his Angels for euer And wee haue nothing to except against thy maiesty for so doing sith therin thou shouldest deale with vs but according to equity and our iust deserts Wherefore deere father we doe appeale from thy iustice to thy mercy most humbly intreating thee to haue mercy vpon vs and freely to forgiue vs all our sinnes past whatsoeuer both new and old secret and open knowen and vnknowen and that for Iesus Christs sake our onely Mediator And wee pray thee touch our hearts with true griefe and vnfained repentance for them that they may be a matter of continuall sorrow and heart-smart vnto vs so as nothing may greiue vs more then this that we haue offended thee being our speciall friend and father Giue vs therefore deere Father euery day more and more sight and feeling of our sinnes with true humiliation vnder the same Giue vs also that true and liuely faith wherby we may lay sure hold onthy Son Christ and all his merits aplying the same to our owne soules so as we may stand fully perswaded that whatsoeuer hee hath done vpon the crosse he hath done for vs particularly as well as for others Giue vs faith good Father cōstantly to beleeue al the sweet promises of the gospel touching remission of sinne and eternall life made in thy Sonne Christ O Lord increase our faith that we may altogether rest vpon thy promises which are all yea and Amen Yea that we may settle our selues and all that we haue wholly vpon them both our soules bodies goods name wiues children our whole estate knowing that all things depend vpon thy promises power and prouidence that thy word doth support beare vp the whole order of nature More ouer we intreat thee O Lord to strengthen vs from aboue to walke in euery good way and to bring forth the fruits of true faith in all our particular actions studying to please thee in all things and to be fruitfull in good workes that we may shew forth vnto all men by our good conuersation whose children wee are and that we may adorne and beautifie our most holy profession by walking in a Christian course and in all the sound fruits and practise of godlines and true religion To this end wee pray thee sanctifie our hearts by thy spirit yet more and more sanctifie our soules and bodies and all our corrupt naturall faculties as reason vnderstanding will and affections so as they may be fitted for thy worship and seruice taking a delight and pleasure therein Stirre vs vp to vse praier watchfulnesse reading and meditation in thy law and all other good meanes whereby we may profit in grace and goodnesse from day to day Blesse vs in the vse of the meanes that we may daily die to sin and liue to righteousnesse draw vs yet neerer vnto thee help vs against our monifold wants Amend our great imperfections renue vs inwardly more and more repaire the ruines of our hearts aide vs against the remnants of sin Enlarge our hearts to runne the way of thy Commandements direct all our steps in thy word let none iniquity haue dominion ouer vs. Assist vs against our special infirmities and master sinnes that wee may get the victory ouer them all to thy glory and the great peace and comfort of our owne consciences Strengthen vs good father by thy grace and holy spirit against the cōmon corruptions of the world as pride whoredome couetousnesse contempt of thy Gospell swearing lying dissembling and deceiuing O deere Father let vs not be ouer come of these filthy vices nor any other sinfull pleasures and fond delights wherwith thousands are caried headlong to destruction Arme our soules against all the temptations of this world the flesh and the Diuell that we may ouercome them all through thy help and keep on the right way to life that we may liue in thy feare and die in thy fauour that our last daies may be our best daies and that we may end in great peace of conscience Furthermore deere Father we intreat thee not onely for ourselues but for all our good brethren thy deere children scattered ouer the face of the whole earth most humbly beseeching thee to blesse them all to cheere them vp and glad them with the ioy of thy countenance both now and alwaies Guide them all in thy feare and keep them from euill that they may praise thy name In these dangerous daies and declining times we pray thee O Lord raise vp nursing fathers and nursing mothers vnto thy Church Raise vp also faithful Pastors that thy cause may be caried forward truth may preuaile Religion may prosper thy name onely may be set vp in the earth thy Sonnes kingdome aduanced and thy will accomplished Set thy selfe against all aduersary power especially that of Rome Antichrist Idolatry and Atheisme curse and crosse all their counsels frustrate their deuises scatter their forces ouerthrow their armies When they are most wise let them be most foolish when they are most strong let them be most weake Let thē know that there is no wisdom nor coūsel power nor policy against thee the Lord of Hosts Let thē know that Israel hath a God that thou which art called Iehouah art the onely ruler ouer all the world Arise therefore O most mightie God and maintaine thine owne cause against all thine enemies smite thorow all their loines and bow downe their backes yea let them all be confounded and turned backward that beare ill will vnto Sion Let the patient abiding of the righteous be ioy and let the wicked be disappointed of their hope But of all fauour we intreate thee O Lord to shew special mercy to thy Church in this Land wherein we liue Continue thy Gospell amongst vs yet with greater successe purge thy house daily more more take away all things that offend Let this Nation still bee a place where thy name may bee called vpon and an harbour for thy Saints Shew mercy to our posterity deare Father and haue care of them that thy Gospell may bee left vnto them as a most holy inheritance Defend vs against forrē inuasiō keep out Idolatry and Popery from amongst vs. Turne frō vs those plagues which our sins cry for For the sins of this Land are exceeding great horrible and outragious giue thee iust cause to make vs spectacles of thy vengeance to all Natiōs that by how much the more thou hast lifted vs vp in great mercy and long peace by so much the more thou shouldest presse vs downe in great wrath long war Therfore deere Father we most humbly intreat thee for thy great names sake and for thy infinit mercies sake that thou wouldest bee reconciled to this land and discharge it of all the horrible sins thereof Drowne them O Lord in thy infinit mercy through Christ as it were in a bottomelesse gulfe that they may neuer rise vp in iudgement against vs. For although our sinnes bee exceeding many and feareful yet thy mercy is far greater For thou art infinite in mercy but we cannot be infinite in sinning Giue vs not ouer into the hands of the Idolaters lest they should blaspheme thy name and say Where is their God in whom they trusted But rather deere father take vs into thine owne hands and correct vs according to thy wisedome for with thee is mercy deep compassion Moreouer wee most heartily beseech thy good Maiesty to blesse our most gratious King Iames and to shew much mercy to him in all things Guide him in thy feare and keep him in all his waies working in his soule vnfeined sorrow for sinne true faith in the promises a great care to please thee in all things and to discharge the duty of his high place in all zeale of thy glory and faithfulnesse towards thy Maiesty that as thou hast crowned him heere in earth so hee spending his daies heere below in thy feare may after this life be crowned of thee for euer in the Heauens We beseech thee also to blesse his Maiesties most honorable priuie Counsellors Counsell them from aboue let them take aduice of thee in all things that they may both consult and resolue of such courses as may be most for thy glory the good of the Church the peace of this our Commonwealth Blesse the Nobility and all the Magistrates in the Land giuing them all grace to execute iudgement and iustice and to maintaine truth and equity Blesse all the faithfull Ministers of the Gospell increase the number of them inincrease thy gifts in them and so blesse all their labours in their seuerall places and congregations that they all may bee instruments of thy hand to inlarge thy Sonnes kingdome and to winne many vnto thee Comfort the comfortlesse with all needfull comforts Forget none of thine that are in trouble but as their afflictions are so let the ioyes and comforts of thy spirit bee vnto them and so sanctifie vnto all thine their afflictions and troubles that they may tend to thy glory and their owne good Giue vs thankefull hearts for all thy mercies both spirituall and corporall for thou art very mercifull vnto vs in the things of this life and infinitely more mercifull in the things of a better life Let vs deeply ponder and waigh all thy particular fauoures towards vs that by the due consideration thereof our hearts may bee gained yet neerer vnto thee and that therefore wee may both loue and obey thee because thou art so kind and louing vnto vs that euen thy loue towards vs may draw our loue towards thee and that because mercy is with thee thou maiest bee feared Grant these things good Father and all other needfull graces for our soules or bodies or any of thine thorow out the whole world for Iesus Christs sake in whose name we further call vpon thee as he hath taught vs in his Gospel saying Our Father which art in Heauen c. FINIS
a godly writer of our time is reconciliation it selfe the desire to beleeue is faith indeed and the desire to repent in a touched heart is repentance it selfe not in the owne nature but in Gods acceptation For if wee being touched througly for our sinnes do desire to haue them pardoned and to bee at one with GOD GOD accepts vs as recōciled Only our desire of recōciliation must not be a flash but cōstant cōtinued Secondly ernest serious though not alwaies alike yet at sometimes so that we may say with the Prophet Dauid My soule desireth thee O Lord as the thirsty land desireth raine or the chased Hart the riuers of water Thirdly it must be in a touched heart for when a man is touched in conscience the heart is cast downe and as much as it can it withdrawes it selfe from GOD For this cause if then there bee any spirituall motions whereby the heart is lift vp vnto GOD they are without doubt from the spirit of GOD. So then though as yet thou want firme and liuely grace yet art thou not altogether void of grace if thou canst vnsainedly desire it thy desire is the seed conception or bud of that which thou wantest Now is the spring time of the ingrafted word or the immortal seed cast into the furrows of thy heart wait but a while vsing the good meanes to this end appointed and thou shalt see the leaues blossomes and fruit will shortly follow after Thus fare he As for that which the diuel or thine owne flesh shall suggest to mooue thee to despaire of Gods mercie that GOD in iustice cannot receiue such a rebell wretch as thou hast bin aggrauating euery of thy least sinnes and telling thee it is in vaine to repent thou maiest easily beat backe that temptation T' is true GOD is not so mercifull to vse iniustice so he is not so iust to bee vnmercifull He hath suffered mighty and maruailous men to erre that we by their example might haue comfort and not despaire of grace and pardon In holy Scripture who is more commended then King Dauid who was both a King a Prophet a man after Gods owne heart and of whose stocke the Messias came But into how many and grieuous crimes sell so worthy a man yet hearing Nathan pronounce the fearfull threatnings of God cried out I haue sinned and Nathan said But the Lord hath put away thy sins thou shalt not die Hast thou sinned with Dauid repent with Dauid and thou shalt with Dauid finde mercy What should I tell thee of our first parents of Manasses of Zacheus of Mary Magdalen of Peter of Paul of the Theefe on the crosse all which had beene most grieuous sinners vpon earth all which are now most glorious Saints in heauen For where sin aboundeth there grace superaboundeth and therefore let not the multitude nor the magnitude of thy sinnes dismay thee seeing the mercy of that Lord to whom thou turnest is aboue all though thy sinnes were as red as scarlet yet hee will make them as white as snow and though they were of purple hue yet he will make them as white as the purest wooll of the fleece There cannot be a deeper die then scarlet it is a thing vnpossible with men to bring a scarlet into whit yet the Lord saith if we will but talk and come to any reason with him he will make our sinnes though neuer so deep ingraind in any scarlet or bloudy colur to turne white and pure as innocencie it selfe Read the booke of Ionah thorow and there you shall see the propensity of Gods nature to shew mercy liuely set forth And therefore a Father affirmeth the offence of Iudas to be greater in despairing of mercy thē in betraying the Sonne of God and Caine to haue stirred God to anger more through desperation of pardon then by the murder of his brother Abel many which nailed Christ to the crosse being conuerted and beleeuing in him obtained pardon and are made examples to man that hee ought in no wise to distrust the remission of his wickednes seing the murder of the Lord of glory is forgiuen to the penitent Turne then vnto him and a present pardon is made ready which shall be signed the first houre of thy repentance When therefore thou feelest in thy heart a sorrow for sin and a feruent desire to serue God cherish it and take the opportunity of the first motion Enter presently into thy chamber or into some other secret place and there falling on thy knees beseech the Lord that as he hath giuen thee a detestation of sinne and a minde of godlines so it may please him to perfect the good begun by him to accept thy will and pardon thy many wants and weaknesse in for the al-sufficient merits of Christ Iesus to giue thee grace that thou maiest go on mourning continually for thy sinnes and yet withall to reioice in his sweet mercies to put his feare into thy heart that thou maiest neuer more depart from him and so to enkindle thy zeale that the fire thereof may burne vp and consume euery day more and more thy carnall desires and natural corruptions Continue this course of praying both mornings and euenings at the least but if thou canst oftner it is the better For pray continually saith the Apostle meaning thou shouldest haue alwaies good meditations in thy mind when thou goest to pray striue to pray in the spirit framing thy petitions according to the feeling of thine own wants or Gods mercies towards thee not that I disallow of set praiers for I reuerence the godly authors and vsers of them but because hee that hath the gift of extemporall praying is not so easily caried away with vaine distractiōs which Satan prompts vnto him his minde and vnderstanding being wholly bent to the matter in hand as commonly they be that pray in the booke of another mans conceiuing And if thou feele thy selfe somewhat duller sometimes sound forth thy voice withall it will help much to the awaking of thy deuotion as by mine owne experience I haue many times found But take heed as neere as thou canst that thy praiers bee out of the hearing of others lest thou get the imputation of hypocrisie and cause thy good to be euill spoken of And for the further increasing of thy knowledge vse euery morning after praiers to read a chapter of the old or new Testament and another at night likewise before praiers thou shalt find it by the blessing of GOD in short time to haue cleared thine vnderstanding very much and dispelled the mistes of thy former ignorance Also let me wish thee to read sometimes carefully and aduisedly the 28 chapter of Deuteronomy and the 26 of Leuiticus because they bee parts of Scripture which if we marke them well will help much to containe vs in the doing of our duties When thou art tempted to any sinne carry not in the place but goe doe something else till the
Spirit adopted vs to be thine own children heirs apparent to the great crown O Lord opē our eies euery day more more to see consider of thy great and maruellous loue to vs in all these things that by the due consideration therof our hearts may be drawen yet neerer vnto thee euen more to loue thee feare thee and obey thee that as thou art enlarged towards vs in mercy so we may be enlarged towards thee in thankesgiuing and as thou doest abound towards vs in goodnes so we may abound towards thee in obedience and loue And sith deere Father thou art neuer weary of doing vs good notwithstanding al our vnworthines and naughtinesse therefore let the consideration of thy great mercy and fatherly kindnesse towards vs euen as it were force our hearts and compell vs to come into thy most glorious presence with new songs of thākesgiuing in our mouths We pray thee O most merciful God to forgiue vs all our vnthankefulnes vnkindnesse prophanenesse great abusing of thy mercies and specially our abuse and contempt of thy Gospel together with all other the sinnes of our life which we confesse are innumerable and moe than can be reckoned vp both in omission of good things and commission of euill We most humbly intreat thee to set them all ouer to the reckoning which thy son Christ hath made vp for thē vpon his crosse and neuer to lay any of them to our charge but freely forget all and forgiue all Naile downe all our sinnes and iniquities to the Crosse of Christ bury them in his death bathe them in his bloud hide them in his wounds let them neuer rise vp in iudgement against vs. Set vs free of the miseries that are vpon vs for sin and keep backe the iudgements to come both of soule body goods and good name Be reconciled vnto vs in thy deere Sonne concerning all matters past not once remembring or repeating vnto vs our old and abominable iniquities but accept vs as righteous in him imputing his righteousnesse to vs and our sinnes to him Let his righteousnesse satisfie thy iustice for all our vnrighteousnesse his obedience for our disobedience his perfection for our imperfection Moreouer we humbly beseech thy good maiesty to giue vs the true sight and feeling of our manifold sinnes that we may not be blinded in them through delight or hardened in thē through custome as the reprobates are but that wee may be euen weary of them and much grieued for them labouring and striuing by all possible meanes to get out of them Good Father touch our hearts with true repentance for all sinne Let vs not take any delight or pleasure in any sinne but howsoeuer we fall through frailty as wee fall often yet let vs neuer fall finally let vs neuer lie downe in sinne nor continue in sinne but let vs get vpon our feet againe and turne to thee with all our hearts and seeke thee whilest thou maiest be found and whilest thou dost offer grace mercy vnto vs. O Lord increase in vs that true and liuely faith whereby we may lay sure hold on thy Sonne Christ and rest vpon his merits altogether Giue vs faith assuredly to beleeue all the great and precious promises made in the Gospell and strengthen vs from aboue to walke and abound in all true sound fruits of faith Let vs walke not after the flesh but after the spirit Let vs feele the power of thy Sons death killing sinne in our mortall bodies and the power of his resurrection raising vs vp to newnesse of life Let vs grow daily in the sanctification of the spirit and the mortification of the flesh Let vs liue holily iustly and soberly in this present euill world shewing forth the vertues of thee in al our particular actions that we may adorne our most holy profession and shine as lights in the middest of a crooked and froward generation amongst whom we liue being gainfull to all by our liues and conuersations and offensiue to none To this end wee pray thee fill vs with thy spirit and al spiritual graces as loue wisedome patience contentment meekenesse humility temperancy chastity kindnesse and affability and stirre vs vp to vse praier and watchfulnesse reading and meditation in thy law and all other good meanes whereby wee may grow and abound in all heauenly vertues Blesse vs in the vse of the meanes from day to day make vs such as thou wouldest haue vs to bee and such as we desire to be working in vs both will and deed purpose and power For thou O Lord art all in all thou wilt haue mercy vpon whom thou wilt haue mercy whō thou wilt thou hardenest Haue mercy vpon vs therefore deere Father and neuer leaue vs to our selues nor to our owne wils lusts and desires but assist vs with thy good spirit that we may continue to the end in a righteous course that so at length we may be receiued into glory and be partatakers of that immortal crown which thou hast laid vp for all that loue thee and truely call vpon thee Further we entreat thee O heauenly father to giue vs all things necessary for this life as food raiment health peace liberty and such freedome from those manifold miseries which we lie open vnto euery day as thou seest meet Blesse vnto vs all the meanes which thou hast put into our hands for the sustenance of this fraile life Blesse our stocke store corne and cattell trades and occupations and all the workes of our hands for thy blessing onely maketh rich and it bringeth no sorrowes with it Giue vs therefore such a competency and sufficiency of these outward blessings as thou in thy heauēly wisdome seest most needfull for vs. Moreouer we humbly beseech thee most louing Father in great mercy to looke downe from heauen vpon thy whole Church and euery member of it Be fauourable vnto Sten and build vp the wals of Ierusalem Behold with the eie of pity the great ruines and desolations of thy Church Heale vp the wounds and make vp the breaches thereof in all Nations Regard it as thine owne flocke tender it as thine owne family dresse it as thine owne vinyeard loue it as thine owne spouse Thinke thoughts of peace to it and alwaies looke vpon it in deep compassion Blesse it with thy grace guide it with thy spirit and defend it alwaies with thy mightie power scatter the deuices cōfound the counsels ouerthrow the forces of all that fight against it Specially we intreat thee deere father to set thy self against that Antichrist of Rome that man of perdition which setteth himselfe against thee and against all thy people In thine appointed time we pray thee giue him a deadly downe fal Beat downe all his power and authority daily more and more giue free passage to thy Gospell in all kingdomes that Babylon may fall and neuer rise vp againe The more the fauourites adherents of Rome labour to