The monument of matrones conteining seuen seuerall lamps of virginitie, or distinct treatises; whereof the first fiue concerne praier and meditation: the other two last, precepts and examples, as the woorthie works partlie of men, partlie of women; compiled for the necessarie vse of both sexes out of the sacred Scriptures, and other approoued authors, by Thomas Bentley of Graies Inne student.

The Praier.

NOW is the ioifull time, wherein all Saincts both in heauen and earth doo magnifie and praise al∣mightie God, for the incarnation of his onlie begotten Sonne our Sa∣uiour Iesus Christ; who as this daie was borne of the pure Uirgin Marie, the which also the holie An∣gels of the Lord did celebrate with a most heauenlie song. And no doubt, the blessed companie of the elect departed out of this world, enioieng the comfortable sight of God, replenished with eternall wisedome, light and righteousnesse, yeeld most humble thanks vn∣to the Sonne of God their Sauiour and Redeemer, for his incomprehensible goodnesse declared vnto man∣kind, in the order of their redemption, for the infinite benefits of their saluation, and for taking our fraile nature and miserable flesh (subiect vnto all calamities and destruction) vpon him, and carieng the same and vs therewith vnto eternall life.

We therefore liuing in this vaile of wretchednesse, lift vp our heads vnto thee, O notable Silo, which art the fruit of the Uirgin; and separate our selues from the detestable & damned crue of vnpure spirits; and of men powring out blasphemous outcries a∣gainst thy truth and glorie. From our harts we praie thee regenerate and make vs thy children by adoption and grace, and dailie renew vs by thy holie spirit, to glorifie thee. For of our selues we are nothing but flesh and corruption, as they that are borne of flesh, and can not become thy children, except we be begotten and borne againe by a new birth of the holie Ghost.

Therfore we beseech thee renew vs, I say, dailie by thy mightie power from aboue, that being borne of the spirit, our harts and our hands, our deeds and deui∣ses, and whatsoeuer is in vs, may be spirituall as thou art. Ioine vs to the societie of thine holie Angels, which sing glorie to thee on high; and make vs mem∣bers of that congregation, which is knit vnto thee by an indissoluble bond of euerlasting peace, with grate∣full minds to record and celebrate thy benefits.

We thanke thee for sauing mankind from eternall damnation, and for making the attonement betweene thy father and vs, through thine incarnation, For so it was expedient, according to the order of iustice, that the punishment of a guiltlesse man, should quit man∣kind guiltie; and that a sufficient satisfaction might be made, it was required that he which would be the me∣diatour, should be God. God, I saie, to abide the intol∣lerable burthen of Gods displeasure, to vanquish death, and to restore vnto man life and saluation, to en∣ter into the most holie place, and be an eternall Priest. God, to vnderstand the secret counsell of the father, to be priuie vnto the cogitations of harts, to heare the grones of all men, to be the King of his flocke, de∣fending the same against the power of sathan and his members. Finallie God, to place his Church raised from death, in the eternall kingdome of his most glo∣rious father. Now, forasmuch as the nature of man was not able to bring these things to passe, we thanke thee O our sauiour, being the word, the expresse image, and interpretor of the father, for vouchsafing to take the office of a mediatour betweene God and vs.

Begin in vs, we most humblie beseech thee, this so great a benefit. We are weake, we are fowle and fil∣thie; but as thou wast brought into this miserable world, borne a weake infant, and that in a pinching time of the yeare, swadled with wretched bands, en∣dued

with the rags of a miserable nature, and laid in a manger among the brutish kind, being notwithstan∣ding the verie wisedome of thine eternall father. So let thy wisdome appeare in vs miserable men & womē in this wofull darkenesse of ours, among the blacke clouds of this doting age, amongst these troubles and destructions of Common-weales. Kindle in vs the sparks of that wisedome, which shall be perfect in the life to come, and ioine vs to the felowship of thy Saincts. Grant that from the hart, and ioifullie we may ascribe all glorie, fame, and honor vnto thee the true God, which art wise, righteous, almightie, pure, liberall, and mercifull, according to the rule described in thy commandements, which didst send thy Sonne to bring vs to that glorie; whereof we were depriued, and to restore vs againe to our first integritie, which was lost through sinne.

O Sonne of God, confirme thou, and seale these things in our harts by thy holie spirit powred vpō vs, which may worke within vs vnfeigned righteousnesse; that by the same thy spirit shining in the nature which thou tookest vpon thee, we may be committed to thee, vpholden, quickened, & brought by thee vnto eternall life: that that league made betweene God and vs, may eternallie be confirmed, and we loued in the beloued; and the eternall Father may loue vs with that loue, wherewith he loueth thee the substantiall image of himselfe. Suppresse the diuell, that he breake not this woonderfull and profitable peace: and suffer vs not hanging on thy necke, running to thine armes, seeking thy fauour, to be plucked out of thy hands. Keepe vs, we beseech in thy lap, as a louing shepheard cherisheth and beareth about his tender lambs.

And forasmuch as the first tidings of thy natiuitie were brought by the Angel of the Lord vnto shep∣heards; grant that shepheards of the soules, that is,

the ministers and teachers may faithfullie testifie thy benefits vnto mankind, and publish abroad what they see & knowe, spreading foorth thy fame, and glorifieng God for the peace, which he hath eternallie concluded with vs; and finallie may bring thy sheepe to thy stall, that is, to the congregation of the faithfull. Open be∣fore vs thy swadling clouts, which is thy word, that in this life it may crie within vs, and we thereby may feele the sense of thy most sweet promises, which thine eternall Father hath vttered of thee; Blessed are all they, which put their trust in him.

Furthermore, our petition is, that thou wilt blesse vs and our countrie, with all Common-weales. In∣crease among vs dailie y^e number of the faithfull; pros∣per the course of the Gospell, and suffer not the light thereof, by the malice of Sathan, to be extinguished. Likewise vphold those kingdoms, which minister re∣leefe vnto thy Church. Repell from the borders of thy seruants the rabblement of Turks & Infidels, which threaten the decaie of thy Church, and destruction of kingdoms. Blesse the labours of our hands; keepe vs from the contagious diseases: and last of all make vs and ours the vessels of mercie, and profitable instru∣ments to thy Church and Common-weale,

Amen.

Glorie be to God on high.