people they could not serue the Lord so euery one cannot pray and these euidently grounded out of the Lords Prayer 1 WE must bee the children of GOD borne anew by his Word and Spirit hauing some assurance of his fauour and a desire to grow therein carrying alwaies childlike affections to his Maiestie for we must come to him as to our deare Father and be able by the Spirit of adoption to call him Abba oh Father 2 Wee must euer come vnto our Father only through his beloued Sonne by whom we are reconciled made his children and kept in his fauour and withall in a true sense of our vnworthines to bee called his children or make any request vnto him and so we must make our petitions only in the name of this our Lord and Sauiour in whom alone our Father is well pleased begging in faith that is in full assurance to be heard for Christs merit in whatsoeuer wee request of our tender Father 3 We must come in all humilitie before his heauenly Maiestie remembring we are but dust and ashes yet full of heauenly affections able to lift vp our harts vnto him and to bee onely conuersant with him in the heauens for the time of prayer principally hauing all our thoughts separated from the earth and all earthly cogitations because we speak to our Father which is in heauen 4 We must be brethren of brotherly and tender hearts towards all the children of our heauenly father that is all those who soundly professe the Gospell of Christ in word and conuersation because our heauenly Father will haue vs hereby both to declare and increase our loue praying all one for another and in the name of all as deare brethren and feeling members crying earnestly for all Our Father 5 We must be such as are zealous for the glory of our heauenly Father desirous both to behold his glory shining brightly in all his workes and chiefely in his heauenly word and labouring to draw all others to a like reuerend admiration thereof making this the end of all our indeuours that our heauenly Father may bee honoured and casting all our thoughts which way we may gaine him any glorie more afraid of dishonoring him any way or offending him but euen in our thoughts then any euill that can befall vs in the world and such as vse to mourne for all the dishonors done vnto God his heauenly Maiestie that we may euer both truly begin and end our prayers with this feruent desire That his great name may be glorified because all kingdome power and glorie are only his for euer 6 Such as first seek his kingdome and the righteousnes of it that is the inlargemēt of the Church wherin Christ raignes and is magnified and so the spreading of his true religion and of all the meanes belonging to the conuersion and sauing of his elect with the vtter ouerthrow of all false religion and vngodlines whereby Satan and Antichrist do raigne vsing all diligence for sauing ourselues and others that being heere partakers of his kingdome of grace wee may euer after raigne with him in glorie and also such as long and waite for the comming of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. Otherwise how can wee pray in truth Let thy kingdome come 7 We must bee of an holy conuersation as the loyal subiects of this heauenly kingdome striuing to know the will of our heauēly Father in al things which concerne vs and such as make conscience of euery tittle of his word as Noah and Moses who in all things as the Lord bad them so did they able to say as Dauid I am heere Lord to do thy will I am desirous to do it as cheerefully as the Angels in heauen readie with Abraham to leaue all at the Lords commandement and offer vp whatsoeuer is dearest vnto vs in the world and to receiue any triall with patience and thankfulnes and with Paul not onely ready to bee bound but to die at Ierusalem for the name of Iesus Or else we can neuer pray in sinceritie Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen 8 Such also as labor to depend whollie vpon the Lords fatherly prouidence and watchfull protection for this life and all the comforts of it in a feeling of our owne naturall frailtie that if hee but take away our breath wee are gone and cannot of our selues continue one minute and withall that wee are neither worthie of nor able of our selues to get the least crumme of bread much lesse to cause it to do vs any good and therfore such as vse to beg it euery day from our heauenly Father and that as well for the poore as for our selues being liuely touched with their miseries desirous to imploy that which he bestowes vpon vs to his glory and the good of his children labouring as Iacob and Paul if we haue but bread to be therewith content such as neither trust in the abundance of meanes nor faint in the want of them but onely vse all meanes appointed to serue his diuine and fatherly prouidence casting all the care for the successe vpon him alone being assured that he cannot faile vs nor forsake vs of that that shall be best for vs so far as may stand with his owne glorie and the good of vs his people at least so long as we endeuour to honor him walking as his obedient children without this we can neuer pray aright Giue vs this day our daily bread 9 We must bee such as vse to trauell vnder the burden of all our sins especially presumptuous and scandalous in the sense both of the multitude haynousnes of them also our misery by them vntill we be throughly washed from thē in the blood of Iesus Christ as hauing no other meanes of deliuery or satisfaction feeling with Paul the corruption of our nature and our daily infirmities to be as a death vnto vs and hereupon vsing to crie instantly in the eares of the Lord Forgiue vs our trespasses neuer giuing him ouer vntil we obtaine this assurance 10 We must be voide of malice and such as vse to pray for our very enemies and are readie to doe them any kindnes wherby to gaine them to Christ or leaue them more without excuse because then wee haue this assurance to bee forgiuen and not else neither can we say in truth Forgiue vs our trespasses as wee forgiue them that trespasse against vs but pray for a curse vpon our selues 11 Hauing a continuall sense of the danger we stand in of falling into some sinne euery houre to the dishonor of our heauenly Father and prouoking his displeasure with innumerable euils following thereupon through the deadly malice and subtiltie of Satan who hath the aduantage of our corrupt nature and all things in the world to beguile vs fearing alwaies lest for our sinnes the Lord should leaue vs in his hand and thereupon such as
our selues but to all the world that wee are thine own children indeed giue vs hearts to loue all thy children being our brethren and sisters aboue all other for thy sake alone and euery one so much the more as they more liuely carry thy image in all holines excelling in vertue and so are more deare vnto thy heauenly Maiestie that we may euery day in all our prayers remember them as our selues begging alike for them all saying Our Father And that wee may delight in their companies onely as those with whom we shall coÌ„uerse together for euer in the heauens Knit all our hearts in this firme bond of brotherly loue that we may tenderly exhort releeue helpe comfort support the weakenesses one of another seeking by all meanes the edifying of others afraid of giuing the least offence to grieue and much more to hinder the saluation or turne any one out of the way of life Let this happie brotherhood and holy agreemeÌ„t in all the substance of thy truth which is able vndoubtedlie to saue our soules together with our ioynt profession to walke hand in hand in all the narrow way of life haue more power firmely to vnite vs then all the trash pompe or pleasure of the world with all the cunning of Satan or Antichrist can haue to diuide vs. Are wee not all that so walke thine owne children hauing thy Son our Sauiour thy Spirit our coÌ„forter and earnest for our ioint inheritance and glorie notwithstanding all our infirmitie and imperfections with some lesse diuersities in iudgement which must accompanie vs vntill we bee perfect in the heauens Confound therefore all the deuices of thine enemies that worke this euill among thine owne children to so great dishonor to thy heauenly Maiestie whereby our enemies insult ouer vs who haue conspired thus to worke our shame and to prouoke thee against vs to leaue vs into their haÌ„ds to our vtter ruin if it were possible Deare Father let vs neuer thinke our state to be good vntill vve carrie these hartie affections to al thy children studying to knit this bond of loue being able truly thus to pray Our father For hereby we know that wee are translated from death vnto life because we loue the brethren and vntill this time we abide still in death Which art in heaueÌ„ And whereas thou our Father art highly exalted in the heauen of heauens and there also hast prouided thrones for vs thy childreÌ„ after wee haue suffered a little humble vs euermore in the sense of thy greatnesse together with our owne basenes and vnworthinesse beeing but poore wormes crawling vpon the earth loaden with innumerable sinnes And yet withall lift vp our hearts alwaies vnto the heauens there to be conuersant with thee our heaueÌ„ly Father minding heauenly things especially in all our prayers longing there to behold thee face to face and that in the meane time while wee abide heere below we may be of such heauenly conuersatioÌ„s so vsing y e world as if wee vsed it not that the world may see that wee are not of it but pilgrims and strangers here and thy heauenly childreÌ„ and that our selues also may hereby grow vp to a strong assurance that heauen is ours all the ioyes thereof reserued for vs by our Lord Sauiour and all the creatures in heauen and earth at a league with vs to do vs good so far as shall stand with thine honor and our saluation euer readie to helpe in time of need Hallowed be thy name And seeing thou oh tender Father hast vouchsafed vs this honour aboue the greatest part of the word to bee thine owne children and heires of thy glorious kingdom wheras thou mightest iustlie haue left vs in our sinnes with all the wicked to euerlasting shame and perditioÌ„ Giue vs grace good Father to testifie our loue and thankfulnesse all the dayes of our life in studying in and aboue al things which way to honor thee Open our blinde eyes to this end to behold the glory of thy wisedome power goodnes and righteousnes shining in al thy workes euen in the basest creature in heaueÌ„ or earth and much more in thy heauenly word chiefely in all thy terrible iudgements executed vpon the enemies of thy Church therin reueiled with mercies towards thy children and which thou still shewest euery day especiallie towards our selues Make vs abâ—e to take euery occasion to consider of aright and set foorth the praises belonging to thee therein and haue a holie vse of them both in word deed y t by vs thy great name may be knowne magnified in al the world Aboue all set euer before our faces good Lord that wonderfull glory wherein thou hast been magnified in these our daies and before our daies in the euident declaration both of thy displeasure against vs of this sinfull nation and withall of thy mercy and tender care for vs and wrath against our enemies how for dishonoring thee by abusing thy Gospell which thou hast giuen vs with such peace and prosperitie as neuer nation knowne before thou hast not only corrected our grieuous transgressions and securitie as a tender Father with thy milder rods of dearth pestilence sundrie the like to bring vs to amendmeÌ„t and cause vs with more cheerefulnes to embrace thy Gospell and bring foorth the fruits of it but also raised vp against vs sundrie times most cruell enemies threatning not only the taking away thy Gospell but our vtter destruction also brought the enemies to the verie execution thereof because we would not serue thee with good hearts according to all thy mercies bestowed vpon vs and yet euer when we haue cried vnto thee thou hast heard vs as thou diddest thy people Israel and as thou diddest heare Iehosaphat against the Moabits and Ezechiah and Esay against the proud Assyrian and plucking them back in the instant hast taken vengeance for vs that we haue oft thought that they durst neuer haue risen against vs any more so as if the most barbarous nations of the earth had receiued but the least of our deliuerances with our meanes they vndoubtedly had repented long ago in sack-cloath and ashes as we for the present haue promised vnto thee Oh gratious Father inable vs alwaies to remember and acknowledge this and to see moreouer that thine anger is not yet turned away but more fearefully kindled against vs for that as our sins and prouocations are multiplied so these our bloody enemies insteede of decreasing or ioyning themselues vnto vs do still increase daily and their malice is become much more deadly against vs thy poore children without hope of leauing off vntill they haue wrought either ours or at least their own vtter ruine which in time they must needs effect Good Father cause this principal token of
THE SECOND PART of the true watch CONTAINING THE perfect rule and summe of Prayer So plainelie set downe that the weakest Christian taking but the least paines may in a very short space learne to pray of himselfe with much assurance and comfort both to get strength to obserue the Lords watch and to helpe to turne away or at least finde comfort in the euils that are to come Luk. 21. 36. Watch and pray continually that you may be accounted worthie to escape al these things that shall come to passe and that yee may stand before the Sonne of Man Esay 62. 6. 7. Yee that are the Lords remembrancers giue him no rest AT LONDON Printed F. K. for Samuel Macham and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Church yard at the signe of the Bul-head 1607. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE MY singular good Ladie L. ELIZABETH Countesse of Huntingdon OVR Sauiour hath not without good cause Right Honorable so oft called on vs to watch and pray ioyning these two together and warning his Disciples in their greatest dangers to watch and pray that they might not fall into temptation and also charging vs al to watch and pray continually that wee may bee accounted worthy to escape all the euils that shal come to passe and to stand before the Sonne of man because wee can neither watch vnlesse we pray to obtaine strength from the Lord by it nor pray with any comfort or power vnlesse we watch nor euer get assurance to escape the euils that shall come on the world much lesse the temptations of Satan and damnation of hell and appeare with boldnes before our Sauiour vnlesse we both watch and pray In regard whereof first my dutie to the Maiestie of God who prepared the watch against so needfull a time and after so graciously caused my poore desire therein to be accepted in his church hath encouraged me to endeuour to adioine vnto the watch this short directioÌ„ for praier as a secoÌ„d part vnseparable coÌ„panioÌ„ for the further good of his seruaÌ„ts of whoÌ„ sundry haue desired it at my hands And secoÌ„dly your Ladiships most fauourable acceptance of it being dedicated vnto my Honorable Lord perswading mee of your Honors vnfained desire both to obserue the same and walke in al the waies of the Lord haue imboldened mee to presume to offer this vnto your Honorable Ladiship both to testifie my dutifull thankfull affection to your Honor also and withall my feruent desire that you may both walke hand in hand all your daies in the selfesame narrow way of eternall life as being of the same heart and holy accord inabled thereunto by the spirit of the Lord obtained by continuall and instant prayer That so ye may shine as glorious lights together in the earth and after in the heauens aboue the brightnes of the Sunne for euermore This shall bee in the meane time your key into the palace of the Almightie and to the presence chamber of his glorious Maiestie whereby you may be admitted at al times to most familiar conference receiue immediate answers from his Highnes obtaine the riches and pleasures of his house with the most pretious iewels of his treasurie to adorne you farre more gloriouslie then al the pearle pretious stones of all the Princes of the earth all which shall vtterly vanish as the dimmest star when the brightnesse of your glory shall appeare You shall as Israel preuaile with your God haue his Angels and all the hoasts of heauen at your desire all being at a perpetuall league with you vanquish the diuels and put them to slight ouerthrow the plots of the wickedest and bee accepted for the Church subdue in your selfe each corruption bring euery thought into an holy obedience finde the Comforter at hand in all your trials the sweete voice of the Spirit making you with coÌ„fidence to call him Abba oh Father and giuing you most strong assurance of a kingdome and the life of the Angels in the very terrours of death And in a word you shall thus most happilie redeeme the daies of our vanitie and treasure vp in heauen abundantly against the time of the perfect accomplishment of your eternall triumph and felicitie Wherunto according to my perpetuall bounden dutie I shall alwaies striue during my life both by my incessant prayer and all other holy meanes which the Lord shall in mercie vouchsafe vnto mee his poore and vnworthie seruant And in this studie towards your eternall glory and happines I rest my selfe nothing doubting of your like honorable acceptation of this my poore endeuour howsoeuer penned in a most plaine and familiar stile not to delight the curious with an houres reading which I leaue to others but to helpe the honest heart that is desirous to learne of our Sauiour how to pray and conâ—inue therin in this life without fainting to reioyce and sing with the Angels for euer after when all others shall weepe and mourne and neuer find any comfort or release Your Honors in the Lord euer to be commanded IOHN BRINSLEY THE PREFACE TO THE CHRISTIan Reader containing a large and plaine direction to all the simpler sort how to vse this aright and an earnest exhortation to all sorts to giue themselues instantly to watching and prayer IT hath bin wished Christian and louing Reader that as I haue gone briefly thorow the Commandements and Articles of the faith to set downe the true watch so I would take some paines in like manner to go thorow the Lords Prayer to set downe the rule and summe of prayer for the further perfecting and our better performing the same watch Whereupon notwithstanding my great inabilitie in respect of many of my brethren yet considering the Lords former mercie who shewes his power in weakenes and that by this motion of diuers he seemes to require my poore labour in this also I haue attempted likewise to make triall herein the better to inable the simpler sort and to stir vp all sorts to this holy dutie of prayer that wee may obtaine strength from the Lord to keepe his watch more faithfully with innumerable other benefits procured by the same And the rather waying well into what dangerous times we are fallen wherein the greatest part as it is much to be feared in such a declining to Atheisme and generally to extreame coldnes or luke-warmenes do seldome or neuer pray priuately vnlesse perhaps they vse the Lords Prayer without vnderstanding And of those who vse to pray some although they pray much yet they do it verie superstitiously to the prouoking of the Lord and hurt of their owne soules insteed of receiuing any true comfort therein as all our popish sort doe Others haue a desire to pray but want abilitie or leasure as all our young and weak Christians A third sort droope in their troubles temptations and feares are at their wits end as Iacobs sons not knowing what way
praiers and thankesgiuing accordingly for each of our particular and principall sins are as Satan that stood at Iehosuahs right hand that our praiers cannot go vp vnto the Lord. And of all others that euery one whose conscience doe accuse them of crueltie towards their brethren would take away that crying sin of oppression crying louder for vengeance then al the sins of the earth besides which brought the floud of waters when the earth was filled with crueltie and brought in the fierce Babylonian to oppresse and spoile the great men in Iudea and to make those goodlie houses desolate which had formerly been built by the oppressions and spoiling of the poore which makes the poore to sigh being wearie of their liues whose sighes the Lord must needes heare and auenge when man regardeth them not which will so shut vp the bowels of the Lords mercie and compassion that hee will shew vs no more mercie but reiect all our praiers because we would haue no mercie of the poore no though Noah Iob and Daniel were amongst vs that they should but saue their owne soules and so must needs bring a fearefull desolation vpon our sinfull nation vnlesse it be speedilie redressed besides the blasphemies of the Idolatrous enemies of the Church of God and their braggs of their workes of mercie and pitie thereby mouing the people to a discontentednes to dislike of the religion of the Lord as being the breeder and nourisher of all such cruel and vnmercifull dealing though euen in this same bloodie sin they be as deepe as any other Secondly that all would learne of our Sauiour to pray as he hath commanded I haue this consident hope that the weakest Christian amongst vs hauing a good heart although he haue neuer been able to vtter his requests to God for himselfe or Gods Church would in few weekes but following this poore direction learne to pray in feeling with much comfort those who want good hearts would by this practise obtaine them Thirdly that wee would all ioyne to pray according to the two first petitions for the Church of God our Prince and Realmes with true vnitie therein and against all the enemies of them for then vndoubtedly we should neither neede to feare the practises of the Popes Seminaries nor diuels nor yet all the enemies of the world but only stand still with Moses and see what the Lord would still do for vs. Happie shall they be whom the Lord singles out vnto this worke to be if it were but as one of Gedeons three hundred for the perpetuall preseruation of the Church of God and their countrey But for the rest although they scape the Beare yet a Lion shall teare them in peeces for being deliuered with Gods sâ—ruants from the temporal iudgement the eternall wrath of God doth certainly remaine for them Wherefore giue me leaue to speake a little further vnto your soules in this important businesse if I may awake but some of you You that spend your liues in pleasures will you not be perswaded to spend some houres in this heaueÌ„ly work to talke with God for the sauing your owne soules and the people of the Lord Oh that you knew the vnspeakable sweetenesse that heerein you should find whereas in your vaine pleasures what can you looke for but intolerable bitternes in the end will not all these increase the wrath against vs whereas the changing them into prayers with fasting and teares would be as the sacrifice of Noah wherein the Lord would certainly smell a sauor of rest and as the repentance of Niniuie that hee that had compassion on the poore ignorant heathen would much more cause his face to shine still more bright vpon vs whom he hath vouchsafed so long the profession of his name Know it for certaine as the Lord hath giuen any of you mo of his outward blessings with them more time meanes to serue him so hee lookes for so much more time at your hands to be spent in instant prayer then of any other of the earth and so must your account be Do not the popish sort that liue in your bosoms obserue besides your extreame irreligiousnes how you neuer vse to pray priuately or with any deuotion and are they not hereby hardened to like far better of their owne blind superstition wherein they spend so much time in praier How will you answere your God for the blood of so many soules as hereby perish If you could bee perswaded which you will one day feele either in this life or when it is vtterlie too late that these all other your sins wherein now is your felicitie will bee as so many swords to peirce your poore soules and so many diuels to torment you eternally and your repentance death altogether vncertaine you durst not let one minute passe but would fall into bitter mourning for all your sinnes and for your time so ill spent and bee warned by our Sauiour to begin to watch and pray that you might escape all these miseries that will certainly come vpon you You also that haue filled your houses with the spoiles of the poore the earth with their cries the crie of your sinnes is gone vp into the heauens that the Lord threatneth to be auenged forthwith Let the counsell of Daniel to Nabuchadnezar be acceptable vnto you if you will escape the decree that is comming forth against you Breake off your sins by righteousnes and your iniquities by mercie towards the poore Repent and make restitution while you may Cease to do euil learne to doe well seeke iudgement releeue the oppressed iudge the fatherlesse and defend the widow as the Lord bids you by his Prophet Then you may pray and your praiers shall be heard though your sins were as crimson that is most bloodie sins yet they shall be made white as snow If yee consent and obey yee shall eate the good things of the Land but if yee refuse and be rebellious ye shall be deuoured with the sword for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Your oppressioÌ„s which haue pressed downe the poore vnto the ground will one day crush you into the bottome of hell and will be a loade heauier then the whole earth vpon you that you would giue all the world if you had it to be disburdened of them and at your death the iudgement threatned vnto Iehoiakim shall surely light vpon you that none shall lament or mourne for you to say ah Lord ah his glorie but all shall reioyce that the earth is eased of you and your remembrance shall remaine most vile and loathsome to all posteritie as the memorie of other oppressors doth before And for you that would neuer spare so much as one houre from your worldly businesses to priuate praier when God opens your eyes to discerne the true profit hereof aboue the other that hitherto you haue been meerely of
to preuaile with God as Iacob and much more with men and finde by good experience the truth of that promise that before thou callest God will answere and whilest thou speakest hee will heare THE PERFECT RVLE AND SVMME of Prayer Our Father Oh Lord most holy and glorious terrible to all the wicked but most gratious and ful of compassion towards all that desire to obey al thy Commaundements we that are but dust and ashes children of wrath by nature and most rebellious of all thy creaturs dare not of our selues once lift vp our eies to heauen Father Yet neuerthelesse seeing it hath pleased thee to receiue vs for thine own children by grace thorow thy Son Iesus Christ by whō thou hast purchased ordained vs to eternal glory and giuē him to be our mediatour wee come before thee oh Father in his name magnifying thee for this fauour beeing the greatest happines that euer could befall vs. Increase in vs daily this assurāce by making vs to grow in repētance faith framing vs to the image of thy Son in al knowledge loue obedience wholly changing and renewing vs that wee may bee no longer strāgers from thee but may delight to be euer in thy presēce hearing thy voice or speaking to thee in prayer crying Oh Father Our And that it may bee more euident that thou art our Father indeede giue vs grace to loue thy childrē aboue all other for thy sake and each so much more as they more excell in vertue and are more deare vnto thee that we may daily remember them in al our prayers saying Our Father And delight in their companies onely as those with whom we shal liue for euer Knit our harts in brotherlie loue that wee may tenderlie comfort edifie one another afraide of grieuing or hindering much more of turning anie one out of the way of life Let our holie agreemēt in al the substance of thy truth with our ioint profession to walk together in the path of life bee of more force to vnite vs then all the trash of the world or cunning of Satan to diuide vs. Are we not all that so walke thine owne children and coheires of thy kingdom notwithstanding all our imperfections and some lesse diuersities which must accōpanie vs while wee are in the earth Cōfoūd therfore all deuices working this diuision to thy dishonor reioycing to our enemies who thus conspire to worke our shame ruin if it were possible Let vs neuer rest vntill wee finde these hartie affections towards al thy childrē that heereby we may know certainly that we are trāslated frō death to life whē we can pray Our father VVhich art in heauen And whereas thou raignest in the heauens where thou hast prouided throns for vs humble vs stil more in the sense of thy greatnes seeing we are but poore wormes crawling in sin And yet so lift vp our hearts vnto thee y t wee may bee with thee esspecially in all our prayers lōging to behold thee face to face let our cōuersation be so heauēly that the world may see that wee are thy heauenlie children trauelling towards thee our selues may grow vp to a full assurance that heauē is ours reserued by our Lord Sauiour for vs all creatures euer to do vs good Hallowed And seeing thou hast vouchsafed vs onelie this honor to be the heires of thy kingdom whereas thou mightest iustlie haue lefte vs with the wicked to euerlasting perdition Giue vs grace euer to testifie our thankfulnesse seeking in and aboue al things to honor thee Opē our eyes to behold thy power wisedom goodnes shining in all thy works much more in thy heauēly word chieflie in all thy iudgmēts vpon thine enemies mercies towards thy children still shewed euery day Make vs able to cōsider of and set forth the prayses belonging to thee therein both in word deed y t by vs thy great name may be knowne in all the world Aboue all in that wherein thou hast bin magnified before our eyes in shewing thy fatherly care for vs wrath against our enemies how for dishonoring thee in abusing thy Gospel and al thy blessings bestowed on vs aboue all people thou hast not onely corrected vs tenderly with thy milder rods but hast also sundrie times raysed vp most cruell enemies threatning not onely to take away the Gospell but our vtter destruction also and brought them to the very executiō of it because we would not hearken and turne vnto thee according to thy mercies yet euer when we haue cried vnto thee thou hast plucked thē backe in the instant and taken vēgeance for vs so as we haue oft thought y t they durst neuer haue attēpted the like againe so as if the most barbarous nations had receiued but the least of our deliuerances with our meanes they would haue repēted long agoe as wee haue oft promised Oh gracious Father make vs euer to acknowledge this to see that thy anger is againe more fearfully kindled for that these our enemies as our sinnes do stil increase in number and malice without hope of leauing off their practises vntil they haue wrought either ours or their owne endlesse ruin Good Father let this token of thy wrath together with the arming of the dumbe creatures both windes and waters so oft threatning our destruction for the ouerflow of all iniquitie in euerie place preuaile so mightily with vs that wee may all presently seek to appease thine anger Diddest thou not before y e bloodie and fiery conspiracie warne vs all from heauen as thou didst Ierusalem inclosing vs in a fiery tent with pillers of darknesse of fire blood foreshewing vs as by y t which followed we may iustlie deeme y t bloodie destructiō which was towards vs Did not many of our hearts trēble at that sight causing vs to seeke more earnestly to turne away the future euils And feared wee without cause Had it not bin effected indeed and we all inclosed in the most dark fiery and bloody tent that euer y e world heard of if y u hadst not heard the prayers of thy poore children in the verie instant and remembred vs in mercie And shall wee remain senselesse still in the middest of the tokens of thy wrath making the whole land to trēble at the report of thē Saue vs from that the heauiest iudgmēt that euer fell vpon the hart of man wherby not onely the Egyptiās but also thine owne people were prepared for their final desolatiō so oft threatned by our Sauiour that by seeing wee should see not perceiue but haue our harts more ful by al y e means vsed for our repentance lest we should conuert be spared Opē our eyes to see our fearful estate and how farre this iudgemēt hath seased on vs already Conuert vs we shal be cōuerted not harden our selues against the tokens of thy wrath thy word and seruants Oh leaue vs not vnto
reserued for hell Graunt vs to liue in all things as thy obedient subiects that wee may passe frō this kingdom of grace into thy glorious kingdome Make vs to feare the occasiōs of backsliding that wee neuer so much as once look back vnto the world but hie fast towards heauē where our Sauiour keeps possession for vs. Destroy in vs all our corruption wherby Satan preuailes against vs. Hastē that day when the differēce shall appeare between vs and thē that feare thee not whē we shal raigne with thee for euer And because wee now liue by faith and not by sight the wicked oft flourishing whē thy children are afflicted Oh Lord increase our faith in all thy sweete promises y t through the comfort of it power of godlinesse we may grow vp to a full assurance that wee are the true heires of thy kingdome and ouercome all hinderances that being faithful to the death we may haue the crown of life Fill our hearts with such peace ioy with all the fruits of righteousnes that all may see to what kingdome wee belong and wee feeling y e beginning of it here may enter into thy heauenly ioy Thy wil be c. And that our childlike affectiōs with our zeale thākfulnesse may more appeare to all y e world quicken vs to do thy heauēly will chiefelie wherein thou hast shewed vs how thou wilt haue vs walk that wee may do it cheerefullie as the Angels Accept our will for the deede Let it be our chiefe desire to stād in thy presence to enquire by all holy meanes what thy diuine pleasure is and euer so soone as thou hast made it knowne vnto vs giue vs Dauids Eccho to say I am heere Lord to doe thy will thy law is within my heart And whereas it is thy decree that thorow many troubles wee must enter into thy kingdome good Father subdue our corrupt wils to thy holy will that hūbling our selues vnder thy hand we may trie reforme our waies immediately without once whispering against thee knowing y t in loue thou so workest our good in all our trials and wilt giue vs a happy issue in thy due time And if it shall bee thy good pleasure to cal vs to suffer for thy name keepe vs that we may suffer as thine owne children for righteousnes and then to take vp our crosses with thankfulnes reioicing that thou countest vs worthy that honour looking stedfastly at our Lord Sauiour who hauing first troden y t way before vs sits for euer in glorie at thy right hand But keepe vs that we neuer do any thing against thy reuealed will to procure therby neuer so great a good seeing thou canst and wilt effect whatsoeuer is best without our sin That wee may euer truly pray Thy will bee done in earth as it is in heauen Giue vs this day c. And thou oh deare Father when wee are such that y e world may see thy tēder care ouer vs and how thou fulfillest thy promises vnto vs that wee may the better attend the seeking of thy glorie and good pleasure vouchsafe vs the cōforts of this present life Shew vs thy loue in prouiding for vs in due time Direct vs to vse all painfulnes and holy wisdom chiefely in our particular calling with all the meanes to serue thy prouidence auoiding whatsoeuer may hinder our comfort or hurt our estate Graunt vs to hide our selus vnder thy watchful protection knowing that our times are in thy hand to continue as pleaseth thee and to consider that of our selues we cannot prolong our liues one minute nor haue any power to get one morsell of bread vnlesse thou both shew vs the meanes assist vs to vse thē giue a blessing to them Hūble vs here in that wee are not worthie the least crumme of bread which we are taught to beg daily and that wee are but vsurpers of it and of whatsoeuer else we haue vnlesse we be in Christ because wee hauing lost all can haue no right to anie thing vntill it bee restored vnto vs in him who is Lord of all Increase our assurance that thou hast giuen him vnto vs y t we may haue a true title to whatsoeuer wee enioy Blesse thy good creaturs to nourish comfort vs. Giue vs contented hearts though wee haue but bread acknowledging thy fatherlie prouidēce as wel in want as plentie and that thou wilt make euen bread sufficient when other means faile And if we shal come to haue no more but for the present day nor any meanes of succour then strengthen vs to cast our selues vpon thee without fainting and to shew that we liue not by bread onelie but by thy power tender care and blessing Certifie our consciences that though wicked men may bee hunger-starued yet thou wilt neuer let any of vs that serue thee being heires of thy kingdome to wāt any thing that is good for vs but wilt work extraordinarilie causing our enemies to feede vs or the fouls to bring vs meate rather then we shall want Keep vs therfore from carking cares aforehand for prouision for vs or ours much more from murmuring whereby thou art dishonored prouoked Make vs able to sanctifie thee vsing only the means for thy protection prouidēce cōmending our selues wholly vnto thee being certainlie assured that thou canst not faile vs. And whē thou dost bestow thy gifts vpon vs make vs to behold thy good nesse in them vsing thē holily neuer abusing them to satisfie our lustes or to puffe vs vp or set our confidence loue vpon thē but that wee may imploy them to maintaine thy worship seruice and performe all holie duties especially for the reliefe of thy children for whom we are to praie daily and to whom thou hast giuen an interest in the vse of them that so we may shew our thākfulnesse to thy heauenly Maiestie loue to thy childrē and chiefelie the most excellent and therein the true practise of the Communion of Saints wayting for the ioyfull sentence Come ye blessed of my Father receiue the kingdome prepared for you c. Forgiue vs our trespasses And whereas our sins onely doe hinder turne from vs all these blessings which we haue begged and bring innumerable euils vpon vs insteede of thē so make vs most vnhappie wherupō thou hast taught vs to crie euerie day forgiue vs our sinnes Pardon good Lord and remoue all our sinnes out of thy sight And to y e end that we may neuer giue thee rest vntill we haue gotten this assurance teach vs that herein is all true happines and without it we are most miserable without all hope of comfort Shew vs also the haynousnesse of sinne declared in the fearefull punishment of thy most glorious Angels the excellentest of all thy works whom for one sinne thou diddest throw downe vnto hel to be reserued in chaines of darkenesse to the iudgemēt of the great day And after wards in
thereunto that they may be saued giue vs harts to haue a speciall regard not only of all those committed to our charge to bring them in obedience to the lawes of thy Kingdome but euen all who are tyed vnto vs by any speciall bond that we may take euery first occasion which thou offerest for procuring or furthering their saluation and so gayning them vnto thee by all good admonitions exhortations and examples Let vs be as the Angels vnto Lot neuer resting before we haue gotten them safe into Zoar. And that we may be able to perswade others more effectually Lord giue euery one of vs a sweete feeling what a blessed thing it is to bee the subiects of this thy Kingdome to haue all the priuiledges thereof and to be partakers of thy glory euen Kings and Priests vnto thee and what reward and happines there is in liuing such a holy conuersation and how wretched vnhappie the state of all other people is seeme they neuer so happy in this world being but bondslaues of Sathan reserued for the chaines of eternall darknesse Oh heauenly King grant vs to liue in all things as the subiects of thy Kingdome that so we may passe from this Kingdome of grace into that thy Kingdome of glory Make vs to feare the causes of backsliding that we may neuer so much as looke backe with Lots wife towards this euill world but euer hie fast towards thine heauenly Kingdome hauing our eie at our Lord and Sauiour who fitteth at thy right hand keeping there possession for vs. Destroy in vs euery corruption whereby Satan keepes vs any way in his slauerie or at any time gets the dominion ouer vs. Hasten that glorious day when the difference shall appeare betwene vs thy subiects and those who serue thee not when we shall wholly raigne in glory with thee free from al our enemies and from euer offending thee any more And because in the meane time we thy subiects liue by faith and not by sight in this world where all things vsually seeme to go out of order the wicked florishing in their vngodlinesse when wee oft weepe and mourne Oh Lord increase our faith in all thy gracious promises that through the comfort and power of godlinesse wrought in vs thereby we may grow vp to such a ful assurance that we are the true heires of thy kingdome that we may easily ouercome al the hindrances of the world and hauing the patiēce of Saints we may be faithfull to the death vntill thou set the crowne vpon our heads Fill our harts with such peace of conscience and ioy in thee with all the fruits of righteousnesse incoraged by thy sweete promises that all others may see to what Kingdome we belong and we our selues may feele daily the beginning of it in our selues so entring into thy heauenly ioy Thy wil be done in earth as it is in heauē And that our childlike affections towards thy heauenly Maiestie our zeale for thy glory and thankfulnes for thy Kingdome may bee more manifest to all the world quicken vs to doe thy heauenly will commandements chiefely those with which thou hast fully acquainted vs how thou wilt haue vs to walke and keepe thy watch and that with as much readinesse as thy Angels in heauen and wherein we are too short accept good Father our will for the deede Let it be our delight to stand euer in thy presence to inquire thy diuine pleasure both by reading and hearing thy heauenly word and asking of others and euer so soone as thou hast by any meanes made knowne vnto vs what thy good wil is giue vs forthwith Dauids Eccho that without consulting with flesh and blood we may say forthwith I am heere Lord to doe thy will yea thy law is within my hart that so all our seruice may be freevvill offrings vnto thee And whereas it is thy decree that thorowe many troubles wee must enter into thy heauenly Kingdome good Father frame our corrupt wils vnto thy heauenly will giue vs grace both to look for them euer to humble our selues vnder thy hand as thy obedient children seeking alwaies to pacifie thee searching immediately and amending whatsoeuer is amiste without once whispering against thy diuine Maiestie being assured that thou still louest vs euen when thou correctest vs most sharply and art working our good wilt in thy due time giue a happy end to all our troubles and cause thy louing countenance to shine on vs againe And if it shall be thy good pleasure to call vs to suffer for thy name keepe vs that we may not suffer as euill doers or busie bodies for medling in things without our calling so to bring crosses on our selus but as thine owne childrē for righteousnesse and then make vs to take vp our crosses with al ioyfulnesse and thankfulnesse that thou accountest vs worthy that honor looking stedfastly at the great reward holden forth vnto vs in y e hand of our Lord sauior who hauing troden that way before vs is there highly exalted to raigne for euer But keepe vs that we neuer goe against thy reuealed will whereby thou hast conuinced our consciences vnder pretence either to honour thee or doe any seruice vnto thy Church or for neuer so great a good seeing thou canst and wilt maintaine thine owne honour saue thy Church effecting whatsoeuer is best without our sinne That we may euer truly pray Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen Giue vs this day our daily bread And then oh deare Father when thou hast giuen vs such harts thus to seeke thy will that the world may see the tender care that thou hast for vs and how thou dost fulfill vnto vs all thy promises and that we likewise may wholy attend the seeking of thy glory in the inlargement of thy Kingdome and doing thy will vouchsafe vs gratiouslie all things meete for the comfort of this present life Shew vs thy fatherly loue prouiding sufficiently for all our necessities in thy due time Direct vs to vse all the holy means which thou hast appointed to serue thy diuine prouidence both painfulnesse thrift and godly wisdome chiefely in our particular calling auoyding as warily whatsoeuer may any way indanger vs make our liues vncomfortable or hurt our estate Grant vs grace also euermore in all humility to commit our selues vnto thy Fatherly protection not fearing what man can do vnto vs remembring that our times are in thy hāds to continue so long as it pleaseth thee that likwise vnlesse thou who hast giuen vs our liues do preserue them wee cannot continue one moment Make vs to know that of our selues wee haue no power to get one morsell of bread vnlesse thou both shew vs the meanes and
after inable vs to vse the same and giue a blessing to them Humble vs in the sense of our vilenesse that wee are so farre off from deseruing eternal life that we are not worthy of the least crumme of bread which thou hast taught vs to beg daily and grant vs grace to knowe that when we haue it wee are but theeues and vsurpers of it and of whatsoeuer else we possesse to make a dreadful account for it vnlesse thou giue it vs in Iesus Christ because we hauing lost al through Adams transgression can haue no right vnto it againe vntill it be restored vnto vs in our Lord and Sauiour Vouchsafe therefore to increase our assurance that thou hast giuen vs thy Sonne who is Lord of all that in him we may be certaine that we haue a true title to whatsoeuer we inioy Giue withall both power and strength to thy good creatures to norish and comfort vs. Bread Bestow vpon vs contented harts with the estate wherein thou settest vs though we haue but bread grace to see and acknowledge thy wise and tender prouidence aswell in want as pleÌ„â—y being vndoubtedly assured that thou canst wilt make bread alone to satisfie vs abundantly when other meanes faile This day And if thou shalt euer bring vs into that strait that we shall haue no more but for the preseÌ„t day nor any means of succor in the world theÌ„ strengthen vs to giue thee glory by casting our selus wholy vpon thee without impatience or fainting that we may be able euen then to shewe our confidence in thee how we liue not by bread onely but by euery word proceeding out of thy mouth Certifie our consciences aforehand that howsoeuer wicked men be they neuer so rich may starue with hunger before they die yet thou wilt neuer let vs thine owne obedient children and heires of thy Kingdome to want any thing that shall be good for vs but that thou wilt rather worke extraordinarily when ordinarie meanes faile causing our enemies to feede vs if our bretheren forget vs the very foules to bring vs bread and the heauens to poure vs downe a blessing And therefore good Father let vs alwaies bee reuereÌ„tly afraid of dishonoring or grieuing thee by carcking cares aforehand for prouision for vs or ours and much more of murmuring or impatience in any such trials whereunto our sinfull natures are extreamly inclined Make vs able to sanctifie thy great name in vsing onely the meanes for thy protection and prouidence referring the worke whole successe vnto thy heauenly Maiestie alone being certaine that thou wilt doe that that shall be best and that thou canst not faile vs nor forsake vs. And when thou doest bestowe thy gifts vpon vs giue vs a holy vse of them that both they may further our saluation and that wee may see thy goodnes in them and neuer abuse them to satisfie our sinfull desires or puffe vp our proud harts or make theÌ„ our gods putting our confidence or felicitie in them but that wee may imploy them to the maintenance of thy religion with all the holy ends which thou hast ordained them for and especially for the reliefe comfort of our poore brethren for whoÌ„ thou hast taught vs to pray daily as for our selues and to whom thou hast giuen an interest in the vse of our goods Giue vs bowels of compassion towards the poore and needy that we may take off euery heauie burden relieue the oppressed deale our breade to the hungry soules that their backes and bellies may blesse vs and that thou mayest remember vs in the day of our aduersitie and we lay vp a sure foundation against the time to come that therin also we may shewe forth our homage to thy diuine Maiestie that we hold all of thy goodnesse and declare the loue we beare to thy children for thy sake and chiefely to them that most excell in thy graces and so the true practise of the CoÌ„munion of Saints waiting for that ioyfull sentence Come yee blessed of my Father receiue the Kingdome prepared for you for when I was hungry you gaue me meate Forgiue vs our trespasses And wheras our sinnes onely do hinder our assurance that we are thy children and cause vs that we can neither behold thy glory nor feele the power and happinesse of thy Kingdome neither yet haue that full securitie for thy fatherly prouidence and protection from all euill which otherwise we should find and do moreouer bring all contrary euils vpon vs and therefore thou hast taught vs to cry euery day forgiue vs our trespasses Pardon good Lord and remoue all our sinnes that keepe away these good things from vs. And that we may cry more earnestly for forgiuenesse neuer giuing thee rest vntill wee haue attained it teach vs that heerein alone stands all true peace and blessednes when we haue this full assurance sealed in our harts that our sinnes are pardoned and that all they whose sinnes are not remitted are most accursed and vnhappy And to this end shewe vs good Father first the hainousnesse of sinne by making vs to consider aright thy wrath declared against it from heauen in the fearefull punishment of thy most excellent creatures the Angels whom for that one sinne euen because they were not coÌ„tent with their estate thou hast cast down into hel to be reserued in chaines of darknes vnto the iudgemeÌ„t of the great day then to be damned to endlesse torments afterwards in our first parents cast froÌ„ their happy estate for eating y e forbidden fruit for whose sin alone all the curses of this life that to come fel not only vpoÌ„ theÌ„selues but also all their posterity euen all of vs being wrapped vnder the same condemnatioÌ„ vntill we be deliuered by Iesus Christ. Open our eies to see this thy wrath against sinne yet more fully not only vpon the wicked in the generall destruction of the old world and in turning the filthy Cities of Sodome Gomorrah into ashes to remaine as eternal monuments to all posteritie in preparing the lake burning with fire and brimstone for an euerlasting punishment to all vnbeleeuers and impenitent persons but euen against the sinnes of thine owne dearest childreÌ„ as in y â— heauy punishmeÌ„t vpon thine own faithful seruant Moses for so smal a sin in our account as not honoring thee before the people in beleeuing and auouching thy power and truth that thou didst cut him off for entring into Canaan which of al earthly things he must needes most desire being the land of promise the type of heauen and also after that he had led the people fortie yeares towards it And besides the punishment of Dauid and his house for that one sinne that thy hand did so pursue him and his all his life long
the world and vtterly without God howsoeuer you look to your worldly businesse you will looke to this businesse of the Lord and set your selues times of praier which the gaining of the world cannot make you to forget And in a word so many of you as can talke with men of any earthly matter and make any request for this present life for whatsoeuer you need and yet could neuer vtter so much as one speech no not in secret to your Father in heauē nor make any one supplication for any heauenly thing with feeling how can you thinke that euer you were touched with Zeale of Gods glorie or his kingdome or how can you imagine that you can be the children of the heauenlie Father or haue any interest in the Lord and his kingdome or be any thing but meere worldlings sauoring onely the world and it alone your portion hauing a world of miseries and torment remaining for you for euer Learne therefore to praie aboue all you will finde this a treasure ten thousand times better then all the wealth pleasures of the world For what you would haue this will vndoubtedlie procure you as far as shall be good and whereas all the honors pleasures riches and friends in the world can neuer giue you any true contentmēt nor adde one minute vnto your life this only will fill your hearts in heauenly contentation with abundant ioy and gladnesse and make you liue and raigne with Christ for euer in the heauens Now so many as acknowledge that thus indeede you ought both to watch and pray and yet but only giue these the reading without care to learne the practise of them or happily hauing some good motions or purposes to put them forthwith in practise or it may be haue begun well yet through your pleasures or worldly businesse or at least a carnall sloth and securitie leaue them off and returne to your old courses bee warned from the Lord for this will certainly be one further witnesse and conuiction against you then euer formerly you receiued and much better it had bin for you that you had neuer seene this way of life thus plainly and easily set before you and how you may either helpe to preserue the whole or at least escape your selues from the euils to come then after you haue knowne it and subscribed in your hearts to the truth and necessitie of it and happilie put your hands to the plow to looke backe againe Remember Lots wife if you be out of Sodome hie for your liues vntill you be safe in Zoar and being safe your selues learne to be as importunate with the Angell of the Couenant when you but thinke of the sins of the Land as faithfull Abraham was comforting and incouraging your selues in this that you are not alone but many with you and the Lord hath yet his ten righteous left in all quarters some that mourne and crie for all the abominations If in this attempt I haue failed of that I desire I humblie craue pardon and also that my good will may be accepted in this endeuour intended chiefely to helpe the simple Vouchsafe me your better direction and I shall willinglie follow it My desire is to labour herein also to bring this together with the watch to more perfection if I shall find it accepted and that it may bring the least good to Gods Church in which I desire not to liue one day longer then I may bee some way profitable I haue so oft made reference to the watch as to a maine ground of prayer and for that this is as a second part and an vnseparable companion thereof as the Apostle makes them Ephes. 6. and also that I neede not trouble you with oft repetition of the same things Cōcerning the present necessitie hereof that I may neither seeme ouer bold not yet to fearful of some grieuous iudgment without cause I desire of all sorts that you would examine it betweene the Lord and your owne consciences to whom I appeale and which I know will witnesse with me when I shall stand before the great tribunall your consciences I say not asleep in this deepe security but either throughly awaked by the law or as they were vpon the instant of the discouerie of the gunpowder plot or at any time before any of our great deliuerances fullie accomplished in the midst of our extreame dangers Remember but whether your hearts weare not then as my heart is now that if God had done with vs as he then threatned he had not been most righteous and wee iustlie deserued it Did not all hearts tremble in the acknowledgement of the truth of his Maiesties sacred speech in the Parliament house at that time And who would not haue confessed in any of these dangers that it had not been full time for each to haue betaken himselfe to this armour to haue run to God by instant supplication and stood vp in the breach and for euery one to haue learned to watch and pray And must not our case since be far more desperate wee hauing receiued thus our third most terrible admonition together with so many mercies still heaped vpon vs Let vs but thinke what wee haue done since that time to secure vs from the finall execution of his vengeance haue we not most fearefully increased the transgression going still many degrees backwards running from the Lord and suncken deeper in our rebellion insteed of turning to him according to our oft promises and his infinite mercy Besides our impudencie in sinning and our eating vp one another in euery corner and degree racking al things to the vttermost farthing and all commonly to maintaine pride and all excesse countenancing the lewdest in euery place disgracing and treading vpon the vpright that he that abstaines from euil maketh himself a prey Let but the shamelesnes of that one sin of quaffing condēned by the heathē in Assuerus Court in their greatest pomp and excesse that euer we reade of and registred in Gods book for that cause be witnes although we cānot imagin that euer it was practised in halfe so odious a maner as it is ordinarilie with vs euerie where in scorning the Lord to his face and sacrificing to Satan Our cloakes of Ciuility wil proue but Adams figleaues Inquire of your own hearts whether this be not the generall verdict of all whom God hath touched or who retaine any of their ancient feeling yea whether the very blind may not grope it that there was neuer such a declining to all loosenes opē prophanenes euen Atheisme heard or read of in any age where the Gospell was professed nor that sinne was practised with so high a hand And then answere plainly whether the Lord may not iustly get himselfe glory of vs in the declaration of his iustice and the power of his wrath against our sins seeing the riches of his mercies in sparing and deliuering vs haue made vs so far to exceede as to deny
credit riches pleasures thereof which they euer hold forth vnto vs if wee will follow their counsel and otherwise threaten not only the losse of all these but also of all comforts with hatred disgrace and many other euils which wee must suffer froÌ„ malicious meÌ„ if we wil make such a strict conscience of all our waies to the verie least duty that thou hast coÌ„manded And whereas wee are ordinarilie secure in ouerweening of our own strength Shew vs oh Lord the vilenesse of our corrupt natures which are euer readie to conspire with Satan to our vtter perdition to swallow euery baite which he layeth for vs without anie feare of danger so that wee haue no streÌ„gth more then thou reachest forth thine hand to helpe vs. Reueale vnto vs also the danger wee stand in froÌ„ thy glorious Maiesty lest y u shouldest leaue vs vp vnto the power of the tempter and our owne corruption to awake vs from our security for our neglect of thy watch carelesse vsing the meanes of grace or at least for teÌ„pting thee in not auoiding each occasion of temptatioÌ„ And seing the tempter in all his temptations hideth the danger vglines of sin shewing only the faire side of it that is the goâ—d that wee shall get thereby and chuseth the subtillest and fittest instrumeÌ„ts to serue his purpose as the counsel or example of men of chiefest reputatioÌ„ somtimes chaÌ„ging himselfe into an Angel of light neuer comming like himself wherby hee deceiues all the world and oft preuailes with vs thine owne children at least to presume to sinne because thou art so mercifull Good Father set before vs a coÌ„tinual view hereof and of the sundry euils which by euery sin wee haâ—e vpoÌ„ our heads especially the wouÌ„d of conscience which wil certainely come on vs vnlesse it be preuented which none can beare Make vs to know that howsoeuer reprobats may wallow in their filth and scape vnpunished here being reserued for hell and fatted for destruction yet thou wilt not suffer any of vs thy childreÌ„ who haue begunne to make a profession of thee according to thy word to commit the very least sin but wilt make vs feele the smart of it vnlesse wee preueÌ„t thee speedily by repentance because thou wilt not bee dishonored by vs nor haue vs condemned with the world that the wicked may see thy hatred against sin and what plagues remaine for theÌ„selues for euermore Yea oh holie Father let vs feare alwaies lest thou shouldest leaue vs neuer so little suspect all our waies in as much as Satan more maliceth vs theÌ„ any other of the world and therefore seeks hourely to prouoke thee to leaue vs in his hand and for that our sins will cause moto blaspheme hardening theÌ„ to perdition than the sins of any other wherupon verie few of thy worthiest seruants haue escaped to the end without some grieuous wounds the scarres wherof they haue carried to their graues to the blemishing their professioÌ„ the griefe of theÌ„selues and all the godlie And therfore as thou hast giuen vs this only remedie to watch and pray that wee enter not into temptation so make vs able to keepe this thy watch and by it to bee better acquainted with our selues our particular infirmities that wee may alwaies weare the compleat armour chieflie the shield of faith thy Word euer in readinesse against each temptation which wâ—l put SataÌ„ to flight that being streÌ„gthned by thy Spirit we may stand fast in the euill day get the coÌ„quest without anie grieuous wounds to thy greater glorie our owne greater honor in the heauens Wee do not pray against temptations altogether knowing the profit that wee reape thereby but that wee may indure fighting valiantly and conquering vntill thou set the crowne vpon our heads For thine is the c. We haue been bold to beg all these things of thee oh holy Father because all kingdome power glorie are onelie thine acknowledging that we haue receiued all from thy heauenly bounty and being assured th thou wilt graÌ„t vs all these things for thy Sonnes sake and whatsoeuer else is good for vs so far as shall bee for thine owne glorie seeing thou art absolute Lord King in heaueÌ„ and in earth and doest dispose guide and ouerrule all things as shal make most for thine owne glorie and the greatest good of vs thine obedient subiects and children That we may set foorth the glorie of thy dominioÌ„ and happinesse of thy Kingdom liuing as thy loyal subiects to which wee hereby binde our selues for euer and so returne all possible thaÌ„ks and praise to thy heauenly Maiestie saying euer AmeÌ„ Be it so oh Lord holy true as wee fully beleeue it shall bee Euen so Amen Come Lord Iesus come quicklie OVr Father which art in heauen Oh Lord most holy and most glorious whose brightnes the Angels are not able to behold so terrible to all the vngodly as they shall wish the mountaines to couer them that they may neuer appeare in thy presence and yet a most gratious and tender Father to all thy children that desire to obey all thy CoÌ„mandements we that are but dust and ashes and by nature through the fal of our first parents children of wrath in state of damnatioÌ„ bond-slaues of Satan and most rebellious of all thy creatures dare not presume of our selues once to lift vp our eies to heauen yet neuertheles seeing it hath pleased thee of thy free mercie to adopt vs to be thy childreÌ„ by grace through thy Son Iesus Christ and hast chosen vs hereunto bought vs with his precious blood called vs by thy Gospel sealed vs with thy Spirit and giuen him to bee our perpetuall mediator at thy right hand bidden vs to come to thee as to our teÌ„der father and call thee father through him oh deare Father wee present our selues before thy diuine Maiestie onely in his name magnifying thy mercie that thou hast vouchsafed vs this blessed estate to be thy children and to haue thy fauor being the greatest happines that euer can befal mortal creatures Giue vs hearts most gratious Father to seek daily to increase this assurance by growing in repentance for all our sins and faith in thy sweet promises frame vs euery day more more to the image of thy Sonne in all knowledge of thy heaueÌ„ly Maiesty being affectioned to reuerence loue and obey thee as our most deare Father wholly chaÌ„ged in all the parts qualities both of our soules and bodies that we may be no longer strangers froÌ„ thee as all the wicked are who bidde thee to depart from them but may take our chiefest delight to be euer in thy presence to heare thee to speak to vs in thy heaueÌ„ly word to vtter all our wants and our whole heart to thee in our praiers crying Oh Father Our And that it may be more euident not only to
able to cal him Father Rom. 8. 15. Comming in faith only in Christ in a true sense of our owne vnworthines In all humilitie being but dust and ashes yet with our hearts lift vp to heauen Wee must be brethreÌ„ tenderly affected towards all the childreÌ„ of our heauenly Father Zealous of our Fathers glorie aboue all things in the woâ—ld Seeking first the kingdome of heauen and the righteousnes therof Making coÌ„science of euery tittle of the will word of the Lord. Labouring to depend wholly vpoÌ„ the Lords prouideÌ„ce and protection Trauelling vnder the burden of our sinnes Voide of malice vsing to pray for our enemies Fearing alwaies and watching lest wee should fall into temptation so suspecting all our waies Acknowledging euer his soueraigntie and how he disposeth al for his own glorie and the good of his elect Able in true faith with thaÌ„kfulnes to say Amen To giue vs assurance of Gods fauour Rom. 10. 12. Rom. 8. 15. 16. 26. 2 Cor. 1. 22. To haue all things sanctified vnto vs. To obtaine whatsoeuer we so pray for For the turning away any iudgement from our Land or procuring any blessing Ezech. 22. 30. Iob 22. 30. Deut. 20. 1. 3. 4. Heb. 12. 12. Ezek. 14. 14. Iudg. 5. 23. Prou. 28. 1. Esay 43. 1. 2. 3. * Let the desire of the two first petitions be euer in thy hart beg al other things for them only as being the end of all then shalt thou bee each way most blessed and aske what thou wilt so thou shall receiue it Esay 65. 24. 1. We must come trembling because of Gods glorious Maiesty And our ovvne vilenesse by nature 2. Yet in coÌ„fident boldnes as to our Father in Christ. 3. Onely in the name of Christ our Mediator 4. With thankfulnes for our happiestate in him Watch. ed. 2. p. 1. l. 1. 2. 5. Begging an increase of our assurance By more conformitie to Christ in knowledge Watch. pag. 88 lin 6. And al child-like affections Delighting in the presence of our Father 6. And an increase of our loue to al Gods children Chiefely as they more excell in vertue By praying for them as for our selues and delighting in their companies Begging most instantly our heauenly vnion to bee shevved in al duties Confirmed by all bonds of agreement And common interest And all contrarie deuices of our enemies confounded Which by our diâ—isioâ— seeke our ruine That we may neuer thinke our state good Vntill vve loue the brethren 1. Iohn 3. 14. 7. To grow in reuerence to our heauenly Father 8. And in heauenly affections And conuersations To declare our selues his children Watch. pag. 90. lin 9. And heaueÌ„ ours and all creatures at a league vvith vs for our good For this honour that God hath vouchsafed to vs to be his children 1. To seeke his honor in and aboue al things VVatch. p. 78. lin 17. 2. To haue our eies open to behold his glory shining in all his workes as his Creatures VVord Iudgement Mercie Watch. pag. 31. lin 17. 3. To be able to set foorth his praises belonging to him therein and haue a holy vse of them 4. Chiefely his glory manifested in our daies for vs and against our enemies First for vs in abâ—ndant mercies And then correcting vs faâ—herly for abusing his mercies to his dishonor So to bring vs to amendment After threatning vs by cruell enemies to take avvay all Bringing them to the execution Yet euer deliuering and auenging vs vvhen vve haue cried vnto him So as it had been enough to haue conuerted the most barbarous nation 5. To pray for grace euer to remember and acknowledge this And to see moreouer his anger kindled againe by increase of our sins with these bloodie enemies and their malice Without hope of leauing off vntill they haue their vvils And also witnessed by many fearefull signes Arming windes and vvaters against vs Threatning to sweepe vs avvay For our ouerflovv of iniquitie that we may be awaked and seeke to appease his wrath in in time That remembring our former vvarnings from heaueÌ„ and vvhat follovved the fierie tent spred ouer our heads VVee may not be senselesse in these tokens of his wrath seazing vpon vs as fearefully as any of the piagues of Egypt Chiefely to be saued froÌ„ that heauiest iudgement VVhereby both Egypt and Israel vvere prepared for â—estruction That we should be worse for all the meanes sent to call vs to repentance vntill the iudgement come that we may sâ—e our estate and turne And not harden our selues against the Lord. That vvee may neuer fall into the bloody enemies hands But still into the Lords Because hee pitieth vs vvhen hee smiteth vs. 6. To pray instantly that the crie of his seruants may preuaile As hitherto according to his promise Sith he cals vs novv to stand in the breach as Moses to stay his haÌ„d to declare the riches of his mercie sauing vs still at the prayers of a fevv And seeing he is still the same to vs as to Moses and Abraham And vve so deare to him that he can deny vs nothing Which may make for his glorie and our good To intreate him to magnify his mercie in pardoning and turning our hearts to meete him But to make his enemies to feele his hand who haue bin the causes of our sinne by their wiles To get himselfe glory vpon them as vpon Pharaoh As he hath begunne promised to accomplish to his euerlasting praise 7. That we may be afraid of obscuring his glory Seeking our owne glory or taking his honour to our selues 8. That we may not dishonour him by our sins But account it our greatest honour to honour him and contrarily 9. To honour him by our holy ensample To stop the mouthes of the wicked 10. To haue the zeale of Lot against the abominations of our age 11. VVith a bold acknowledgement of the Lord and euery part of his truth As being our glory That vvee may be acknowledged of him before all the vvorld to our ovvne euerlasting honor Seeing Gods glorie is in the inlarging his kingdome and doing his vvill 1. To pray for a free course to the Gospell which is the scepter of his kingdome and that it may be powerfull euery where 2. For Kings and Queens to be nursing fathers and mothers to the Church Chiefely to preserue is against the rage of all cruell enemies and to account this their chiefest dignitie 3. Especially to pray for our soueraigne raised vp for vs in place of our tender mother That hee may haue an abundant portion of Gods Spirit According to his high dignitie and charge And the deliuerances of the Church by him he may set himselfe to aduance Christs kingdome and Gospell Watch. pag. 43. lin 2. Procure the good of Gods seruants repressing the vvicked That vve may liue in al peace and godlinesse without feare affected towards him as the good people were towards Dauid Sound forth his praises And pray for him and his to
are carefull to keepe our rankes and the watch of the Lord. That wee may continually pray in feeling Leade vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill 12 Carrying alwaies a reuerent and thankfull acknowledgement of his absolute kingdome power and soueraigntie ouer all creatures that hee ouerrules both the rage of men and diuels and all other things in heauen and earth disposing all to his owne glorie and the saluation of his obedient subiects and children that we may be euer able to sound forth with thankfulnes For thine is the kingdome power and glory for euer and euer 13 Lastly wee must bee such true beleeuers as being assured that hee will graunt all that we beg as shall bee most for his own glory and the greatest good of his elect do rest our selues wholly vpon his fatherly loue being able in thankfulnesse euer to say Amen Lord let it be so as we doe assure our hearts it shal bee THE POWER OF true Prayer 1 WHen we are such sound Christians and vse to pray in this manner wee shall haue a certaine assurance that we are Gods children and in his fauour and such as shall be saued vndoubtedly for this is the Lords seale and the earnest of our inheritance 2 We shall haue a comfortable and sanctified vse of all things wee enioy 1. Tim. 4. 5. 3 We shall bee sure to obtaine whatsoeuer he hath taught vs to pray for so far as shal be for his owne glory and our good for the very forme of prayer containes a most gratious promise that so asking we shall obtaine otherwise our Sauiour would neuer haue taught vs to pray so assuring vs that if wee aske in faith we shall haue and that according to our faith it shall bee done vnto vs. 4 The seruent prayers of a few of vs being such as are described shall doe more for turning away any iudgement from the Church discouering and ouerthrowing the deepest plots of Gods enemies or for procuring any blessing to our Land then many of our valiantest souldiers and wisest polititians or then many thousands of our enemies hundred thousands of the wicked ioyning with them to prouoke the Lord by their sins can doe to bring a iudgement vpon vs. For wee know how many times that one Moses staied the Lords hand that he could not destroy his people and also that Eliah was the Chariots and horsemen of Israel yet were they men subiect to like passions that we are for our God is still the same of infinite compassion and therefore looke what Gods seruants haue been formerly able to doe by their praiers the same shall wee doe still so farre as shall be necessarie if we striue to walke in their steps So that we haue no cause to feare sith one of them alone could so farre preuaile with the Lord but that many of vs ioyning as an a mie to compasse the Lord about with our prayers and teares may much more ouercome his heauenly Maiestie if our hearts and hands be steadie with Moses especially he hauing shewed such tokens of his compassion and loue towards his chosen flocke amongst vs as neuer in any age more and now calling vs also to stand vp in the breach hauing assured vs that the innocent shall deliuer the Iland Therefore all of vs that feare the Lord must cheerfully each incourage one another to this dutie confirming the weaâ—â—e hands and wearie knees being certainly assured of this at least that though the Lords decree should bee gone forth against vs for all our exceeding prouocations and that hee would not spare the whole at our prayers whereof notwithstanding we may haue gratious hope to the contrarie if we can but find our harts feruently set to this dutie of prayer yet we shall saue our owne soules and the Lord will bee vnto vs as a sanctuarie whereas otherwise if such a iudgement come vpon vs as hath been so oft almost fully executed which the Lord in mercie still saue vs from we are all accessary to it who haue not sought in time to turne it away and accursed with Meroz because we came not to helpe the Lord against the mightie and so shall find nothing but feare and an euill conscience to chase vs whereas on the contrarie wee shall be strong and couragious as Lions whatsoeuer come to passe knowing that euen in the midst of the fire there he will bee with vs that the flame shall not so much as kindle on vs more then he wil dispose to his own exceeding glorie and our endlesse comfort and also in the flouds that they do not ouerwhelme vs. A MOST HEAVENlie and sure rule according to the whole Lords Prayer in order whereby wee may grow to strong assurance and much power in Prayer LIue alwaies as an obedieÌ„t child in the eye of thy heauenly Father humbled in the reuerence of his most holy and glorious Maiestie and in the sense of thine owne vilenesse and vnworthines to be called his childe longing vntill he take thee vnto himselfe into the heauens studying what way thou mayest honor him most in the meane time and that first by yeelding all obedience to the lawes of his kingdome and gayning moe thereunto attending continually what his diuine will and pleasure is concerning thee chiefely in thy particular calling and the charge committed vnto thee and then thou shalt surely find him God all-sufficient vnto thee more tender ouer thee then euer was father or mother performing vnto thee all his promises according to all thy petitions for this and for the better life and sealing vnto thee a plentifull assurance of the free pardon of all thy sinnes in the blood of his Sonne Iesus Christ and that he will saue thee from the tempter and all euill that they shall not hurt thee That thou shall be able with all ioy and thankfulnes to acknowledge vpon happie experience his absolute kingdome and power and so to giue him continually with all his holy Angels all glory praise and dominion resting thy selfe most fully satisfied in his onely loue and fauour for euer and euer THE SVMME OF all in other words most plainly for the vnderstanding of the simplest OBserue diligently the Watch of the Lord growing daily in the practise of euery CommaÌ„dement and faith in all his promises and keepe in thy heart a Catalogue or short summe of thine owne chiefe sins wants and infirmities together with the maine sins and wants of the Land and tokens of the Lords wrath due therunto gathered by wise obseruation according to the rule of the Watch and withall set before thee the infinitnesse of the Lords loue and compassion towards his with his speciall fauours towards thy selfe and then pray feruently in faith to thy heauenly Father looking stedfastlie at Iesus Christ thy Sauiour crying onely in zeale for his glorie and kingdome and thou shalt bee able to pierce the heauens