for vs to rise earlie and to go to our rest late and in griefe to eate our breade vnlesse the Lorde giue a blessing vnto our labours and studies Wherefore let vs repayre vnto our good God with humble harts in faithful supplications that hee will giue vs ablenesse to performe our callings skilfully and religionslie that in quiet of conscience wee may eate the fruites of our labours and so prosper in al that we take in hand that our brethren be neither deceyued by vs nor our selues forced to vse any vnlawfull thing for our owne reliefe which may offend the Lord. The Prayer that euerie man may liue vprightly in his calling O God of all comfort and giuer of all consolation forgiue my sinnes cleanse mee and wash mee from all iniquitie which disable mee to performe my calling in such sinceritie as becommeth mee And through the bloud of thy Sonne purifie my heart and my imperfections increase my knowledge and sanctifie mine affections with thy grace that my sinnes being forgiuen I may rest in thy fauor and in thy fauour finde continuall comfort and be dayly blessed with new gifts that I may be founde perfect in my calling seasoned so with a liuely faith in thee that thy holy spirite may continually dwell and beare rule in me and lead mee to the due performance of those things which thou requirest to be done in my calling that all vnnaturall affections being truelye mortified I may onely rest in thee and relie on thee and be ruled by thee in all things Good Father graunt that I may take the direct right course in my vocation to eternall life In which course consisteth the inward peace of the soule which is onely delighted in thine inuiolable truth reueiled by thy Sonne and left vnto vs in his word and last will In which his last will and Testament are comprehended all necessarie rules and the sacred discipline whereby thy children are to guide them selues in their seuerall callings which directions are comprehended in three principall vertues by thee bestowed vpon them that seeke them at thy hands in the name of thy sonne faith hope and loue which three are so vnited and knit in one that they dwell altogether in thine elect children so precisely direct them through thy grace that they goe not awry in their callings I therefore good Father being of mine owne wisdom ignorant and of mine owne power vnable to comprehend the height the length and depth of my calling instantly beseech thee in mercy to beholde mee an vnperfect creature without these vertues and so adorne me with them that I may be made perfect in all good workes of the spirit that my bodilie labors be not in vayne in thee Graunt also that I may ioyne with all my trauailles labors affections desires and endeuours faith with faith knowledge with knowledge temperance with temperance patience with patience godlines with godlines brotherly kindnes and with brotherly kindnes loue that I bee not vnfruitfull in my calling But may acknowledge thy sonne Christ Jesus and in him to haue peace of conscience that I may bee patient in troubles long suffering in wronge◠meeke in trials faithfull in expecting helpe in distresse reioycing in heart quieted in minde in hope to inioy at thy handes and in thy good time whatsouer maketh to the true comforte of my soule and the reliefe of my bodie That in all truth and inward feeling of thine aide my calling may be made perfecte and sealed with the seale of thine owne spirituall approbation So shall I thine vnworthy creature and all such as thou hast committed to my charge bee directed in the true knowledge of thee and sustayned with thinges necessary while wee liue here Oh blessed Lord and louing father except thou thus direct me I cannot stande but shall fall into many miseries For no estate no degree no calling office function or trade of life can prosper or bee rightly performed without thy continuall ayde direction and prouidence Therefore Lord guide mee by thy spirite encrease my faith giue mee wisedome and ablenes in all thinges to execute calling as I ought and to the execution thereof blesse all my members make them apt and ready instrumentes to perform their duties that in no poynt I fayle in a Christian proceeding therein And bridle in mee the nature of flesh bloud which vnles thou season my affections by thy spirit will so much the more glorie by howe much thou hast exalted me to worldly preferment enable mee to liue in this world in higher reputation than other men whereunto flesh and bloud is ready to attribute chiefest harts ease And by that subtil shift Sathan manie times mooueth vs to relie vpon vain things And therfore good Father vouchsafe so to ground all mine affections vppon thy feare that I bee not miscarried in my calling from the true obedience vnto thee without which neither honour profit friendes wealth wisedome or any other blessing of thine can steede releeue or comfort me Be present therefore good and gracious Father with mee and grant that all thinges that I take in hand may begin in knowledge proceed in feare of thee and end in loue that my whole course of life may be blessed with good effect in all my endeuours That neither mine enemies reioyce at my miseries the godly bee offended at my rashnesse nor my estate hindered by my foolishnes Good Lord grant this for thy sonnes sake Amen For Gods direction in our callings O God of Gods O father great thou guide of all degrees The high and low look vp to thee attendant on their knees We haue our being and our food our wisedome and our skill Our high estate all honour eke and callings at thy will Al kings receiue their scepters pure and diademes from thee Thou makest thē apt to rule a land else they vnable be Thou giuest sage and sacred men and Senators most graue To guide thy people in the hestes that fit them best to haue Thou chosest eke the godliest ones and meetest men to be The preachers of thy satred will who learne to teach from thee Thy grace doth guide their lips aright els speak they all awry Thou art the fountaine ful of loue whereof they drinke or die The porest thou dost frame to skil the lowest learnes to liue Ech hand taks hold of art frō thee thou doest all blessings giue Els all their curious cunning failes our labours loose their grace In vaine we trauaile and our toyle turnes vs to poorest place Sith then good father ech degree depend on thee for aide The high and low wealthy wise els rest they all vnstaide Blesse all thy people in their charge our callings all direct Teach Prince people in the way that graceth thine elect A motion to a prayer wherein the soule must arme himselfe to suffer crosses and therefore it is necessarye to call to mind what is to be done when affliction commeth EUery one that
wonne Thy Son hath brought vs peace againe made vs one with thee Although our sins deserued pain his crosse hath made vs free O how shall we requiâ—e thy loue what recompence is due To thee or him helpe from aboue our sinfull liues renew The best reward that we can giue it helps not thee at all Yet thou in bountie doest receiue vs wretched wights in thrall Great is thy glory loue and might thy mercies haue no end Al thanks praise to thee in right each heart should still extend But we poore sinners may cry out against our selues and say Our purest deeds like filthy clout our grosse conceits bewray No stay is in our crooked will a rash consent we giue To teach delight that seekes to kil our soules wherein we liue But now thy sauing health extend thy mercies sweete prepare And salue our sores let vs amend and breake thou Sathans snare A short praier for the forgiuenes of sinnes OH Father euerlasting mercifull and full of pittie I doe acknowledge my selfe sinfull whereby I haue deserued punishment in thy heauie displeasure But I haue an aduocate euen Jesus Christ the righteous and he hath redeemed me froÌ„ all feare of death if I truely repent mine euils and forme my life according to thy will wherefore most deare Father in him sanctifie mee againe wash me clean through his bloud â—ouer mee with the precious and most glorious robe of his integritie and obedience and in him forgiue my sinnes and for his sake remember them no more but rather supply the wants of all spirituall graces and gifts in me of â—aith of knowledge of loue of patience of repentance of obediâ—nce and true reformation of my â—ife that being renued againe and regenerate in him I may mortiâ—â—e all my corrupt and filthie affections and liue in all holinesse â—ighteousnesse and true zeale all â—he daies of my life that when his frayle bodye shall returne to â—ust my soule may ascend where Christ my Sauiour sitteth at thy â—ight hand at the time appointed my soule and body may receiue â—he fulnesse of the ioyes prepared â—or thine elect in thy relestiall Paâ—adise Amen Oh Lord increase my faith A motion to a praier tending to the obtayning of true mortification of our sinfull affections without the which we cannot please God HAuing acknowledged our sins corrupt affections before our God and in Christ his son hauing obtained attonment with him and yet resting in our selues sinfull and miserable of our selues vnable to obtaine the fauour of God and being obtained not able to stand without his continuall aide we must seeke by all meanes to frame all our actions in his feare knowing this that it is not inough for vs to haue found the meane how to bee reconciled vnto God but we must vse the meanes also being reconciled to retaine and keepe him out fauourable God still which is by mortifying of those euils in vs which breake foorth vnto his dishonour We must leaue sinne Yet this is not inough Wee also must cleaue vnto righteousnesse and exercise our callings to Gods glory we must not onely eschue euil but we must doo good we may not onely seeke peace and attonement with God but we must ensue and follow it It is not inough for vs not to walke in the counsail of the scorner and wicked persons or not to stand in the way of sinners but we must delight in the law of the Lord and that not for a time and then to retourne to our vomite and vanity againe according to the course of the worlde who thinketh not inough to cease from euill for a time and to serue the Lord at seasons ordinary but wee must exercise our selues in his word and that continually day night And we must gird vp the loynes of our mindes and be sober and trust perfectly on that grace that is brought vnto vs in the reuelation of Jesus Christ as obedient children not fashioning our selues vnto the former facts of ignorance but as he which hath called vs is holy so let vs be holy in all maner of conuersation pleasing God Not making our boast of our owne harts desire as the couetous who blesseth himself in his owne wealth and prosperitie and contemneth the Lord grounding the foundation of our hope vpon vain things wherâ—by oftentimes we are stirred vp to execute things offensiue vnto God which yet may carry coulor of warrant by the law of man wherin the inward affections of the hart appeere not only not mortified but rather reuiued to sinne If we duely looke into our desires we shall find out few or none that truely tende to that mortification which is required but rather to the aduancing of the pride of our flesh against the humility of the spirite Let none thinke it irkesome or tedious to leaue this that the first step to the perfection of a godly man is to deny himselfe which deniall is keeping vnder of all the corrupt motions which rise in our selues and couet to breake foorth in action contrary to that which our God hath commanded and if that bee hard to performe that which is further required is more hard and they are the words of Christ himselfe which I dare not deny If any man saith he will follow mee let him forsake himselfe and yet that not inough Let him take vp his crosse and follow me And in another place If any man will come after me let him deny himselfe and take vp his crosse dayly and follow me We are commaunded to forsake our selues and to deny our selues wherein we may see the great necessity of this mortification and how seuerely it is enioyned vs. If we forsake our selues whether shall wee flye to leaue our selues we must vnderstand that we as long as we are in the body are at home in the flesh where many corruptions lurke and therefore if we will forsake our selues we must suppresse the euils in our selues and by the spirite ascend vp from our carnall habitation and dwell with the Lord in continuall contemplation of his will in a dayly desire to bee with him thus also must we deny our selues for when the motions of the flesh do as it were intreate the minde and soule to consent vnto that which is vnlawful wee must presently checke our selues and in an inward godly aunsweare repell the proud desires of the flesh Which sauour not the things that appertaine vnto life but vnto death and therefore necessary to be denied Thus if we carry our affections within the compasse of the Lordes good pleasure we shall then easely attaine vnto the other part namely to take vp the crosse that is accept willingly the miseries troubles afflictions and persecutions which may happen vnto vs but so long as wee are carried away with the alluringes of the world and the flesh we shall say as Peter said vnto his maister sauoâ—ing of the flesh and not
trauel and go to the play house bowling Allyes Beare gardens Ale houses Tauernes and gaming where they lose their time cōsume their thrift and offende the lawes of God and her Maiesty And the Sabboth day which shoulde bee sanctified with prayer and hearing of the worde is prophaned with these accustomed euils which if they were cast out as vnprofitable in this our earthly abiding place wee should the more sweetely passe on the way to our heauenly harts ease For out of these euils of idlenesse and loytering spring many noysome thinges that blemish our body here as filthines of the flesh drunkennes gluttony swearing and blasphemy forgetfulnes of God and contempt of Magistrates wherewith our abode here being grossely defiled such will be our vnsauery dwelling that our spiritual guest the holy Ghost wil refuse to abide with vs. I herefore O yee men of God whom the spirit of God directeth flie these things and followe after righteousnes godlines faith patience and meekenesse fight the good fight of faith lay holde of eternal life wherunto ye are called haue professed a good profession before many witnesses Keepe on the course ye haue begun without spot vnrebukeable vntil the appearing of our Lorde Iesus Christ who only hath immortalitie and dwelleth in the light that none can attaine vnto whome neuer man saw neither can see Vnto whome be honour and power euerlasting Amen A short praier against errours scismes WE humbly pray thee most merciful father in mercy to looke down vpō the dangerous estate of thy Church which is much pestered infected w t the suds of errour insomuch as it seemeth to be swallowed vp of the perilous inundations of sectes and scismes coined by the subtilties of that wicked one Sathan whose practise is euer from y e fall of Adam to stop the pure proceedinge of the Gospell by the peruerse workes of darkenesse Sanctifie therefore thy children with thine especiall grace and manifest thy truth vnto them that by the light therof they may know how to shape the way to the true seruice of thee And let them be able to discerne betweene truth and errour y t they may be alwaies free from heresies and not be intangled with false doctrine nor defiled w e the lothsome pitch of mans inuentions but being indued with the purity of heauenly knowledge wee may all ioyne together in one truth wherein we may liue and dye and so in Christ thy Sons merites liue with thee in heauen eternally Amen Oh Lord increase my faith A short Prayer in crosses troubles and afflictions OH Father full of mercie and loue in Jesus Christ haue compassion vpon me whome thou hast touched with thy hand of correction Thou hast found me out in my sinnes and beaten me thy hand lyeth heauie vpon me I am not able to sustaine the burden of my miseries I can not but faint in my distresses and run too and fro for help but loe oh Lord my crosses increase and thy anger I can not beare wherefore good Father in Christ haue compassion vpon me recomfort me againe be pleased with me and take thy heauie displeasure from mee and though my sinnes haue deserued more then I can beare the merites of thy Sonne are greater then my sinns And therefore for his sake come againe in loue and by thy mercie and power repayre my decayes relieue my wants and cure my diseases speake the word and it shall be done all things obey thy voyce wherefore blesse thy creatures all to my vse that I may haue them all in this life blessed vnto me and I blessed by thee in Christ Amen O Lord increase our faith A short Prayer that all men may liue vprightly in their calling LOrd God Almightie mercifull pure be pleased in fauour to consider the weaknes of man and so sanctifie vs with thy grace that we may all confesse our sinnes and cry to thee for pardon all acknowledge our weakenes and cry to thee for strength all see our ignorance and come to thee for knowledge how to behaue vs in this mortall life in our seuerall callings that thereby both thou mayst be glorified our bretheren comforted and our selues relieued that when we shall be called by thee to render accompt of our stewardships we may be able to stand before thee acquitted from all that eyther sinne the deuill or our corrupt flesh may charge vs with not through our owne deseruings which in our best endeuours are euill euermore but in the merites of thy Sonne Christ Amen O Lord increase our faith The conclusion wherein is exhorted vnto watchfulnes for the appearance of our Lord Iesus Christ in whome and by whome we shall enter after this progresse ended into our euerlasting hearts ease HAuing attained thorough the diuine assistance of my good God vnto the ende of this my poore trauaile I can not but conclude with an earnest intreatie of all such as couet this eternall hearts ease that they wil in this standinghouse of the body call continually to minde the absolute end of this Progresse of pietic which principally tendeth vnto the finishing of the iourney and pilgrimage of this life in all godlines faith zeale and ardent loue of that heauenly mansion which so farre excelleth this earthly tabernacle as the purest gold exceedeth the filthiest and most lothsome dirt dung of the earth and the hearts ease thereof is much farre sweeter then the hearts ease of this world as the sweetest honey passeth in sweetnes the most bitter gall and happy is that man that soonest atteineth to the enioying thereof but in part that is eyther in this life through the quietnesse of conscience in our Christ or being departed hence hath the fruition thereof in spirit expecting the comming of that great Judge when soule and body shall enioy the same at full Oh let vs all therefore in all godly watchfulnesse in this our pilgrimage which shortly shall haue ende haue due regard vnto our walking that we walke not awry Let vs dayly examine our selues consider with iudgement that we shall all appeare before that high Judge frō whome no step of our progresse shall be hidden and whome soeuer he shall finde halting or walking awry he will bereaue of that most sweete hearts ease in heauen and will giue most sowre and vnsauery hearts sore in hell If I should discourse of the comforts which shal be shewed vnto such as walke this progresse and end the same as they ought as they are cōmaunded alas I am as vnable nay there is no toong of man or angell can neerer declare y e deapth of the sweetnes therof then I am able to number y e starres in the firmamēt the excellencie thereof is such so vnspeakeable as no hart is able to comprehend or conceiue the same but let this satisfie all curious conceits that that our heauenly mansion our euerlasting tabernacle that our spirituall inheritance is such and so full fraught with such variety