord that hast made me, my strength that hast hether-vnto sustayned mee, my Redeemer that hast saued me, and he that will for euer preserue me. Amen.

Lord encrease my faith.