John Hall (1633-1710) was a Reformed conforming divine, Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity at Oxford, Master of Pembroke College, Oxford for a staggering 45 years, and Bishop of Bristol. Hall’s magnum opus is a devotional prayer book titled Jacob’s Ladder: Or, The Devout Soul’s Ascension to Heaven, which by 1728 had undergone 16 editions. Among the various prayers suited for all occasions is a beautiful one titled “A Prayer of a Woman after her delivery”:
O Merciful God and heavenly Father, who hast now most especially made known unto me that thou art able to do more exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think; make me thankfully to rejoyce in the works of thy love and thy tender mercy, thy favours are great and wonderful in sparing the life of my self and mine infant, and freeing me from my pangs, and it from the darkness of the silent womb.
Thine, O Lord, is thy power, by which I am delivered; thine is the mercy, by which I am safely returned into my bed; thine is the work of the frame and fashion of this my babe; thine therefore shall be likewise thy glory for ever and ever; Grant blessed Father, that I may never forget thy goodness, but may express my thankfulness, in new obedience, Make me careful to perform what service I promised thee, in the extremity of mine anguish: As thou hast given me the fruit of my body to the joy of my heart, so give me the fruit of righteousness sown in peace. Give me the wisdom which is from above, that is full of good works, without hypocrisy. Lord make me thy servant by grace, and make this child, thy child by adoption & mercy; give me comfort in its life, for the sorrows which I endured at his birth. Give thy blessing on the meanes for the nourishment of this Child: Give it strength, that it may live to receive the seal of thy mercy, in the laver of baptism; and do thou be present with thy blessing, when the sign shall be administred. O let it live, if it be thy blessed will, and grow up in wisdome, and in stature, and in grace, both with thee and with men; that so I may magnifie thy name, for making me an instrument to propagate the number of thine elect. Take pity upon all that suffer afflictions, especially on those women who are in labour with children: Give them comfort in the time of their miseries, ease from their torments, joy in their desired issue, and thankfulness for thy blessings; Lord grant that both I and they, may sing praises to thy Name, for the greatness of our deliverance, and express our thanks, in our godly lives; that when this painful life shall have end, we may sing triumphantly in eternal glory, through Jesus Christ our only Lord and Saviour; in whose most blessed Name and words, I conclude my imperfect prayers, saying, as he himself hath taught me,
Our Father, &c.
Theologia est doctrina Deo vivendi per Christum - Theology is the doctrine of living unto God through Christ 