would seeme holy And so instead of a blessing procure a curse vnto themselues for their hypocrisie Wee must consider that God is a iealous God holdeth none guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine as they manifestly doe that come neere him with their lips when their hearts are farre from him It is a kind of spirituall adultery outwardly to seeme wholy to be gods and yet inwardly to be meere worldlings Before we open our mouthes therefore to God we must cast out of the Temple of God which is our heart all buyers and sellers as Christ did out of the Temple of Ierusalem for as long as our hearts doe harbour the desires of worldly profits and carnall pleasures aboue the sincere seruice of God our heart the Temple of the liuing God becommeth a den of theeues that steales away all our godly affections to settle them on Belial Let vs looke vnto the man Christ Iesus crucified by whose blood wee are redeemed by whose mediation wee are sure to haue our prayers heard of God and granted especially if for our further and more perfect preparation we can truely obserue the rule of Christ to forgiue our enemies knowing that if we forgiue not our brother that offendeth vs God will not forgiue vs that farre more grieuously offend him And therefore Christ counselleth vs that if we bring our sacrifice to the Altar namely if we intend to pray and there remember that a brother hath ought against vs we ought to leaue our offering before the Altar that is forbear for the time to pray yet to continue our holy intention to pray and to goe first and bee reconciled to our brother and then to come to offer our gift namely our prayers freely vnto God in Christ for before we be vnburthened of all rancor malice enuie hatred and all other prophane desires it is not only not auaileable but lamentable that so many will as doe presume to come before God with hearts so fearefully fraught with these vnholy affections and stagger no more to presse into Gods presence nay not so much as some that come vnto God with most prepared peacefull and most sanctified consciences Let such cast-out the bond woman with her sonne namely the old man the works and lusts of the flesh and giue entertainment vnto the free-woman and her sonne the new man which after God is created vnto righteousnes and true holines And so recommend our prayers vnto God the obiect of our prayers in Christ the Mediator of our prayers by the holy Ghost the Author of all holy prayers Attention in Prayer Being thus prepared let vs endeuour to yeeld due and true attention in our prayers that is to giue â—eed to what we pray to whom we pray for what we pray and with what zeale we pray which are the truest tokens and greatest arguments that our prayers are liuely powerfull effectuall and of faith which properties can neuer be in lip-labour for there cannot be a more apparent discouery of a rancke Hypocrite then to make outward showes of Deuotion with the gesture and lippes and yet the heart to be busied in the cogitation of idle â—arthly and prophane things And nothing more discouereth an idle heart outwardly then the wandering of the eye in the time of diuine prayer for it is probable and often found by experience that the eye withdraweth the heart and if the eye be inconstant the prayer hath not nor can haue the due attention of the heart yet it doth not follow that although the eye bee fixed on any certaine obiect or be shut that therefore the heart is rightly set on God for oftentimes the eye followes the heart the cogitation of the heart making the eye to forget it obiect as when the heart is wandring in the fields of corne viewing the herdes of cattle and flockes of sheepe when it is in the ware-house in the shoppe in the chest minding bands payments ouercome with pride plotting reuenge oppressed with feare besotted with pleasure iâ—tangled with cares or otherwise peruerted by any prophane and vngodly cogitations Prayers made witls such an extraâ—agant heart be they in words neuer so holy they are imputed vnto vs as sin for shall wee thinke that God will heare our prayers to our profit or comfort when the thoughts of our hearts in the meane time dishonor him Many pray in their owne familiar language and yet consider no more what they speake for want of attention then if they spake in an vnknowne tongue and yet such men will hold themselues very deuout and to haue power in themselues to pray when they list as if true prayer werâ— of that facilitie and ease to vtter as is an idle tale and as it seemes by beggers that tumble out the Lords prayer with one breath at a doore and yet minde nothing but their almes Such men are to be pitied and to be wished better to aduise themselues before they attempt this seruice of God most holy for Prayer is not an easie worke it is of a deeper straine then a tale that is but from the tongue to the teeth from the teeth to the lips and so into the ayre True prayer is cordiall and of that force and efficacie as it constraineth the heart to sighes groanes and teares with such inward â—eâ—uencie of holy zeale as tenters the heart with such internall gripes as may bee truly said the râ—ting of the hart And the more we feele our hearts thus inwardly sharply touched so much the more comfort it yeeldeth to the soule of the faithfull petitioner yea such and so great consolation as he that feeles it cannot expresse it with his tongue be he neuer so eloquent neither can any conceiue or apprehend the sweetnes of it that is not exercised and experienced in the same for nature apprehendeth it not No man can say that Iesus is Christ but by the holy Ghost and none can desire the Spirit of God but by the Spirit of God Flesh and bloud cannot as much as desire spirituall things spiritually for spirituall things are to be compared with spirituall things and spirituall gifts are obtained by spirituall meanes And therefore are words without the spirit as naked and bare incense without fire but being inkindled in the heart and sanctified by the holy spirit of God who is promised to assist our spirits they are as a liuely and acceptable sacrifice to God working so powerfully with him through Christs mediâ—tion as they neuer returne empty of what soeuer blessing we desire Prayer can neuer be effectuall 〈◊〉 there be sâ—me certaine spirituall obiect of the mind to moue the attention of the heart which obiect is God and we must consider that when we pray vnto him or yeeld him any other worship that we are not to conceiue him in the forme of any earthly or heauenly bodily or spirituall creature whatsoeuer for in that maner not to conceiue him is a degree of coÌ„ceiuing him a right according to Master Perkins
God must be conceiued of vs in our prayers as subsisting in the whole three persons the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost The vnitie in Trinitie and Tâ—initie in vnitie is to be worshipped retaining in mind the distinction and order of all the three persons without seuering or sundring them for as they are conioyned in nature so are they to be conioyned in worship And therefore he that prayeth vnto God the Father for the forgiuenesse of his sinnes must aske it of him for the merits of the Sonne and by the assurance of the holy Ghost and he that prayeth for the remission of sinnes to God the Sonne must pray that he would procure the Father to graunt him pardon and to assure it by his Spirit He also that prayeth for the same to God the holy Ghost must pray that he would assure vnto him the remission of his sinnes from the Father for and by the merits of his Sonne Thus must we apprehend the Trinitie in our prayers so shall we auoide that idolatrous conceiuing of him imbraced of some who cannot pray vnlesse they haue the figure of a humane creature to represent vnto their bodily eyes the shape of God the Father in likenesse of an olde man and a crucifixe figuring Christ suffring on the Crosse and the holy Ghost by a Doue whose worship cannot bee reputed spirituall but carnall and their prayers not heauenly but prophane Prayer is a spirituall action proper onely to the children of God who are Saints by calling sanctified in Christ And they and none other truely call vpon the name of the Lord Iesus prophane persons pray not though they seeme to pray But most happie is that man that commeth vnto God Father Sonne and holy Ghost truely prepared and duely attentiue he may boldly aske and confidently assure himselfe to receiue grace for grace and all blessings spirituall without limitation and all benefits corporall needfull If our prayers bee made in vs by him who hath promised and hath power to giue what we aske shall wee thinke hee will faile to performe The hope of hypocrites in deed shall perish and their prayers vanish as the smoake because they wait vpon lying vanities and desire carnall pleasures and worldly profits But the Lord will surely fulfill the desires of them that feare him because their prayers tend to the setting foorth of Gods glory to the good of the Church to the remission of their owne sinnes and other mens to the obtaining of Gods graces to the increase of the vnderstanding of heauenly things that they may walke before God and be vpright that they may doe the workes and bring sorth the fruits of the spirit These are the prayers that are the PENSIVE SOVLES DELIGHT These are the prayers that wound the Serpent that please God bringing peace to the conscience afflicted But which is to bee lamented all men are dull by nature And the very elect sometimes weakely disposed to pray And therefore is euery godly man to vse all holy meanes to inkindle their hearts to the right performance of this heauenly dutie And nothing more preuaileth therein then Meditation whereunto wee are also very vnapt by nature and know not how nor vpon what ground to lay the foundation therof yet if we can truly frame our hearts to a holy Meditation wee shal find that it is the very key that openeth our dull hearts lockt vp vnder griefe vnder feare vnder trouble vnder persecutioÌ„ misery and sendeth forth by litle and litle the fire of true zeale which at length becommeth a great flame of preuailing prayers which thing they easily find that are conuersant in this sacred exercise of Meditation and Prayer who yet many times finde themselues most dull and most vnapt to pray hauing yet an inward desire thereunto which desire they cannot containe but labouring a while in silence speaking inwardly to God in sighes and groanes at length they speake effectually with their tongues Seeing therefore that all men need motiues to stirre them vp to prayer let euery man addresse himselfe to the word of God or peruse some godly worke of religious men And although vocally he cannot reade by reason of his naturall dulnes yet if his heart can be but conuersant and duely attend the sence as the eye obserues the letter his minde by little and little shall mount it selfe from earth to heauen fixed on the Trinitie whence shall arise such spirituall fruits of faith and feruencie of spirit as shall fill the soule with more sweet consolation byinkindled praier then the tongue can vtter And to this end gentle Reader according to the small measure of mine vnderstanding I haue prefixed before euery prayer a Motiue or Meditation touching the substance and matter of the Prayer following Thankesgiuing after Prayer The third and last duty in this holy exercise is Thankesgiuing which cannot but follow sanctified praiers that with such ioy in the holy Ghost as it cannot but break forth into most vnspeakeable inward thaÌ„kfulnes to God who hath beene so graciously pleased not only to forgiue our sins but to helpe our infirmities by his holy spirit by whom wee haue had accesse vnto the throne of grace found such fauour with God in Christ as we haue obtained by the holy Ghost both the will and the power to pray Also we ought in all things to giue thankes to God for euery blessing and benefit wee receiue at his hands according to the counsell and precept of the Apostle who commands vs to giue thankes alwayes for all things vnto God euen the Father in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ Ephes. 5. 20. Thus much touching the admonition Great Britaines happines in regard of the free vse of the Gospell in respect of other Nations FInally I thinke it not impertinent altogether by way of comparison to consider of our happines in being partakers of the free vse of the Gospell in respect of the most vnhappie condition of many Nations and infinite people that either know not God at all or knowing him honour him not as God The Old and New Testaments haue beene freely opened vnto vs neere threescore yeares without Persecution and so it hath not been in any one Kingdom we reade of Some Kingdomes and Free States in their Iurisdictions haue and doe in a sort permit the Gospell but with the same tolerate contrary religions professions Where doth the freedome of the Gospell appeare as in Great Britaine In what Kingdome is it so publikely receiued so plentifully preached and so freely professed without danger or contradiction We haue heard and seene the troubles of the Netherlands and the Massacres of France and the persecutioÌ„s in other territories for the profession of the Gospell and we all this while haue quietly enioyed that for the profession wherof many haue perished May wee not therefore truely say with Dauid The Lord hath not dealt so with euery Nation Queene ELIZABETH restored Religion almost smothered by Queen
continuall prayer otherwise what good we determine to day will be repented to morrow and we through our weaknes shall fall againe contrarie to our godly resolutions Our supplications to God for his assistance and strengthening of our resolued reformation must be continuall because our spirituall aduersaries are continually working to seduce vs out of the way of a sanctified life A ship as soone as her sailes are hoised feeles the winde and begins to make way if then there be no skilfull pilote at the helme to steere shee either rusheth vpon some rocke or driues the contrarie course So are mens affections swayed with the good or euill spirit Needs there not therefore a wise consultation of all the sences of the inner and outer man how to steere the affections aright which as the sailes are to the ship so are they vnto the minde for being once hoised they carrie the desires as the sailes the hull and if it want right reason to steere it it neuer can shape the course of godlines Let vs therefore pray that we may be able to manage the ship of our affections to the port of true obedience in a sincere course of life And happie is that man that truly determines constantly continues faithfully prayeth and wisely considers the course of his life and euer remembreth his end A Prayer for a godly life and to resist sinne and Sathan O God my God in Iesus Christ maker and creator of all things gouernour of heauen and earth preseruer of our soules and bodies the giuer of life light The framer disposer of all right and religious hearts The perfecter and finisher of our faith In by whom are all things and without whom nothing can haue any being Much lesse corrupt man haue any existence in life though be seeme to liue in the body except thou liue in him for our life which is our saluation and our glory and our crowne is hidde with thee in Christ. Such is thy mercy towards vs as thou vouchsafest to shew vs our blessed being with thee in the heauens in this our mortalitie in part as in a glasse lest wee should faint in our trials powre downâ— O Lord a full and large measure of thy sauing grace into my heart that I apprehending in part the sweetnesse of the life to come may frame my selfe to that course of life heere as may assure me of that which is to come Abandon and abolish the darkenes of mine vnderstanding and giue me the light of true iudgement that I may warily watchfully wisely foresee obserue shun the subtill baytes and allurements of sinne and Sathan giue me grace to walk in the way of life leaue not the powerfull power of Satan nor the poysoning sting of death in me Settle mine affections vpon the hid treasures of thy loue guide garde me with thy sauing power instruct me in the way of true wisedome Adorne me with all thy spirituall graces and diuine vertues sow in me the seedes of sanctity water me with the dew of thy holy Spirit purifie and cleanse my heart rectifie mine affections blesse my godly enterprises and holy endeauours frame all the parts powers faculties and sences of my soule and bodie that they may all meete in the loue of thee and euery one performe his office according to the greatnesse of thy name Let my heart harbour holy thoughts let my will euer be framed after thy word let mine vnderstanding bee manifested by righteousnesse and a sanctified life let my memorie neuer let â—â—ipthe good things thou hast done for my soule Let my handes be purely clensed from pollution my tongue from prophanation mine eyes from the gilt of concupiscence my feer from following vanitie and all the parts of my body from the least appearance of 〈◊〉 That I being thus clensed and reformed I may walke euer in thy faith liue euer in thy feare and at the last yeeld my body to the graue in thy fauour where the power and sting of death shall faile of further pursuing me and there shall I leaue that sinning part vntill it shall bee made a shining part with my soule by the brightnesse glory of thy presence in the heauens Thy goodnesse and mercy shewed vnto sinners in this life leadeth the seriously penitent and truely faithfull to the consideration of their present weakenesse wants and imperfections and to the contemplation of their future fulnesse of ioy comfort and euer-continuing consolation O stirre vp in me a liuely hunger and thirst for spirituall graces in this life where we are pressed downe with a mighty masse of corruption and compassed about with a darke cloud of errors Insomuch as I a man begotten conceiued and borne in sinne can neuer be able to stand vnder the burden of the one or to comprehend thee my Light and my saluation through the other How then Lord shall I be able to walke in thee who art the true way vnderstand thee the sauing trueth or attaine vnto thee being eternall life Therefore Lord vouchsafe to inlarge my heart in all godly forwardnesse to proceede from knowledge to knowledge from faith to faith from one diuine grace to another vntill I attaine to full perfection in Christ in whom all our holy indenours be euermore blessed sinne euermore weakened and all goodnesse euermore increased But many are the blockes which Sathan layeth and couereth them with the vayle of pleasure and profite which make many to stumble and fall Many ministers hee vseth to snare vs and many miseries and mischiefes hee plotreth and practiseth against vs to dismay vs from following of thee but hee hath not so many agents to allure or terrifie vs as thou Lord hast meanes to preuent the one and to defend vs in the other Plead thou therefore my cause and defend me against that spirituall enemie that fighteth against me leaue me not in his power shorten the extent of his chaine breake his teeth that he may haue no power to seize vpon me weaken the poyson of his inchantments that he pollute in me neither the will nor the deede That I may leade my life vnspotted in the world and that all mine actions and indeauours may prosper that sinne that hangeth on so fast may be cast off And giue me a sound knowledge of thy good pleasure that I may truely determine to shake cleane off the vnprofitable workes of darkenesse and be truly clothed with the holy robes of righteousnesse and sanctity That I may be euer able and ready to pray vnto thee obtaine at thy hands the direction to liue vprightly in thy sight and that I may euer consider mine owne weakenesse and imperfections to the end I may indeauour to keepe a good conscience in all mine actions for as our sences and the members of our bodie are many and euery one subiect to sundry infirmities and temptations and euery of our actions open to diuers infections and pollutions So Lord I beseech thee to blesse all
to accompany one another in that most holy exercise And where one two or more prepare themselues to thee in diuine supplications assist them with thy holy Spirit that all for one and one for all may pray vnto thee in the name of our Redeemer That all our hearts may agree in so holy a harmony of praying one for another as thou mayest be pleased to blesse vs all with peace in Christ with plentie health and the vse of all necessaries for this life and grace to obtaine the glory to come for his sake who hath euer bene is and shall be our Mediatour our strength and our Redeemer Amen O Lord increase our faith A MOTIVE TO the confession of our sinnes to God and to stirre vs vp to pray for the remission of the same THE beginning of our saluation is the true confession and acknowledgement of our vnworthinesse and to aske pardon for our sinnes in a liuely faith in Christ Iesus For whose sake God faithfull and iust hath promised to forgiue vs So that we neede not to feare to confesse our sinnes seeing he that is faithfull and true hath made vs a promise to forgiue vs. And therefore saith the Wise man Be not ashamed to confesse thy sinnes especially vnto God in Christ our Mediatour who is not ignorant of our infirmities but knoweth whereof we are made he remembreth t 〈…〉 we are but dust he was tempted as 〈◊〉 are but resisted the tempter to teach vs to withstand the assaults of Sathan whom God permitteth to trie vs to the end that we may striue to preuaile and hauing sustained any foyle falling into any sinne that we might learne that wee haue an aduocate with the Father euen Iesus Christ t 〈…〉 righteous who is a propitiatioÌ„ for our 〈◊〉 Let vs not therefore be ashamed or afraid to confesse our sinnes to God for it is the first steppe to Repentance But men generally are more ashamed to confesse their sinnes that they haue committed then they are to commit them and more willingly doe they vndergoe the committing of sinne then wisely to represse or strongly to resist it the knowledge of our sinâ— and the confession of them is the chiefest token that we are in the way of saluation And nothing more witnesseth against vs then a purpose to hide our sins from God or to thinke he seeth vs not when in deed he not onely is priuie to all our outward actions but knoweth our very thoughts long before And therefore our pretence of conceiling our iniquities from him aggrauateth the sinne arguing that God is not an all-knowing God which implieth a denial of his omnipotence and commeth neere vnto the foole that sayth in his heart there is no God Let vs therefore be wise in searching out our sinnes which lurke vnder the cloude of our naturall blindnesse Let vs obserue whereunto wee are most inclinable what sin is our chiefest Dalilah our corrupt hearts Delite for howsoeuer men are subiect to many sinnes yet there is one aboue the rest a master sinne which though all other sinnes seeme to hide their heads when the stronger man the spirit of God beginneth to possesse the house of our soules yâ—â— that predominant sinne wil hardly be cleane thrust out And therefore are wee to bee wise as Serpents to obserue and preuent sin and innoceÌ„t as Doues to liue a godly life which can neuer be where sin of any sort beares the sway If wee confesse them God is faithfull and iust to forgiue them according to his promise which he hath also confirmed by many examples Dauid Paul Peter Mary Magdaâ—ene The Publicane and m 〈…〉 liuely figured by the Prodigall sonne God is most rich in mercie and m 〈…〉 readie to forgiue as Dauid doth wâ—nes I will confesse saith he my sinne and mine vnrighteousness against my selfe and thou forgauest me the wickedness◠〈◊〉 my heart So readie is God to forg 〈…〉 as if we doe but truly purpose to confesse and repent he euen then receueth vs to mercie how much more 〈…〉 with a lowly contrite and brok 〈…〉 heart and an humble spirit we 〈◊〉 pardon in Iesus Christ the righte 〈…〉 shall we obtain fauour and find gr 〈…〉 If our sinnes be as red as scarlet 〈◊〉 will make them as white as snow 〈◊〉 vs therefore pray for remission of 〈◊〉 sinnes past and for power to resist 〈◊〉 â—ure temptations if there remaine 〈◊〉 vs any hope of saluation O Lord increase my faith A confession of sinnes with a prayer for pardon for the same O Great and most mercifull God maker of the heauens founder of the earth gouernor of the raging seas and Creator of all things visible and inuisible who all obey thee in their conditions Man the most glorious of all creatures excepted who rebelled as soone as he was created I the poorest and vnworthiest of creatures doe heere cast my selfe downe before thy mercies seat and with the poore sinning Publican humbly acknowledge mine iniquities who am a man of the seed of transgressing Adam in whom by whom and from whom the most deadly infection of originall sinnâ— is fallen vpon me which hath so polluted mine vnderstanding that I erre in iudging betweene good and euill So tainted my will that I runne after forbidden vanities so blinded mine affections that I loue what thou lothest and adhor what thou wouldest I should embrace and my hart is so defiled and corrupted that I lay vp in store as in a treasury within the bosome of my soule a huge masse of most lothsome sinnes whence ariseth as out of a stincking dunghill of detestable vncleannesse most vgly and abhorred transgressions and most desperate rebellions against theâ— more and more prouoking theâ— to indignation by my continuall offending thy lawes by contemning thy mercies by abusing thy long-suffering by despising thy most sacred word by not belieuing thy fatherly promises by not fearing thâ— terrible iudgements and by 〈◊〉 cursed and carelesse course of life whereby I haue defaced that diuine Image of puritie and sanctitie wherein I was first created 〈◊〉 thiâ—â— owne Image in Adam Infinite are my sinnes Lord and paâ— finding out oh clense me from my secret sinnes If thou Lord straitly maâ—kest what is done amisse who shall 〈◊〉 able to stand Lord turne away t 〈…〉 face from my sinnes put away 〈◊〉 transgressions out of thy remembrance consider not Lord mi 〈…〉 offences how readie I haue been to embrace those forbidden fruits of the flesh which being the sauour of death vnto death and how wilfully I haue reiected the fruits of the Spirit sauouring vnto life eternall It is too much Lord that I brought death into the world with my life but much more by adding actual to mine original transgression There is no part within me or without me free from deserued condemnation my hart is corrupted my tongue and lippes profane mine eyes blinded my hands defiled my feet polluted and all the members of my body stained with the filthines of
diuers manner And therefore though a man say he hath this â—nflicted vpon him vpon an vniust complaint or for a cause surmised and vntrue yet doth God bring it so to passe by such instruments as are fitte in his prouidence to be though against their wils the Phisitians of his children for among many medicines that God vseth to cure our spirituall leproâ—â—â— this Imprisonment be it in respect of the purpose of the instrument right or wrong is one of the principall and the more auaileable by howmuch it is capitall for when a man is bodily fettered and gyued that he cannot walke at his former desired libertie and is in feare of the censure of the law then is the minde set at large not restrained as before with the dâ—sires of forbidden vanities but making vse of the time recapitulateâ— the course of his former libertie 〈◊〉 loosenesse which then appeareâ— most when the body is lest at liber 〈…〉 he recommendeth himselfe to Gâ—â— mercy Therefore for what cause soeuer a man is in this manner restrained if he haue the wisedome of the spirit to make true vse of the same it is profitable though ignominious and disgracefull And though such as are in a spirituall capâ—iuitie themselues and neuer in possibilitie to redeeme their libertie through all eternities will scoâ—â—e at poore men 〈…〉 strained and bee the cruell executioners of their restraint which is but for a moment in respect of theirs and nothing grieuousin respect of the perpetuall torments they shall indure in the infernall dungeon with the reprobate spirits Therefore take in good part thy captiuity whatsoeuer thou'be and for whatsoeuer cause it be make vse of it in redeeming of thine abused libertie aske mercy seeke the fauour of God by true repentance submit thy selfe to the Lords will in well doing in repentance and prayer make Iesus Christ thine aduocate to worke th 〈…〉 atonement with God the father and remember what holy men haue gone before thee in this affliction Muâ—aiaâ— the Lords Prophet Ioseph a chosen of God Paul Peter and other the Saints of God in the olde and new Testaments and since many worthy sonnes and seruants of God aswell as many prophane men who by their imprisonment haue become holy and sanctified It is a furnace to refine the gold to euaporat the sulphur and to consume the drosse And such as haue no spirituall puritie it makes to 〈…〉 eare the dregs of confusion and reprobation and the pure gold to shine as the sunne A Prayer to be said of one in prison for what cause soeuer changing the wordâ— according to the occasion here set down GRacious Lord God the most iust most wise thou disposest all things for all men according to thine own will in mercy and iudgement In both which the wisest caruall man is most ignorant censuring thy waies according to his weake vnderstanding taking and imagining thy fauour and loue towards men to consist it thy plentifully furnishing them with the fulnes of worldly carnal comforts thy hatred anger to appeare by leauing them naked of corporall consolation imprisonment to be the highest argument of thy heauiest displeasure But thou Lord knowest thine owne ends in restrayning men of their libertie wherin they haue scope to run into all forbidden vngodly actions delighting themselues in vanities in wantonnes sinful security and therfore thou restrainest theÌ„ whom thou louest lest their liberty should so admit carnall delights as thy feare being farre off there should be neither time place or occasion to call vpon thee but thy Iudgements are secret therfore mistakeÌ„ of the seeming wisest men of the world who looke not wherunto their own liberty tendeth as to occasion them to run into forbidden lustes consequently into a reprobate sence wherein yet they dreame of highest happinesse And thy mercies are also misconceiued of such as want the light of thy sauing truth as all men doe by nature who thinke euery affliction or crosse bitter and vnpleasant but imprisonment the sharpest tryal that can befall them Flesh and blood Lord cannot conceiue but as thou hast made all thy creatures at their beginnings free So should man thy most excellent creature be euer free and liue at libertie But thou knowest man better then man knoweth himself and seest and considerest whether libertie or imprisonment is most profitable vnto him and forasmuch as I am of the number of them whom thou pleasest to trie with this kind of affliction and of the number also of such as are by nature ignorant whether this thy tryall be in mercy and iudgement Teach me Lord the right rule of diuine knowledge that I may truly find this thy correction to bee in mercy that thou hast found me out in mine offending course of life and that my liberty rather tended to thy dishonour and mine owne danger then to the true seruice of thee and mine owne true comfort And therefore assist me with thy sweet and truly comforting grace that I may make a godly vse of my restraint namely Lord to abandon all the remembrance of former carnall delights vulesse to repent them and wholy and altogether to dedicate my selfe to the meditation of diuine and heauenly things to earnest zealous and faithfull continuall prayer for the increase of thy mercies towards me and mine obedience towards thee And that it may please thee Lord so to season this thy medicine of Imprisonment vnto me with the gift of true patience that it may make meÌ„e to abhorre from hence forth the vanities wherein I delighted in my libertie that if thy pleasure bee to restore me to my former freedome I may liue as if I were still really restrained Thou Lord knowest the harts of those by whose means in thy prouidence I suffer this restraint and the cause on my part If for debt say thus WHich I confesse to bee iust in that I am-indebted and not able to make present and full satisfaction vnto my creditors But I appeale vnto thy mercy and prouidence beseeching thee to mitigate the extremitie and rigour of their desires that thus oppresse me or else raise vp some comfortable preuailing meanes to inable me to pay all that I owe vnto al men that I owe nothing to any man but loue Thou didst incrense the oyle and meâ—â—e of the istressed widow of Sareptha so as she was inabled to pay what she ought thy power is still the same thy loue is not lessened towards them that loue thee giue me that loue Lord So shall my want and mine imprisonment and all other crosses worke together for my greater consolatioÌ„ through Christ. Amen If for matter for which life or member is in danger say thus WHich I cannot but acknowledge to be deseruedly inflicted vpon me for I haue not onely transgressed thy lawes but broken the precepts of thine anointed and stand worthy of the censure of corporall punishment But thou art a merciful God and disposest the hearte
haruest wheÌ„ this holy Congregation as good corne shall be gathered into the celestiall garner and the wicked and vncleane shall be cast off into vtter darknesse And therefore are the faithfull to arme themselues with patience and to vndergo with constancie the offences of the contrarily minded for therfore is the Church of Christ called a Church Militant because it is still exercised with enemies whom we are to resist and incounter with the weapons of the Spirit The contrary also are called a Church but a malignant Church a Church full of vanitie and prophanenesse sin Schismes Hypocrites and Reprobates Who also incounter and exercise the Church Militant with spirituall weapons the weapons of iniquitie whose head is Satan the Red Dragon the man of sinne the sonne of perdition Antichrist So that Bethel the house of God hath continuall warre with Bethauen the house of the Diuell Sanctitie with Sin Truth with Falshood Light with darknesse Christ in his members with Satan and his adherents heauenly holines with spirituall wickednes Ephes. 6. 12. Zechar. 3. 1. 2. The Church of Christ being thus continually assailed hath only refuge in danger to her head Christ Iesus who hath promised not only to send the Comforter to teach vs all things but to defend vs and to be with vs to the end of the world Matth. 28. 20. And as he hath thus promised vnto the body so is he euer with euery member where two or three be gathered together in the name of that one head he will be there in the midst of them and therefore it doth not onely behoue euery Christian to be continually watchfull against these many and malignant aduersaries spirituall enemies but to powre foorth coÌ„tinuall supplicatioÌ„s to God the Father in his Son by the Spirit not for himself only but for the whole euery part of this Catholike congregatioÌ„ that he will defend vs aswell from enemies threatning outward persecution as working inward tentation And it much importeth the Church in generall and euery member of the same to seeke and dayly to pray for the reformation of the corruptions cast into the field of the Gospel by that wicked one which doth not onely spring vp among but choaketh and hindereth the growth of the good seede of sinceritie by the errors of doctrine and workes of wickednesse And therfore doth the heauenly husbandman threaten the extirpation euen of the good seede that hee hath sowen and to leaue the ground vnto the weeds of sin and vanitie wherunto it is especially inclined to depriue it altogether of the manurance of his word and neuer againe to water it with the dewe of his holy Spirit lest therefore that he suffer strangers Sathan and his ministers to breake downe the hedges of our religious profession and holy practise of obedience the wild beasts of the field sinnes of all sorts to roote vp and deuoure the fruits of our holy conuersations and lest he should take away or breake the staâ—â—e of our spirituall strength the foode of our soules Let vs be stirred vp to pray vnto our head Christ Iesus for grace and that he will still preserue mainetaine and defend what his right hand hath planted A Prayer for the Uniuersall Church and for euery member of the same fit to be often said of euery Christian. ALmighty Lord God the fountaine of all goodnes the creator of all men who in Iesus Christ thy Sonne hast redeemed them that were captiues recalled brought home them that estrayed receiued and imbraced them again that were run from thee and saued them that were lost Looke now vpon them whom thou hast chosen and behold in mercy whom thou hast redeemed and as thou hast in thine owne free mercy fauour and loue gathered vnto thy selfe and set apart for thy seruice a remnant out of the whole number of mankinde a peculiar companie and hast vouchsafed to make them of many one sanctified body all by the merits of thy sonne in whom they are adopted and made heires of heauen in whom they liue moue and haue their spirituall and heauenly being So Lord be thou still their succour their shield buckler and euerlasting defence thou hast vouchsafed good Father to set apart this elected and small company for thine owne sacred seruice in this mortall life calling them by the voyce of thy word sounding through all partes of the vniuersall world and by the inspiration of that holy comforter left vnto thy children by promise hast taught them that wisedome that is farre about the wisedome of the wisest mortall man endowed theÌ„ with that sanctified integritie that farre exceedeth the sinceritie of the best qualified carnall man and hast thy selfe promised to continue with them by thy spirit to the end of the world lest they should through ouermuch heauinesse and affliction perish in the way of their pilgrimage Some thou hast released of their warfare some the more to testifie vnto the world their faith and constant assurance of thine eternall loue and prouidence ouer them suffrest to fall into the hands of them that could but kill their bodies their soules being safe in thy protection and haue in part receiued their reward in heauen hauing escaped the presentors hands Some thou hast called by a naturall dissolution elected redeemed sanctified and in part glorified And as yet good Father there is a small dispersed remnant which haue not finished their warfare but are still incountred with Sathan with sinne and with their owne corruptions and still afflicted persecuted and distressed be neere vnto them according to thy word assist them by thy grace enlighten them teach them and be euermore their defence and as successiuely from age to age the end of dayes there shall be an increase of people So let thy Gospel continually propagate and beget new children vnto thy selfe and let not the light of thy word decline but rather shine dayly more and more cleerely Let not the power thereof diminish nor the sound thereof cease vntill it haue gained and compleated the number of all that shall be saued Send foorth godly and painefull labourers that they may be instant in season and out of season giue them power to bent downe the power of sinne to stay the violent currant of backessiding and Apostacie Send foorth thy word into all lands let all nations heare it and al tongues professe it where thou hast planted it alreadie water it with the continuall showers of thy grace where it is not yet sowne let it fall fructifie where it hath bene sowne and is withered renew the liuely spring thereof continue increase beget more more children vnto thy selfe through all parts of the world through thy word And although we bee falne into the last most declining age and as it were into the period of time wherin as thou hast foreshewed sinne increaseth godlinesse diminisheth holy zeale waxeth weake loue becomes colde and counterfeit and thy sauing word become of none effect among