read thy Word to heare it where it is preached to come vnto thy Congregations and where thy word is not preached to vse all the good meanes wee may for maintenance and increase of knowledge and of conscience by praying reading meditating and conference To this end good Lord teach vs to cast away as all seruile workes so sloth euill and idle company-keeping prophane speeches with other euill actions and thoughts that may either draw vs from our Christian dueties offend thy diuine Maiestie or giue euill example vnto others Make our hearts and Consciences cleane our coÌ„ferences words and workes holy and conuersation vpright and pure So beginning and continuing in thy seruice this day in such sort as thou requirest wee may not onely sanctifie this but all the rest of thy Sabbaths during the remayne of our dayes heere vpon earth vntill wee come to that Sabbath of Sabbaths that eternall rest reioycing and praysing of thy Holy and Blessed Name in the highest Heauens wherein grant vs the assistance of thy holy Spirit and the aide of thy Sonne our Sauiour Christ Iesus Amen A Prayer in the time of trouble and affliction O LORD our God great are our sins and heauie are our visitations yet our chastisments are nothing answerable to our corruption wee haue sinned much and thou hast suffered vs long yet though our sinnes be as redde as scarlet thou hast said and we beleeue that thou wilt make them as white as snow Our sinnes do fester through our owne Corruptions cleanse them O thou the soueraigne sole phisitian of our soules Since thou art pleased to purge vs with some bitter pills that vrge vs to sweat and groane yet more for worldly matters then for the offence of thy diuine Maiestie Make vs therefore first sensible of our sinnes and sorowfull for them And when thou hast purged vs take away thy punishments Cure first our soules then make our bodies and estates sound and safe Yet againe and againe bring vs backe to consider and see from whence all our calamities doe come Deliuer vs if it bee thy blessed will from present and ensuing dangers or else graunt vs patience to vndergoe whatsoeuer thy good pleasure shal be to lay vpon vs Renew vs and then restore vs to thy wonted fauour not for our merits but for the merites and mercies of thy beloued Sonne and our blessed Sauiour Amen A Prayer when publique Calamities approach or are doubted OOr sinnes O Lord haue drawne vpon vs thy heauy displeasure and greater punishments then yet we feele or feare for wee haue multiplied our offences and yet thou hast held backe thy punishing hand wee haue not been allured by thy merits though they be many nor admonished by thy chastisemeÌ„ts sent to draw vs vnto conformity But rather thy long suffering hath made vs more secure hard hearted and negligent This hath caused thee sometimes to send signes of thy fearefull wrath as sickenesse vnseasonable weather want of meanes to maintaine many who heretofore haue liued well Our brethren abroad professing the same Religion suffer many heauy pressuers and are in much perill wee at home though we haue long enioyed the liberty of exercising the Religion wee professe yet our coldnesse and carelessenes in practising besides our many other sins hath hindered the propagation of piety dishonored thy name and indangered the truth O Lord yet at length humble vs in the sight and sense of these our sins Teach vs to learne consider and remember that for such if not for lesse sinnes thou didst consume Sodom draw the deluge ouer the whole earth and destroy almost consume at an instant all the Creatures of the World Yet neither these examples nor our own chastisements haue preuailed to perswade vs vnto true humiliation repentance and amendment of life But now of late when thou hast sent signes in the ayre inundations of waters pestilence pouerty decay of trades and hast found amongst vs a decrease of desire to doe good a desire to deceiue pâ—ide of hart delicious and luxurious liuing periury and perfidious dealing profanation of thy Name Word and Sacraments So that there being little hope of better beliefe or of better liuing when thy sword of Iustice is ready to be drawne the light of trueth in some danger to be diminished and wee to receiue such punishments as we most iustly haue deserued Yet consider wee are the workemanship ordained for thy seruice And though the Axe should be put vnto the tree ready to out of our liues estates and sauing knowledge yet correct but doe not for thy mercies sake confound vs reforme but do not destroy vs Make vs yet new creatures O spare and deâ—iuer vs from the euill daies to come Thou desirest not the death of sinners but rather Conuersion Let vs yet liue to honor thee whom we haue dishonoâ—ed Though long peace and much plenty hath set vs aâ—â—eepe and prouoked vs to much pride and presumption yet let vs with Hezechiah turning to the wall and weeping be repriued from that sentence which our sinnes haue sent out against vs and let vs learne to serue thee and not Sathan So being preserued by thy mercy wee may yeeld Honour and praise to thy eternall Maiestie A Prayer against the raigning sins that a man findes to remaine in himselfe LOrd God how senselesse am I of mine owne sinnes that cannot see nor feele those I daily and continually commit Some are secret and concealed from my self which I know not or cannot conceiue And those though lesse haynous or at the least lesse vnderstood yet too heauy for me to beare Other greater and more grieuous by mee not acknowledged or not repented and amongst many more that I passe ouer without any examination of my selfe or repentance for them Those cleaue most to the corruptions of mine owne nature as pride selfe conceit and other sinnes whereto I am most subiect c. These presse mee most and others too much yet pardon mee O Lord pardon that is past purge me from them for time to come cleanse the corruptions of my nature cure the Contagion that comes by euill company and the inticements of others with whose fashions wits faces or flatteries wee are seduced And for mine owne inward concupiscense which easily sets it selfe on fire O Lord quench it with the cooling and comforting giftes of Grace sobrietie temperance and circumspection Bee thou most gracious God that good Samaritan to poure into my wounded soule the oyle of thy mercy that so these destroyers of my soule being by thee destroyed I may then surely say O Death where is thy sting O Hell where is thy victory and blesse thee who hast blessed mee with thine abundant mercies to whom bee praises and glorie for euer Amen A Prayer necessary to be vsed often O LORD God most mighty mercifull and iust who hast created all things of nothing only by thy power and word who hast preserued all that thou hast made and doest saue all those that
not bee safe but was cast downe frō thence through pride and arrogancy How should I bee safe whilest I commit this sinne so much and so often heere on earth Purge me therefore O God from Pride and leade me by thy Heauenly hand vnto Humility and lowlines of heart Lord God how much am I ouerwhelmed with wrath and anger how suddainly incensed vpon how small and slender occasions am I moued by wrath to vse reproach and to seeke reuenge to forsake Charity to seeke others harme and to aduenture mine owne ruine so that my minde cannot be peaceable and quiet Sodainely by anger reason is disturbed loue and good will forsaken Faith broken and fury drawing mee almost to madnesse by which I breake the bounds of Christian Charitie I beseech thee good Lord who feest how much I am subiect to this finne make me more patient and peaceable suppresse this passion of anger in me that I may passe by small offences and may not bee sodainely prouoked vnto impatience O Lord infuse into me moderation and modestie temperance and sobriety by which and especially by the assistance of thy holy Spirit I may bee able to master anger and passion the furies of my minde and the enemies of my Soule And if anger at any time seize on mee graunt that it may be setled on the zeale of thy truth and the seruice of thee my God for the suppressing of superstition and the seeking to vindicate thine honour against such as seeke to dishonour thee by Atheisme profanenesse and impiety yet so as I sin not by rashnesse or reuiling but by making a difference betwixt the persons and their peruersenes reseruing Charitie to the one and labouring reformation of the other take from me O Lord God enuy and malice suffer me not to fret at the prosperity of any no not of the wicked and impious persons whose bounds are set beyond which they shall not bee able to goe much lesse let me enuy them who walke in vpright waies But if through offence or iniuries I haue been at any time prouoked to proceede against them yet let mee not continue with them in contention through dislike or disgust to wish them euill But teach me by singlenesse and sincerity of heart to shunne the malicing of any man that so shewing mercy and meekenesse I may receiue mercy from thee that art the Lord of mercy to whom bee giuen Honour and glory now and for euer Amen A Prayer of Thankesgiuing after deliuery from Sickenesse and Danger of Disease THou O Lord most mighty and mercifull hast sent sickenesse as a scourge for sinne as a tryall of our Faith and testimony of thy fauour when it pleaseth thee to restore health Thou hast visited me and brought me neere the gates of Death yet hast thou deliuered mee from danger to the end I might publish thy praise and lead a more godly life Feare came vpon mee on euery side my flesh Spirit did faint but thy holy hand did sustaine mee and helpe mee vp What praises most gracious God shall I render vnto thee for thy protection and preseruation But that I doe as I am able And O Lord inable me more to laude thee more to call vpon thy name and to shew thy workes vnto the people to sing vnto thee prayses for this thy mercy in deliuering me from the danger of Death And now that thou hast restored mee to health O Lord restore mee to thy fauour And as thou hast giuen strēgth vnto my body so blessed God strengthen my Soule against Sinne and Satan that I may liue to giue thee Glory and during this fading life I may bee made faithfull in keeping thy Commandements seruing thee in sinceritie of soule and seeking thy glory both now and at all times Amen A Prayer for the mainetenance of Peace O LORD God most mighty and gracious Our sinnes are great and grieuous our pride malice and ambition begets contentions whence growes Warres and Desolation Blood-shedding and destruction thou that art the Lord of Hostes seest it is in the hands of Princes to make warres but it is in thy power only to end them and to saue thy people Great are the gatherings and forces already of armed men ready to destroy one another and great is like to be the slaughter Except thou most mercifull God be pleased to pacifie the minds of the Princes and of the People and to saue them who otherwise will fall to slaughter Take yet most gracious God thine owne Cause into thine own hand help thy people that professethy truth lest they perish Preserue them from perills Saue good Lord such as serue thee in truth and call vpon thee in sincerity of heart Let not the Mightie ouerwhelme thy chosen Children but either let the Oppressors feele thy power or make them to incline their heartes vnto peace and so saue the effusion of bloud and temper the hearts of Christian Princes that they may come to the Knowledge of the truth that Mercy and Truth may meet together that righteousnesse and peace may kisse each other So bee it good Lord. FINIS LONDON Printed by Aug Mathewes for Robert Swayne and are to bee sold at his Shop at the Signe of the Bible in Britaines Burse
times of Peace and Prosperity whilest our Protestant Religion the best because the truest is enioyed and established might by Gods permission and all helping power in these serene and and Sunshining dayes before there come more darkenesse and danger cast off carelessenes of planting Truth supplanting Errors practising of Piety preseruing the publique peace and safetie reforming of things amisse in the Church Common-weale which cannot be done withour more diligence and vigilancie courage prouidence and care especially by setting the chief watchmen in the Church and State more closely to their Stations the one by Doctrine Discipline and Diligence the other by Counsell and CircuÌ„spection to prevent perills and to procure the peace of this our Sion And that this may bee performed I conclude with the ensuing Prayer that being the subiect of this small preceding Treatise A Prayer for the peace and prosperitie of the Kings Maiestie his Dominions and Subiects MOst mighty gracious and merciful God who hast made dost gouerne and preserue the Heauens the Earth and all the Creatures therein coÌ„tained Be mercifull vnto vs most miserable and sinnefull creatures who were ordained for thy seruice and yet doe nothing more or so much as commit sins against thy supâ—came Majestie Wee haue from the highest to the lowest beene polluted with originall sinnes Our great our grieuous and our out-crying sinnes call vnto thee for our destruction and damnanation But because thy Mercy is aboue all thy other workes which yet exceede in greatnesse Wee prostrate our selues before thy Throne of grace beseeching thee for thy Sonnes sake and for thine owne goodnesse sake to saue vs poore sinners who desire to doe thee seruice though hitherto wee haue gone astray and walked in the waies of wickednesse Thou hast planted thy glorious Gospell of truth heere amongst vs we haue professed but wee haue not practised it as we should yet because it is the planting of thine own right hand suffer not our sinnes to pluck vp the same but rather supplant our sinnes and thereby strengthen our states and soules To this end good and gracious God looke vpon thy seruant our Soueraign whom thou hast set ouer vs inlighten his royall heart with thy sauing Graces of knowledg piety couÌ„sell care prouidence for preseruation and aduancement of thy truth and of the people that thou hast committed to his charge Giue him Zeale fortitude power peace and protection against all that are Enemies to true Religion and to those Realmes thou hast appointed him to rule Giue him a discerning heart to discouer and shun all dangers and all that bee dangerous to him and to his Dominions vnite his heart in loue to his people and them in loyalty to him O LORD preserue thy people vnder him in peace Protect them from forrayne power and both him and them from home-bred conspiracies and all other mischieuous machinations Make the Prince his Magistrates and People zealous of thy seruice and glory constant and carefull in keeping thy Commandements couragious for defence of thy Trueth and their Countrey Conscionable and Charitable That so they may bee still thy faithfull seruants and thou their mercifull God So shall thy glorious Gospell and the light of thy Trueth euer remaine amongst vs vntill the comming of thy Sonne Christ Iesus that thou mayest raigne ouer vs and we remaine with thee in eternall Blisse Amen Amen Good Lord. A Prayer for our afflicted Brethren the Protestants beyond the Seas MOst gracious and merciful Father who vsest to chasten thy Children and to correct whom thou louest Haue mercy on those that suffer for mainetenance of thy trueth Their sinnes haue deserued thy punishments and yet we that haue sinned as much if not more haue not suffered so much for our sinnes Thou hast sent thy scourge to let them see their sinnes Thou hast not gone out with their hostes but hast scattered them O Lord yet heale and binde vp their bones which thou hast broken gather them together and now thou hast taught the Princes that their power is in vaine without thy protection and the people that there is no confidence in the arme of flesh giue theÌ„ yet confidence in thy fauour patience in aduersity courage to fight for thy Trueth comfort amidst their calamities O Lord thou doest permit thy people Israel many times after thy long sufferings and their great sinnes to bee ouercome by the Iebusites Amalachites and Philistims The Arke was taken and they cried out the glory of Israel was departed yet thou didst send helpe when there was no helpe nor hope in Man O Lord thou hast executed Iustice and Iudgement yet leaue not thine to their oppressors and when thou hast dealt with them according to thy mercy teach them thy Statutes that they may know thy Testimonies It is time O Lord for thee to worke for the persecutors of the Trueth haue destroyed thy Law The Kings of the earth band themselues and the Princes are assembled together against the Lord and his annointed O yet thou Lord of Hostes breake their bandes in sunder and cast away their cordes And though the waters rage and be troubled yet let thy seruants finde and say the Lord of hostes is with them and the God of Iacob is their refuge And that when thy seruants our persecuted brethren haue receiued comfort and deliuerance they may reioyce in thy mercies sing praises vnto thee and call vnto their neighbors to behold the wonderfull workes thou hast done for them to make it knowen vnto the world It is thou that makest wars to cease It is thou that hast broken the bowe cuttest the speare and burnest the Chatiot in sunder So we pray for them and for one another Beseeching thee to graunt vs these requests For thy Sonnes sake our Sauiour Iesus Christ Amen A Prayer to bee vsed on the Sabbath Day O Lord God of infinite power and prouidence who after thy euer to bee admired and praised worke of creating this World didst ordaine one day of seauen to bee kept as a Sabboth not only to be free from labour and trauell but to be wholly dedicated and kept holy for thy seruice in Prayers and praises to be offered vnto thy Maiestie as an incense and oblation of thankefull acknowledgement of thy most great might and mercies in creating this world and ordayning man to gouerne all creatures therein conteyned in conseruing all these thy Creatures for his vse and him for thy seruice in giuing him light of Knowledge and vnderstanding of thy Word and Commandement and of the things hee should doe or leaue vndone As we receiue these thy blessings and benefits so specially on this day which thou hast selected for thy seruice O Lord settle vs vnto it fit vs for it and grant grace not only vnto vs heere present but to the publicke state and to particular persons in other places not only to rest from labours on this day but to shun sinne to communicate with thy seruants in thy seruice to
care and conscience to thy honour and our owne saluation thorow Iesus Christ our Lord Amen Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy Neighbour THou O Lord that art the God of truth and teachest vs to maintaine truth forbiddest vs to beare false witnesse to the losse discredit hinderance or shame of our Neighbours that wee neither slaunder them with our tongs accuse them by oath or word wrongfully thinke or iudge euill of theÌ„ without cause Deceiue them by flatery or Hipocrysie backebite any nor boulster any bad causes by countenance cunning or giue sodaine and rash beliefe vnto raysers of sedition or euill reports that wee teach not false doctrine in matters of faith nor violate faith or promise with any man to their delusion and deceipt but that wee may avoyde the perill and punishment of breaking this Commandement Teach vs most iust and wise GOD to make Conscience of our words aswell as our workes to avoide slaunder false accusation to speake the truth to bee sincere and single-hearted when we come or are called to giue testimonie of the truth without respect of persons profit friendship enuy reuenge or reward that wee may knowe and consider we are alwayes in thy presence and vnder thy power to bee punished if wee transgreâ—se these thy holy precept That wee may say and sweare the truth in all things since all that we say sweare or doe is in thy sight and subiect to thy seuere and vncorrupted Iudgement Graunt and giue vs grace by thy power to doe this for thy glory and our owne good thou gracious God to whom be praise for euer and euer Amen Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours house his Wife his seruant c. SInce thou our Soueraign Lord and God hast giuen vs all that wee haue knowest what is needfull for vs to haue and keepest for vs that thou hast giuen Thou coÌ„mandest we should subdue our lustfull thoughts and desires of coueting that which is not ours and bee content with that thou art pleased to make ours O make vs most mercifull God moderate in desiring sober in vsing and abstinent from concupiscence and coveting those things that belong not vnto vs Suffer not our wanton eyes to wander our corrupt hearts to couet or our loose thoughts to bee led with inticements of worldly vaine and transitory things which may make vs to cover any thing that thou hast given and doth belong to others and not vnto our selues whether it be the persons estates lives liberties seruices or duties of our Neighbours be they our Superiors equals or inferiors O Lord God holy and iust to this ende clense our Conseiences restraine our appetites and evil affections chastise our inordinate desires subdue our lustfull inflammations Conquer our vnbridled corruptions Send thy holy and heauenly spirit into our hearts to take the possession and protection of our poore sinnefull soules that wee be not seduced but may be kept as cleaue vessels sanctified for thy seruice to keepe this and all thy CoÌ„mandements for thy mercies sake for thy merits thorough the Mediation of thy Son our Lord and Sauiour O LORD if our Houses be but poore let vs not covet to make them better by seeking that which belongs not vnto vs or by getting that which we cannot lawfully haue If our store be small suffer vs not to seeke that which wee should not seeke either our Neighbours Wiues by Adultery inticements or carnall prouocations or any of his goods by oppression deceit or any kinde of corruption his seruants by fraude flattery or false dealing But doe thou gracious God settle our soules to contentment with what wee haue or may obtaine by industry voyde of iniury by lawefull meanes without vnlawfull practises with conscience moderation and sobrietie that shunning to seeke and covet that which is not ours we may heere faithfully serue thee set foorth thy glory and heereafter receiue eternall happinesse with thee in Heauen Amen My Mementoes which I should make to my selfe 1 THe consideration and acknowledgement of my sinnes generall and particular by prayer and by repentance 2 The Examination of my life how it hath beene lead either in goodnesse or in loosenesse of liuing 3 Whether I haue amended or continued in any known grosse sinnes 4 What they are how they haue their beginning growth 5 What resistance I haue made and what successe that hath had 6 Whether I haue repelled those sinnes and whether they haue againe returned 7 What hopes or means I haue to banish those or the like sinnes 8 Whether my prayers befainter or stroÌ„ger more frequent or seldomer then they haue beene 9 Whether my distractions doubts and dulnesse in the time of prayer remaines or be remooued 10 Whether those Passions which were more preualent in me are yet pacified 11 Whether I cannot yet heartily forgiue and pray for those that haue iniured mee 12 Whether my want of Loue and Charitie to my Neighbours be yet amended 13 Whether I haue ioyned Faith with Examination and that with Repentance There is no day wherein I liue but I should call my selfe to accompt and bestow some time in examination of my self to see and search which of these or the like sinnes I haue committed which of them I haue corrected what yet remaines to bee done that I may no more doe them And if I can fall to these remembrances by exact repetition I shall sooner come to repentance If I cannot altogeter remember them yet I must first reade them in these or the like lines then answere to euery Article as if I were examined before the strickest Iudge for any capitall offence or else I may be assured I shall come at last before a seuere and all-seeing Iudge who knowes and will iudge all when I haue done this I must goe to prayer for the remoouing of these euills the continuance in doing better Or if I finde I cannot doe it I must still pray that I may bee able to doe it These Meditations and the Prayers following them being the best Medicines to cure all the maladies of my minde and soule for which end and to attaine to that holy and happy ende It is necessarie that I should frame vnto my selfe if not vnto others some short supplications as thâ—se following or the like A Prayer for performance of the former Points O Lord GOD my sinnes are great grieuous many and infinit in number they are so many that I cannot reckon or remember them Those that I doe remember which are the fewest in comparison of the rest I haue not confessed or acknowledged as I should doe I haue not examined my sinnefull life that I haue ledde nor sought amendment of the same I haue not looked into the beginning or grouth of my sinnes nor how I haue resisted the same or if at any time I haue done it yet I haue fallen more backewards then I went forwards My hope of resistance is nothing but in thy power and mercy O therefore
most mercifull God Graunt me power not onely to proceede in examination but in amendment For my prayers good God which should be the pathway to thy praise and the steppes to my saluation they are feeble and slow O make them stronger and more frequent Take from me in my prayers distractions doubting and dullnesse Remooue my most violent passions the perturbers of minde and soule Grant me grace to forgiue them that wrong mee and that I may pray for them that persecute mee as thy sonne my Sauiour did and hath taught mee to doe And as thy seruanâ— Stephen hath shewed me an example Take from me hatred and increase in mee louâ— and charity Graunâ— mee grace to ioynâ— faith with examination and examination with repentance And that I may be the better able to do this and all other good duties Giue me power to pray vnto thee and to prayse thee So be it Good Lord Amen The Differences in Deuotion and exercises of Religion betwixt the Protestants and the Romane Catholicks Especially in regard of Excesse and Defect FOr the excesse The Romanists tye themselues too much vnto Canonicall howers as they call them in the publike or priuate seruice of God As to say or sing Masse at such houres as in the forenoone at the howres of nine and eleauen to haue Angular Masses whereof many in one Church and in diuers Corners of the same Church at the same time To tye them in their priuate Deuotions to reade or rather to runne ouer the Iesus Psalter and other manuall bookes heretofore altogether in the Latiâ—e tongue which most of them vnderstood not at all So might they speake as Birdes are taught to speake by the pronunciation scarce of syllables aright sometime saying one word or at the least sounding one for another without any sence or signification to themselues what they speake But of latter times heere in England though not so in other Countries where the Roman Catholique Religion as themselues call it onely hath vse and force heere more then elsewhere They are lately tolerated by the authority of the Church of Rome to haue some few prayer bookes both in Latine and english but which of both they do most vse themselues do best know And either they are so full farced and stuffed with hymnes short versicles some without conclusion of sence and in most the sentences so shortly and suddainely set together the one leaping so close vpon the backe of the other that hardly can they remember or scarce perceiue what they say Onely they are made to beleeue that these ready but raw repetitions may serue for Gods seruice whereas the vnderstanding should be aswell supplyed as the affection in performance of true Religion Heerein is their excesse ioyned with defect Excesse of measure in heaping many words not well weyed Defect in the conception and knowledge of what they doe deliuer Besides there is an exceeding great Error allowed and taught in putting them not onely to pronounce those prayers so peeced which must needes be ouer perfunctorily thus speeded but some nay many I may say most of their prayers are directed to the Saints as intercessors whereof some were such as in their liueâ— were scarce holy but so esteemed and yet were in a maner deified onely because they adhered to the Pope of Rome Namely amongst others Thomas Becket sometime Arch-Bishop of Canterbury rebellious to his Soueraigne and so though euill slayne therefore Canonized Prayers allowed by publique authority printed and practised euen in our times As desiring God by the blood of this Becket to make the poore seduced suppliant to ascend where Christ ascended They making in those common prayer bookes more prayers to the blessed Virgin Mary then to our Sauiour himselfe They calling on her to beseech God the Father and to commaund God her sonne by the right of a Mother Which with many other most gross superstitions aswell in their publicke as in their priuate Deuotions themselues cannot deny or if they should yet their bookes are extant and their practises perspicuous Their creeping and their bending and bowing of their Bodies before the Images of some but supposed Saints The adoring of the Image of the Crosse and crucifixe with other but said to be but hallowed reliques what dishonor it hath broght to the Christian Religion and what danger to themselues although they will not acknowledge and their learnedest Teachers will seeme to defend or to excuse yet Intelligent and pious men who are not seduced by Iesuits and Romish Priests or so vnhappy as to be bred vp in their Schooles of superstition may perceiue though they wil not confesse That deuotion without true vnderstanding turnes soone vnto superstition That feruor without Faith and beliefe without knowledge makes many men erre grossely and offend most where they think they doe best Their bookes of Meditation are in many parts good to stirre Deuotion but in some places patched with superstition If this Cockle might be separated from their Corne it would proouemore profitable For the Protestants profession practise of Religion wherof I professe to be one If most ProtestaÌ„ts would be as feruent as frequent in their Praiers as many of theÌ„ are intelligent in that they pray they should more shun sinne and shame the Romanists who yet seeme to shun them by being more deuoute in that which they doe lesse vnderstand and are far more frequent in Praier And if there were more zeale joyned with Conscience it would much adorne the profession make it most excellent as it is in deede so would it be in estimation and effect But no profession can make men perfect The most perfection wee haue consists or is consummated in practise and action Peace and prosperitie which should helpe doth yet hinder Devotion It begets Pride and that ingenders presumption Affliction giues instruction gaines humility guides the Conscience and reformes euill liuing Witnesse nay many witnesses heereof were the persecutions of the Primitiue Church when vnder the Tyrannies and bloudy Massacres of the Christians by the Heathen Emperours Princes and Magistrates the Christians liues were shining lights of sanctitie their patient and constant sufferings causes of coÌ„uersion to many men who before knew not God nor what Godlinesse meant Their sinceritie and singlenesse of heart set vp Trophees for themselues and made them Conquerors ouer their cruellest and causelesse Enemies And I would I could not say in mine owne particular for my poore sinnefull selfe that when I enioyed the World as I did most wish I was euer then worst I would I could as well say that since Aduersitie came I became better yet if any thing worke in mee or in others amendement it must be Affliction and some Aduersitie Affliction in minde for sinne and a touch of Aduersitie for the same O therefore that so I may doe as now I say and that others may doe as I wish My Prayers I hope by the heauenly assistancce shall be That yet in these