they haue a thousand eies vpon them euery day and that not onely gazing vpon them but also prying very narrowly into them to spie out the least moat that they may make a mountaine of it For as in a cleane white paper one little spot is soone espied but in a péece of browne paper twenty great blurs are scant discerned euen so in Noble men Judges Magistrates Justices Preachers and Professors the least spot or specke is soone seene into but amongst the baser sort and most grosse liuers almost nothing is espied or regarded Phila. Sith the eies of all men are bent and fixed vpon such men as are of some note therefore they had neede verie heedfully to looke to their steps that they may take away all aduantage from them that seeke aduantage Theol. Yes verily And furthermore they had néed to pray with Dauid alwaies Direct my steps O Lord in thy word and let none iniquitie haue dominion ouer mee And againe Order my doings that my footsteps slippe not vphold mee in mine integritie For if such men bée neuer so little giuen to swearing to lying to drinke or to women it is espied by and by and therewithall their credit is cracked their fame ouer-cast their glory eclipsed and the date of their good name presently expired Phila. Now as you haue shewed what great hurt these sinnes doe bring vpon our soule bodies goods and name so also I pray you shew what danger they doe bring vpon the whole land Theol. Questionlesse they doe pull downe the wrath of God vpon vs all and giue him iust cause to breake all in péeces and vtterly to subuert ouerthrow the good estate both of church and Common-wealth yea to make a finall consumption and desolation of all For they be the very fire-brands of Gods wrath and as it were touch-wood to kindle his anger and indignation vpon vs. For the Apostle saith For such things commeth the wrath of God vpon the children of disodedience Phila. Declare vnto vs out of the Scriptures how the Lord in former times hath punished whole Nations and Kingdomes for these and such like sinnes Theol. In the fourth of Hosea the Lord telleth his people that hée hath a controuersie with the inhabitants of the Land and the reason is added because there was no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the Land By swearing lying killing stealing and whoring they breake out and blood toucheth blood Therefore shall the land mourne and euery one that dwelleth therein shall be cut off Héere then we sée what it is that wil incense God against vs and cause vs all to mourne So likewise the Lord threatneth by his Prophet Amos that for the cruelty and oppression of the poore hée would plague the whole land Shall not the land tremble for this sayth the Lord and euerie one mourne that dwelleth therein Againe the Lord sayeth by his Prophet Ieremie Doe they prouoke mee to anger and not themselues to the confusion of their owne faces Therefore thus sayth the Lord Behold mine anger and my wrath shall bee powred vpon this place vpon man and beast vpon the tree of the field and vpon the fruit of the ground and it shall burne and not be quenched Againe the Lord saith If yee will not heare these words I swear by my selfe saith the Lord that this house shall be waste and I will prepare destroyers against thee euery one with his weapons and they shall cut downe thy chiefe Cedar trees and cast them in the fire Likewise the Lord threateneth by his Prophet Ezechiel saying Because yee haue not walked in my statutes nor kept my iudgements therefore behold I euen I come against thee and will execute iudgement in the middest of thee euen in the sight of Nations and I will doe in thee that I neuer did before neither will I doe any more the like because of all thine abhominations For in the middest of thee the fathers shall eat their sonnes and the sonnes shall eate their fathers Againe by the same Prophet the Lord saith The land is full of the iudgement of blood and the citie full of crueltie Wherefore I will bring the most wicked of the Heathen and they shall possesse their houses I will also make the pompe of the mighty to cease and the holy places shall be defiled When destruction commeth they shall seeke peace and not haue it Calamity shall come vpon calamitie and rumour vpon rumour Then shall they seeke a vision of the Prophet but the law shall perish from the Priests and counsell from the auncient The King shall mourne and the Prince shall be clothed with desolation and the hands of the people in the land shall bee troubled I will doe vnto them according to their waies and according to their iudgements will I iudge them and they shall know that I am the Lord. Last of all the Lord saith by his Prophet Heare O earth behold I will cause a plague to come vpon this people euen the sruit of their owne imaginations because they haue not taken heed to my words nor to my Law but cast it off Almost innumerable places to this purpose are to be found in the writings of the prophets but these may suffice to prooue the maine point to wit that the iust God doth punish whole nations and kingdomes for the sinnes and rebellions thereof Phila. Sith all these sinnes for the which the Lord did execute such vniuersall punishments vpon his owne people doe abound and ouerflow in this land may wee not iustly feare some great plague to fall vpon vs and the rather because our transgressions doe increase daily and grow to a full height and ripenesse so as it seemeth the haruest of Gods vengeance draweth neere and approacheth Theol. We may indéed iustly feare and tremble For if God spared not the Angels that sinned how shall he spare vs If he spared not his owne people what can wée looke for If hée spared not the naturall braunches how shall hée spare vs which are wilde by nature Are we better then they Can we looke to bée spared when they were punished Are not our sinnes as many and as great as theirs Doth not the same cause bring forth the same effect Is the arme of the Lord shortned Or is not God the same iust God to punish sinne now that he was then Yes yes assuredly And therefore wée haue great cause to mourne and lament to quake and tremble because there is a naked sword of vengeance hanging ouer our heads Thus did Ieremie thus did Amos thus did Abacuck when they plainely saw the imminent wrath of God approching vpon the people of Israel and Iudah Phila. I thinke we may the rather doubt and feare because the punishment of these forenamed vices is neglected by the Magistrate For commonly when they that beare the sword of Iustice doe not draw it out to punish notorious offenders and malefactours the Lord himselfe
heauen and wide gates into hell I pray you therefore proue them out of the Scriptures and lay them forth somewhat more largely Theol. The first which is Infidelity is proued out of the fourth chapter to the Hebrewes where it is written Vnto vs was the Gospell preached as vnto them but the word which they heard profited them not because it was not mixed with faith in those that heard it And againe They could not enter in because of vnbeliefe Héere we sée that vnbeliefe did barre out the old people from entring into the land of promise which was a figure of Gods eternall kingdome And sure it is that the same vnbeliefe doth barre out thousands of vs. For many will beléeue nothing but their owne fansies They will not beléeue the word of God especially when it is contrary to their lustes and likings profits pleasures Though things be manifestly prooued to their faces and both the Chapter and the Uerse shewed them yet will they not beléeue or though they say they beléeue yet will they neuer goe about the practise of any thing but reply against God in all their actions And for the most part when God saith one thing they will say another When God saith yea they will say no and so giue God the lie Some againe will say if all bée true that the Preachers say then God helpe vs. Thus you sée how Infidelity doth barre men out of Heauen and cast them into hell Phila. Let vs heare of the second gate which is Presumption of Gods mercy Theol. This is set downe in the 29. of Deuteronomy where the Lord saith thus When a man heareth the words of this curse and yet flattereth himselfe in his heart saying I shall haue peace although I walke according to the stubbornnesse of mine owne heart thus adding drunkennesse to thirst that is one sinne to another the Lord will not be mercifull vnto him but the wrath of the Lord and his iealousie shall smoake against that man and euery curse that is written in this booke shall light vpon him and the Lord shall put out his name from vnder heauen Héere we sée how the mightie God doth thunder downe vpon such as goe on in their sins presuming of his mercy and saying in their hearts If I may haue but a Lord haue mercy vpon me thrée houres before death I care not But it is iust with God when those thrée hours come to shut them vp in blindnesse and hardnesse of heart as a iust plague for their presumption Therefore the Prophet Dauid seeing the grieuousnesse of this sin praieth to be deliuered from it Keepe me ô Lord saith he from presumptuous sins let them not raigne ouer me Let all men therfore take héed of presumptuous sins For though God be full of mercy yet will he shew no mercy to them that presume of his mercy But they shall once know to their cost that iustice goeth from him as well as mercy Phila. Let vs come to the third gate which is the Example of the multitude Theol. This is prooued in the 23. of Exod. where the Lord saith flatly Thou shalt not follow a multitude to doe euill In another place the Lord saith After the doings of the land of Egypt wherein yee dwelt shall yee not doe and after the manner of the land of Canaan whither I will bring you shall yee not doe neither walke in their ordinances Against this Law did the Children of Israel offend when they said in the stubbornnesse of their heart to the Prophet Ieremy The word that thou hast spoken vnto vs in the name of the Lord wee will not heare But we will doe whatsoeuer goeth out of our owne mouth and we will doe as we haue done both we and our Fathers our Kings and our Princes in the cities of Iudah and in the streets of Ierusalem Note héere how they doe altogether refuse the word of the Lord and how to follow the example of the multitude Wée sée in these our daies by lamentable experience how thousands are violently carried down this streame and for defence of it some will say Doe as the most men doe and the fewest wil speake of you Which is a very wicked speach For if wée will follow the course of the most we shall haue the reward of the most which is eternall perdition Let vs therefore take héed of bending with the sway For the sway of the world doth waigh downe all things that can bée spoken out of the word of God and openeth a very wide passage into Hell Phila. Proceed to the fourth gate into Hell which is the Long custome of sinne Theol. This is noted by the Prophet Ieremy to be a very dangerous thing For he saith Can the blacke More change his skinne or the Leopard his spots then may yee also doe good which are accustomed to doe euill Noting thereby that it is as hard a matter to leaue an old custome of sinne as to wash a black-more white or to change the spots of a Leopard which because they are naturall are most impossible So when men through custom haue made swearing lying adultery and drunkennesse as it were naturall vnto them oh how hard it is to leaue them For custome maketh another nature and taketh away all sense and féeling of sinne Phila. Let vs heare of the fift gate which is the Long escaping of punishment Theol. This is auouched by the wise man in these words Because sentence against an euill worke is not executed speedily therefore the hearts of the children of men are set in them to doe euill Where he sheweth that one cause why men are so hardned in their sinnes is because God winketh at them and letteth them alone not punishing them immediately after they haue sinned For if God should forthwith strike downe one and raine fire and brimstone vpon another and cause the earth to swallow vp the third then men would feare indéed But it hath béene shewed before that God taketh not that course but though he méet with some in this life yet he lets thousands escape and that makes them more bold thinking they shall neuer come to their answer Euen as an olde théefe which hath a long time escaped both prison and gallowes thinkes he shall alwaies so escape and therefore goeth boldly on in his thefts But let men take héed For as the prouerbe saith Though the pitcher goeth long to the well yet at last it commeth broken home So though men escape long yet they shall not escape alwaies For there will come a day of reckoning a day that will pay it home for all Thus you sée how impunity leadeth numbers to destruction That is when men are let alone and neither smitten by the hand of God nor punished by the law of the Magistrate Phila. Let vs come to the sixt gate which is the Hope of long life Theol. This is affirmed by our Lord Iesus concerning that rich worldling who
what meanes the new birth is wrought Theol. By the preaching of the word as the outward meanes and the secret worke of the spirit as the inward meanes Phila. Many heare the word preached and are nothing the better but rather the worse what I pray you is the cause of that Theol. Mens owne incredulity and hardnesse of heart because God in his wrath leaueth them to themselues and depriueth them of his spirit without the which all preaching is in vaine For except the spirit doe follow the word into our hearts we can find no ioy taste nor comfort therein Phila. Cannot a man attaine vnto regeneration and the new birth without the word and the spirit Theol. No verily for they are the instruments meanes whereby God doth worke it Asune Why may not a man haue as good a faith to God-ward that heareth no Sermons as he that heareth all the Sermons in the world Theol. Why may not he which eateth no meat be as fat and as well liking as he that eateth all the meat in the world For is not the preaching of the word the food of our soules Asune I like not so much hearing of Sermons and reading of the Scriptures except men could keepe them better Theol. Faithfull and honest hearers doe therefore heare that they may be more able to obserue and do For a man cannot do the will of God before he know it and he cannot know it without hearing and reading Antile I maruell what good men doe get by gadding to Sermons and poring so much in the scriptures or what are they better then others there are none more full of enuy and malice then they They will doe their neighbour a shrewd turne as soone as any body and therefore in mine opinion they be but a company of hypocrites and precise fooles Theol. You iudge vncharitably Full little doe you know what they feele or what good Gods people get by hearing of his word For the worke of the Spirit in the hearts of the elect is very secret and altogether hid from the world as it is written The winde bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whither it goeth or whence it commeth So is euery man that is borne of the spirit And againe The things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God Asune Tush tush what needs all this a doe If a man say his Lords praier his Ten Commandements and his Beliefe and keepe them and say no body no harme nor doe no body no harme and doe as he would be done to haue a good faith to God-ward and be a man of Gods beliefe no doubt he shall be saued without all this running to Sermons and pratling of the Scripture Theol. Now you powre it out indéede you thinke you haue spoken wisely But alas you haue bewraied your great ignorance For you imagine a man may be saued without the word which is a grosse errour Asune It is no matter say you what you will and all the Preachers in the world besides as long as Iserue God and say my praiers duly and truely morning and euening and haue a good faith in God and put my whole trust in him and doe my true intent and haue a good minde to God-ward and a good meaning although I am not learned yet I hope it will serue the turne for my soules health For that God which made me must saue me It is not you that can saue me for all your learning and all your Scriptures Theol. You may very fitly be compared to a sicke man who hauing his braine distempered with heat raueth and speaketh idlely he cannot tell what For the holy Ghost saith He that turneth away his eare from hearing the law euen his praier shall be abhominable And againe he that despiseth the word he shall be destroied So long therefore as you despise Gods word and turne away your eare from hearing his Gospel preached all your prayers your fantasticall soruing God your good meanings and your good intents are to no purpose but most loathsome and odious in the sight of God as it is written My soule hateth your new moones and your appointed feastes they are a burthen vnto me I am weary to beare them When you stretch out your hands I will hide mine eies from you and though you make many praiers I will not heare For your hands are full of bloud And againe the Lord saith by the same Prophet He that killeth a bullocke is as if he slew a man hee that sacrificeth a sheepe as if he cut off a dogs necke he that offereth an oblation as if he offered swines blood he that remembreth incense as if he blessed an idol Where you sée the Lord telleth you his minde touching these matters to wit that all your praiers seruices good meanings c. are abhominable vnto him so long as you walk in ignorance prophanenes disobedience and contempt of the Gospel For he saith in the words immediately going before To him wil I looke euen to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my words Asune I grant indeed for them that are idle and haue little to do it is not amisle now and then to heare a Sermon and read the Scriptures but we haue no leasure we must follow our businesse we cannot liue by the scriptures they are not for plaine folke they are too high for vs we will not meddle with them They belong to Preachers and Ministers Theol. CHRIST saith My sheepe heare my voice and I giue vnto them eternal life If therfore you refuse to heare the voice of Christ you are none of his sheepe neither can you haue eternall life And in another place our Lord Iesus saith He that is of God heareth Gods word Ye therefore heare it not because ye are not of God S. Paul writing to all sorts of men both rich and poore high low men women yong and old exhorteth that the word of Christ may dwell plenteously in them all in all wisedome You sée therefore that the Apostle would haue al sorts of people that haue soules to saue to be wel acquainted with the scriptures Therefore you may as well say you will not meddle with God with Christ nor with euerlasting life as to say you wil not meddle with the scriptures Asune Well I cannot reade and therefore I cannot tell what Christ or what S. Paul may say but this I am sure of that God is a good man worshipped might he be he is mercifull and that wee must be saued by our good prayers and good seruing of God Theol. You speake foolishly and ignorantly in al that you say hauing no ground for any thing you speake but your own fansie and your own conceit and yet you will beléeue your own fansie against all Preachers against all that can be spoken out of the Word But I praie you giue me
gold and siluer is cankered and the rust of them shall bee a witnesse against you and shall eat your flesh as it were fire Lastly S. Paul saith flatly that extortioners shall not inherit the kingdome of God Thus we sée how many fearefull woes and threats are denounced from heauen against these pestilent cut-throats of the earth Phila. And all little enough For they are steeped in their sinne and the staine of it is so soked into them as it will hardly euer be washed out True it is that you said that these cruell oppressing bloud-suckers are the most pernicious and pestilent vermine that creepeth vpon the face of the earth and yet I thinke there were neuer moe of them then in these daies For now the wicked world is full of such as doe sundry waies bite pinch and nip the poore as we see by euery daies lamentable experience but you can speake more of it then I. Therefore I pray you lay open the sundry kinds of oppression vsed in these daies Theol. There is oppression by vsury Oppression by bribery Oppression by racking of rents Oppression by taking excessiue fines Oppression in bargaining Oppression in letting of leases Oppression in letting of houses Oppression in letting of grounds Oppression in binding poore men to vnreasonable couenants Oppression in thrusting poore men out of their houses Oppression in hiring poore mens houses ouer their heads Oppression in taking of fées Oppression by Lawyers Oppression by Church Officers Oppression by engrossers Oppression by forestallers Oppression of the Church Oppression of the Ministery Oppression of the poore Oppression of widowes Oppression of Orphanes And thus we see how all swarmes with Oppressions and nothing but Oppressions Oppressions Phila. In truth this is a most cruell and oppressing age wherein we liue yea a very iron age It seemeth that the great ones minde nothing else they are altogether set vpon oppression they dote and dreame of it they finde sweet in it and therefore they are mad of it As Salomon saith Oppression maketh a wiseman mad It seemeth therefore that this vice is of such maruellous force that it can bereaue men of their wits and make men starke mad of getting goods by hooke or by crooke they care not how nor from whom so they haue it Yet no doubt the most wise God hath enacted many good lawes for the suppressing of this euill and doth threaten the execution of them in his owne person and especially his Law doth prouide for the safetie of the poore the fatherlesse the widow and the stranger But you M. Theologus can repeat the statutes better then I because you are a professed Diuine Therefore I pray you let vs heare them from you Theol. In the 22. Chapter of Exodus God made this law following You shall not trouble any widow or fatherlesse childe if thou vex or trouble such and so hee call and crie vnto me I will surely heare his crie Then shall my wrath be kindled and I will kill you with the sword and your wiues shall be widowes and your children fatherlesse Againe he saith Thou shalt not oppresse an hired seruant that is needy and poore but thou shalt giue him his hire for his day neither shall the Sunne goe downe vpon it for he is poore and therewith sustaineth his life lest hee crie against thee vnto the Lord and it be sinne vnto thee Moreouer the Lord saith Thou shalt doe no iniury to a stranger for yee were strangers in the land of Egypt And God himselfe threatneth that he will be a swift witnesse against those which kéepe backe the hirelinges wages and vex the widow and the fatherlesse The Apostle saith Let no man oppresse or defraud his brother in any matters For the Lord is an auenger of all such things Salomon also saith If in a country thou feest the oppression of the poore and the defrauding of iustice and iudgement be not astonied at the matter for hee that is higher then the highest regardeth and there be higher then they Eccles 5. 7. All these holy statutes and lawes enacted and prouided against oppressors doe plainely shew what care the Lord hath for his poore distressed and desolate people Phila. But these oppressing hel-hounds are such as care for nothing No Law of the Almighty can bridle them nothing can feare them nothing can restraine them They haue made a couenant with Hell and death They are frozen in the dregs they are past feeling And as Iob saith These are they that abhorre the light they know not the waies thereof neither continue in the pathes thereof Their hearts are as hard as the Adamant Nothing can mooue them nothing can worke vpon them There is great crying out euery where of the stone in the reines which indeed is a great torment to the bodie but there is no complaining of the stone in the heart I meane a stonie heart which is the sorest disease that possibly can fall into the soule of man and yet in these times it groweth very rife For mens hearts are as hard as brasse and as the neather Milstone as the Scripture speaketh For many especially of these vnmercifull and oppressing tyrants say in their hearts God will do neither good nor euill Therefore they put the euil day far from them and approch vnto the seat of iniquity They are at ease in Zion they lie vpon beds of Iuory and stretch themselues vpon their beds and eat the lambes of the flocke and the calues out of the stall They sing to the sound of the viall they inuent instruments of musicke like Dauid They drink wine in bowles and no man is sory for the affliction of Ioseph that is the troubles of Gods people The Prophet Esay also complaineth of these kind of men saying They regard not the work of the Lord neither consider the work of his hands And another Prophet saith they say in their harts God hath forgotten he hideth away his face and will neuer see They are so proud that they seeke not for God They think alwaies there is no God his iudgements are far out of their sight Their waies alwaies prosper and therefore they say in their hearts Tush we shall neuer be moued nor come in danger Theol. You haue spoken very well touching the stéelinesse and hardnes of these mens harts who are so vnmerciful to their poor neighbors that almost none can liue by them They do so disturbe disquiet al things that poore men can dwell in no rest by them Therefore truly saith the wise king A mightie man molesteth all both hireth the foole hireth those that passe by But the poore man speaketh with prayers that is by the way of entreatie and supplications For the poore are afraid of them They quake when they sée them as the beasts quake at the roaring of the Lion Many poore Farmers poore Husband men poore Heards poore Labourers poore widowes and hirelings doe
you sée how the stones and timber of your houses shall descant vpon you And howseeuer you put on your brazen brows harden your hearts against these threatnings of the most terrible God and Lord of hosts yet one day you shall spite of your hearts will ye nill ye be brought forth vnto iudgement you shall once come to your reckoning you shall at last be apprehended conuented and arraigned at the bar of Gods tribunall seat before the great Judge of all the world Then sentence shall passe against you euen that most dreadfull sentence Goe ye cursed into hell-fire there to bee tormented with the Diuell and his Angels for euer O then woe woe vnto you For what shall it profit a man to winne the whole world and lose his owne soule saith our Lord Jesus Surely euen as much as if one should winne a farthing and lose an hundered thousand pound For if hée shall be cast into Hell-fire which hath not giuen of his owne goods righteously gotten as our Sauiour auoucheth where then shall hée be cast that hath stollen other mens goods And if he shal be damned that hath not clothed the naked what shall become of him that hath made naked them that were clothed Oh therefore repent in time O ye cruell oppressors séeke the Lord whilest he may be found call vpon him while he is néere lay aside your sauage cruelty visit the fatherlesse and widow in their distresse deale your bread to the hungry helpe them to their right which suffer wrong deale mercifully with your tenants racke not your rents any more pinch not the poore soules for whom Christ died pittie them I say but pinch them not deale kindly friendly with them remember your great accounts consider the shortnesse of your daies and the vanitie of your life rent your hearts and not your clothes Turne vnto the Lord with all your heart with wéeping fasting and mourning preuent Gods wrath with a sacrifice of téeres pacifie his anger with the calues of your lips and with a contrite spirit be gréeued for that which is past and amend that which is to come stand it out no more at the swords point against God For it will not boot you to striue he is too strong for you Your only wisdom is to come in Come in therfore come in ye rebellious generation submit your selues to the great King humble your selues vnder his mighty hand cast downe your swords and targets yéeld vnto your God So shall you escape the vengeance to come so shall God accept you haue mercy vpon you receiue you to fauor grant you a generall pardon for all your rebellions and admit you into the number of his faithfull and loyall subiects Phila. I doe conceiue by diuers speeches which you haue alledged that goods gotten by oppression and cruelty will neuer prosper long For oppressors coine their mony vpon their neighbours skins How then can it be blessed Theol. You haue spoken a truth For as it hath béen shewed before that those goods which are gotten by swearing and lying are cursed so all these that are gotten by oppression and violence are more cursed Therefore the Lord saith by his Prophet Ieremie as the Partrich gathereth the yong which shee hath not brought foorth so he that gathereth riches and not by right shall leaue them in the midst of his daies and at his end shall bee a foole and his name shall be written in the earth Phila. Would to God our Magistrates and Gouernours would take speedy order for the remedying of these things and for the redressing of such grieuous enormities as are amongst vs or that they themselues woulde step in and deliuer the oppressed from the hand of the oppressor Theol. Iob was an excellent man for such matters For it is said of him That he brake the iawes of the vnrighteous man and pluckt the prey out of his teeth Where we sée how Iob was a meanes to deliuer the innocent and to pull the Lambe out of the Lions clawes Moreeuer it is written of him in the same chapter that the blessing of him that was ready to perish came vpon him and that hée caused the widowes heart to reioyce that he was the eie to the blind the féet to the lame and the father to the poore and when he knew not the cause hée sought it out diligently Oh what a notable man was this Oh that we had many Iobs in these daies Wise Salomon doth most grauely aduise vs all to follow Iobs example in this behalfe Deliuer saith he them that are oppressed and drawne to death For shouldest thou withdraw thy self from them which go downe to the slaughter would to God that this holy counsell were well weighed and practised amongst vs Phila. I maruell much with what face these cruell oppressors can come before God in his holy Temple to pray and offer vp their sacrifices vnto him For we see many of them though they haue such foule hands and foule hearts as wee haue heard yet for all that will most impudently presume to come to the church and pray or at least when they are laide in their beds a nights and halfe asleepe then wil they tumble ouer their praiers or be pattering some Pater nosters Theol. Alas alas poore soules all that they do in matters of Gods worship is but hypocrisie dissimulation For in truth they care not for God they loue him but from the téeth outward their mouths are with him but their heart goeth after couetousnesse and their hands are full of blood And therefore God doth both abhorre them and their prayers For saith he Though they stretch out their hands yet will I hide mine eyes from them and though they make many prayers yet will I not heare them For their hands are full of blood Moreouer the holy Ghost saith He that turneth away his eare from hearing the Law euen his praier is abhominable Dauid saith If I regard wickednes in my heart God will not heare my praier Our Lord Iesus also affirmeth that God heareth not sinners that is stubburne and carelesse sinners So then we may cléerely sée by all these testimonies of holy writ what account God maketh of the praiers of oppressors and all other prophane vngodly men namely that hée doth hate them and abhorre them as most loathsome and odious in his sight Phila. Now in conclusion shew vs the causes of oppression Theol. The causes are these Crueltie Couetousnesse Hard-heartednesse An euill conscience The Diuell Phila. Let vs heare also of the remedies Theol. The remedies are these Pitie Contentation Tender affections A good conscience Much prayer Phila. Now sir as you haue at large vttered your mind concerning these grosse corruptions of the world and haue plainely and euidently proued them to be the deadly poison of the soule so also I pray you satisfie vs in this whether they be not hurtfull also to the body
great blissings vnto our children and posterity from age to age from generation to generation Phila. You haue fully answered my question and well satisfied me therin out of the scriptures yet I pray you giue me leaue to adde one thing vnto that which you haue at large set downe The Lord saith by the Prophet Amos that for their sinnes and rebellions hee had giuen them cleannesse of teeth that is dearth and scarcitie and yet they did not turne vnto him Also hee with-held the raine from them and punished them with drought and yet they did not turne vnto him Moreouer hee smote their Corne their great Gardens their Orchards Vineyardes Figtrees and Oliue-trees with blasting and mildeaw and the Palmer-worme did deuoure them and yet they did not returne vnto him Last of all hee smote them with pestilence and with the sword and ouerthrew them as he ouerthrew Sodome and Gomorrah and they were as a fire-brand pluckt out of the burning yet for all this they did not turne vnto him Yee haue not turned vnto mee saith the Lord. But now to come to the point Out of this I gather that if wee multiply our transgressions God will multiply his plagues vpon vs but on the contrary if wee would vnfainedly turne vnto the Lord our God with all our hearts all plagues should bee staied all dangers preuented and no euill should fall vpon vs. For because they would not turne therefore hee smote them If therefore they had turned hee would not haue smote them But now I pray you briefely conclude this point and declare in few words what it is that doth most materially concerne our peace and publike good Theol. These fewe then briefly I take to be the things which belong to our peace Let Salomon execute Ioab and Shemei Let Iohn and Eliah slay the Priests and Prophets of Baal Let Aaron and Eleazar minister before the Lord faithfully Let Ionas be cast out of the ship Let Moses stand fast in the gap and not let downe his hand Let Iosuah succed him Let Cornelius feare God with all his household Let Tabitha be full of good workes and almes-deeds Let Deborah iudge long in Israel prosper and be victorious Let vs all pray that the light of Israel may not be quenched And this I take to be the summe of all that belongeth to our peace Phila. The summe of all our conference hitherto as I remember may be reduced vnto these few heads First mans naturall corruption hath beene laide open Secondly the horrible fruites thereof Thirdly their euill effects and workings both against our soules and bodies goods name and the whole land Lastly the remedies of all Now therefore I would grow to some conclusion of that which you touched by the way and made some mention of namely the signes of saluation and damnation and declare vnto vs plainely whether the state of a mans soule before God may not by certaine signes and tokens bee certainely discerned euen in this life Theol. Besides those which before haue béene mentioned wée may adde these nine following Reuerence of Gods name Keeping of his Sabbaths Truth Sobrietie Industrie Compassion Humility Chastity Contentation Phila. These indeede I grant are very good signes but yet all of them are not certaine For some of them may be in the Reprobats Theol. What say you then to Saint Peters signes which are set downe in the first chapter of his second Epistle which are these eight Faith Vertue Knowledge Temperance Patience Godlinesse Brotherly kindenesse Loue. Saint Peter saith If these bee in vs and abound they will make vs neither idle nor vnfruitefull in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Which is as much as if hée had said they will make vs sound and sincere Professors of the Gospell Phila. All these I grant are exceeding good signes and euidences of a mans saluation but yet some of them may deceiue and an hole may bee picked in some of these euidences I would therefore heare of some such demonstratiue and infallible euidences as no Lawyer can finde fault with For I hold that good Diuines can as perfectly iudge of the assurances and euidences of mens saluation as the best Lawyer can iudge of the assurances and euidences whereby men hold their lands and liuings Theol. You haue spoken truely in that And would to God all the Lords people would bring foorth the euidences of their saluation that wée might discerne of them Phila. Set downe then which be the most certaine and infallible euidences of a mans saluation against the which no exception can bee taken Theol. I iudge these to be most sound and infallible Assured faith in the promises Sinceritie of heart The spirit of adoption Sound Regeneration and Sanctification Inward peace Groundednesse in the truth Continuance to the end Phila. Now you come neare the quicke indeed For in my iudgement none of these can be found truely in any reprobat Therefore I thinke no Diuine can take exception against any of these Theo. No I assure you no more then a Lawyer can finde fault with the Tenure of mens lands and fee-simples when as both the Title is good strong by the law and the euidences thereof are sealed subscribed deliuered conueied and sufficient witnesse vpon the same and all other signes and ceremonies in the deliuering and taking possession thereof according to strickt law obserued For if a man haue these forenamed euidences of his saluation sure it is his Title and interest to heauen is good by the law of Moses and the Prophets I meane the word of God God himselfe subscribeth to them Jesus Christ deliuereth them as his owne déede the holy Ghost sealeth vnto them yea the three great witnesses which beare record in the earth that is water blood and the spirit doe all witnesse the same Phila. Now you haue very fully satisfied me touching this point And one thing more I do gather out of all your speech to wit that you doe thinke a man may be assured of his saluation euen in this life Theol. I doe thinke so indéed For he that knoweth not in this life that he shall be saued shall neuer be saued after this life For S. Iohn saith Now are we made the sonnes of God Phila. But because many doubt of this and the Papists doe altogether denie it therefore I pray you confirme it vnto vs out of the Scriptures Theol. The Apostle saith We know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle bee destroied wee haue a building giuen vs of God that is an house not made with hands but eternall in the heauens Marke that he saith both he and the rest of Gods people did certainely know that heauen was prouided for them For the spirit of adoption beareth witnes with our spirits that we are the children of God And againe the same Apostle saith From henceforth is laid vp for me the crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall
of your comming to receiue the Sacrament Asune To receiue my maker Theol. What is the principall vse of a Sacrament Asune The body and bloud of Christ Theol. What profit and comfort haue you by a Sacrament Asune In token that Christ died for vs. Theol. I can but pitie you for your ignorance for it is excéeding grosse and palpable Your answers are to no purpose and bewray a wonderful blindnesse and senselesnesse in matters of Religion I am sory that now I haue not time and leasure to let you sée your folly extreame ignorance as also to lay open vnto you the sense and meaning of the Articles of the faith the Lords prayer and the Sacraments al other the grounds of Christian Religion Asune What course would you wish me to take that I may come out of ignorance and attaine vnto the true knowledge of God Theol. Surely I would wish you to be diligent in hearing of Sermons and reading the Scriptures with praier and humility Also that you would peruse Catechismes and other good bookes and especially Viâ—els grounds of Religion and the workes of the two worthy seruants of God Master Gyffard and Master Perkins and other mens that haue done great seruice to the Church and for whom thousands are bound to giue God thanks If you take this course you shall by Gods grace within a short time grow to some good measure of knowledge in all the maine grounds of Christian religion Phila. I had not thought any man had beene so ignorant as I now perceiue this man is Theo. Yes verily there be thousands in his case And I doe know by experience that many will vse the very same answers or at least very little differing Phila. I warrant you if you had questioned with him of kine or sheepe purchasing of lands taking of Leases or any other matter vnder the sunne you should haue found him very ripe and ready in his answers Theol. I am so perswaded too For let a man talke with worldly men of worldly matters and their answer is neuer to seeke They will talke very freshly with you of such matters if it be all the day long For they haue a déepe insight into earthly things and doe wholly delight to talke of them being neuer weary For it is their ioy their meate and their drinke But come once to talke with them of Gods matters as of faith repentance regeneration c. you shall finde them the veriest dullards dunces in the world For when spéech is had of these things they are so befogged that they can not tell where they are nor what they say Phil. In my iudgement such mens case is very pitifull and dangerous And so is this mans case also if God doe not very speedily pull him out of it Theol. Questionles For God saith My people perish for want of knowledge Our Lord Jesus saith that ignorance is the cause of all errours Yee erre saith he not knowing the scriptures The Apostle saith that ignorance doth alienate vs from the life of God For saith he The gentiles were darkened in their cogitation being strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them So then it is cleare that ignorance is not the mother of deuotion as the Papists doe auouch but it is the mother of errour death and destruction as the Scripture affirmeth Our Lord foreséeing the great danger of ignorance how thereby thousands are carried headlong into Hell doth admonish al men to search the Scriptures which do testifie of him that so they might get out of the most dangerous gulfe of ignorance wherein multitudes are implunged Therefore the Noble men of Berea are commended by the holy Ghost because they receiued the word with all readinesse and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so Oh therefore that men would earnestly séeke after the knowledge of God in time and as the Prophet saith Seeke the Lord whilest he may be found call vpon him whilest he is neere Phila. I do see that all ignorance in matters of faith is dangerous but I thinke wilfull ignorance is of all other most dangerous Theol. Wilfull ignorance no doubt is a plaine prognostication and demonstratiue argument of eternal death For it is a most horrible and feareful thing for men to refuse instructions despise counsels harden their hearts stop their eares and close vp their eies against God This is the very vp-shot of our decay Phila. I pray you what call you hardnesse of heart Theol. An heard heart is that which is neither mooued with Gods mercies nor scared with his iudgements neither feareth the law nor regardeth the Gospel neither is holpen by threatnings nor softned by chastenings which is vnthankful for Gods benefits and disobedient to his counsels made cruell by his roddes and dissolute by his fauours vnshamefast to filthinesse and fearelesse to perils vncurteous to men and retchlesse to God forgetfull of things past negligent in things present and improuident in things to come Phila. Lay foorth yet more plainely the state of ignorant and hard hearted men and shew how lamentable it is Theol. If a man be outwardly blind we do pity him and say There goeth a poore blinde man but if he be both blind and deafe doe wée not more pity him and say Oh in how miserable a case is that man But if he bée both blinde deafe and dumbe doe we not most of all pity him and say Oh that man is in a most wofull taking and in a most pittifull plight How much more then are they to be pitied which as concerning their soules are both blinde deafe and dumbe For the diseases of the soule are far more dangerous and more to be pittied then those of the body Would it not pitty a mans heart to see a poore shéepe in a Lions mouth whilest he teareth him renteth him pulleth out his guts Euen such is the case of ignorant men in the clawes of the diuell For the diuell hath them vnder him rideth them at his pleasure and teareth their soules in péeces the gronings of souldiers wounded the doleful sighes and gronings of many Captaines and Coronels giuing vp the ghost were not this a most wofull spectacle Euen so when wée doe clearely sée Sathan wound and murther thousand thousands soules is it not a farre more tragicall lamentable sight and ought it not euen to kill our hearts to behold it But alas men haue no eies to sée into these things And yet certaine it is that Sathan doth continually and in most fearefull maner massacre innumerable soules Thus haue I shewed you the wofull estate of prophane and ignorant men Phila. If it be so you that be Ministers and Preachers of the Gospell haue taken vpon you the cure and charge of soules haue need to looke about you and to doe what in you lieth to saue soules as good shepheards in great pittie and compassion to labour to
apparell 49 51 Whooredome and the dangers thereof 54 Excuses of whooredome 56 The fearefull effects of whooredome 60 The punishment of whooredome 56 57 The causes of whooredome 63 Remedies against whooredome 67 Couetousnesse what ibid. Couetousnesse wherein it doth consist 68 Foure notes to discerne the inward couetousnesse of the heart by 69 The euill effects of couetousnesse 71 The vanitie of this world and all worldly things 76 Excuses of couetousnesse 90 Remedies against couetousnesse 97 Gods prouidence for his children in the things of this life 98 For the things of this life Gods blessing is all in all 104 Outward meanes alone do not vphold vs. ibid. 105 Gods children sometimes are brought to great distresse 108 Gods children alwaies sure to be deliuered out of trouble 113 The great priuiledges of Gods children 116 Contempt of the Gospell a grieuous sinne 120 Contempt of the Gospell punished 121 Contempt of the Gospell the sinne of this age 122 Contempt of the Gospell a foresigne of wrath to the Land 130 Swearing and the punishments thereof 138 Excuses for swearing 146 Causes of swearing 149 Remedies against swearing ibid. Lying flattering and dissembling 150 Punishments for lying 158. 159 Excuses of lying 160 Causes of lying 161 Remedies against lying ibid. Drunkennesse and all the euill effects thereof 163 Excuses of drunkennesse 167 Causes of drunkennesse 167 Remedies for drunkennesse 168 Idlenesse and the wofull effects thereof 174 Causes of Idlenesse 179 Remedies against Idlenesse 179 Oppression a most horrible sinne 180 Many woes denounced against oppressours 181 Sundry kinds of Oppression 182. 183 Causes of Oppression 197 Remedies of Oppression 197 Sinne hurteth men in their bodies goods and name ibid. Sinne bringeth great danger to the whole Land 205 Nine predictions of wrath to the Land 210 The praiers and teares of the faithfull keepe backe the wrath of God from the Land 213 Praiers of the elect of great force 214 The wicked fare the better for Gods children 220 The best course to preuent Gods iudgements and to keepe backe his wrath from our Land 224 Tenne speciall things concerning the continuance of our peace 230 Nine signes of a found soule 232 Saint Peters eight markes of saluation ibid. Seuen infallible tokens of saluation 223 Assurance of saluation in this life prooued 352 Obiections against the assurance of saluation answered 237. The ground-worke of our saluation 241 Some doubts may stand with the assurance of faith 242 It is no presumption to bee perswaded of our saluation 244 The wicked cannot be assured of their saluation 245 The security of saluation which the wicked bragge of is vaine 247 Nine things required of all that shall be saued by Christ 250 Many say they hope to be saued by Christ but few can giue a reason why Christ died for them particularly and by name 252 Few shall be saued proued by scriptures reasons and examples 256 But few euen in the visible Church shall be saued 262 Obiections against the small number of the elect answered 263 Obiections of Atheists and vnbeleeuers answered 264 Reading of the Scriptures much commended 272 Deferring of repentance dangerous 277 God no authour of mans condemnation but himselfe 278 Obiections against predestination answered 279. 280 Gods decree no cause of Adams fall 283 The decree of reprobation prooued 284 Prescience in God what 285 The decree of election prooued 286 The first mouiue of election is in God himselfe 287 Fore-seene faith and fore-seene works no motiues of saluation ibid. Faith dependeth vpon election not election vpon faith 288 A reason yeelded why there is no end of cauilling and obiecting against the truth 292 Nine barres out of heauen 293 Nine gates into hell 294 The ignorance of the world 301 The answers of ignorant men to the grounds of religion 319 The meanes to get out of ignorance 322 Ignorance a most dangerous thing 323. 324 The charge of Ministers exceeding waightie and most carefully to be looked vnto 328 What is the best course for Ministers to take to bring the people out of ignorance 331 What is the best course for the people to take that they may be brought out of the bondage of sinne and captiuitie of Satan 333 Preaching a matter of absolute necessitie vnto eternal life 337 Without preaching the people are in great danger of losing their soules 336 Sathans cunning in frustrating the hearing of the Word and making all preaching vtterly vnprofitable 339 The Preachers counsell to the ignorant man 341 Six great dangers in sinne 342 Six most fearefull euents of sinne 343 God in all ages hath seuerely punished the transgressers of his law 344 Euery sinne though neuer so little in our eies is hainous and capitall because it is against a person of infinite maiestie 346 Nine profitable considerations 346 If men would leaue words and fall to doing great good would come of it 348 Nine things much to be thought vpon 350 The description of Christs comming to iudgement 351 The terror the suddennesse the end the maner and the vse of Christs second comming described 352 353 The torments of hell with the extremitie perpetuitie and remedilesnesse thereof described 361 The ignorant man vpon the hearing of the day of iudgment and hell fire laide open is pricked in his conscience bewaileth his former life repenteth earnestly for his sinne and ignorance and desireth spirituall Physicke and comfort of the Preacher 374 The Preacher ministreth vnto him much spiritual comfort and doth in ample manner laie open vnto him all the sweete promises of the Gospell and the infinite mercy of God in Christ to all true penitent and broken hearted sinners 375 The ignorant man being afflicted in his conscience is exceedingly comforted with the hearing of Gods abundant mercy preached vnto him and thereupon doth gather great inward peace conuerteth vnto God with all his heart and doth exceedingly blesse God for the Preachers counsell 391 FINIS A Morning prayer to be vsed in priuate families O Lord our God and heauenlie Father we thy vnwoorthy children doe heere come into thy most holy and heauenly presence to giue thee praise and glory for all thy great mercies and manifold blessings towards vs especially for that thou hast preserued vs this night past from all the dangers and feares thereof hast giuen vs quiet rest to our bodies and brought vs now safely to the beginning of this day dost now afresh renew all thy mercies vpon vs as the Eagle reneweth her bill giuing vs all things abundantly to enioy as foode raiment health peace libertie and freedome from many miseries diseases casualties and calamities which we are subiect vnto in this life euery minute of an houre and not onely so but also for vouchsafeing vnto vs many good things not onely for necessitie but euen for delight also But aboue all deare Father we praise thy name for the blessings of a better life specially for thy most holy word and sacraments and all the good we enioy thereby for the continuance
people In thine appointed time we pray thee giue him a deadly downe-fall Beat downe all his power and authority daily more and more giue free passage to thy Gospell in al kingdoms that Babylon may fall and neuer rise vp againe The more the fauorites and adherents of Rome labour to vphold their Idolatrous kingdome the more let it fall downe euen as Dagon before the presence of thine Arke Poure downe the vials of the fulnesse of thy wrath vpon the kingdome of the beast and let their riches wealth credite and authority dry vp euery day more and more as the riuer Euphrates Let it pity thee O Father to see thine owne spouse sit as a deformed and forlorne woman heere below weeping and mourning with her haire about her necke hauing lost all her beauty and comlinesse cheere her vp deare Father glad her with the ioie of thy countenance and so decke her and trimme her vp that thou maiest delight in her as a Bridegroome in his Bride Specially we intreat thee to haue mercy vpon thy Church in this land intend good vnto vs and not euill giue vs not ouer into the hands of the cruell Spaniard as our sinnes haue deserued Scatter we pray thee O Lord the deuises and breake the plots of all such as haue plotted the ouerthrow vtter subuersion of this church and common-wealth Blesse this Church more and more with the continuance of true Religion amongst vs. For thy great names sake and infinite mercies sake deale gratiously and fauourablie with vs our posteritie Turne from vs that vengeance which is due to vs for our sins For thou seest how iniquitie preuaileth and the wicked goe away with the goale Atheisme ouerspreadeth euery where and Popery seemeth to get a head againe Now therfore deare Father we most humbly beseech thee to take order speedily for the remedying repressing of these manifold disorders and grieuous enormities that are amongst vs. Be intreated of thy poore children to be good to this English Nation Heare the cries of thine elect heare the mourning of them that mourne in Sion Let the cries of thy children cry downe all the cries of the sins of the land and be reconciled vnto vs in the multitude of thy compassions that so thou maiest still continue a most mercifull protector of this thine English vineyard Wee pray thee good Father shew speciall mercy to our most Noble and gratious King Iames thine annointed seruant blesse him and keepe him in all his waies Blesse his gouernment vnto vs. Let thine Angels encampe about him and let thy holy hand be alwaies ouer him keepe him from treasons and deliuer him from the treacheries of his enemies giue him to see what belongeth vnto his peace and giue him a heart earnestlybent to set vpon the practise of the same giue him all graces necessary for his peace and necessary for his saluation continue his gouernment peaceable and prosperous amongst vs as thon hast made him the breath of our nostrils and a gratious instrument for the sauing of many thousand soules so let his owne soule be saued in the day of thy Son Christ Blesse his Maiesties most honorable priuy Counsellors giue such good successe vnto all their Counsels and policies in matters of state that we may leade a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse honesty Blesse all the Nobility worke in them a care to glorifie thy name in their places make them faithfull to thee and faithfull to the Land Direct with thy good spirit all such as beare the sword of Iustice that they may draw it out to punish the wicked and to defend the godly and that they may with all good care and conscience discharge the duties of their places Increase the number of faithfull and zealous Ministers in this church Send thy Gospel to those places where it is not and blesse it where it is Remember them in thy mercy O Lord that are vnder any crosse or affliction whatsoeuer be comfortable vnto them heale vp their wounds binde vp their sores put all their teares into thy bottle and make their bedde in all their sorrowes and put such a good ende to all their troubles that they may redounde to thy glory and the furtherance of their owne saluation In the meane time giue them patience and constancy to beare whatsoeuer it shall please thy mercifull hand to lay vpon them Last of all in a word we pray thee blesse magistracy ministery and commonalty Blesse all thy people doe good to all that are true and vpright in their hearts And so deare Father we doe commit and commend our selues our soules and bodies into thy hands for this day and the rest of our life praying thee to take care and charge of vs keepe vs from all euill watch ouer vs for our good let thine Angels encampe about vs let thy holy hand be ouer vs keepe vs in all our waies that we may liue to thy praise and glory heere in earth keeping faith and a good conscience in all our actions that after this life we may be crowned of thee for euer in thy kingdome Grant these things good father to vs here present to all thine absent praying thee in speciall fauor to remember our friends kinsfolks in the flesh all our good neighbours welwillers all those forwhom we are bound to pray by nature by deserts or any duty whatsoeuer for Iesus Christs sake our onely mediator to whom with thee and the holy Ghost be giuen all praise and glory both now and for euermore Amen An Euening Praier to be vsed in priuate families OEternall God and our most louing and deare Father wethy vnwoorthy children doe héere fall downe at the foote of thy great Maiesty acknowledging from our harts that we are altogether vnworthy to come néere thée or to look towards thée because thou art a God of infinite glory and we are most vile and abhominable sinners such as were conceiued borne in sinne and corruption such as haue inherited our fathers corruptions and also haue actually transgressed all thy holy statutes and lawes both in thought words déeds before weknew thée and since secretly and openly with our selues with others our particular sinnes are moe then can be numbred for who knoweth how often he offendeth But this we must needs confesse against our selues that our hearts are full of pride couetousnesse and the loue of this world full ofwrath anger and impatiencie full of lying dissembling and deceiuing full of vanity hardnesse and prophanenesse full of infidelity distrust and selfe-loue full of lust vncleannes and all adhominable desires yea our harts are the very sinkes of sinne and dunghils of all filthinesse And besides all this we doe omit the good things we should doe for there are in vs great wants of faith of loue of zeale of patience of contentment and of euery good grace so as thou hast iust cause to procéed to sentence of iudgement
land and discharge it of all the horrible sinnes thereof Drowne them O Lord in thy infinite mercy through Christ as it were in a bottomlesse gulfe that they may neuer rise vp in iudgement against vs. For although our sins be excéeding many and fearefull yet thy mercy is farre greater For thou art infinite in mercy but we cannot be infinite in sinning Giue vs not ouer into the hands of the Idolaters left they should blaspheme thy name and say Where is their God in whom they trusted But rather deare Father take vs into thine owne hands and correct vs according to thy wisedome for with thée is mercy and déepe compassion Moreouer we most hartily beséech thy good Maiesty to blesse our most gratious King Iames and to shew much mercy to him in all things Guid him in thy feare and kéepe him in all his waies working in his soule vnfained sorrow for sinue true faith in the promises a great care to please thée in all things and to discharge the duties of his high place in all zeale of thy glory and faithfulnesse towards thy Maiesty that as thou hast crowned him héere in earth so hée spending his daies héere below in thy feare may after this life be crowned of thée for euer in the Heauens Wée béeseech thee also to blesse his Maiesties most henorable priuy Counsellors Counsell them from aboue let them take aduise of thée 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 and the peace of this our Common-wealth Blesse the Nobility and all the Magistrates in the Land giuing them al 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 increase thy gifts in them and so blesse al their labours in their seueral places and congregations that they all may be instruments of thy hand to inlarge thy Sonnes kingdome and to winne many vnto thee Comfort the comfortlesse with all néedfull comforts Forget none of thine that are in trouble but as their afflions are so let the ioyes and comforts of thy spirit be 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 déepely ponder and weigh all thy particular fauours towards vs that by the due consideration thereof our hearts may bée gained yet néerer vnto thée and that therefore wée may both loue and obey thée because thou art so kinde and louing vnto vs that euen thy loue towards vs may draw our loue towards thée and that because mercy is with thée thou maiest bée feared Grant these things good Father and all other néedefull graces for our soules or bodies or any of thine throughout the whole world for Jesus Christs sake In whose name we further call vpon thée as hée hath taught vs in his Gospell saying Our Father which art in Heauen c. A praier to be vsed at any time by one alone priuately O Lord my God and heauenly Father I thy most vnworthy childe doe héere in thy sight fréely confesse that I am a most sinnefull creature and damnable transgressor of all thy holy Lawes and Commandements that as I was borne and bred in finne and stained in the wombe so haue I continually brought foorth the corrupt vgly fruits of that infection contagion wherein I was first conceiued both in thoughts words works If I should goe about to reckon vp my particular offences I know not where to begin or where to make an end For they are mo then the haires of my head yea farre moe then I can possibly féele or know For who knoweth the height and depth of his corruption who knoweth how oft he offendeth Thou onely O Lord knowest my sins who knowest my heart nothing is hid from thée thou knowest what I haue béene what I am yea my conscience doth accuse mée of many gréeuous euils and I doe daily féele by woful experience how frail I am how prone to euill how vntoward to all goodnesse My minde is ful of vanity my hartfull of prophanenes mine affections full of deadnesse dulnesse drowzinesse in matters of thy worship seruice Yea my whole soule is full of spirituall blindenesse hardnesse vnprofitablenes coldnesse and security And in very déed I am altogether a lumpe of sin a masse of all misery therefore I haue forfaited thy fauour incurred thy high displeasure haue giuen thée iust cause to frown vpon me to giue me ouer leaue me to mine owne corrupt will and affections But O my déere father I haue learned from thy mouth that thou art a God full of mercy flow to wrath of great compassion kindnesse towards all such as grone vnder the burden of their sinnes Therefore extend thy great mercy towards me poore sinner and giue me a generall pardon for all mine offences whatsoeuer seale it in the bloud of thy sonne and seale it to my conscience by thy spirit assuring me more and more of thy loue fauour towards me that thou art a reconciled father vnto me Grant that I may in all time to come loue thée much because much is giuen and of very loue feare thée and obey thée O Lord increase my faith that I may stedfastly beléeue all the promises of the Gospel made in thy son Christ rest vpon them altogether Enable me to bring foorth the sound fruits of faith and repentance in all my particular actions Fill my soule full of ioy and peace in beléeuing Fill me full of inward comfort and spirituall strength against all temptatious giue me yet a greater féeling of thy loue manifold mercies towards me worke in my soule a loue of thy Maiesty a zeale of thy glory an hatred of euill and a desire of all good things Giue me victory ouer those sins which thou knowest are strongest in me Let me once at last make a conquest of the world and the flesh Mortifie in me whatsoeuer is carnall sanctifie me throughout by thy spirit knit my heart to thée for euer that I may feare thy name renue in mée the image of thy sonne Christ daily more and more Giue me a delight in the reading and meditation of thy word Let me reioyce in the publike ministery thereof Let me loue and reuerence all the faithfull Ministers of thy Gospell Sanctifie their doctrines to my conscience seale them in my soule write them in my hart giue me a soft and melting heart that I may tremble at thy words and be alwaies much affected with godly sermons Let not my sinnes hold backe thy mercies from me nor mine vnworthines stop the passage