Thou, O Lord, art wonderful in all thy works, and whatsoever ever thy good pleasure is that doest thou easily bring to pas,1 nether is any thing impossible with thee, that thou wilt have done.2 3And albeit this thine almighty-power showeth it self abundantly ⟨image 54⟩in all thy works,4 yet in the con ce•nyng forming and bringing forth of m•n, it shineth no•te evidently. At the beginning o heavenly father, when thou m• didst man and woman, thou commandest them to increase, multiply and replenish the earth. If through the subtle enticements of Satan,5 they had not transgressed thy commandment by eating the forbidden fruit, the woman, whom thou haste appointed the organ,6 instrument, & vessel to conceive, nourish & bring forth man through thy wonderful workman ship, had without any la•oure, pain or travail brought forth her fruit. But that which thy goodness made easy, sin & disobedience hath made hard, painful, dangerous, & if thy help were not, impossible to be brought to pass:7 so that now all women bring ⟨p. xxxix⟩forth their children in great sorrows, pains & troubles.8 Notwithstanding y• showest thy self unto thy creatures a father of mercy,9 & God of all consolation. For that which through their own imperfection & feebleness they are not able of them selves to bring to pass,10 11thou through thine unspeakable power makest easy in them,12 & bringest unto a fortunate end. We therefore being fully persuaded of thy bent and ready goodness,13 14of thy present help, of thy sweet comfort in all miseries and necessities, knowing also by the testimonies of thy holy word how great and intolerable the pains of women are the travail of child, if through thy tender mercies they be not mitigated and eased, most humbly pray y• for Jesus Christs sake thy son and our lord, that thy loving kindness may make that easy & tolerable, which sin ⟨image 55⟩hath made hard and painful. Ease▪ o lord thou pains, which thou most righteously haste put upon all women for the sin and disobedience of our grand mother Eve,15 in whom all we have sinned, and give unto all such as have conceived & be with child, strength to bring forth that, which thou wonderfully hast wrought in them. Be present with them in their trouble, help them and deliver them.
THou, O Lord, art wonderful in al thy workes, and whatso euer thy good plesure is that doest thou easly bryng to pas,1 nether is ani thing impossible with the, that thou wylte haue done.2 3And albeit thys thine almyghty-power sheweth it self abundantlye ⟨image 54⟩in al thi workes,4 yet in the cō ce•nyng forming and bryngyng forthe of m•n, it shineth no•te e•ydentlye. At the begynnynge o heauenly father, when thou m• deste manne and woman, thou co•maundest them to encrease, multiply and replenish the earth. If thorow ye subt•le entisemēte• of Satā,5 they had not trāsgressed thy cōmaūdement by eatyng the forbyddē fruite, the woman, whom thou haste appoyncted the organ,6 instrument, & vessel to cō ceiue, norishe & bringe forth man thorow thy wond•rful workmā shippe, had without any la•oure, paine or trauayle brought forthe her fruite. But that whych• thy goodnesse made easye, syn & disobedience hath made hard, painful, daūgerous, & if thy helpe wer not, impossible to be broughte to passe:7 so that now al womē bring ⟨p. xxxix⟩forth their children in great sorowes, paines & troubles.8 Notwithstanding y shewest thi selfe vnto thi creatures a father of mercy,
- 1Psa. cxv.
- 2Mathe. xix.
- 3Mark. x.
- 4Luke. xviii
- 5Ge•. i.ix.
- 6[…]. iii. i. Tim. ii.〈…〉. iii. i. Tim. ii.
- 7Gen. iii.
- 8Psa. xlviii.
- 9Eccl. xlvii• ▪Ecl. xlvii• ▪
- 10•saye xiii. Jer. vi.xxx.•saye xiii. Ier. vi.xxx.
- 11Ezech. •xx.E•ech. •xx.
- 12Ose. xiii.
