of his corruption Who knoweth how oft he offendeth Thou only O Lord knowest my sins who knowest my heart nothing is hid from thee thou knowest what I have been and what I am yea my conscience doth accuse mee of many and grievous evils and I doe daily feele by wofull experience how fraile I am how prone to evill and how untoward unto all goodnesse My mind is full of vanity my heart full of profanenesse mine affections full of deadnesse dulnesse drowsinesse in matters of thy worship and service Yea my whole soule is full of spirituall blindnesse hardnesse unprofitablenesse coldnesse and security And in very deed I am altogether a lump of sin and a masse of all misery and therefore I have forfeited thy favour incurred thy high displeasure and have given thee just cause to frowne upon me to give me over and leave me to mine own corrupt will and affections But O my deare Father I have learned from thy mouth that thou art a God full of mercy slow to wrath of great compassion and kindnesse towards all such as groane under the burthen of their sins Therefore extend thy great mercy towards me poor sinner and give me a generall pardon for all mine offences whatsoever seale it in the bloud of thy Son and seale it to my conscience by thy Spirit assuring me more and more of thy love and favour towards me and that thou art a reconciled Father unto me Grant that I may all time to come love thee much because much is given and of very love feare thee and obey thee O Lord increase my faith that I may stedfastly beleeve all the promises of the Gospel made in thy Son Christ and rest upon them altogether Enable me to bring forth the sound fruits of faith and repentance in all my particular actions Fill my soule full of joy and peace in beleeving Fill me full of inward comfort and spirituall strength against all temptations give me yet a greater feeling of thy love and manifold mercies towards me work in my soule a love of thy Majesty a zeale of thy glory and hatred of evill and a desire of all good things Give mee victory over those sinnes which thou knowest are strongest in me Act me once at last make a conquest of the world and the flesh Mortifie in mee whatsoever is carnall sanctifie mee throughout by thy Spirit knit my heart to thee for ever that I may feare thy Name renue in mee the Image of thy Son Christ daily more and more Give mee a delight in the reading and meditation of thy Word Let me rejoyce in the publike Ministery thereof Let me love and reverence all the faithfull Ministers of thy Gospel Sanctifie their doctrines to my conscience seale them in my soule write them in my heart give me a soft and melting heart that I may tremble at thy words and be alwayes much affected with godly Sermons Let not my sins hold back thy mercies from me nor mine unworthinesse stop the passage of thy grace Open mine eyes to see the great wonders of thy Law Reveale thy secrets unto me be open-hearted toward mee thy unworthy servant Hide nothing from me that may make for thy glory and the good of my soule Blesse all meanes unto me which thou usest for my good Blesse all holy instructions unto my soule Blesse me at all times both in hearing and reading thy Word Give me the right use of all thy merciâ— and corrections that I may be the better for them Let me abound in love to thy children Let my heart be very neerly knit unto them that where thou lovest most there I may love most also Let me watch and pray that I enter not into temptation give mee patience and contentment in all things Let me love thee more and more and the worldlesse and lesse So draw my mind upward that I may despise all transitory things Let mee be so rapt and ravished with the sight and feeling of Heavenly things that I may make a base reckoning of all earthly things Let me use this world as though I used it not Let me use it but for necessity as meat and drinke Let me not be carried away with the vaine pleasures and fond delights thereof Good Father worke the good worke in me and never leave mee nor forsake mee till thou hast brought mee to true happinesse Oh deare Father make mee faithfull in my calling that I may serve thee in it and be alwayes carefull to doe what good I may in any thing Blesse me in my outward estate Blesse my soule body goods and name Blesse all that belong unto mee Blesse my goings out and comings in Let thy countenance be lifted up upon mee now and alwayes cheere me up with the joyes and comforts of thy Spirit make me thankfull for all thy mercies For I must needs confesse that thou art very kind to mee in all things For in thee I live move and have my being of thee I have my welfare and good being thou art a daily friend and speciall good benefactour unto mee I live at thy cost and charges I hold all of thee in chiefe and I find that thou art never weary of doing me good thy goodnesse towards me is unchangeable Oh I can never be thankfull enough unto thee for all thy mercies both spirituall and corporall But in such measure as I am able I praise thy Name for all beseeching thee to accept of my thanksgiving in thy Son Christ and to give me a profitable use of all thy favours that thereby my heart may be fully drawne unto thee give me O Father to be of such a good nature and disposition that I may be won by gentlenesâ— and faire meanes as much as if thou gavest me many lashes Pardon all mine unthankfulnesse unkindnesse and great abusing of thy mercies and give me grace to use them more to thy glory in all time to come Strengthen me deare Father thus to continue praising and glorifying thy Name here upon earth that after this life I may be crowned of thee for ever in thy Kingdome Grant these petitions most mercifull God not onely to mee but to all thy deare children throughout the whole world for Iesus Christs sake in whose name I doe further call upon thee saying as he hath taught mee O our Father which art in Heaven c. FINIS
that you think none can be saved but those onely which are born again Theol. I think so indeed Phil. I pray you tell mee what the same regeneration and new birth is whereof you speak Theol. It is a renewing and repairing of the corrupted and decaied estate of our souls as it is written Be yee changed by the renewing of your mind Rom. 12. And againe Be renewed in the spirit of your mind Eph. 4.23 Phil. Explain this more fully Theol. Even as the wild olive retaineth his old nature till it be graffed into the sweet olive but afterward is partaker of a new nature so wee till wee be graffed into Christ retain our old nature but afterward are turned into a new creature as it is written If any man be in Christ he is a new creature 2 Cor. 5.17 Phil. I understand not what you say Theol. You must know this that as there is a naturall birth of the whole man so there is also a spirituall birth of the whole man Phil. How is that Theol. When as the naturall faculties of the soule as reason understanding will and affections and the members of the body also are so sanctified purged and rectified by grace that we understand will and desire that which is good Phil. Cannot a man will and desire that which is good before hee be born again Theol. No more then a dead man can desire the good things of this life For mans will is not tree to consent unto good till it be enlarged by grace and an unregenerate man doth sin necessarily though not by constraint For mans will is free from constraint for it sinneth of it self but not from thraldome unto sin Phil. You speak as if a man could do no other thing but sin till the new work be wrought in him Theol. That is mine opinion indeed For a man and his flesh are all one till hee be regenerate they agree together like man and wife they join together in all evill they live and die together for when the flesh perisheth the man perisheth Phil. Is not this regeneration a changing or rather destroying of humane nature Theol. Nothing lesse it is neither an abolishing nor changing of the substance of body or soul or any of the faculties thereof but only a rectifying and repairing of them by removing the corruption Phil. Is then our naturall corruption so purged and quite removed by the power of grace as that it remaineth not at all in us but that wee are wholly freed of it Theol. Not so For the reliques and remnants of our old nature which the Scripture calleth the old man do hang about us and dwell in us even untill our dying day as it is plainly proved in the ten last verses of the seventh to the Romans Phil. Then you affirme that this new man or new work of grace and regeneration is unperfect in this life Theol. Yea for the new creature or new work of grace can never be fully fashioned in this life but is alwayes in fashioning And as our faith knowledge in this life are unperfect so is our regeneration and sanctification Phil. You said before that the regeneration or new birth is of the whole man which speech seemeth to imply that the new wo k of grace is entire and perfect Theol. You mistake the matter For although the new birth is universall and of the whole man yet it is not entire perfect pure and without mixture or corruption for it is written The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh The Apostle also prayeth that the Thessalonians may be sanctified throughout in spirit soule and body Phil. This seemeth very obscure I pray you make it more plain Theol. You must note this that the new work and the old flesh and spirit grace and corruption are so intermingledly joyned together in all the faculties of the soul and body as that the one doth ever fight against the other Phil. But tell me I pray you how you understand this intermingling of grace and corruption in the soul Do you mean that grace is placed in one part of the soul and corruption in another so as they be sundred in place Theol. No that is not my meaning but this that they be joyned mingled together as I said in and throughout the whole man For the mind or understanding part is not one part flesh and another part spirit but the whole mind is flesh and the whole mind is spirit partly one and partly another The same is to be said of wil and affections Ph. I pray you express it more plainly Theol. Even as the air in the dawning of the day is not wholly light or wholly dark as at mid-night or at noon-day neither is it in one part light and in another part dark but the whole aire is partly light and partly dark thorowout and as in a vessell of luke-warm water the water it self is not only hot nor only cold but heat and cold are mixed together in every part of the water so is the flesh and the spirit mingled together in the soule of man And this is the cause why these two contrary qualities fight together Phil. Out of doubt this doctrine of regeneration is a very great mystery Theol. Yes certainly it is a secret of secrets which the wise of this world cannot comprehend Phil. Some think that courtesie kindnesse good nurture good nature and good education are regeneration and that courteous and good natured men must needs be saved Theol. They are generally deceived for these things doe not necessarily accompany salvation but are to be found in such as are altogether profane and irreligious yet wee are to love such good outward qualities and the men in whom we find them Phil. What say you then to learning wit and policie are not these things of the essence of religion and prove a regeneration Theol. No no for they be externall gifts which may be in the most wicked men as in Papists heathen Poets and Philosophers yet we are greatly to reverence learned and wise men although the new and inward work be not as yet wrought for that is onely of God that is from above Phil. The common people doe attribute much to learning and policie for they will say Such a man is learned and wise and knoweth the Scripture as well as any of them and yet hee doth not thus and thus Theol. It is one thing to know the history and letter of the Scriptures and another thing to beleeve and feel the power therof in the heart which is only from the sanctifying spirit which none of the wise of this world can have Phil. It is a common opinion that if a man hold the truth in judgment be no Papist or Heretick but leadeth an honest civill life then hee must of necessity be saved Theol. That followeth not for many come so far which yet notwithstanding have not the inward touch Phil. That seemeth strange For
Gospel and strengthen us from above to walk and abound in all the true and sound fruits of faith Let us walke not after the flesh but after the spirit Let us feele the power of thy Sonnes death killing sin in our mortall bodies and the power of his resurrection raising us up to newnesse of life Let us grow daily in the sanctification of the Spirit and the mortification of the flesh Let us live holily justly and soberly in this present evill world shewing forth the vertues of thee in all our particular actions that wee may adorne our most holy profession and shine as lights in the midst of a crooked and froward generation amongst whom wee live being gainfull to all by our lives and conversation and offensive to none To this end wee pray thee fill us with thy Spirit and all spirituall graces as love wisdome patience contentment meeknesse humility temperance chastitie kindnesse and affability and stirre us up to use prayer and watchfulnesse reading and meditation in thy Law and all other good meanes whereby wee may grow and abound in all heavenly vertues Blesse us in the use of the meanes from day to day make us such as thou wouldest have us to be and such as wee desire to be worke in us both will and deed purpose and power For thou O Lord art all in all thou wilt have mercie upon whom thou wilt have mercie and whom thou wilt thou hardenest Have mercy upon us therefore deare Father and never leave us to our selves nor to our owne wills lusts and desires but assist us with thy good Spirit that we may continue to the end in a righteous course that so at length wee may be received into glory and be partakers of that immortall Crowne which thou hast laid up for all that love thee and truly call upon thee Further wee intreat thee O heavenly Father to give us all things necessary for this life as food raiment health peace liberty and such freedome from those manifold miseries which we lie open unto every day as thou seest meet Blesse unto us all the meanes which thou hast put into our hands for the sustenance of this fraile life Blesse our flocke and store corne and cattell trades and occupations and all workes of our hands for thy blessing onely makes rich and it bringeth no sorrowes with it Give us therefore such a competencie and sufficiencie of these outward blessings as thou in thy heavenly wisdome seest most needfull for us Moreover wee humbly beseech thee most loving Father in great mercie looke downe from Heaven upon thy whole Church and every member of it Be favourable unto Sion and build up the walls of Jerusalem Behold with the eye of pitie the great ruines and desolation of thy Church Heale up the wounds and make up the breaches thereof in all Nations Regard it as thine own flocke tender it as thine own family dresse it as thine owne Vineyard love it as thine owne Spouse Thinke thoughts of peace to it and alwayes looke upon it in deep compassion Blesse it with thy grace guide it with thy Spirit and defend it still with thy mighty power scatter the devices consound the counsels and overthrow the forces of all that fight against it Specially wee intreat thee deare Father to set thy selfe against that Antichrist of Rome that man of perdition which setteth himselfe against thee and against all thy people In thine appointed time wee pray thee give him a deadly downfall Beat downe all his power and authority daily more and more give free passage to thy Gospel in all Kingdomes that Babylon may fall and never rise up againe The more the favourites and adherents of Rome labour to uphold their Idolatrous Kingdome the more let it fall downe even as Dagon before the presence of thine Arke Poure downe the Vials of the fulnesse of thy wrath upon the Kingdomes of the Beast and let their riches wealth credit and authority dry up every day more and more as the river Euphrates Let it pitie thee O Father to see thine owne Spouse sit as a deformed and forlorne woman here below weeping and mourning with her haire about her necke having lost all her beauty and comelinesse Cheere her up deare Father glad her with the joy of thy countenance and so decke her and trim her up that thou maist delight in her as a Bridegroome in his Bride Specially wee intreat thee have mercie upon thy Church in this Land intend good unto us and not evill Give us not over into the hands of our cruell enemies as our sinnes have deserved Scatter we pray thee O Lord the devices and breake the plots of all such as have plotted the overthrow and utter subversion of this Church and Common-wealth Blesse this Church more and more with the continuance of true Religion amongst us for thy great Names sake and infinite mercies sake deale graciously and favourably with us and our posterity Turne from us that vengeance which is due unto us for our sinnes For thou seest how iniquity prevaileth and the wicked goe away with the goale Atheisme over-spreadeth every where and Popery seemeth to get a head againe Now therefore deare Father we most humbly beseech thee to take order speedily for the remedying and repressing of these manifold disorders and grievous enormities that are amongst us 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 unto us in the multitude of thy compassions that so thou maist still continue a most mercifull protectour of this thine English Vineyard Wee pray thee good Father shew speciall mercy to our most Noble and gracious King Charles thine anointed Servant blesse him and keep him in all his wayes blesse his government unto us Let thine Angels encamp about him and let thy holy hand be alwayes over him keep him from treasons and deliver him from the treacheries of his enemies give him to see what belongs to his peace and give 〈◊〉 a heart earnestly bent to set upon the practice of the same give him all graces necessary for his place and necessary for his salvation continue his government peaceable and prosperous amongst us and as thou hast made him the breath of our nostrils and a gracious instrument for the saving of many thousand soules so let his owne soule be saved in the day of thy Sonne Christ Blesse his Majesties most honourable privie Counsellours and give such good successe unto all their counsels and policies in matters of State that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and 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 Justice
glory and the great peace and comfort of our owne consciences Strengthen us good Father by thy grace and holy Spirit against the common corruptions of the world as pride whoredome covetousnesse contempt of thy Gospel swearing lying dissembling and deceiving O deare Father let us not be overcome of these filthy vices nor any other sinfull pleasures fond delights wherewith thousands are carried head-long to destruction Arme our soules against all the temptations of this world the flesh and the Divell that wee may overcome them all through thy help and keep on the right way to life that wee may live in thy feare and dye in thy favour that our last dayes may be our best dayes and that wee may end in great peace of conscience Furthermore deare Father we intreat thee not onely for our selves but for all our good brethren thy deare children scattered over the face of the whole earth most humbly beseeching thee to blesse all them to cheere them up and glad them with the joy of thy countenance both now and alwayes Guide them all in thy feare and keep them from evill that they may praise thy Name In these dangerous dayes and declining times wee pray thee O Lord raise up nursing Fathers and nursing Mothers unto thy Church Raise up also faithfull Pastours that thy cause may be carried forward Truth may prevaile Religion may prosper thy Name onely may be set up in the earth thy Sons Kingdome advanced and thy will accomplished Set thy selfe against all adversary power especially that of Rome Antichrist Idolatry and Atheisme curse and crosse all their counsels frustrate their devices scatter their forces overthrow their armies When they are most wise let them be most foolish when they are most strong let them be most weake Let them know that there is no wisdome nor counsell power nor policie against thee the Lord of hosts Let them know that Israel hath a God and that thou which art called Jehovah art the onely Ruler over all the world Arise therefore O most mighty God and maintain thine owne cause against all thine enemies smite thorow all their loines and bow downe their backes yea let them all be confounded and turned backward that beare ill will unto Sion Let the patient abiding of the righteous be joy and let the wicked be disappointed of their hope But of all favour wee intreat thee O Lord to shew speciall mercie to thy Church in this Land wherein wee live Continue thy Gospel amongst us yet with greater successe purge thy House daily more and more take away all things that offend Let this Nation still be a place where thy Name may be called upon and an harbour for thy Saints Shew mercy to our posterity deare Father and have care of them that thy Gospel may be left unto them as a most holy inheritance Defend us against forraigne invasion keep out Idolatry and Popery from amongst us Turne from us those plagues which our sins cry for For the sins of this Land are exceeding great horrible and outrageous and give thee just cause to make us spectacles of thy vengeance to all Nations that by how much the more thou hast lifted us up in great mercy and long peace by so much the more thou shouldest presse us downe in great wrath and long warre Therefore deare Father woe most humbly intreat thee for thy great Names sake and for thy infinite mercies sake that thou wouldest be reconciled to this Land and discharge it of all the horrible sins thereof Drown them O Lord in thy infinite mercy through Christ as it were in a bottomlesse gulfe that they may never rise up in judgement against us For although our sins be exceeding many and fearfull yet thy mercie is farre greater For thou art infinite in mercy but wee cannot be infinite in sinning Give us not over into the hands of the Idolaters lest they should blaspheme thy Name and say Where is their God in whom they trusted But rather deare Father take us into thine owne hands and correct us according to thy wisdome for with thee is mercie and deep compassion Moreover wee most heartily beseech thy good Majestie to blesse our most gracious Soveraigne King Charles Queene Mary Prince Charles and the rest of the Royall Progenie We beseech thee also to blesse his Majesties most honourable privie Counsellors counsell them from above let them take advice of thee in all things that they may both consult and resolve of such courses as may be most for thy glory the good of the Church and peace of this our Common-wealth Blesse the Nobility and all the Magistrates of the Land giving them all grace to execute judgement and justice and to maintaine truth and equitie Blesse all the faithfull Ministers of the Gospel increase the number of them increase thy gifts in them and so blesse all their labours in their severall places and congregations that they all may be instruments of thy hand to enlarge thy Sons Kingdome and to win many unto thee Comfort the comfortlesse with all needfull comforts Forget none of thine that are in trouble but as their afflictions are so let the joyes and comforts of thy Spirit be unto them and so sanctifie unto all thine their afflictions and troubles that they may tend to thy glory and their owne good Give us thankfull hearts for all thy mercies both spirituall and corporall for thou art very mercifull unto us in the things of this life and infinitely more mercifull in the things of a better life Let us deeply ponder and weigh all thy particular favours toward us that by the due consideration thereof our hearts may be gained yet neerer unto thee and that therefore we may both love and obey thee because thou art so kind and loving unto us that even thy love towards us may draw our love towards thee and that because mercy is with thee thou maist be feared Grant these things good Father and all other needfull graces for our soules or bodies or any of thine throughout the whole world for Jesus Christs sake in whose Name wee further call upon thee as he hath taught us in his Gospel saying Our Father which art in Heaven c. A Prayer to be used at any time by one alone privately O Lord my God and heavenly Father I thy most unworthy childe do here in thy sight freely confesse that I am a most sinfull creature and damnable transgressour of all thy holy Lawes and Commandements that as I was born and bred in sin and stained in the womb so have I continually brought forth the corrupt and ugly fruits of that infection and contagion wherein I was first conceived both in thoughts words and workes If I should goe about to reckon up my particular offences I knew not where to begin or where to make an end For they are more then the haires of my head yea far more then I can possibly feele or know For who knoweth the height and depth
many will say As long as they be neither whore nor thiefe nor spotted with such like grosse sinnes they trust in God they shall be saved Theol. They erre not knowing the Scriptures For many thousands are in great danger of losing their souls for ever which are free from such notorious and horrible vices nay many which in the world are counted good honest men good true dealers good neighbours and good towns-men Asun I pray you Sir give mee leave a little I have heard all your speech hitherto and I like reasonable well of it but now I can forbear no longer my conscience urgeth mee to speak For mee thinks you goe too far you goo beyond your learning in this that you condemn good neighbours and good towns-men You say many such men are in danger of losing their souls but I will never beleeve it while I live For if such men be not saved I cannot tell who shall Theol. But you must learn to know out of the Scriptures that all outward honesty and righteousnesse without the true knowledge and inward feeling of God availeth not to eternall life As our Saviour Christ saith Matth. 12. Except your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees ye cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven It is also written that when Paul preached at 〈◊〉 Acts 17.18 many honest men and women did beleeve that iâ— such no were outwardly honest or honest to the word only for they could not be truly and inwardly honest before they did beleeve Therefore you see that this outward honesty câ—vility without the inward regeneration of the spirit avaâ—seth not to eternall life and then consequently all your honest worldly men are in great danger of losing their souls for ever Asun What sound reason can you yeeld why such honest men should be condemned Theol. Because many such are utterly void of all true knowledge of God and his word Nay which is more many of them despise the word of God and hate all the zealous professors of it They esteem Preachers but as pratlers and Sermons as good tales they esteem a Preacher no more then a shoemaker they regard the Scriptures no more then their old shooes What hope is there then I pray you that such men should be saved Doth not the holy Ghost say Hoâ— 2.5 How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation Asun You go too far you judge too hardly of them Theol. Not a whit For all experience sheweth that they mind dream dote of nothing else day and night but this world this world lands leases grounds and livings kine sheep and how to wax rich All their thoughts words and works are of these such like things And their actions do most manifestly declare that they are of the earth and speak of the earth and there is nothing in them but earth earth As for Sermons they care not how few they hear And for the scriptures they regard them not they read them not they esteem them not worth the while there is nothing more irksome unto them they had rather pill strawes or doe any thing then hear read or conferre of the Scriptures And as the Prophet saith 〈◊〉 8.1 â— The word of the Lord is as a reproach unto them they have no delight in it Phil. I marvell much that such men should live so honestly to the worldward Theol. No marvell at all for many bad men whose hearts are worm-eaten within yet for some outward and carnall respects doe abstaine from the grosse act of sin as some for credit some for shame some for fear of law some for fear of punishment but none for love of God for zeal of conscience or of obedience For it is a sure thing that the wicked may have that spirit which doth represse but not that which doth renew Phil. It seemeth then by your speeches that some which are not regenerate do in some things excell the children of God Theol. Most certain it is that some of them in outward gifts and the outward carriage of themselves doe goe beyond some of the elect Phil. Shew me I pray you in what gifts Theol. In learning discretion justice temperance prudence patience liberality assability kindnesse courtesie good nature c. Phil. Me thinks it should not be possible Theol. Yes truly for some of Gods dear children in whom no doubt the inward work is truely and soundly wrought yet are so troubled and incumbred with a crabbed crooked nature and so clogged with some master sin as some with anger some with pride some with covetousnesse some with lusts some one way and some another all which breaking out in them do so blemish them and their profession that they cannot so shine forth unto men as otherwise no doubt they would and this is their wound their griefe and their heart-smart and that which costeth them many a tear and many a prayer and yet can they not get the fu l victory over them but still they are less in them as a prick in the flesh to humble them Ph. Yet love should cover a multitude of such infirmities in Gods children Theol. It should do so indeed but there is great want of love even in the best and the worst sort espying these infirmities in the godly runne upon them with open mouth and take upon them to condemne them utterly and to judge their hearts saying They be hypocrites dissemblers and there is none worse then they Phil. But do you not think that there be some counterfeits even amongst the greatest professors Theol. Yes no doubt there be alwayes have been some very hypocrites in the Church but we most take heed of judging condemning all for some For it were very much to condemne Christ and his eleven disciples because of one Judas or the whole Primitive Church for one Ananias and Sapphira Phil. But I hope you are of this mind that some regenerate men even in outward gifts and their outward carriage are comparable with many others Theol. Questionlesse very many For they being guided by Gods spirit and upheld by his grace doe walk very uprightly and unblamably towards men Phil. Yet there resteth one scruple for it seemeth very strange unto me that men of so discreet carriage as you speak of and of so many good parts should not be saved It is great pity such men should be damned Theol. It seemeth so unto us indeed but God is only wise And you must note that as there be some infirmities in Gods children which hee correcteth with temporall chastisements and yet rewardeth their faith love and inward service and obedience with eternal life so there be some good things in the wicked and them that are without Christ which God rewardeth with temporall blessings and yet punisheth them eternally for their unbeliefe and hardnesse of heart Phil. Now you have reasonably well satisfied mee touching the doctrine of regeneration and the manifold errours
and deceits that are in it and of it I pray you let us now proceed and first of all tell mee by what means the new birth is wrought Theol By the preaching of the word as the outward meanes 1 Pet. 1 2.3 John 1â— 3 Acts 10.44 Ephes 4.3 and the secret worke of the spirit as the inward means Phil. Many hear the word preached and are nothing the better but rather the worse what I pray you is the cause of that Theol. Mens own incredulity and hardnesse of heart because God in his wrath leaveth them to themselves and depriveth them of his spirit without the which all preaching is in vain For except the spirit doe follow the word into our hearts Act. 16.14 wee can finde no joy taste nor comfort therein Phil. Cannot a man attain unto regeneration and the new birth without the word and the spirit Theol. No verily For they are the instruments and means whereby God doth work it Antil Why may not a man have as good a faith to God-ward that heareth no Sermons as hee 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 hee that eateth all the meat in the world For is not the preaching of the word the food of our souls Antil I like not so much hearing of Sermons and reading of the Scriptures except men could keep them better Theol. Faithfull and honest hearers do therefore hear that they may be more able to observe and do For a man cannot do the will of God before he know it and hee cannot know it without hearing and reading Antil I marvell what good men doe get by gadding to Sermons and poring so much in the Scripture or what are they better then others There are none more full of envie and malice then they They will doe their neighbour a shrewd turn as soon as any body and therefore in mine opinion they be but a company of hypocrites and precise fools Theol. You judge uncharitably Full little doe you know what they feel or what good Gods people get by hearing of the word For the work of the spirit in the hearts of the elect is very secret and altogether hid from the world John â— 8 as it is written The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whither it goeth or whence it cometh so is every man that is born of the spirit And againe The things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God Amil. Tush tush what needs all this adoâ— If a man say his Lords prayer his ten Commandements and his Beleefe keep them and say no body harme not doe no body harm and doe as hee would be done to have a good faith to God-ward and be a man of Gods beliefe no doubt hee shall be saved without all this running to Sermons and pratling of the Scripture Theol. Now you powr it out indeed you thinke you have spoken wise y. But alas you have bewrayed your great ignorance For you imagine a man may bee saved without the word which is a grosse errour Antil It is no matter say you what you will and all the Preachers in the world besides as long as I serve God and say my prayers duly and truely morning and evening and have a good faith in God and put my whole trust in him and doe my true intent and have a good mind to God-ward and a good meaning although I am not learned yet I hope it will serve the turn for my soules health For that God which made mee must save me It is not you that can save me for all your learning and all your Scriptures Theol. You may very fitly be compared to a sick man who having his brain distempered with heat raveth and speaketh idly he cannot tell what For the holy Ghost saith Pâ—o. 18.9 Hee that turneth away his ear from hearing the law even his prayer shall be abominable And again Prov. 13.15 He that destroyeth the word shall be destroyed So long therefore as you despise Gods word and turn away your ear from hearing his Gospel preached all your prayers your fantasticall serving of God your good meanings and your good intents are to no purpose but most odious and loathsome in the sight of God as it is written My soule hateth your new moons Esa 1.14 and your appointed feasts they are a burthen unto mee I am weary to beare them When you stretch out your hands I will hide mine eye from you and though you make many prayers I will not hear For your hands are full of bloud And again the Lord saith by the same Prophet He that killeth a bullock Esa 66.3 is as if he slâ—w a man hee that sacrificeth a sheep as if hee cut off a dogs neck he that offereth an oblation as if he offered swines bloud hee that remembreth incense as if hee blessed an idol Where you see the Lord telleth you his mind touching thâ—se matters to wit that all your prayers services good meanings c. are abominable unto him so long as you walk in ignorance profanenesse disobedience and contempt of the Gospel For hee saith in the words immediately going before To him will I look even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my words Asun I grant indeed for them that are idle and have little to do it is not amisse now and then to hear a Sermon and read the Scriptures but wee have no leasure we must follow our businesse we cannot live by the Scriptures they are not for plain folk they are too high for us wee will not meddle with them They belong to Preachers and Ministers Theol Jâ—â—â— 10. Christ saith My sheep heare my voice and I give unto them eternall life If therefore you refuse to heare the voice of Christ you are none of his sheep neither can you have eternall life And in another place our Lord Iesus saith John 8.47 He that is of God heareth Gods word Ye therefore hear it not because ye are not of God Saint Paul writing to all sorts of men both rich and poore high and low men and women Colos 3.1 young and old exhorteth that the word of Christ may dwell plenteously in them all in all wisdom You see therefore that the Apostle would have all sorts of people that have souls to save to bee well acquainted with the Scriptures Therefore you may as well say you will not meddle with God with Christ nor with everlasting life as to say you will not meddle with the Scriptures Asun Well I cannot read and therefore I cannot tell what Christ or what Saint Paul may say but this I am sure of that God is a good man worshipped might he be hee is mercifull and that we must be saved by our good prayers and good serving of God Theol. You speak foolishly and
all mirth and jollity bearing it out as wee say at the breast yet inwardly are they pinched with terrours and most horrible convulsions of conscience Antil You have spoken many things very sharply against covetousnesse but in my mind so long as a man covets nothing but his own hee cannot be said to be covetous Theol. Yes that he may For not onely is hee covetous which greedily desireth other mens goods but even hee also which over-niggardly and pinchingly holdeth fast his owne and is such a miser that hee will part with nothing Wee see the world is full of such pinch-pennies that will let nothing goe except it be wrung from them perforce as a key out of Hercules hand The gripple muck-rabers had as leeve part with their bloud as their goods They will pinch their owne backs and bellies to get their god into their chests And when they have once got him there will they easily part with him trow yee No no a man will part with his god for no mans pleasure Hee will eat peasebread and drinke small drink rather then he will diminish his god Therefore the Scripture saith Prov. 31. â— Eat not the meat of him that hath an evill eye and desire not his dainty dishes For as hee grudgeth his owne soule so will hee say unto thee Eat and drink when his heart is not with thee Thou shalt vomit thy morsels which thou hast eaten and lose thy pleasant speeches The old saying is The covetous man wanteth as well that which he hath as that which he hath not because he hath no use of that which hee hath So then you see there is a great strength of covetousnesse in the niggardly keeping of our own Antil Yet for all this men must follow their worldy businesse and lay up to live For it is an hard world and goods are not easie to come by Therefore men must ply their businesse or else they may go beg and starve Theol. I deny not but that you may follow the works of your calling diligently so it be in the fear of God and with a good conscience as I told you before but this greedinesse and gripplenesse God doth condemne and also this excessive love of money Antil Beleeve mee I know no body that hates it I cannot see but that all men love gold and silver Theol. It is one thing to use these things and another thing to love them and set our hearts upon thens For the Scripture saith 1 John 2. If riches increase set not your hearts upon them Saint John also saith Love not this world nor the things that are in this world Hee saith not Use not this world but Love not this world For use it wee may love it wee may not 1 Cor. 7. Therefore the Apostle saith that They which use this world should bee as though they used it not Where hee alloweth a sober and moderate use of the things of this life in the fear of God Wee must use this world for necessities sake as wee use meat and drink taking no more of this world then needs must for fear of surfeiting The holy Ghost saith Heb. 13.5 Let your conversation be without covetousnesse and be content with things present Happy is that man therefore that is well content with his present estate whatsoever and carrieth himselfe moderately and comfortably therein For the Spirit saith Eccl. 2.24 There is no profit to a man under the Sun but that he eat and drink and delight his soul with the profit of his labours I saw also this that this is the hand of God In which words the prudent King saith thus much in effect That this is all the good wee can attain unto in this world even to take a sober and comfortable â—sâ— of the things of this life which God bestoweth upon us And further hee avoucheth Eccl. 18.19 That thus to use them aright and with sound comfort is a very rare gift of God For as one saith Greg. N 1. He is a wise man that is not grieved for the things which hee hath not but doth rejoyce in the things that hee hath using them to Gods glory and his owne comfort So then I conclude this point and return to you an answer thus That wee may in sober and godly manner use gold silver and the things of this life but at no hand to over-love them or give our hearts unto them Antil Well Yet for all this I cannot see but that these Preachers and Professors these learned men and precise fellowes are even as eager of the world and as covetous as any other Theol. Now you shew your venemous spirit against better men then your selfe And I have a foure-fold answer for you First I answer that although godly men may be somewhat overtaken this way and over-spirt a little yet they break not out so grossely as others Secondly if God leave them sometimes to be overcome of the world yet hee in his great wisedome and mercy turneth it to their good For thereby hee first humbleth them and afterwards raiseth them up againe Rom. 8. And so all things work together for good to them that love God Thirdly I answer wee must live by rules and not by examples For even the best of Gods people have had their wants and weaknesses Therefore wee may not frame rules to live by out of the infirmi ies of the most excellent servants of God Wicked therefore and impious is their allegation who alledge Davids adultery Lots drunkennesse Peters fall Abrahams slips Solomons weaknesse c. for a shelter and defence of themselves in the like sins Lastly I answer that you greatly wound your self in your own speech so far off are you from mending your market any whit thereby For if Preachers and other godly men after many prayers teares and much meanes used cannot escape scot-free but sometimes are wounded and almost overthrowne by the world and the Divell what then shall become of you which use no meanes at all nor any gain-striving but willingly give place to the Divell If the Divell did over-master David Lot Samson Solomon and other such excellent worthies alas what shall become of meer worldlings and Atheists If the most valiant men and chiefe Captaines in a battell goe downe what shall become of the faint-hearted souldiers And as S. Peter saith 1 Pet. 4.18 If the righteous scarce be saved where shall the wicked and ungodly appeare So then I take you at the rebound and returne your owne weapon upon your selfe That sith godly men cannot escape through this world without blowes what shall become of them that know not what godlinesse meaneth Antil Yet I say once again that men must live men must lay up for this world we cannot live by the Scriptures And as for that which you call covetousnesse it is but good husbandry Theol. I thought wee should have it at last Now you have paid it home you are come to
hope for as of that which wee have but wee are sure of that which wee have which is the 〈◊〉 of grace therefore wee are sure 〈◊〉 wee looke for which is the crowne of glory Many other places of the holy Scriptures might be alledged to this purpose but I suppose these may suffice Phil. As you have shewed this by the Scriptures so also shew it more planly by evident reason out of the same Theol. How can a man in truth call God his Father when hee saith Our Father which art in heaven and yet doubt whether hee is his Father or no For if GOD indeed be our Father and we his children how can we perish how can we be damned Will a Father condemne his owne children shall the children of GOD be condemned No no Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Againe Rom. 8.33 â—4 Who can lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect it is God that justifieth who can condemne It is therefore most certaine and sure that all such as doe in truth call God their Father and have God for their Father shall be saved Againe how can a man say in truth and feeling that he beleeves the forgivenesse of sinnes and yet doubt whether he shall be saved For if he be fully perswaded that his sinnes be forgiven what letteth why he should not be saved Moreover as certainly as we know we are called justified and sanctified so certainly we know we shall be glorified But we know the one certainly and therefore the other Asun I will never beleeve that any man can certainly know in this world whether hee shall be saved or damned but all men must hope well and be of a good beliefe Theol. Nay we must goe further then hope-well We may not venture our salvation upon uncertaine hopes As if a man should hope it would be a faire day to morrow but hee cannot certainly tell No no wee must in this case being of such infinite importance as it is grow to some certainty and full resolution Wee see worldly men will be loth to hold their lands and leases uncertainely having nothing to shew for them They will not stand to the curtesie of their land-lords nor rest upon their good wils They will not stay upon uncertaine hopes No they are wiser then so For the children of this world are wiser in their generation then the children of light Luke 16. They will be sure to have something to shew They will have it under seale They will not slay upon the words and promises of the most honest men and best land-lords They cannot be quiet till they have it in white and black with sound counsell upon their Title and every way made as sure unto them as any Law of the land can make it Are then the children of this world so wise in these inferiour things and shall not wee be as wise in matters of ten thousand times more importance Are they so wise for earth and shall not wee be as wise for heaven Are they so wise for their bodies and shall not wee be as wise for our soules Shall we hold the state of our immortall inheritance by hope-well and have no writings or evidences no seale no witnesses nor any thing to shew for it Alas this is a weake Tenure a broken Title a simple hold indeed Asun Yet for all that a man cannot be certaine Theol. Yes Saint John telleth us we may be certaine For hee saith Hereby we know we dwell in him 1 Joh. 4.13 and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit He saith not we hope but we know certainly For he that hath the Spirit of God knoweth certainly he hath it and he that hath faith knoweth that he hath faith and he that shall be saved knoweth he shall be saved For God doth not worke so darkly in mens hearts by his Spirit but that they may easily know whether it be of him or no if they would make a due tryall Againe the same Apostle saith 1 Joh. 5. â—6 He that beleeveth in the Son of God hath the witnesse in himselfe That is he hath certaine testimonies in his owne conscience that he shall be saved For we must fetch the warrant of our salvation from within our selves even from the worke of GOD within us For looke how much a man feeleth in himselfe the increase of knowledge obedience and godlinesse so much the more sure he is that he shall be saved A mans owne conscience is of great force this way and will not lye or deceive For so saith the wise man Pro. 27.19 As water sheweth face to face so doth the heart man unto man That is the mind and conscience of every man telleth him justly though not perfectly what he is For the conscience will not lye but accuse or excuse a man being in stead of a thousand witnesses 1 Cor 2.11 The Apostle saith No man knowes the things of man but the spirit of man that is in him And againe the Scripture saith Pro. 2â— 29 Mans soule is as it were the candle of the Lord whereby he searcheth all the bowels of the belly So then it is a cleere case that a man must have recourse to the worke of Gods grace within him even in his owne soule and thereby he shall be certainly resolved one way or other For even as Rebecca knew certainly by the striving and stirring of the twins in her wombe that she was conceived and quick of childe so Gods children know certainly by the motions and stirring of the holy Ghost within them that they have conceived Christ and shall undoubtedly be saved Phil. I pray you let us come to the ground-worke of this certainty of salvation and speak somewhat of that Theol. The ground-worke of our salvation is laid in Gods eternall election and in respect thereof it standeth fast and unmoveable as it is written 2 Tim. 2.16 1 Thes 5.24 The foundation of God standeth fast And againe Hee is faithfull that hath promised 2 Tim. 2.13 Though wee cannot beleeve yet hee abides faithfull So then as we know it certainly in our selves by the consequence of election so it standeth most firme in respect of God and his eternall and immutable decree And a thousand infirmities nay all the sinnes of the world nor all the Divels in hell cannot overthrow Gods election For our Lord Iesus saith John 6.34 All that the Father hath given mee shall come unto mee And againe John 6.39 This is the Fathers will that hath sent mee that of all which hee hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up againe at the last day And in another place our Saviour Christ saith John 10.17 My sheep heare my voice and I know them and they follow mee and I give unto them eternall life and they shall never perish neither shall any plucke them out of my hand
have the reward of Gods children This is most 〈◊〉 case but they will not doe the workes of Gods children They would have the sweete but they will none of the sowre They would have the Crowns but they will sight never a stroke They would faine come to Canaan but they are loth to travell that long and dangerous way which leadeth unto it Therefore those men being the sons of idlenesse will step short in the end of that they looke for Prov. 1â— 4 For the Spirit saith The sluggard lusts but his soule hath nought Wee must therefore leave bare words and come to deeds For our Lord Iesus saith Mat. 7. â—1 Not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of heaven but hee that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven Where wee see Christ in plaine termes excludes out of his kingdome all those whose Religion consisteth only in good words and smooth speeches but make no conscience to practise the Commandements of God David having made some good preparation for the building of the Temple and perceiving his son Solomon to have stuffe provision enough to perfect and finish it doth most wisely encourage him to the worâ— in these words 1 Câ—â— 12.16 Up and be doing and the Lord shall be with thee Oh that men would follow this counsell of David that they would up and be doing and not fit still and doe nothing that they would leave words and countenances and set upon the practice of Gods Law and study with all care and conscience to be obedient to his will Then assuredly God would be with them and blesse them and much good would come of it For the Scripture saith Prov. 14.32 In all labour there is profit or increase but the talke of the lips onely bringeth want Phil. Most mens minds are so wholly drowned in the love of this world that they havâ— no heart to obey God nor any delight in his commandements Theol. The greatest part of men are like to the Gadarens which esteemed their Swine more than Christ As wee see in these our daies how many make more account of their kine and sheepe than of the most glorious Gospel of Christ They highly esteeme dung and contemne pearle They are carefull for trifles and regard not the things of greatest moment and therefore may very fitly be compared to a man who having his wife and children very sicke doth utterly neglect them and is altogether carefull for the curing of his hogs eares Phil. Wee are somewhat digressed from the matter wee had in hand I pray you therefore if you have any more matter of good counsell to give to Asunctus that you would presently deliver it Theol. I have little more to say save onely I would advise him often to remember and much to muse on these things The evill he hath committed Nine things much to be thought of The good he hath omitted The time he hath mispent The shortnesse of this life The vanity of this world The excellencie of the world to come Death then the which nothing is more terrible The day of judgement then the which nothing is more fearfull Hell fire then the which nothing is more intolerable Phil. This is short and sweet indeed You have touched some of these points before in this our conference But I am very desirous to heare somewhat more of the two last which yet have not been spoken of Theol. Sith you are desirous I will briefly deliver unto you that which I have received from the Lord. First concerning the day of judgement I finde in the volume of Gods booke that it shall be very terrible and breadfull For the Son of man shall come in the clouds of heaven Mat. 24 3â— with power and great glory St. Peter saith 2 Pet. 2.10 The day of the Lord shall come as a theefe in the night in the which the heavens shall passe away with a noise the elements shall melt with heat and the earth with the workes that are therein shall be burnt up The Apostle tells us that at Christs coming the whole world shall be of a light â—â—re and that all castles towers goodly buildings gold silver velvets silkes and all the glittering hue glory and beauty of this world shall be consumed to powder and ashes 2 Pet. 3 7. For hee saith plainly The heavens and the earth which are now are reserved to fire against the day of Judgement and of the destruction of ungodly men Moreover hee strongly proves that as the world was once destroyed by water so the second time in the end thereof it shall be destroyed with fire The Apostle S. Paul witnesseth the same things for he saith 2 Thes â— 1 Christ shall come from Heaven with all his mighty Angâ—â—s in naming fire And in another place he notes the terrour of his coming to Iudgement saying 1 Thes 4.10 Hee shall come with a shout with the voice of the Arch-angel and the Trumpet of God We see by experience that the coming of mortall Princes to any place is with great pomp and glory They have great traines and troups behind them and before them They are accompanied with many Nobles goodly Lords and gallant Ladies doe attend upon them The Sword-bearer Trumpetters and Harbengers goe before many slaunting and stately Personages follow after Now then if the coming of mortall Princes be so pompous and glorious how much more glorious shall the coming of the Sonne of man be in whose sight all mortall Princes are but dust The Scriptures doe affirme that his second coming unto judgement shall be with such resplendent and unspeakable glory that even the most excellent creatures shall blush at it For the Sunne shall â—e darkned 〈◊〉 24.29 the Moone shall not give her light and the Stars shall fall from heaven Meaning thereby that the most glorious and bright-shining Creatures shall be clouded and obscured by the unconceiveable brightnesse of Christs coming Moreover the 〈…〉 Christs coming is noted unto us in this that immediately before it the very Sea shall quake and tremble and in his kinde crie out For it is said that the Sea shall roare and make a noise in most dolefull and lugubrious manner and mens hearts shall faile them for feare Luk. 21.25 and for looking after those things which shall come on the world for the powers of heaven shall be shaken O what shall become of swearers drunkards whoremongers and such like in that day They shall seeke to creepe into an anger-hole to hide their heads They shal then cry Woe and alas that ever they were borne They shall wish that they had never been borne or that their mothers had borne them toads And as it is in the Apocalyps They shall say to the mountaines and rockes Fall on us and hide us from the presence of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of
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 under any crosse or affliction whatsoever be comfortable unto them heale up their wounds bind up their sores put all their teares into 〈◊〉 bottle and make their bed in all their sorrowes and put such a good end to all their troubles that they may redound to thy glory and the furtherance of their owne salvation In the meane time give them patience and constancie to beare whatsoever it shall please thy mercifull hand to lay upon them Last of all in a word wee pray theâ— blesse the Magistracie Ministry and Commonalty Blesse all the people doe good to all that are true and upright in their hearts And so deare Father we do commit and command our selves our soules and bodies into thy hands for this day and the rest of our life praying thee to take care and charge of us Keep us from all evill watch over us for our good let thine Angels encamp about us let thy holy hand be over us and keep us in all our waies that we may live to thy praise and glory here on earth keeping faith and a good conscience in all our actions that after this life wee may be crowned of thee for ever in thy Kingdome Grant these things good Father to us here present and to all thine absent praying thee in speciall favour to remember an our friends and kinsfolkes in the flesh all our good neighbours and well-willers and all those for whom wee are bound to pray by nature by deserts or any duty whatsoever for Jesus Christs sake our onely Mediatour to whom with thee and the holy Ghost be given all praise and glory both now and for evermore Amen An Evening Prayer to be used in private Families O Eternall God and our most loving and deare Father wee thy unworthy children do here fall down at the foot of thy great Majesty acknowledging from our hearts that we are altogether unworthy to come neere thee or to look towards thee because thou art a God of infinite glory and wee are most vile abominable sinners such as were conceived and borne in sin and corruption and such as have inherited our Fathers corruptions and also have actually transgressed all thy holy Statutes and Lawes both in thoughts words and deeds before wee knew thee and since secretly and openly with our selves and with others our particular sins are moe then can be numbred for who knoweth how often hee offendeth but this wee must needs confesse against our selves that our hearts are full of pride covetousnesse and the love of this world full of wrath anger and impatience full of lying dissembling and deceiving full of vanity hardnesse and profanenesse full of infidelity distrust and selfe-love full of lust uncleannesse and all abominable desires yea our hearts 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 us great wants of faith of love of zeale of patience of contentment and of every good grace so as thou hast just cause to proceed to sentence of judgment against us as most damnable transgressours of all thy holy commandements yea such as are sunk in our rebellions and have many times and often committed high treason against thy Majestie and therefore thou maist justly cast us all downe into Hell fire there to be tormented with Sathan and his Angels for ever And wee have nothing to except against thy Majesty for so doing sith therin thou shouldest deale with us but according to equity and our just deserts Wherefore deare Father wee doe appeale from thy justice to thy mercy most humbly intreating thee to have mercy upon us and freely to forgive us all our sinnes past whatsoever both new and old secret and open knowne and unknowne and that for Jesus Christs sake our onely Mediatour And wee pray thee touch our hearts with true griefe and unfeigned repentance for them that they may be a matter of continuall sorrow and heart-smart unto us so as nothing may grieve us more then this that wee have offended thee beâ—ng our speciall friend and Father Give us therefore deare Father every day more and more sight and feeling of our sinnes with true humiliation under the same Give us also that true and lively faith whereby we may lay sure hold on thy Son Christ and all his merits applying the same to our owne soules so as we may stand fully perswaded that whatsoever hee hath done upon the Crosse hee hath done for us particularly as well as for others Give us faith good Father constantly to beleeve all the sweet promises of the Gospel touching remission of sin and eternall life made in thy Sonne Christ O Lord increase our faith that wee may altogether rest upon thy promises which are all Yea and Amen Yea that wee may settle our selves and all that wee have wholly upon them both our soules bodies goods names wives children and our whole estate knowing that all things depend upon thy promises power and providence and that thy Word doth support and beare up the whole order of nature Moreover we entreat thee O Lord to strengthen us from above to walke in every good way and to bring forth the fruits of true faith in all our particular actions studying to please thee in all things and to be fruitfull in good workes that wee may shew forth unto all men by our good conversation whose children we are and that we may adorne and beautifie our most holy profession by walking in a Christian course and in all the sound fruits and practice of godlinesse and true religion To this end we pray thee sanctifie our hearts by thy Spirit yet more and more sanctifie our soules and bodies and all our corrupt naturall faculties as reason understanding will and affections so as they may be fitted for thy worship and service taking a delight and pleasure therein Stirre us up to use prayer watchfulnesse reading meditation in thy Law and all other good meanes whereby wee may profit in grace and goodnesse from day to day Blesse us in the use of the meanes that we may daily dye to sinne and live to righteousnesse draw us yet neerer unto thee helpe us against our manifold wants Amend our great imperfections renew us inwardly more and more repaire the ruines of our hearts aide us against the remnants of sin Enlarge our hearts to run the way of thy Commandements direct all our steps in thy Word let none iniquity have dominion over us Assist us against our speciall infirmities and master-sins that we may get the victory over them all to thy