the Kingdoms thereof but when it came to the push he could not enter into a very Hog without asking him leave and having leave given him hee presently carryed the whole heard headlong into the Sea Why did hee not so to the man possessed no thanks to him hee had leave for the one not so for the other and therefore a whole Legion of them were not able to destroy one poor simple man Matth. 8. ver 31. 32. So that all our enemies are curbed and restrained by the divine providence of our heavenly Father Satan may bee his Executioner but God is the Judge and the Executioner cannot lay on a stroke more than the Judge appoints I confess Satan is so strong comparatively and withall so crafty and malicious that wee may with reverence and love wonder at the mercy of God in our delivery But this is our comfort first that Spirit as wee have shewn can do nothing without the God of Spirits Secondly wee have the Angells aid as the Prophet Elisha against that bloody King 2 King 6. 17. Lot against the Sodomites Gen. 19. 10. Jacob against the fear of Esau Gen. 32. ver 24. 28. Hezekiah against Senacherib Isa. 37. 36. and England against that invicible Navie of the Spaniards in Eighty eight True they appear not ordinarily what then no more do the evill Angels but the Word of God assures us it is so the Angel of the Lord pitcheth round about them that fear him and delivereth them Psal. 34. 7. And do but thou get spirituall eyes whereby thou mai'st see as with Moses the invisible God so the invisible Angels do but pray as Elisha for his servant that thine eyes may bee opened and then thou shalt see more with thee than against thee 2 King 6. 16. 17. Yea had wicked men their eyes opened as Baâ—…aam once had they would at every torn see an Angel stand in their way ready to resist what they go about as hee did for this is one of the noble imploiments of those glorious spiâ—…its to give a strong though invisible opposition to lewd enterprises Many a treacherous act have they hindred without the knowledge of the Traytor Yea O! God many are the dangers which wee see and fear innumerable those wee neither see nor fear Therefore to take away all attribution to our selvs even when wee know not thou do'st deliver us Now if it bee fearfull to think how great things evill spirits can do with permission it is comfortable to think how they can do nothing without permission for if God must give him leave hee will never give him leave to do any harm to his chosen bee will never give him leave to do the least hurt to our souls Now as by way of concession every greater includes the less hee that can lift a Talent can easily lift a Pound so by way of denyall every greater excludes the less If Satan himself cannot hurt â—…s much less his instruments weak men but for proof of this see also an instance or two that a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without our heavenly Father and that without leave from him our enemies cannot diminish one hair of our heads wee have our Saviour's express testimony Matth. 10. 29. 30. Let the Powder-Traytors plot and contrive the â—…uine of our state never so cunningly and closey let them go on to the utmost as there wanted nothing but an actor to bring on that Catholick dooms-day yet before the match could bee brought to the Powder their artificiall fire-works were discovered their projection prodition deperdition all disclosed and seasonably returned on their own heads And the like of their invincible Navie And of Pope Alexander the sixth who prepared a feast for diverse Cardinalls and Senators purposing to poyson them but by the providence of God they escaped and hee alone was poysoned Let Jezabel fret her heart out and swear by her gods that Eliah shall die yet shee shall bee frustrate Eliah shall bee safe Let the red Dragon spout forth floods of venom against the Church the Church shall have wings given her to flie away she shal be delivered Rev. 12. Let the Scribes and Pharisces with their many false witnesses accuse Christ never so yet in spite of malice innocency shall find abbottors and rather than hee shall want witnesses the mouth of Piâ—…ate shall bee opened to his justification Yea let Joâ—…as through frailty run away from the execution and embassage of God's charge and thereupon bee cast into the Sea though the waves require him of the Ship and the Fish require him of the waves yet the Lord will require him of the Fish even the Sea and the Fish had as great a charge for the Prophet as the Prophet had a charge for Niniveh for this is a sure rule if in case God gives any of the creatures leave to afflict us yet hee will be sure to lay no more upon us than we are able or he will make â—…s able to bear yea than shall make for our good and his glory Hee hath a provident care over all the Creatures even Beasts and Plants and certainly wee are more precious than Fowls and Flowers yet the Lord cares for them Will the House-holder take care to water the herbs of his Garden or to fodder his Cattell and suffer his Men and Maids to famish through hunger and thirst Or wil hee provide for his Men and Maids and let his own children starve Surely if a man provide not for his own Hee hath denyed the faith and is worse than an Infidell 1 Tim. 5. 8. Far bee it then from the great Hous-holder and Judge of allthe earth not to provide for his dear Children and Servants what shall bee most necessary for them indeed wee may fear our own flesh as Saint Paul did but God is faithfull and will not suffer us to bee tempted above our strength but will even give the issue with the temptation and in the mean time support us with his grace 2 Cor. 12. 9. You have an excellent place to this purpose Jer. 15. 20 21. Section 2. Objection But wee see by experience that God gives wicked men power often times to take away the very lives of the godly Answ. What then If wee lose the lives of our bodies it is that wee may save the lives of our souls and attain the greater degree of glory Luk. 9. 24. and so wee are made gainers even by that loss Now if God takes away temporall and gives eternall life for it there is no hurt done us hee that promiseth ten pieces of silver and gives ten pieces of gold breaks no promise Peace bee unto this house was the Apostles salutation but it was not meant of an outward peace with men of the world and Christ faith you shall have rest Matth. 11. 28. but it is rest unto your souls Again thou hast merited a three-fold death if thou bee'st freed from the two worser spirituall and eternall and God deal
enough withoâ—… him Luk. 1. 53. Matth. 15. 24. And yet it is strange yea a wonder to see how many truly humbled sinners who have so tender conscienceâ—… that they dare not yield to the least evill for the worlds goods and refuse no means of being made better turn every 〈◊〉 into reprobation every dejection into rejection and if they bee cast down they cry out they are cast away who may fitly bee compared to Arâ—…emon in Plutarch who when ever hee went abroad had his Iervants to carry a Canopy over his head least the heavens should fall and crush him or to a certain foolish melancholly Bird which as some tell stands always but upon one leg least her own weight should sink her into the Center of the Earth holding the other over her head least the Heavens should fall Yet bee not offended I cannot think the worse of thee for good is that fear which hinders us from evill acts and makes us the more circumspect And God hath his end in it who would have the sins to dye but the sinner to live Yea in some respect thou art the better to bee thought of or at least the less to bee feared for this thy fear for no man so truly loves as hee that fears to offend as Salvianus gloâ—…es upon those words Blossed is 〈◊〉 man that feareth alway And which is worth the observing this fear iâ—… a commendation often remembred in holy Scripture as a speciall and infallible mark of God's Children as for example Iob saith the holy Ghost was a just man and one that feared God Job 1. 1. Simeon a just many and one that feared God Luk 2. 25. Corneâ—…us a devout man and one that feared God Acts 10. 2. And so of Father Abraham a man that feared God Gen. 22. 12. Ioseph a man who feared God Gen. 42. 18. The Mid-wives in Egypt feared God Exod. 1. 17. So that evermore the fearing of God as being the beginning of wisdom is mentioned as the 〈◊〉 note which is as much as to say if the fearing of God once go before working of righteousness will instantly follow after according to that of the wise man Hee that feareth the Lord will do good And this for thy comfort when Mary Magdalen sorrowed and wept for her sins Luke 7 50. Christ tells her Thy faith hath made the whole intimating that this weeping this repenting saith is faith indeed And the like to the Woman with the bloody issue who presuming but to touch the hem of his garment fell down before him with fear and trembling Mark 5. 27 to 35. And that humble Canaaniâ—…e Matth 15. 22. to 29. And that importunate blind man Luke 18. 38. to 43. As if this humble this praying saith were onely the saving faith Neither can thy estate bee bad for as Saint Ambrose told Monica weeping for her seduced Son Fieri non potest ut filius istarum lachrymarum pereat It cannot bee that the son of those tears should ever perish Wherefore lift up thy self thou timorous fainting heart and do not suspect every spot for a plague token do not dye of a meer conceit for as the end of all motion is rest so the end of all thy troubles shall bee peace even where the days are perpetiall Sabbaths and the diet undisturbed feasts But as an empty vessell bung'd up close though you throw it in to the mid'st of the Sea will receive no water so all pleas are in vain to them that are deas'ned with their own fears for as Mary would not bee comforted with the â—…ight and speech of Angels no not with the sight and speech of Jesus himself till hee made her know that hee was Jesus so untill the holy Spirit sprinkleth the conscience with the blood of Christ and sheddeth his love into the heart nothing will do No creature can take off wrath from the conscience but hee that set it on Wherefore the God of peace give you the peace of God which passeth all understanding Yea O Lord speak thou Musick to the wounded conscience Thunder to the feared that thy justice may reclaim the one thy mercy relieve the other and thy favour comfort us all with peace and salvation in Jesus Christ. Section 8. But secondly if this will not satisfie call to thy remembrance the time past and how it hath been with thee formerly as David did in thy very case Psalm 77. 2. to 12. And likewise Joh Chapter 13. for as still waters represent any object in their bottome clearly so those that are troubled or agitated do it but dimly and imperfectly But if ever thou hadst true faith begotten in thy heart Joh. 1. 13. by the ministry of the Word Romans 10. 17. Jam. 1. 18. 21. and the Spirits powerfull working with it Joh. 3 3 5 8. whereby thine heart was drawn to take Christ and apply him a Saviour to thine own soul so that then wert forced to go out of thy self and rely wholly and onely on his merits and that it further manifested it self by working a hatred of sin and an apparent change in thy whole life by dying unto sin and living unto righteousness and that thou hast not since returned to thine old sins like the Dog to his vomit if it hath somtime brought forth in thee the sweet friat of heavenly and spirituall joy if it hath purified thine heart in some measure from noysome lusts and affections as secret pride self-love hypocrisie carnall confidence wrath malice and the like so that the spirit within thee fighteth against the flesh If thou canst now say I love the godly because they are godly 1 Joh. 3. 14. and hast an hungring after Christ and after a greater measure of heavenly and spirituall graces and more lively tokens of his love and favour communicated unto thee My soul for thine thou hast given false evidence against thy self for as in a gloomy day there is so much light whereby wee may know it to bee day and not â—…ight so there is something in a Christian under a cloud whereby hee may bee discerned to bee a true beleever and not an hypocrite But to make it manifest to thy self that thou art so Know first that where there is any one grace in truth there is every one in their measure If thou art sure thou hast love I am sure thou hast faith for they are as inseparable as fire and heat life and motion the root and the sap the Sun and its light and so of other graces Or dost thou feel that Christ is thy greatest joy sin thy greatest sorrow that when thou canst not feel the presence of the spirit in thy heart thou goest mourning notwithstanding all other comforts Assuredly as that holy Martyr said if thou were not a wedding Child thou couldest never so heartily mourn for the absence of the Bridegroom Thus I might go on but a few Grapes will shew that the Plant is a Vine and not a Thorn Take but notice of this
other rebellions when we rightly consider them makes us even speechless like him in the Gospell as neither expecting mercy nor daring to ask it  Howbeit when wee call to mind thy manisold mercies shewed to Manasses Paul Mary Magdalen the Thief and the Prodigall Son with many others who were no less vile then wee and who notwithstanding found thee more ready to hear then they were to ask and to give above what they durst presume to beg wee stay our selves and receive some incouragement from the application of the merits of Christ Jesus which thou hast promised shall bee a sufficient satisfaction for all our sins and the rather for that then caâ—…est all that are weary and heavie laden with the burthen of their sins unto thee with promise that thou wilt ease them and hast promised that though our sins be as red as scarlet thou wilt make them white as snow and that thou wilt not the death of a sinner but that he turn from his wickedness and live and that if a sinner doth repent him of his sins from the bottom of his heart thou wilt blot out all his wickedness out of thy remembrance And lest wee should yet be discouraged thou who didst no less accept the will of David then the act of Solomon hast further promised that if there be but first a willing mind thou wilt accept of us according to that which we have and not according to that which wee bave not But forasmuch O Lord as thou knowest that is not in man to turn his own heart unless thou dost first give him grace to convert for thou O Lord must work in us both the will and the deed and being that it is as easie with thee to make us righteous and holy as to bid us bee such O our God give us ability and willingness to do what thou commandest and then command what thoâ—… wilt and thou shalt find us ready to do thy blessed will Wherefore give to us and increase in us all Christian graces that wee may know and believe and repent and amend and persevere in well doing Create in us O Lord a new heart and renew a right spirit within us take away from us our greedy desire of committing sin and enable us by the powerfull assistance of thy grace more willingly to obey thee in every of thy commandements then ever wee have the contrary Be favourable to thy people every where look down in much compassion upon thy Militant Church and every severall member thereof blesse it in all places with peace and truth hedge it about with thy providence defend it from the mischievous designs and attempts of â—…hine and her malitious enemie let thy Gospell go on and conquer maugre all opposition that Religion and uprightness of heart may bee highly set by with all and all prophaneness may be trod under foot More particularly be mercifull to this sinfull Land the civill Magistrates the painful Ministers the two Universities those people that sit yet in darkness all the afflicted members of thy Son Lord comfort the comfortless strengthen the weak bind up the broken hearted make the bed of the sick be a father to the fatherless and Yea let thy Spirit bear such rule in every one of our hearts that neither Satan that forrain enemy and roaring Lyon which seeketh to devour us may invade us nor our own concupiscence that home-bred traytor may by conspiring with the world work the ruine and overthrow of our poor souls but that all our wills which have been altogether rebellious our hearts which have been the receptacles of unclean spirits our affections which are altogether carnall may be wholyframed according to thy holy heavenly will and that we may the better know how to avoyd the evill and do the good let thy word as a light discover unto us all the sleights and snares of our spirituall adversaries yea make it unto us as the Star which led unto Christ and thy benefits like the Pillar which brought to the Land of Promise and an husband to the widdow cloath the naked feed the hungry visit the prisoners relieve the oppressed sanctifie unto them all their afflictions and turn all things to the best to them that fear thee thy Cross like the Messenger that compelled guests unto the Banquet Prosper the Armies that fight thy battells and shew a difference between thy servants and thine enemies as thou did'st between the Israelites and the Egyptians that the one may bee confirmed and the other reclaimed Give us O Lord to consider that although sin in the beginning seem never so sweet unto us yet in the end it will prove the bane and ruine both of body and soul and so assist us with thy grace that wee may willingly part with our right eyes of pleasure and our right hands of profit rather then sin against thee and wrong our own consciences considering that it would bee an hard bargain for us to win the whole world and lose our own souls These Blesse preserve and keep us from all the temptations of Satan the world and our wicked hearts from pride that Lucifer-like sin which is the fore-runner of destruction considering that thou resistest the proud and givest grace to the humble from covetousnesse which is the root of all evil being taught out of thy word that the love of money hath caused many to fall into diverse temptations and snares which drown them in perdition and destruction from cruelty that infernal evil of which thou hast said that there shall be judgment mercilesse to him that sheweth not mercie from hypocrisie that sin with two faces whose reward is double damnation and the rather because wickednesse doth most rankle the heart when it is kept in and dissembled and for that in all the Scriptures we read not of an hypocrites repentance from whoredom which is a sin against a man's own body and the most inexcusable considering the remedy which thou hast appointed against it for the punishment whereof the Law ordained death and the Gospel excludeth from the Kingdom of Heaven from prophanation of thyday considering thou hast said that whosoever  sanctifieth it not shall bee cut off from thy people and did'st command that he should be stoned to death who only gathered a sew sticks on that day from swearing which is the language of hell considering that because of oaths the Land doth mourn and thou hast threatned that thy curse shall never depart from the house of the swearer from drunkenness that monster with many heads and worse than beast like sin which in thy Word hath many fearfull woes denounced against it and the rather for that it is a sin like the pit of Hell out of which there is small hope of redemption  Finally O Lord give us strength to resist temptation patience to endure affliction and constancie to persevere unto the end in thy truth that so having passed our pilgrimage here according to thy will we
not grieve for sins of all sorts secret aswell as known originall aswell as actuall of emission aswell as commission lesser viz thoughts aswell as greater yeâ—… aswell for the evill which cleavs to thy best works as for the evill works Rom. 7. 21. and as heartily and unfaignedly desire that thou maist never commit it as that God should never impute it 2 Tim. 〈◊〉 19. Dost thou not fear to displease him not so much because hee is just to punish as for his mercy and goodness sake and more fear the breach of the Law than the curse Dost thou not love rather to bee than seem or bee thought good and seek more the power of godliness than the shew of it Ioh 1. 1. If so well may Satan and thine own conscience accuse thee of impenitency and unbelief but Christ thy Iudge never Yea then notwithstanding your failings you may say with David I have kept thy Word Psal. 18. 21. 22. 23. for though this bee not such a measure of keeping as the Law requireth yet it is such a keeping as God in Christ accepteth for suppose thy knowledge is still small thy saith weak thy charity cold thy heart dull and hard thy good works few and imperfect and all thy zealous resolutions easily hindred and quite overthrown with every small temtation yet God that worketh in us both the wil and the work wil accept the wil for the work and that which is wanting in us Christ will supply with his own righteousness Hee respecteth not what wee can do so much as what wee would do and that which wee would performe and cannot hee esteemeth it as though it were performed whereas take away the will and all acts in God's sight are equall As the wicked sin more than they sin in their desire so the righteous do more good than they do in their will to do it If there bee a paratum cor though there bee not a perforatum cor a profer of blood though no expence of blood for the honour of Christ it is taken for Martyrdom as Origen testified of one Non ille Martyrio sed Martyrium illi defuit I know thy poverty but thou art rich saith the Spirit to the Church of Smyrna poor in thy condition rich in thy affection to goodness Facultas secundum voluntatem non voluntas secundum facultatem estimanda est God esteems our charitable beneficence not onely secundum quod habemus but secundùm quod tribuere velimus Wee are charged to forsake all houses lands friends liberties lives for Christ yet many dy with houses lands and riches in their possession whom Christ receives and Crowns in Heaven because they did part with all secundùm animae preparationem What wee would have done shall bee reckoned to us as done wee do it quoad conatum though non quoad effectum In like manner God taketh a heart desirous to repent and believe for a penitent and beleeving heart volens dolens The vehement desire of godly sorrow or a sorrow because we cannot sorrow goes for godly sorrow with God so that to sigh and grieve for what wee cannot do is to come short and yet to do it too for God likes the will so wel that in his Son what we would do is in acceptance done 2 Cor. 8. 12. which textone brings in thus O! what an unspeakable comfort was this cordiall verse to my afflicted soul And well it might for if wee hate our corruptions and strive against them they shall not bee counted oâ—… It is not I saith Paul but sin that dwelleth in mee Rom. 7. 20 for what displeaseth us shall never hurt us and wee shall bee esteemed of God to bee what wee love and desire and labour to bee The comfort of this doctrine is intended and belongs to troubled consciences and those that would fain do better but let no presumptuous sinners meddle with it for what hast thou to do to take I say not the childrens bread to eat Matth. 15. 26. but even the least parcell of Gods Word into thy mouth seeing thou hatest to bee reformed Psal. 50. 16. 17. But if thou beest a weary and heavy laden sinner thou maist comfort thy self thus I do hatefull things but I hate that I do I break the Law but yet I love the Law as holy just and good Flesh is in mee but I am not in the Flesh I must not fix mine eyes onely upon mine own resistance or failings but on God's assistance and acceptance in his Son by which I shall bee able to leap over all walls and impediments Psal. 18. 29. The Law is given that Grace may bee required Grace is given that the Law may bee sulfilled by us evangelically for us by Christ whose righteousnesse is ours perfectly as Saint Augustin speakes The Law is a glass to shew us our spots the Gospell a fountain to wash them away Wherefore cast not both thine eyes upon thy sin but reserve one to behold the remedy look upon the Law to keep thee from presumption and upon the Gospel to keep thee from despair Canst thou not aggravate thine own sins but thou must 〈◊〉 and call in question Gods mercy and Christs all-sufficiency spoil him of his power and glory Though the grievousness of our sins should increase our repentance yet they should not diminish our faith and assurance of pardon and forgiveness As the plaister must not be less than the sore so the tent must not bee bigger than the wound It was a sweet and even coâ—…rs which Saint Paul took who when hee would comfort himself against corruption and evill actions Rom. 〈◊〉 20. then not I but sin dwelling in mee when he would humble himself notwithstanding his graces then not I but the grace of God in mee 1 Cor. 15. 10. Section 6. Objection But I am not worthy the least mercy I have so ofâ—…en abused it and so little profited by the meanes of grace Answer I think so too for if thou refusest the offer of mercy until thou deservest it wo bee to thee But if thou wilt take the right course renounce the broken reed of thine own free will which hath so often deceived thee and put all thy trust in the grace of Christ The way to bee strong in the Lord is to bee weak in thy sels bee weak in thy self and strong in the Lord and through faith thou shalt bee more than a Conquerour Leav tugging and strugling with thy sin and fall with Jacob to wrestle wâ—…th Christ for a blessing and though thy self go limping away yet shalt thou bee a Prince with God and bee delivered from Esau's bondage But thou standâ—…st upon thine own feet and therefore fallest so foully thou wilt like a child go alone and of thy self and therefore gettest so many knocks And thou wouldest accept of a pardon too if thou mightest pay for it but Gods mercies are free and hee bids thee come and buy without silver and without price or else he says
this our gracious King and Redeemer prevent his poor miserable subjects with his grace in giving before they had the grace to ask or more then they desired The sick of the Palsie asking but cure of his disease received not onely that but the remission of his sins also Matth. 9. Zacheus desired but to see his face he became his guest and gave him salvation to boot Luk. 19. The Woman of Samaria requested but elementary and common water hee offered unto her the water of life Joh. 4. The people followed him to bee fed by miracle with corporall food hee offered unto them the bread of life Joh. 7. The poor blind man desired but his bodily sight Christ illuminated the eye of his soul Joh. 9. Neither hath honours changed manners with him as is usuall amongst men for hee is a God immutable in goodness and without change or shadow of turning Jam. 1 17. so that if thou speak hee will hear and answer thy suit in supporting thee so that thou shalt bee sure to persevere and hold out unto the end Section 11. Object But I have no evidence of divine assistance nor can I pray for it to purpose Answ. Wee have the presence of Gods Spirit and grace many times and feel it not yea when we complain for want of iâ—… as Pilate asked Christ what was truth when the truth stood before him The stomach findes the best digestion even in sleep when wee least perceive it and whiles wee are most awake this power worketh in us either to further strength or disease without our knowledge of what is done within and on the other side that man is most dangerously sick in whom nature decays without his feeling without his complaint To know our selvs happy is good but woe were to us Christians if wee could not bee happy and â—…now it not As touching Praier every one is not so happy as Steven was to bee most servent when they are most in pain yea many in time of sickness by reason of the extremity of pain can hardly pray at all whence Saint James wisheth us in affliction to pray our selvs but in case of sickness to send for the Elders that they may as those in the Gospell offer up the sick person to God in their praiers beeing unable to present their own case Jam. 5. 13. 14. 15. Yea it were miserable for the best Christian if all his former Praiers and Meditations did not serve to aid him in his last straights and meet together in the Center of his extremity yielding though not sensible relief yet secret benefit to the soul whereas the worldly man in this case having not layed up for this hour hath no comfort from God or from others or from himself Besides thou art happy in this there is not the poorest and meanest of Gods Children but as hee hath the benefit of Christs intercession in heaven Rom. 8. 34. Joh. 16. 26. so hath hee also the benefit of the Praiers of all the Saints on Earth wee have the graces and gifts each of other in common Yet because thine own Praier is most proper and seeing it is the miâ—…des Embassadour to God and never saileth of success if it bee fervent as if our prayers want success they want heart their blessing is according to their vigor pray that thou mayest pray better If thy Leg bee benumâ—…d go upon it a little and it will come to it self again To which if thou â—…in fasting thou shalt do well for prayers are made sat with fasting as Tertullian speaks Yea pray â—…ft though thy prayers bee the shorter weak stomâ—…s which cannot digest large meals seed oft and little O! saith holy Bernard most sweetly How oft hast thou meaning praier sound â—…ee lamenting and despairing and lest mee rejoycing and triumphing And what though thou canst not powr out thy soul in a flood of words The Woman diseased with an issue of blood said but within her self shee did not speak to bee heard of others and yet Christ heard her and answered her request Matth 9. 21. 22. The Lord esteemeth the will for the deed and the affection for the action Man sees the countenance God the heart man the deeds but God the meaning Hast thou but thoughts and desires and canst thou onely express them with sighs and groans these speechless words or rather no words but a few poor thoughts conceived aright pass all the flowing eloquence of Demosthenes and Tully yea Tertullus and all the Orators that ever were in the world for this matter is not expressed with words but with groanings and these groanings are from the blessed Spirit A Father delights more in the stammering of his little Child than in the eloquence of the best Orator Neither is hearty prayer in our own power but it is the gift of God which at somtimes in plentifull measure hee bestoweth upon his children and at other times again hee pulleth back his liberall hand that by the want thereof wee may leern â—…o ascribe the glory and praise of this grace to the giver who worketh in us the will and the deed which praise otherwise in pride of heart wee would arrogate unto our selvs as beeing in our own power Also that wee may more highly esteem it and with more joy and diligence use it when we have it bestowed on us If it bee asked why God reckons so highly of a sew sighs and groans and why the prayers of the faithfull are so powerfull it is because they bee not ours but the intercession of Gods own Spirit in us powred out in the name of Christ his own Son in whom hee is ever well pleased for as for us wee know not what to pray as wee ought but the Spirit it solf maketh request for us with sighs which cannot bee expressed Rom. 8. 26. It is the Spirit whereby wee cry Abba Father ver 15. Gal. 4. 6. Now if thou wouldest have the Spirits assistance and bee heard of God when thou makest supplication to him do not as too many do fall into prayer without preparation and utter a number of words without devotion or affection for no marvell if we ask and miss when we thus ask amiss Jam. 4. 3. Neither do as Children which never look after their Arrow but like Daniel Dan. 9. take notice of thine inlargements in prayer and of thy success after Nor onely pray and no more for to pray and to do nothing else is in effect to do nothing less But let your Prayers be ushered in by Meditation and attend by zealous devotion and then beleeving that you shâ—…ll receie whatsoever you ask in Christs name and according to his will 1 John 5. 14. John 16. 23. God will bee sure to give you that you desire 1 John 5. 14. 15. Mark 11. 23. 24. or that which is better for you Deut. 34. 4 5. And suppose thou art not presently heard yet continue asking stil as Peter continued knocking till the door was opened
in our Baptism when we took his presse-mony to be his Souldiers and serve him in the field of this world against his and our enemies that we have renounced our vow made â—…o him â—…dd fled from his standard yea fought for Satan and the World seeking to win all we could from Christ by tempting to sin and by persecuting such as were better then ourselves so that all our recompence of thy love unto us hath been to do that which thou hatest and to hate those whom thou lovest Yea we cannot deny but we have persecuted thee with Paul denied thee with Peter betraied thee with Judas and crucified thee with those cruel Jews And as wee have committed one sinne on the neck of another so we have multiplyed and many times repeated them by falling often into the same wickednesse whereby our sinnes are become for number as the sands of the Sea and as the Stars of Heaven Now Lord it being thus with us how can we expect that thou shouldest hear our praiers grant our requests yea how can wee look for other at thine hands then great and grievous yea then double damnation as most justly we have deserved Yet  Yet most most merciful Father being that thou hast given thy Son and thy Son himself for the ransome of so many as shall truly repent and unfainedly believ in him who hath for our sakes fulfilled all righteousness yet suffered on the Crosse and there made full satisfaction for the sins of all thine Elect. And seeing thou hast appointed Praier as one special means for the obtaining of thy grace unto which thou hast annexed this comfortable promise that where two or three be gathered together in thy Name thou wilt be in the midst of them and grant their requests and since our Redeemet hath assured 〈◊〉 that And likewise knowing that mercie pleaseath thee and that the sole perfection of a Christian is the imputation of Christs righteousnesse and the not-imputation of his own unrighteousnesse whatsoever we shall ask thee in his name thou wilt give it us  We are emboldened to sue unto thee our God for grace that we may be able to repent and believe Wherefore for thy promise sake for thy Sons sake and for thy great Names sake we beseech thee send down thy holy Spirit into our souls regenerate our hearts change and purifie our natures subdue our reason rectifie our judgments strengthen our wills renew our affections put a stop to our madding and straying fancies beat down in us whatsoever stands in opposition to the Scepter of Jesus Christ and enable us in some measure both to withstand that which is evil and perform that which is good and pleasing in thy sight Yea give us repentance never to be repented of and possess our souls with such a dreadfull awe of thy Majesty that we may fear as well to commit small sins as great ones considering that the least sin is mortall without our repentance thy mercy as wel fear to sin in secret as openly since there is nothing hid from thee as well condemne our selves for evill thoughts as evill deeds considering that the Law is spirituall binding the heart no lesse then the hands as well abstain from the occasions of fin as sin it self and consider that it is not enough to abstain from evill unlesse wee hate it also and do the contrary good And because every day which does not abate of our reckoning will increase it and that by procrastinating we shall but heap unto our selves wrath against the day of wrath Good Lord suffer us not we beseech thee to defer our repentance lest the custome of evill makes it altogether unalterable in us or lest we dye before we begin to live or lest thou resusest to hear us another day calling upon thee for mercy because we refuse to hear thee now calling to us for repentance And now O Lord since thou hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day we beseech the to defend and dierct us in the same and as thou hast blest us in our lying down and in our rising up so protect prosper us in our going forth in our coming home shield and deliver us from the snares of the Hunter who lieth in waite for our souls and is continually labouring our everlasting destruction And no lesse arm us against the allurements of the world wherein we shall meet with many provocations and temptations and that 〈◊〉 may not lead ourselvs nor be Wherefore if we be not yet converted let this be the happy hour of our conversion that as our bodies are risen by thy power and providence from sleep so our soules may daily bee raised from the sleep of sin and the darknesse of this world that so we may enjoy that everlasting light which thou hast prepared for thine and purchased with the bloud of thy dear Son our Saviour Jesus Christ.  Give unto us we beseech thee a true lively and justifying faith whereby we may lay hold upon those gracious promises which thou hast made unto us in him and wherewith we may vanquish all our spirituall adversaries Seal up unto us the assurance of our salvation by the testimony of thy blessed Spirit Give to led into temtation give us wisdome to beware of men even of associating our selves with the vitious like Joseph lest otherwise with David we be drawn to dissemble or with Peter to deny thee for sin is of a catching and infectious quality and our corrupt hearts are like tinder which will kindle with the least spark especially O Lord keep us from yeelding to their solicitations or following their customs of drink ing swearing slandering and making the worst construction of thinâ—…s of mocking and scoffing at religion or the religious let not custome and example any whit prevail with us without or against thy written Word lest we misse of the narrow way which alone leadeth unto life onely give us wisedome and grace to look upon thy Sons whole life see how he would speak and do before we speak or do anything then having thy word for our warrant and thy glory for our aime let no censures not flowts of anydiscourageus us thy servants that wisdome which descendeth from above that we may be wise unto our eternall salvation so shall our hearts instead of a Commentary help us to understand the Scriptures and our lives be an Exposition of the inward man Give us grace to account all things in this world even as drosse and dung that we may win Christ Jesus and Heaven and happinesse by means of him Give us single hearts and spirits without guile that wee may love goodnesse for it self and more seek the power of godlinesse then the shew of it and love the godly for thy sake and because they are godly Grant that in the whole course of our lives we may doe unto all others as we would that they should doe unto us considering that whether we
do good or evill unto any one of thy members thou takest it as done unto thy self Discover unto us all our own fins that wee may not be so forward to censure others as wee have been heretofore Give us patience to beare thy Fatherly chastisements which through thy grace sanctifying them to us become both Medicines to cure us and Antidotes to preserve us from the sicknesse of sin considering that all the afflictions of this life are not worthy those joyes which shall be revealed unto us Finally good Father we beseech thee inable us so to walk in thy fear that in mirth we be not vain in knowledg we be not proud in zeal we be not bitter instruct us by thy Word direct us by thy Spirit mollifie us by thy grace humbleus by thy corrections win us by thy benefits reconcile our nature to thy wil teach us so to make profitofevery thing that we may see thee in althings al things in thee And as we are suiters unto thy Majesty for these thy blessings spirituall so likewise we humbly beg at thy mercifull hands all necessaries appertaining to our temporall welfare beseeching thee to blesse us in our persons with health strength and liberty in our estates with sufficiency and the right use of it consâ—…dering that is wee spend what â—…ee And in these our prayers wee are not mindfull of our selves alone but forasmuch as thou hast commanded us to pray one for another as being the members of one and the same mysticall body wee beseech thee to blesse thy whole Church Universall wheresoever dispersed and howsoever  distressed or despised far and wide over the face of the whole earth and vouchsafe unto thy Gospell such a free and effectuall passage that it may sound throughout all Nations Yea wee humbly pray thee let it convert and reclaim the Turks Jews Infidels Indians Atheists Epicures Hereticks and Schismaticks Prevent all plots and projects against the Kingdome of thy Christ let thy Word and Spirit alone bear rule in all places Extend thy tender mercy O Lord to all Protestants beyond the Seas to all Christians under the Turks or other Infidels strengthen all such as suffer for thy cause and let thy presence with them counterpoyse whatsoever is laid upon them and inable them to continue constant in thy faith and truth to the end More Particularly be good unto that part of thy Church planted here amongst us in this sinfull Land and indue us with thy grace as thou hast already with other blessings that they may not rise up hereafter in judgment against us be propitious to the Nobility Gentry and Communalty Blesse the Tribe of Levi all Ministers of thy Word and Sacraments let their lips O God preserve knolewdg and their lives righteousnesse and for ever blesse thou their labours increase the number of those that are saithfull and painfull and reform or remove such as are either scandalous or idle and for a constant and continuall supply of their mortality blesse all Schools of learning and good literature especially the Universities Remember in much mercy all that are afflicted whether in body or in mind or in both whether in conscience have upon our own lusts we may ask but wee shall nor receive in our good names with an 〈◊〉 report and so blesse and sanctifie unto us all the things of thislife that they may be furtherances of us in the way to a better  And seeing that it is in vain for us to labour except thy blessing go along with it neither can our endeavours succeed well except thou prosper them bless every one of us in our several places and callings and so direct us in all we shall take in hand that whatsoever wee do may tend to thy glory the good of others and the comfort of our own soules when wee shall come to make our finall account unto thee sor them groaning under fin or for a good conscience because they will not fin and as thou makest them examples to us so teach us to take example by them and learn wisdome by thy hand upon them  These and all things else which thou knowest we stand in need of we humbly crave at thy mercifull hands and that for the alone worthinesse and satisfaction of thy son and the honour of our onely Redeemer and Advocate Jesus Christ to whom with thee O Father and thy blessed Spirit be given as is most due all praise glory and dominion the residue of this day and for evermore Amen A Praier for the Evening which would be performed before Supper and not when we are more prone to sleep then to pray O Eternal Almighty and incomprehensible Lord God who art great and terrible of most glorious Majesty and infinite purity Creator and Preserver of all things and Guider and Governour of them being created who fillest Heaven and Earth with thy presence and art every where at hand to receive and hear the praiers of all that repair to thee in thy Christ. Thou hast of thy goodnesse bestowed so many and so great mercies upon us that wee know not how to expresse thy bounty herein Yea we can scarce think of any thing more to pray for but that thou wouldest continue those which thou hast bestowed on us already yet we covet still as though we had nothing and live as if we knew nothing of all this thy beneficence Thy blessings are without number yet our sins strive with them which shall be more if we could count the numberless number of thy Creatures they would not be answerable to the number of thy gifts yet the number of our offences which we return in lieu of them are not much inferiour thereunto Well may we confesse with Judas we have sinned and there stop but we cannot reckon their number nor set forth their nature We are bound to praise thee above any Nation We no sooner lived then we de served to die neither need we any more to condemn us then what we brought into the world with us but thou hast spared us to this hour to try if we would turn unto thee by repentance as our first Parents and wee have turned from thee by sin yet thy mercy seems to have been in vain and thy long-suffering to no end For whereas many have been won by thy Word wee would not suffer it to change us many have been reformed by the Grosse but whatsoever for what Nation under Heaven enjoys so much light or so many blessings as we above any Creature for all the Creatures were ordained for our sakes and yet Heaven Earth and Sea all the Elements all thy Creatures obey thy Word and serve thee as they did at first yea call upon us to serve thee onely men for whom they were all made ingratefully rebell against thee we would not suffer it to purge us many have been moved by thy benefits but we would not suffer them to perswade us yea as if we had contracted with
the Divel that we would abuse all thy gifts so fast as they come thy blessings make us proud thy riches covetous thy peace wanton thy meaâ—…s intemperate thy mercy secure and all thy benefits serve us but as weapons to rebell against thee We have prophaned thy daies contemned thy ordinances resisted thy Word grieved thy Spirit misused thy Messengers hated our Reprovers slandered and persecured thy people seduced our friends given ill example to our Neighbours opened the mouths of thine and our adversaries to blaspheme that glorious Name after which we are named and the truth we professe whereas meaner mercies and far weaker means have provoked others no lesse to honour thee and the Gospel who may justly rise up in judgmeâ—…t against us Besides which makes our case far more miserable we can scarce resolve to amend or if we do we put off our conversion to hereafter when we were children we deferred to repent till we were men now we are men we defer untill we be old men and when we be old men we shall defer it until death if thou prevent us not and yet we look for as much at thine hands as they which serve thee all their lives Thou might'st have said before we were formed let them be Toads Monsters Infidels Beggers Cripples or Bondslaves so long as they live and after that Cast-awaies for ever and ever but thou hast made us to the best likenesse and nursed us in the best Religion and placed us in the best Land and appointed us to the best and onely Inheritance even to remain in blisse with thee for ever so that thousands would think themselvs happy if they had but a piece of ouâ—… happinesse Perhaps we have a form of godlinesse but thou who searchâ—…st the heart and triest the reins knowest that too often we deny the power of it and that our Religion is much of it hypocrisie our zeal envie our wisedom policie our peace security Why shouldest thou give us thy Son for a ransome thy holy Spirit for a pledge thy Word for a guide thy Angels for our guard and reserve a Kingdom for our perpetual inheritance Why shouldest thou bestow health wealth rest liberty limbs senses food raiment friends and the means of salvation upon us more then upon others whom thou hast denied these things unto We can give no reason for it but that thou art merciful and if thou shouldest draw all back again we had nothing to say but that thou wert just which being considered why should any serve thee more then we who want nothing but thankfulnesse Why should we not hate the Way to Hell as much as Hell it self and  why should we not make every cogitation speech and action of ours as so many steps to Heaven yet 〈◊〉 thoâ— shouldst now ask us what lust is asswaged what affection qualified what passion expelled what sin repented of what good performed since we began to receive thy blessings to this day we must needs confesse against our selvs that all our thoughts words and works have been the service of the World the Flesh and the Dâ—vel yea it hath been the course of our whole life to leave that which thou commandest and to do that which thou forbiddest yet mâ—serable wretches that we are if we could give thee our bodies and souls they should bee saved by it but thou wert never the richer for them our life rebellion our devotion deadâ—esse and that we live so securely as if we had no souls to save Thus while we look upon our selvs we are ashamed to lift up our eies unto thee yea we are ready to despair wâ—th Cain yet when we think upon thy Son and the rich promises of the Gospel our fear is in some measure turned into joy while we consider that his righteousnesse for us is more then our wickednesse against our selvs onely give us faith we beseech thee and settle it in thy beloved that we may draw virtue from his death and resurrection whereby we may be enabled to die unto sin and live unto righteousnesse and it sufficeth for all our iniquities necessities and infirmities Indeed thy Word and Spirit may work in us some flashes of desire and purposes of better obedience but we are constant in nothing but in perpetual offending onely therein we cease not for when we are waking our flesh tempts us to wickednesse if wee are sleeping it sollicites us to filthinesse or perhaps when we have offended thee all the day at night we pray unto thee but what is the issue of our praying First we sin and then we pray thee to forgive it and then return to our sins again as if we came to thee for no other end but to crave leave to offend thee Or of thy granting our requests we even dishonor thee and blaspheme thy name while thou do'st support and relieve us run from thee while thou do'st call us and forget thee while thou art feeding us so thou sparest us we sleep and to morrow we sin again O how justly mightest thou forsake us as we forsake thee and condemne us whose consciences cannot but condemne our selvs But who can measure thy goodnesse who givest all and forgivest all Though we be sinful yet thou lovest us though we be miserably ingrateful yet thou most plentifully blessest us What should we have if we did serve thee who hast done all these things for thine enemies O that thou who hast so indeared us to serve thee wouldest also give us hearts and hands to serve thee with thine own gifts It is true O Lord as wee were made after thine own Image so by sin we have turned that Image of thine into the Image of Satan but turn thou us again and we shall bee turned into the Image and likenesse of thy Son And what though our  sins be great yet thy mercie is far greater then our sins either are or can be we cannot be so bad as thou art good nor so infinite in sinning as thou art in pardoning if we repent O that we could repent O that thou wouldest give us repentance for we are weak O Lord and can no more turn our selvs then we could at first make our selvs yea we are altogether dead in sin so that we cannot stir the least joint no not so much as feel our deadnesse nor desire life except thou be pleased to raise and restore our souls from the death of sin and grave of long custome to the life of grace Apt wee are to all evil but reprobate and indisposed to all grace and goodnesse yea to all the means thereof Wee are altogether of our selvs unable to resist the force of our mighty adversaries but do thou free our wills and set to thy helping hand in casting down by thy Spirit our raging lusts and by thy grace subdue our untamed affections and we shall henceforth as much honor thee as by our wickednesse we have formerly dishonored thee  Wherefore
so soon as thou gavest us being and so prevented our further dishonouring thee wee have instead of humbling our selves before thee our God and seeking reconciliation with thy Majestie done nothing from our infancy but added sin unto sin in breaking every one of thine holy Laws which thou hast given us as rules and directions to walk by and to keep us from sinning Yea there is not one of thy righteous precepts which we have not broken more times and ways then we can express so far have wee been from a privative holiness in reforming that which is evill and a positive holiness in performing that which is good which thou maist justly require of us being wee had once ability so to do if wee had not wilfully lost it for thou did'st form us righteous and holy had not wee deform'd our selves whereas now like Satan wee can do nothing else but sin and make others sin too who would not so sin but for us for we have an army of unclean desires that perpetually fight against our souls whereby wee are continually tempted drawn away and enticed through our own concupiscence Yea thou knowest that the heart of man is deceitfull above all things and that the imaginations thereof are onely and continually evill O the infinitely intricate windings and turnings of the dark Labyriâ—…hs of mans heart who finds not or bodies which is not become a ready instrument to dishonour thee for as our heart is a root of all corruption a seed-plot of all sin so our eyes are eyes of vanitie our ears ears of folly our mouthes mouthes of deceit our hands hands of iniquity and every part doth dishonour thee which yet would be glorified of thee The understanding which was given us to learn virtue is apt now to apprehend nothing but sin the will which was given us to affect righteousness is apt now to love nothing but wickedness the memory which was given us to remember good things is apt now to keep nothing but evill things for sin like a spreading leprosie is so grown over us that from the crown of our heads to the soal of our seet there is nothing whole thâ—…rein but wounds and swellings and sores full of corruption Yea our souls and bodies are even a very sink of sin for like the common shoar we have not refused to welcome any the most loathsome pollutions that either the world our own corruption or the Devill at any time hath offered unto us  Or admit we are exempt from som evills wee may thank thee and not our selves for it for wee are ready without thy restraining grace to run out into all manner of enormities whatsoever we are swift to all evill but to all good immoveable when we do evill we do it chearfully and quickly and easily but if we do any good wee do it faintly and raâ—…ly and slackly When did we talk without vanity when did we give without hypocrisie when did wee bargain without deceit when did we reprove without anger or envy when did in himself an indisposition of mind to all good and an inclination to all evill we hear without wearysomness when did wee pray without tediousness such is our corruption as if we were made to sin in deed in word or in thought O the pride passion lust envy ignorance awkwardnesse hypocrisie infidelity vain thoughts unprofitableness and the like which cleaves to our very best actions and how full of infirmity are our primest performances for we have not done any one action legally justifyable all our dayes neither can ought we do abide the examinatirn of thy strict justice untill it he covered with thy Sons righteousness and the corruption thereof washed away in his most pretious blood Yea if thou shouldest behold these our praiers as they bee in themselves without having respect unto us in Christ Jesus they would appear no better in thy sight then a menstruous cloth And according to this our inclination hath been our practice wee have yielded our hearts as cages to entertain all manner of unclean spirits when on the contrary wee have refused to yiâ—…ld them as Temples for thine holy Spirit to dwell in  Yet miserable wretches as wee are wee like our own condition so well that wee are not willing to go out of our selves unto thee who wouldest new make us according to the Image of thy Son for by long custom wee have so turned delight into necessity that we can as willingly leave to live as leave our lusts yea wee love our sins so well and so much above our souls that except thou change our hearts wee shall chuse to go to Hell rather then part with them Thou hast used all manner of means to reclaim us but nothing will serve neither the menaces and terrours of thy Law nor the precepts and sweet promises of thy Gospell can do it Wee are neither softned with benefits nor broken with punishments thy severity will not terrifie us nor thy kindness mollifie us No shouldest thou send an Angell from the dead to warn us all perswasions would be in vain since we hear Moses and the Prophets Christ and his Apostles daily and are never the better  True O Lord there is a main reason of it which we cannot now help for naturally we have eyes and see not ears and hear not hearts and understand not Yea wee are quite dead in sin untill thou doest boar our ears soften our hearts and break in upon our consciences by the irresistible power of thy Spirit and by going along with thy Word shall quicken our souls and regenerate  the whole man anew In the mean time wee are ready to receive all and return nothing but sin and disobedience wherein wee more then abound for wee have done more against thee this week then wee have done for thee ever since we were born And whereas the least of thy mercies is greater then all the curtesies of men wee are not so thankfull to thee for them all as wee are to a friend for some one good turn  Neither do wee alone lay the fault upon our inability or want of supply from thee but upon our own perversnesse and want of endeavour and putting sorth that strength and ability which thou hast given us for how long hast thou O most gracious God stood at the doors of our hearts and how often hast thou knock'd when we have refused to open and let thee in And if at any time we have been over-ruled by the good motions of thy holy Spirit yet have wee still returned with the Dog to our vomit and with the Sow refused the clear streams of thy Commandements to wallow in the myre of our filthy sins whereby we have justly deserved that thou shouldest have called us to an account in the dead of our sleep and have judged us to eternall destruction and never have suffered us again to have seen the light of the Sun the remembrance of which together with our