our Lord Iesus Christ to escape the â—…orment which they must otherwise indure with them for evermore OH Lord God most holy and most righteous thou hast said thou wilt bee sanctisied in all that draw neeâ—…e unto thee and therefore as thou arâ—… infinite in mercy towards all those who unfeignedly feare thy holy name and â—…mble at thy word and wâ—…t â—…eale thy secrets unto them and make them of thy priviâ—… counsell so thou art most dreadfull terrible unto all other who regard thee not in any such holy manner as to 〈◊〉 thee and to receive the loâ—… of thy most sacred truth Awaken we beseech tâ—…ee all those who are drunke with the wine of Popery and superstition that â—…t length they may behold in what â—… fearfull and desparate state they stand under the power of Sathan and Antichrist ready to bee â—…st into hell every moment of time Make them able to consider aright of the just 〈◊〉 which thou hast threatned to follow the contempt of thy Gospell chiefly in the dayes of Antichrist and whether for that very 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have not deserved it to come upon them That therefore thou wilt send upon them strong delusions that they shall beleeve lyes and be damned because they would not receive the love of thy sacred truth so as to obey it that they might be saved Make them to bethinke themselves wisely seriously and as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 presence what iniquity they have found in thee 〈◊〉 in our way of life or â—…n 〈◊〉 â—…ow they â—…de in Baptisme that they have so 〈◊〉 renounced and abjured it and deparâ—…d from the boâ—… of their mother to caâ—…t her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and with her â—…hine owne â—…jesty â—…o fearfully â—…o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—… 〈◊〉 of their 〈◊〉 blindnesse and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through 〈◊〉 strong 〈◊〉 whereâ—…â—…o many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bene and are dayly so carried away to that Idolatrous religion Goâ—… Lord make them able to discerne how grosse palpablâ—… those lyes are wherby the â—…cers doe bewitch them as â—…amely that so lately divulged of the Twenty severall sorts of Bibles which within thâ—…se sâ—…w yeares past England hath brought forth Cause them by this one to discerne of all the rest of their delusions when they dare proclaiâ—… such notorious lyes before alâ—… the world as every poore simple body may understand see anâ—…â—…ust needs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them all tâ—…t 〈◊〉 â—…nto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conceive in due time that this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all other their most deepâ—… and 〈◊〉 â—…entions whereby they seekâ—…â—…o raise a slandâ—…r upon thine owne Meâ—… 〈◊〉 truth and people to make their poore seduced Prosâ—…lites to abhorâ—… them and so to roote out both the remembrance of thy great nâ—…me of thy Religion and people from the face of the 〈◊〉 Make them to weigh well how they have do deceive and most shamefully abuse them all in perswading of them that they have moe devotion in their Church then we in ours and that therefore they are to joyne themselves to tâ—…em when as they have hardly the tenth part of the bookes of devotion and others tendiâ—…g thereunto viz to â—…orther Religion and godâ—… which the ignorant â—…ort can come by which wâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ours and much less of 〈◊〉 Sâ—…mons tending to the â—…ame Cause them to have a true sense of that delusion that they tell them that their devotions are more holy then ours when as ours are grounded directly upon thy most blessed and eternall word theire upon doctrinâ—… and traditions of men 〈◊〉 the doctrines of 〈…〉 of sinne 〈…〉 thy glory thâ—…t 〈…〉 may 〈…〉 thee their â—…o 〈…〉 thee of thine honour 〈◊〉 giving it to 〈…〉 tend onely to 〈…〉 Lord Iesus Christ 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 many other thing 〈…〉 place of him 〈…〉 which 〈…〉 wholy to 〈…〉 pride of mâ—…n theirs â—…o 〈◊〉 him up like Lucifer Make them to concelve aright how ours helpe us to understand and keepe our Baptisme vow Covenant with our God theirs to keepe them in ignorance of it all their dayes Ours teach us to sight â—…anfully under the banner of our Lord Iesus and for him oâ—…ely their 's to sight desparately against him and all his armies ours teaching and helping us to walke in the narrow path prescribed by â—…hee our blessed Lord and Saviour theirs to kill all who will not runne with them into by-paths and the broad way leading to hell How ours instruct and guide us to live onely the life of faith directed by thy heavenly word their 's the life of unbeleefe having nothing for the ground but the meere word of sinfull man how ours teach and direct us to live the life of faith by a particulâ—…â—…plying of Christ 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 so truly ingrafting â—…d in coâ—…porating us into Christ 〈◊〉 by his holy Spirit and thereby making us good trees 〈◊〉 wee may bring forth good fruite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to beleeve in generall and as the Church beleeves without any such particular application which â—…aith of theirs can neuer bring forth the â—…ound fruites of â—…anctification and true righteonsnesse especially when they scorne and persecute this true and saying faith as fantasticall and vaine Good Father 〈◊〉 these poore soules to understand and know how ours directe us to live the life of true godlinesse guided by thy word and Spirit which alone 〈◊〉 all the promises for this and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 life theirs teaching chiefly to live the life of superstition by bodily exerciâ—… themselves in such works 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 never required in any such manner Oâ—… perswade them all how ourâ—… bring to yâ— true practisers of them full assurance of thy 〈◊〉 and love and thereby â—…oy unspeakable glorious theirs bringing nothing but onely a â—…aggering hope so still doubting whether they be in thy favour or not which very doubting when the conscience shall bee thoroughly awaked will bring the very flashings of hell fire upon them How ours are heaven upon earth their 's hell upon earth ours the sweetest in the end when as each of them done in faith hath a reward promised thereunto their 's the bitterest in the end when instead of reward thou wilt demand concerning the best of them done without warrant of the word who hath required these things 〈◊〉 your hands Good Lord 〈…〉 hearts according 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 that our devotionâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Religion to 〈…〉 â—…oly and unâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the widdow and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 theirs to make them polluted with lying and all filthy 〈◊〉 as in their 〈◊〉 and other chiefe perswaâ—… to that Idolatry yea with the blood of Innocents to destroy the widdow and the fatherlesse out of the earth even all truly professing Christe name â—…o that their religion iâ—… the most polluted with lying and murder of â—…nnocents of all other Religions that ever 〈◊〉 in the world whereby their 〈…〉 Lord bring to their understandings and cause them to thinke of it and ponder it wel that all our devotions as our
departed And finally whither you are come Whether by their cunning sleights you be not gotten under the verie banner of Satan to fight even against our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ though you doe not imagine so much but the cleane contrarie In everie one of these therefore I desire to deale lovingly plainly and ingenuously as in the presence of our Lord Iesus Christ before whom I stand as he shall be pleased to assist mee with his grace and according also to the weight of the businesse which wee have in hand which concernes the saving of everie soule of you For our Baptisme vow Covenant which wee are all bound to performe all our dayes as wee looke to have the Lord our God or any benefit by our blessed Saviour or ever to appeare with boldnesse before his Tribunall I referre you first unto it as the summe of it is set downe expresly in our publike forme of Baptisme and if you please as it is amongst other of our bookes more particularly and largely explained but even in the first part of this Watch The Rule of Life In which little booke I have laboured so farre as the Lord hath enabled mee to shadow out the same vow and so to trace out the narrow path of life as to direct everie soule from step to step and as it were to guide them by the hand untill wee have finished our whole course and shall have entred within the gates of the Celestiall Ierusalem which though it be but amongst the least and weakest of our helpes for our deâ—…otions yet I would wish everie one of you so drawne away from us to reade that therein you may first see and know our way of life before you so condemne it to try what iniquitie you finde in it before you so utterly depart from it and herewithall from Christs true Church and Spouse your mother which hath bred and borne you and consequently even from Christ himselfe so farre as I am any way able to conceive judging as before his heavenly Majestie And having so read and thorowly weighed and compared it with your way of life according to any of your bookes of the like kinde then to give sentence as before him to whom you must surely give an answer even for this whether is the better and more holy your way or ours whether more agreeable to his heavenly patterne And thus much for the first point and your Baptisme â—…ow which you seeme to have so far abjured in so departing from the bosome of your mother and utterly casting her oft and to leave it to your more serious meditation and more mature deliberation For the second viz. Vpon what grounds you have departed I will content my selfe to have instanced but onely in this one which as is said hath beene of late such a principall cause of your departure and as I my selfe heard one poore soule who had beene seduced specially alleaging it before sundrie witnesses and some of them most learned as a maine cause of her joyning to that religion viz. That they have in their Church and Religion moe holy devotions than wee in ours and spend more time therein That by the palpablenesse of this delusion fully discovered you and everie one of you may judge of all the rest of their delusions which have nothing the like power so to bewitch you and to steale away your hearts And that I may proceed in order to make all the mysteries of this delusion as cleare as the Sunne at the noone-day even to the understanding and full capacitie of the simplest in the land I will divide it into three parts which are the three heads of this fell destroying Hydra so maine a cause of your present departure from our Church and Religion and of your turning to Poperie To wit Because they have in their Religion moe holy and and better devotions and doe also spend more time therein than we in ours The first head then of this poysoning Serpent is this That they have moe helps for devotion in their religion than we in ours The second That their many devotions are more holy and better than ours And the third is That they spend more time in these their holy devotions than we doe in ours For the first of these That they have moe helps for devotions that is moe such as which those of our common sort may have understand and use it is as true as that which he who lately writ the Gag for the new Gospeller hath published in print to the view of the world and which he hath not beene ashamed to set in the verie fore-front of his booke in the Preface to the Reader within twelve lines of the beginning to the verie same end which this delusion tends viz. to help more easily to deceive all the simple to make them more to abhorre all our Bibles and thereby our Religion whereof the sacred Bible is the groundâ—… and so to take away the verie life of their lives and indeed to prepare the way the better for the full effecting of their bloudie designes and desires against us all Which I would therefore desire all who would not willingly be so palpably abused by these murdering Iesuites or who would but know these deluders and their Religion aright and also the danger that wee stand in perpetually by it to take notice of His words are these that hee would advise all of That England hath brought forth within these few yeeres past to the number of twentie severall sorts of Bibles sarrâ—… different one from another These are his owne verie words for the truth hereof let everie one enquire diligently whether England ever brought forth any moe Bibles since that translated by the Bishops printed 1572. save that one appointed by our Soveraigne Lord and King to be most carefully translated and that to satisfie the Papists and to take away all their calumniations against our Translations and the same verie little differing from the former but as may fall out with the best Translations For mine owne selfe I have enquired of the most learned and can heare of none other But to passe over this most intolerable shamelesse untruth together with that which they had devised in like manner for the present hiding their owne wickednes in the Powder-Treason for the dispatching us all as it were at one blow like as it hath beene generally reported and received from thence till this day to wit That the Puritanes had blowne up the Parliament house intimating thereby that they therefore were well worthie to be destroyed out of the earth and so under the name of Putitanes to have taken occasion hereupon to have murdered all who truely professed Christs Gospell in all the Churches And also together with that like faire pretense of a mariage under which they effected that most bloudie detestable and mercilesse massacre at Paris in butchering of a sudden so many of the Flower of
people of the Lord both do shall so finde it and that more more as we more labour according to it having also such sure directions and such undoubted promises every part and pecce of it containing promises to the prayer of faith and to every true beleeving soule Whereby we may have a certaine assurance from our Lord Iesus Christ the author of it that he will accompanie it to every soule that shall be so prepared and so use it as be hath directed with the power of his owne spirit and be wonderfull in granting all things which we so beg according to his heavenly will above all that any heart can conceive Remember also for thy better incouragement how every prayer herein tends to the appeasing of the Lords heavy indignation which hath beene thus far declared against his people and this by our joynt seeking to give him his glory in helping to reclaime and reduce us all to the obedience of his blessed Covenant of Grace wherein is our life and thereby to the deliverâ—…e and saving of all the Churches the eternall salvation of all belonging to that his election of grace be they now Atheists Papists wicked profane or whatsoever and so to prepare the way in the universall repentance of the Churches to the comming of the new Hierusalem and the eternall glory of Sion So that every one of us striving to pray faithfully and fervently and to put in practise whatsoever we thus pray for so farre as it concernes us shall in every prayer and petition be true helpers unto our Lord Iesus and his poore Church and for every such a service even every houre so spent receive our pay and in the end for all a rich and most full reward Let every prayer be aâ—… the Sunne beginning at thy selfe in thy meditations but diffusing and spreading the bâ—…ames into all the Churches chiefly to those which stand in most need thereof and to every one of Gods chosen in all the world so far as he shall inable thee and it concerneth them and from them ever reflecting to thy selfe againe Thou hast heard the sound of the cruell warres abroad the late prevailing of the enemie the overthrow of the Churches the new threatnings of those bloudy intendments against all the rest and the increase of their rage daily In these poore helps and the like the Lord offereth thee weapons and directs thee so to use them that thou maist helpe them in the remotest parts calls upon thee loud to come and helpe them assures thee of a blessed victorie in the end that then thou and all the true Church and people of the Lord shall sing the songs of Miriam and Deborah and of the 24. Elders and triumph with Christ eternally when all who have refused to helpe shall weepe and waile for evermore Thus intreating that the Lord may at length awake thee and all his people that we may each give up a happy account and escape the dreadfull doome and sentence for neglecting his glory kingdome and people and may hence forward carefully use all the meanes which his goodnesse affords unto us for our present and eternall happinesse I commend thee to his grace and rest Thy fellow-souldier in Christ thus striving with and for thee I. B. The Contents in generall 1. AN Epistle to all the plaine and simple hearted people of our land seduced by Popery or in danger thereof 2. A preparation to instant prayer according to the necessity of the times and the present estate of Gods poore Church 3. The prayer it selfe divided into severall parts according to the severall branches of that heavenly patterne which our blessed Saviour hath set before us all to follow containing in it the principall part 's of the Catechisme and how to make right use of all specially for these times and so in praying better to imprint and remember the whole 4. A continuall quickning and putting new life into our prayers that we may never be weary nor ever give the Lord over untill we have prevailed with his heavenly Maiesty In the preparative this is ever to be had in fresh memory That all who are to helpe in this worke are to labour to bring their hearts to a due consideration of all these things following and to have a right feeling and practise of them so farre as they concerne us 1. How the Lord hath bene wont to looke for some to helpe him in all the great deliverances and distresses of his Church and how he expects the seruice of all his at this day 2. What necessity there is of servent prayer at this time aboue all former times in what neede the whole Church and every particular member stands of our prayers what a right feeling of the miseries and estates of our poore brethren each of us ought to have and how we ought to seeke to helpe them herein to the uttermost of our power 3. What ones wee must be and how qualified in all things if wee looke ever to be heard in our prayers for the Churches and hope to have our persons accepted 4. How our prayers must be framed that they likewise may be sure to be pleasing and availeable with the Lord. 5. What assurance we may have of the power of our prayers so sent forth to prevaile with our God and to overcome 6. How without these things and much more if we be of contrary minds and dispositions our prayers are turned into sinne and do helpe to kindle the wrath and to draw downe the vengeance of the Lord more speedily and fiercely upon all 7. That every one must strive to be of the number of them who are helpers in this worke or perish and how graciously the Lord cals every one of us hereunto 8. Particular prayers for helping the Churches framed according to our Saviours direction and the present necessity of all 1 A Prayer that we may bee made fit and accepted into this service of prayer for the Churches 2 A prayer for increase of love to all Gods Children and that we may keepe a continuall fresh remembrance feeling of the miseries of all our distressed Brethren without which we cannot pray for them as we ought 3 A prayer that we may know God to bee our gracious Father in Christ and to grow in the assurance thereof daily without which we cannot prevaile with him 4 A prayer that wee may not deceyve our selves in our imagination that we are Gods children as most do so remaine unfit for this service 5 A prayer that we may finde in us the particular marks of Gods children for our further assurance and boldnesse in prayer 6 A praier for knowledge and right use of the meanes whereby we may be made Gods children so grow up in our confidence and power in prayer thereby 7 A prayer that al may understand how deare Gods children are to him that they may be to us likewise and we therby able to pray more earnestly for them
his holy Angels Moreover that we can with all thankefulness receive from his hand yeeld unto whatsoever chastisements or trials it shal please his heavenly wisedome to exercise us by and that we can mourne with the holy Prophet David to see his blessed wil and Commandements both Law and Gospel so scorned and trampled under foote That wee have atrayned thereto at the least in our inner man to wit in the full desire and resolution of our soules are thereupon able thus to cry in truth and in the uprightness of our hearts Thy wil be done in earth as it is in heaven The fift particular Meditation of the third generall That we be such as looke into and depend onely upon our heavenly Father for all good things FIftly we must trauel with our owne hearts never resting until wee bee such as feele our selves in some good measure able in faith to looke up unto him as to our pittiful gracious and bountiful Father and to depend whollie upon him with faithful Abraham for accomplishment of all our desires and whatsoever else he hath promised and for giving to us and to the whole Church all things belonging heereunto so farre as shal be best To trust in him onely for all and to give him the glory of al. Also such as have attained in some good sort a fellow-feeling with our Brethren of al their wants and afflictions both bodily and spiritual and so are thereby able to crie for them as for our selves Giue us this day our daily bread Such as are ready to communicate unto them in all things according to their necessities of what kinde soeuer And finally such as strive to walke painfully and faithfully in our places callings that we may not be chargeable to the Church but may better supply the wants of our Brethren and so shew forth our right dependance on his fatherly goodness for our selues and for them al for bread and all other comfortes for bodies and soules appertaining both to this and the better life The sixt particular Meditation of the third generall That we be such as feele our sinnes and infirmities as a heavy burden and travelling under them doe fly ever unto Christ. SIxtly wee are seriously to stirre vp our soules that we never rest vntill we be such at least in the longing desires of our hearts as doe see and feele not onely our owne sins infirmities and corruptions as a heavy burthen making us daily to runne to our Lord and Sauiour to bee eased of them but withall that wee haue some true feeling of the sinnes of all sorts in the Church which have so farre forth already provoked the Lord to execute his fierce wrath upon so many of our Brethren to leave them into their enemies hand and so to threaten all the Churches by the deadly malice and mischievous plots and prevailings of our bloody enemies And also that we can and do begin to cry That the Lord would forgive us our sins our hainous crying sins grant unto us unfeigned repentance for the â—…ame hearts to do whatsoever hee hath commanded belonging thereunto for the pacifying of his wrath both privately publiquely We are withall to bethinke our selves whether wee be such as unfeignedly wish with blessed Paul to have a continuall heavinesse in our hearts for our owne sinnes and for the sinnes of Gods people whereby hee hath beene so provoked to so heavy a wrath so dreadfull proceedings even against his owne Children which are so deere unto him and for that his anger is daily more and more kindled and incensed Such as can freely forgive and doe use to pray for our very enemies that they so many of them as belong to the election of Grace may likewise come to repentance and escape his wrath vengeance due unto their sinnes and bee made with us partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light The seuenth particular Meditation of the third generall That we indeavour to pray continually Lead us not into temptation SEventhly we are to meditate seriously that if wee will be helpers unto our Lord and Saviour in this worke we are never to give rest unto our soules untill we have brought our selves to a true understanding sense and practice of that counsell yea that precept of our Saviour with which so few Christians are indeed rightly acquainted to wit to watch and pray continually that we fall not into temptation That we be such as doe not onely see the danger that wee our selves stand in of Sathans temptations every moment of time and of the many and fearefull evils which by our sinnes hee seekes without ceasing to bring upon us and thence doe labour incessantly by watching and prayer to be preserved and delivered from the same but doe also use to mourne and be in heavinesse day and night for the prevailing of Sathan and Antichrist and of all their limbes and instruments not onely against the poore people and children of the Lord but also against his blessed Gospell at this day by their craft and subtilties and for the innumerable miseries bodily and spirituall which they have and doe daily more and more seeke to bring upon them and therefore we do use daily to cry for them as for our selues Lord lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evill The eighth particular Meditation of the third generall That wee can and doe use to sing the song of the 24. Elders Glorie c. SEventhly wee are never to give the Lord over untill wee bee such as ever acknowledging in our hearts and consciences the Soveraignty of our Lord Iesus Christ have attained hereto to bow the knees of our soules and fall downe upon our faces before him having learned the Song of the foure and twenty Elders Glory Honour Praise Dominion Might and Majesty bee to him that sits upon the throne and unto the Lambe for evermore and doe use to sing the same in our soules and also doe desire that it may bee sounded out by us and by all the Church eternally at least such as can mourne for our continuall wants and failings herein Finally that wee be such as use to stirre vp our hearts in faith to sound Amen both begging and beleeving that through Iesus Christ we shall obtaine whatsoever we have or shall desire as our Lord and Saviour hath taught us so farre as shall bee most for his glory our salvation with the good of all his Church and herein can ioyfully repose our soules And not onely that wee have attained the beginnings or as it were the first fruites in all these graces moreover that we indeavour to increase grow in every one of them continually And thus much also for the second generall meditation to wit what kind of persons we must be if we will bee sure to be
lively evidences thereof which is the chiefest of all though they be such as are deere and pretious unto the Lord and who have his holy Spirit for their earnest albeit onely for a time they want the sense feeling of it as it hath beene in many a soule in our memory and is at this day whereupon they have bene are so usually prayed for in many of our best Congregations from whence they looke for some helpe comfort by the praiers of Gods people if I say it bee so with them what can wee thinke shall become of the ungodly and impenitent sinners especially of those enemies of Christ and his Servants when their consciences shall bee throughly awaked and much more after this life when their case in regard of any comfort shall be contrary to the estate of these poore Servants of the Lord. If the righteous shall scarsly bee saved as Peter speaketh and as wee see how hardly it goes with these last mentioned where shall the wicked and ungodly appeare If the paine of one tooth alone be oft so extreame that it permits no sleepe nor rest day nor night when wee have all kind of other comforts to mitigate and ease it what can wee thinke the torments of all the parts both of soule and body must needs be in the Lake burning with fire and brimstone for ever where the very hope of all other comforts shall be utterly taken away which notwithstanding we are certainly assured must come upon all impenitent and ungodly sinners because the word of the Lord doth tell us so most plainly and so oft warnes us of it The Lord cals from heaven continually upon all who doe not repent them of their sinnes come to helpe him to thinke seriously hereof as which alone shall bee sufficiently able to convince and condemme all that ever have heard the holy Scriptures or but these fearfull examples alone The third Meditation How God herein sets before us all life and death blessing and cursing FInally we are to bethinke our selves in our deepest and best Meditations how the Lord here sets before every soule life and death blessing and cursing Life if we will but now set our selves seriously with all our hearts to seeke to pass all these difficulties never giving rest to our soules untill by our Meditations and prayers and the right use of all other holy meanes which in his word he hath prescribed us wee have attained so to beleeve and so to obey yea in all things so to doe as hee requireth at our hands that wee may be fit to helpe him and his poore Church Then we shall have boldnesse whatsoever come to passe we shall not need to feare though all our enemies were so many Divels wee shall not be dismaid for the adventuring and loosing of all Houses Goods Friends Parents Children no nor Life it selfe but contrarily in the middest of death wee shall be bold and couragious as Lyons for our Lord and Saviour knowing that nothing can separate us from Gods favour and in the losse of all we shall gaine all bee in all even in the middest of death more then Conquerors thorow him who hath so loved us and hath given himselfe for us and shall with him triumph over all our enemies eternally Death and cursing he likewise sets before us threatneth them unto us undoubtedly without unfeigned repentance whereof wee can have little hope if he now calling upon us thus earnestly to helpe him by the offer of so many mercies and such blessednesse on the one side we will not shew our true obedience and uttermost indeavour therunto and if hee denouncing so many miseries on the other side wee still refuse to harken living securely and doe not regard this gratious offer of mercy That when our feare shal come upon us like a whirlewind wee shall fly at the shaking of a sword even at the very report of our enemyes prevailing much more of their approching so neere unto us Our hearts shal be then as Nabals as dead as a stone and so wee shall live in a perpetuall expectation of the just wrath and vengeance of God to seize upon us everlastingly so that we can never expect any comfort after Yea withall we are wisely and deepely to meditate hereof how he bids us to chuse life that wee and ours may live by loving him obeying his voice cleaving fast unto him because he is our life and the length of our dayes And also how hee bidding us will also thereby give us strength to doe it so farre as we shall be accepted If we but beleeue his blessed Commandement and his Covenant of grace shall set our selves in the name and by the power of our Lord Iesu Christ to do what we can in and by the use of all the means which he hath ordained for obtayning this strength and grace so to helpe him and if we wil be as earnest as vigilant and industrious for attaining of this honour as we would be for the attaining of any earthly honour or riches For we cannot thinke that ever any man who sought this after this manner was rejected to wit if hee sought it as for treasure that is early earnestly and constantly And therefore all who wil not thus set themselves to obey help the Lord have their mouths for ever most justly stopped being left altogether without excuse And thus much also for this last generall Meditation and how we may in all things be in some good measure rightly and fitly prepared to helpe in instant and powerfull prayer for the poore Churches of Christ according to all whereunto the Lord now calles us thereby to have good hope to prevayle with him To wit when wee shall finde our hearts so affected towards his heauenly Majesty as to preferre him his glory causes before our selves so truly shewing that we love him with all our heart soule strength and might and our neighbour as our selfe as hee commandeth being so affected likewise towardes them and doing so to them as we would have them do to us if wee were in their estate and case All which we must everie one strive unto or perish if wee but onely as wee saw before stand on the other side in the day of our Brethrens affliction and much more if we will not bee moved by any one meanes nor all the meanes together whereby the Lord calls us thus to come to helpe him now I say that hee even our Lord and Saviour proclaimes to all our consciences before all the world that hee stands in such need of our helpe and so expects it hourely at our hands And this may suffice to prepare us all to this happy worke of true humiliation and of instant prayer for the Churches onely let mee put you in minde that our Lord Iesus Christ to the end that hee
who yet stand by thy mercy to labour to growe dayly in the love of thy truth and in a conscionable obedience to thee in all thy waies watching and praying continually that we may never bee given up with them to these strong delusions but that contrarily by our faith and obedience we may have boldnesse to draw neerer and neerer unto thy holinesse with that thy faithfull servant Abraham and may helpe by our prayers though not to save that filthy Sodom which thou wilt have burnt downe to hell yet to pull out all thy Lots before even all amongst them that belong to thy eternall election before the fire and brimstone rayne downe from heaven upon them to consume all the wicked scorners amongst them eternally Make us all likewise to thinke with our selves whether we can name a man that was first truly grounded in the principles of our Religion and after coutinued to make conscience of his wayes according to the same that ever the devill or the Iesuites have bene able to seduce but only such as either were never well grounded or never truly made conscience of their waies or such at least as having fallen by little and little from their first conscience and childlike feare and so from the love of thy truth having yeelded to bee overcome by uncleannesse or some notorious sinne and so given way to Sathan to bee deluded by him Cause all to understand how by this meanes they lye open to Sathan and are hereby made fit for a Preist to absolve them and make them as cleane as when they were first borne as they will beare them in hand and thus to be reconciled to the Church which hath this holy power and can thus pardonand acquit them whatsoever they doe or howsoever they live and that without any paine or trouble especially if it bee so that they have money enough to purchase their pardons and the like Grant us therefore this grace to use all meanes for our selves and all ours and even for all those whom wee would save from hell that we may all first be soundly instructed in the grounds of the Catechisme in every principle and part of thy sacred truth after learne to make such a conscience of all thy blessed wayes and Commandements that thou mayest never give us or them up to these delusions but wee may for ever remaine under thy safe protection untill thou shalt translate us into the heavens from all the danger of the Dragon And for these our seduced brethren and all others deluded dy Sathan through impenitency in any fearefull sin make us able first to consider wisely of their estate secondly of the meanes how to save them and to pull them from it and lastly never suffer us to rest till wee have shewed our uttermost love unto them to bring them to our Lord Iesus Christ. Oh open our eyes and helpe us that we may see how they are under the power of Sathan and thine enemies every moment of time ready to bee cut off in thy just vengeance and to bee cast into hell Make us able to have the like tender commiseration of each of them as of a Captive under the cruelleft tyrant and as of one in a dead sleepe in the middest of a dreadfull fire ready each minute to seize upon him or in a deepe water sinking downe or as of a poore Lambe in the mouth of a roaring Lyon ready to bee devoured each moment cōsidering that the case of never a one of these can possibly bee the thousand part so bad as of them that are ready each moment to bee cast into the lake of fire and there to bee tormented for evermore Inable us withall to thinke ever of their estate and to keepe in memory these things and the like which demonstrate to all the world how palpably they are deluded bewitched and so to use them and all other helpes wherby they may be rescued Assist us so with thy heavenly grace that wee may never rest till wee have awaked them out of that dead sleepe and convinced their consciences some way of their wofull case and estate and after used all holy meanes which thou hast or ever shall reveale unto us to pluck them out of the fire at least thus praying and crying unto thee our blessed and gracious God for them as the Christians did for Peter in prison Lord make them to know for certaine that if they bee thy Lambs thou wilt rescue and pull them out of the Lyons mouth if thou have ordained to save them thou wilt pluck them out of the fire and out of the water thou wilt make all the chaines fetters of the devill to fall off from them no doores shall keepe them no sorcery shall preuaile against them beyond the time that thou hast appointed Cause us all to know and fully to vnderstand that hee that saveth not destroyes so every one of us that doth not according to our places and callings seeke thus by all holy meanes to save them all and to preserve all thy Churches from the dangers threatned by thee are guilty of the neglect hereof and so of the blood of all before thy heauenly Majesty and so much more as wee are more neerly tyed by any more speciall bon◅ of place calling or otherwise Heare us Oh tender Father for them all and all so bewitched and deluded by Sathan and that heerein wee chiefly all our Pastors and watchmen according to their places may shew all love and holy obedience to thee and to all thy tender Lambs which belong to thy fould even all thy deere and precious ones committed to their trust never leaving thee till thou hast rescued and recovered them for the full assurance of all our owne soules heereby that wee are indeed truely thine filled with thy holy Spirit the Spirit of faith and love and thereby sealed against the day of our Redemption and that thou maiest shew thy selfe stronger then Sathan and that hee is but thy vassall and also that thou art more mercifull to save then he can be malicious to destroy for thy infinite pitty and endlesse compassion through our blessed Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ Amen Amen XV. A humble thanksgiving for our dread Soveraigne our gracious Prince the Prince and Princesse Palatine and all their royall progeny and for all the great deliverances which our blessed God hath given unto them and to us all by them with an earnest praier that hee may make them each in their times and places the happiest heades of the most prosperous and blessed Nations and people that ever have bene in the world OH Lord our God infinite inithy mercy and endlesse in thy compassions who by thy wonderfull providence orderest all things in heaven and earth disposing all to the right ends which before the world thou hast ordayned to thine owne glory and the good of thine elect wee doe with all
Sonne our onely Mediator and blessed Redeemer and Saviour Amen FINIS Protestants helpes for Deuotion and matters belonging to the stirring up of the same A AVgustines Meditations Allisons Meditations Art of happinesse Abba Father Abrahams Tryall Alphabet of Prayers Anatomy of the Soule Andersons prayers Anker of Faith Art of meditation B Bradfords Meditations Bezaes Prayers Banes Letters Banes his holy helper Banes his spiritual Armour Bifields Marrow Bifields signes of Saluation Bifields signes of a Wicked man Bound of Fasting Banes on true Happinesse Banes his direction Bifields Treatises Bifields Principles Burning bush Boaring of the Eare. Benefit of Affliction Battell between Vertues and Vices Beautifull Baybush C Christian dayly Sacrifice Crashewes prayers Crowne of life Christian watchfulnesse Chaine of Graces Christian mans walke Christian Combat Christian Sacrifice Contemplations 7. parts Converts Catechisme Couenant betweene God and Man Christians Touchstone Conquest of Temptations Combate betweene Man and Death Christian prayers and meditations Conduite of Comfort M. Cusuerweâ—… of â—…aith Christian Armour by M. Gouge Caluins prayers Castle of the soule Conawayes prayers Cases of Conscience Cases of Conscience D Dauids Sling Diamond of Deuotion Daily exercise of a ChristiaÌ„ Deerings prayers Delights of the Saints Discourse of true happinesse Dauids Key D. Duns Deuotion Death subdued Dialogue betweene the Lord and the Soule Dike on the deceiptfulnes of mans heart Dike of repentance Dike of Conscience Dauids Cast. M. Dod on the Commandements M. Dod on the Lords Supper M. Dods houshold gouerment Dents pathway to Heauen Dents sermon on repentance Dauids Vow Defiance to death Dauids repentance Directions to the waters of Life Directions in our dutie to God and man Diuine Meditations E Euery dayes Sacrifice Eye to heauen Enemy to Security Enemy to Atheisme Estate of a Christian. Exercise for Christian Families Exercise of the faithful soule F Fields prayers Foot-path to Faith Lady Fane her Meditations Fountaine or Well of life Flower of godly Prayers Fruite of Faith Freemans Comfort G Glasse of Vainglory Grounds of Diuinity Grounds of Religion Granadoes Meditations Godly Garden Godly mans assurance Garland of godly Flowers Garden of spirituall Flowers Gods Husbandry Growing in grace Golden Chain by M. Rogers Gouernance of vertue Garden of Felicity H Helpe to Deuotion Hundred heavenly thoughts Heavenly progresse Heavenly Mansion Handful of wholsome hearbs Harbour of Christianity I Imitation of Christ 3. parts Iewell for Gentlewomen Ioy of a good Conscience K. Kings Bath Key of Knowledge Kings Psalmes L Linacars Consolations Life death of M. Stubbs Learne to liue Learne to dye Load starre of life Love of God Life of Religion Lampe of Virginity M Manuel of Prayers Markes of Salvation Meditations and Vowes Martyrs Prayers Melancthons Prayers Marlorats Prayers Markes of Gods Children O Oyle of Scorpions P Practice of Pietâ—… Practice of Christianity Practice of Quietnesse An Inuitation to prayer and the practice of Piety Poore mans rest Poesie of Prayers Pensiue mans practice Princes Prayers Pilgrimes profession Pathway to Paradise Practice of the faithful Pathway to Salvation Pathway to Felicity Pearle of the Gospell Preservatiue against sinne M. Perkins his Treaties Pars Grounds Perfect path to Paradise Path to penitency Progresse to piety Poore mans Pater nostey Pomander of Prayers Paradise of the Soule Pathway to please God Precious Pearle Poore mans Staffe Q Queene Katherines Prayers R Righteous mans evidence Reward of Religion Rocke of Religion Resolves divine Rogers seven Treatises Right godly rules Rosary of Christian Prayers S Sicke mans Medicine Sanctuary of a trobled Soule Supplication of Saints Seaven helpes to heaven Scudder on the Lords prayer Spirituall detraction Simpson on the Psalmes Simeons Sacrifice Suttons Meditations Safegard of the Soule Sicke mans Salve Solace of the Soule Soules watch Spirituall Garden Samuels encounter Samuel Smiths Workes Saints by Calling Ship of Salvation Sacrifice of a Christian soule Seven sobs of a sorowful soule Shield of Salvation Sampsons Prayers Sicke mans Comfort T True Watch. Twines prayers Topsels Meditations Treasure of Gladnesse Triall of Faith Trumpet of the Soule Lad Tirwits prayers Troubled mans Medicine Treatise of Conscience FINIS ¶ See more concerning all these following in M. Maunsels Catalogue dedicated to Queen Elizaebeth imprinted An. Dom. 1595 and sundry others since not mentioned HElpes for suffering adversity and affliction Pag. 2. Preparatiues against Apostacie 4. Col. 2 Catechismes Pag. 28. Col. 2 Treatises and helpes for keeping the Ten Commandements Pag 35. Col. 2 Confessing of Christ. Pag. 37. Col. 2 Treatises of Conscience with comforts for an afflicted Conscience 37. col 2 Treatises of the Creed for helpes for our faith Pag. 40. Col. 2. Helpes against the feare of death how to dye well Pag. 42 Helpes against desperation pag. 43 Directions for a Christian life 44 Of the end of the world and the second comming of Christ. 47 Exercises for a Christian Family and a Christian life pa. 48 Helpes for true Fasting 49 Spirituall preservatiues against the Pestilence 59 Imitation of Christ. 62 Prayers 83 Of Repentance 90 Helpes for preparation vnto the Sacraments of the Lords Supper 93 Holy Sermons in print a multitude 96 Comforts for the sicke 107 108 True Confession of sinne 108 Restitution of a sinner ibid. Of good workes and exhortation to them Pag. 113. ¶ A Table of the particular Meditations of each of the seuen generals 1. Generall Meditation HOw our Saviour looks for some to helpe him in the deliverie and saving of his church and what things are necessary for euery such a helper to know Pag. 12. 2. Generall Meditation 2 Of the present necessitie of this worke and of the lively feeling thereof and how the Lord cals all sorts thereunto 7 Heere in these particular Meditations 1. Concerning the calamities and dangers of our Brethren in all places and those which are threatned towardes our selues with the chiefe meanes of delivery and preservation from them pag. 9 2 How God hath beene wont to get himselfe glorie in saving his Church by Princes and Governours pag. 13. 3 How as Sathan Antichrist have set themselves to fight against Christ and his Kingdome so our Saviour hath ordained Kinges and Princes to hold up his Scepter and to defend and protect his subiects Gospell pa. 15 4 How Sathan and Antichrist set up themselves to bee obeyed and to destroy all out of the earth who seeke to obey Christ truely pag. 18 5 Concerning the innumerable miseries which our Brethren indure being deprived of the outward comforts of this and the better life and how nâ—…e the like may be to us pag. 20. 6 Concerning the general sinnes of the Churches so provoking the Lord and namely the generall abuse of the Gospel and blessings accompanying it and that our sinnes are of all others most heynous for the same pag. 23 7 How Satan exerciseth all his power and tyranny against the Churches spiritually like as he doth outwardly pag. 50 8 How the Kingdom and Glory are our Christs how
sought life as they ought How we may all be prepared in some good measure to helpe the Lord his Church All must perish if they but stand on the other side Obed. 10. 11. Iudg. 5. 23. Conclusion to be thorowly layd to heart to put some more life into every soule to each of these meditations How all the distressed Parts of Gods Church cry to us to come and helpe them Acts. 16. 9 10. And all accursed who come not Iudg. 5. 23. Excluded from the privâ—…idges of Godâ—… poeple How Christ is comming to reward every one according to his works How our Saviour cals to all to come notwithstanding all obiections of unfitnesse Eph. 6. 13. Mar. 2. 3. Luke â—… 18. Psal. 27. 8. Psal. 40. 8. Zac. 13. 9. To pray That beholding the evils against the Lord his people The prevailing of the enemie And hearing the Lord calling as to hâ—…lpe him We may be prepared be admitted to this service To pray to be rightly touched and affected with all these things That we may be able to cry uncessantly untill the Lord shal shew himselfe from heaven for his great name kingdome and people To be perswaded how the Lord seeks out a man To strive to be if not that one man yet as one of Gedeons three-hundred To have these meditations in our hearts To be so qualified as Christ requireth in his prayer That we may prevaile that God may raise up some Iosephs or Daniels By whom the hearts of all Kings and Princes may be inclined to become nursing Fathers to his Church That these all considering how God hath set them up May set themselves as all worthy rulers have doâ—…e for his glory and kingdome That thus his great name may be magnified That every one may be perswaded of the present necessity of this worke Not to deâ—…er it one day To feare the curse upon Meroz Iudg. 5. That otherwise escaping the temporall yet we cannot the eternall vengeance To have our eyes open to see against whom we are to wrastle Not for our selves onely but for all the Church To put on all the compleat Armour of God fâ—…and fast To know our honour setting our selves aright to this service our safety Prayer to be humbled that we have not learned our first les son to have a true feeling of the estate of our brethren To be perswaded that if we love our heavenly Father we must needs love his children If we love Christ we must needs love his members That without this we can never assure our hearts that we are true children members of Christ. But deceive ourselves To know that their sinnes are ours in some sort and so their whole estate To have this fellow-feeling of their estate wheresoever they are And as they are more neerly 〈◊〉 unto us And above all aâ—… they are more specially ordained to be nursing Fathers and Mothers to Gods Church Chiefly who are such already And bound thereto by most bonds That their hearts may be inclined to all Gods Children chiefly to all committed to their charge And that as they more resemble their heavenly Father To have like affections to the Lord. To give that which is deerest unto them for Gods people To have all theirs and our hearts perswaded of the happines hereof and contrarily To pray to be perswaded that the assurance that God is our Father is first to be sought next his glory That assurance alone will quiet the heart fill it with ioy unspeakable And the contrary will fill it with extreame horror And be aâ—… the beginnings of the flashings of hell Iohn 8. 4â—… To this end to know first our owne miserable condition by nature Thus we are but firebrandes of hell untill we be true members of Christ. That we cannot attaine to this assurance untill we feele these two graces repentance and faith For that these are lively evidences of our being in Christ. That we may not deceive our selves in a vaine imagination of faith and repentance That we may never rest untill we finde the new birth in our whole man in all our conversation In our minds Memories Wils Affections Consciences In our whole bodies To be perswaded that God both requires and workes this holinesse in all his elect in some measure That untill this change in some measure never can any attaine this assurance As this increaseth so our assurance To pray to finde in our selves not onely this change but the peculiar markes of Gods children Chiefly those which our Saviour hath taught us to cry for daily whereby we most lively beare his Image To be most zealous for Gods glory 2. To seeke the kingdom of God and his righteousnesse first 3. To seeke onely knowing doing the will of our heavenly Father not our owne To use onely such meanes for obtaining all good things as God himselfe hath ordained Begging and returning all thankes to him for all To be ever mindfull of the rest of our brethren as of our selves And as well touched with their estate as our owne To consider how the carnall worldling hath little or no sense of any of these things To have a lively sense of our sins To groane under the burden of them Never to rest untill we be assured of the remission of our sinnes Which the carnall man makes buâ—… a sport of That we may be able to forgive wrongs and to pray for our enemies That if our enemies hunger wee may feede them And seeke their conversion and salvation 6. To be alwayes afrayd of Sathans temptations To stand alwayes in awe of the Lord least for our securitie he leave us up to him To strive to watch and pray that we fall not into temptation 7. To looke ever â—…o the Lords absolute Soveraignty And to give him the glory of all 8. To be ever and chiefely thinking of eternity 9. That we may not pray looking at any thing in our selves or any other creatures But stripping our selves may come only in Iesus Christ. Our everlasting Amen That we may in Faith cry Amen That we may never give the Lord over till wee find all these in our selves That we may know our selves hereby to be thine and in thy favour as we finde them And contrarily That we can never finde sound comfort To pray to know the right meanes of getting Gods favour growing therein As in the daies of our Saviour and the Primitive Church By the sincere preaching of his Gospell Though the world count it foolishneâ—… The immortall seed Gods mighty power to salvation That this stands not in the inticing speech of mans wisedome but in the plaine evidence of Gods Spirit Aâ—…d why That God nourisheth his children by the same meanes of the word Sacraments Good books Meditations Prayers To seeke to this end the establishing advancement of thy sacred Ministery and to depend thereon Ephes. 4. 11. To stirre up the hearts of Kings and Princes to this holy care