the confounding of all their wicked practises and deuises yet Lord graunt vs hearts to seeke the saluation of all sorts because we know not whether they belong to thine eternall election and for them that are but our enemies vpō priuate respects giue vs grace that insteede of seeking reuenge we may pray earnestly for them that they may see their sins and haue their hearts changed and so obtaine pardon for it And moreouer that we may seeke to pacifie them by offering them reconciliation or ful satisfaction doing them good or gratifying them by any kindnesse so far as may stand with their saluation and credit of thy Gospell euen when they hunger to feed them and when they thirst to giue them drinke to heape coales vpon their heads as thou hast commanded either to gaine them by our Christian kindnesse or to leaue them more without excuse and to seale vp to our selues a most plentiful assurance of a full remission of all our sins thereby Leade vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill And seeing oh tender Father that our deadly enemie seekes hourely by his temptations to draw vs to sin against thy heauenly Maiestie to dishonor thee making vs his vassals to do his will so to strippe vs vtterly both of thy protection and prouidence and to cause thee to leaue vs in his hand to bring vpō vs thy wrath with all the euils following vpon sin whereupon our Sauiour hath taught vs to pray alwaies Leade vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill Good Lord open our eies to see the danger wherein wee stand continually first for the multitude of those damned spirits that range vp and downe day and night with a deadly malice seeking to deuour vs. Teach vs to know oh holy Father what their power is against vs if thou do not restraine it that they are able to bring vs to as fearefull sins as euer they brought any of thy seruants vnto and to destroy vs vtterly in a moment both soules and bodies with al y ◠euer thou hast giuē vnto vs if thou preserue vs not Acquaint vs with their deep subtilties both in fitting their temptations to our particular natures and dispositions to our conditions callings and occasions which they know perfectly alwaies dogging vs at the heeles and watching vs their meetest opportunities whereby they take their fittest aduantage to ouercome vs as against Eue and Dauid chiefely by soliciting vs to those sinnes wherein we haue bin formerly ouertaken or wherby they haue most preuailed against thy dearest seruants that also in drawing vs on by degrees as first either to yeelde to some smaller matters which the world accounts no sins but trifles or too much precisenes as Eue to eie the forbidden fruit and to reason with the Serpent about the temptation or else not to auoid the danger and occasions of the temptations but thrust our selues into them carelessely without any warrant neglecting the calling laid vpon vs as Dauid to lie idlely on his bed in the afternoones insteede of looking to the great affaires of his kingdome Make vs able yet more fully to conceiue of our perpetuall danger through their innumerable allurements and baits to deceiue vs both of the credit and estimation of the world with the riches and pleasures thereof which they euer hold forth proffer vnto vs if we will follow their perswasions and otherwise threatning not onely the losse or at least the hazarding of all these but more also the hatred disgrace and reproch of the world with depriuing vs of all comforts the losse of our goods with many other euils which we must bee sure to looke for daily at the hands of malicious men if we will be so strict as to make conscience of euery one of thy commādements so as we wil not do the least thing forbidden nor omit the least dutie commanded vs. And whereas we are ordinarily secure in an ouerweening of our owne strength and abilitie to resist Satan Shew vs oh Lord euen in our hearts the vilenesse of our corrupt nature which is euer ready as a bond slaue of Satans and a traitor against our soules to conspire with him presently to our vtter perdition and as readie to run after swallow euery one of his deadly temptatiōs as euer fish the baite so as we haue no strength in the world to help our selues but all against our selues more then that thou gratiously reachest foorth thine hand vnto vs strengthening deliuering vs. And heerein we pray thee also to reueale vnto vs that great danger which wee stand in continually from thy glorious Maiestie seeing wee haue no warrant of protection or any aide from thee but rathe iust cause of feare that thou shouldest giue vs vp wholly into the power of the tempter and our own corruption longer then that we make cōscience to obserue thy watch walking carefully in euery one of thy Commandements vsing diligently euery meanes of grace auoiding as warilie each least occasion of temptation And moreouer seeing the subtill tēpter in all his temptations vseth all his cunning to hide all this danger with the vglines of sin and the misery that he knoweth it will bring vpon vs shewing onely the faire side of it as the safetie credit pleasure or gaine which we shall get by it and also vseth the fittest instrumēts to perswade vs hereunto as the counsell or example of the wisest learnedst or wealthiest of chiefest reputation sometimes of those who haue a name for godlines so changing himselfe into an Angel of light and neuer comming like himselfe vnlesse to driue poore soules into vtter dispaire whereby he not onely deceiues the world but euen vs thy children either to make vs to thinke sin to bee no sin or at least to presume to sin because thou art so mercifull or for that thou doest not punish presently Cause vs good Father to keepe a continuall and fresh remembrance hereof and withal of that fearfull misery which we hale vpon our heads by euerie sin especially the wound of conscience which no creature was euer able to beare and which will certainly come vpon vs vnlesse it bee preuented by speedie repentance And howsoeuer the reprobate and the vngodly may wallow in their filthines and yet seeme to be more free from punishment thē any other because thou reseruest them for hel and therefore fattest them for the day of slaughter yet make vs to know that thou wilt not let any of vs thy children who haue specially giuen vp our names to thee to make a more sincere profession of thy Gospell to commit the very least sin but that thou wilt surely make vs feel the smart of it vnlesse we preuent it presently by vnfained repentance and that thou wilt doe openly when our sins
raigne for euermore 4. For our Magistrates to haue the same harts 5. For our Ministers to tread in the steps of the holy Apostles Watch. p. 45. l. 11. 12. Seeking to saue euery soule By vvord And conuersation To awaken all our vnconscionable Ministers They may remember the crie of Abels blood And Christ appearing And either to repent become profitable or the people may be committed to such as by whom Christ may raigne and they saued Antichrist cast forth and whatsoeuer belongeth to him or whereby he hath deceiued the people of the Lord And the very prints of his Idolatire vtterly destroyed 6. To pray for a holy vnitie in the Church chiefely amongst the leaders And to take away all causes of contention confounding all Balaams deuices Who seekes by our diuisions to preuaile against vs. And that we may buy this peace with the losse of all That all sorts may ioyne themselues vnto vs. 7. That euery one of vs may haue a care to saue others Wat. p. 57. l. 14. 15. Especially all committed to our charge With all knit vnto vs by any special bond Taking all occasions to saue them by al means being as the Angels for Lot 8. That vve may haue a feeling of the happines of this kingdome VVatch. p. 11. lin 2. p. 114. 115. And of the revvard of holines And hovv vvretched the state of all other is VVatch. p. 56. 7. 8. 9. 9. That vve may liue as the subiects of this kingdome Fearing the causes of backsliding Watch. pag. 122. lin 8. Hying fast tovvards heauen looking at our Sauiour 10. To destroy all our corruption 11. To hasten the day of the appearing of our glorie and triumph 12. And in the meane time seeing vve liue by faith To increase our faith That vve grovving to ful assuraÌ„ce may ouercome the vvorld VVat. 116. lin 20. 117. lin 7. And remaine faithfull to the death 13. To be filled vvith peace ioy and righteousnesse That al may see of vvhat kingdome vve are And we feele the beginning of it in our selues so entring into our ioy 1. To pray that vvee may declare our childlike effections zeale and thankfulnes â—y doing his heauenly vvill As cheerefully as the Angels 2. That hee vvill accept our will for the deed 3. That vve may delight to stand in his presence to inquire his vvill by all meanes Hauing Dauids Eccho I am heere Lord That all our seruice may be freewill offerings 4. To prepare for troubles and humble our selues vnder them as his obedient children Making right vse of them VVithout whispering Assured that God doth all of loue for our good and vvill giue a happy issue 5. To take vp our crosses not suffering as euill doers but onely for righteousnesse VVith ioy and thankfulnesse Looking at our Sauiour 6. That vve may neuer do any thing against his reuealed wil to obtaine neuer so great a good which we imagine To the end that all may see the Lords tender care for vs and that we may attend the doing of his vvill 1. To pray for the comforts of this life Watch. pag. 51. lin 6. 2. That hee would shew his fâ—therly prouidence for necessaries and to direct vs to the means to serue his prouidence Watch. pag. 65. lin 15. Chiefely in our particular calling auoiding the contrarie 3. To coÌ„mit ourselues wholly to his protection depending on him without feare 4. To know our ovvne frailtie And vnabilitie to get a crumme of bread or to see or vse the meanes To be humbled in the sense of our vnworthines of bread And that we are vsurpers of it of all other things Vntill they be giuen vs in Christ hauing lost al in Adam 5. To get more assurance of our title in Christ. 6. For power to the creature to nourish vs. 7. For contentation vvith our estate VVatch. p. 66 lin 12. And to see the Lords prouidence in bread alone And vvhen we haue but for the day nor any meanes To be able to cast our selues wholly on the Lord vvithout fainting VVatch. p. 21. lin 7. 8. To pray for assurance that the Lord will neuer let vs want that is good But worke extraordinarily When ordinary meanes faile 9. To be afraid of dishonoring the Lord by carcking cares aforehand or impatience in trials 10. VVhen we vsed only the means to referre the blessing to the Lord. 11. To haue a holy vse of all Gods gifts to our saluation Neuer abusing them But imploying them to the ends appointed as first and chiefely to maintaine Gods religion and relieue his seruants Esay 58. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. c. So to shew our homage to God And the communion of Saints wayting for the ioyfull sentence And seeing our sinnes onely do hinder all these things which we haue begged 1. To pray for pardon of all our sinnes Because heerein alone stands all true happinesse 2. To this end to see the haynousnes of sinne In the fearefull punishment of the Angels Our first parents The old world Sodome Hell prepared for the wicked And in the punishment of Gods dearest seruaÌ„ts As Moses And Dauid And chiefely that vpon our Sauiour himselfe 3. To haue some sense of the innumerable euils which each sinne brings p. 5. l. 22 23. p. 6. 7. Vpon Gods owne children Vnlesse they be preuented especially depriuings vs of Gods protection and prouidence and al power in prayer 4. To bee able to comprehend in some sort the greatnes of our sin how it is increased by circumstances being â—omâ—mitted â—gainst the infinit God our high calling All mercies Meanes Vovves After pardon obtained 5. To haue some sight of the multitude of our sinnes Being euerie breach of Gods Commandement in thought Or in omitting the very least dutie Besides Adams sin The corruption of our nature Being wholly carried to euill And the hardnes of our hearts 6. For a continuall feeling of ourdaily fraulties Trauelling vnder them Desiring to be deliuered 7. That vve may see our most grieuous sinnes both before our calling and since Chiefely our scandalous sinnes 8. That by all these wee may see what debters vvee are And may be driuen to cry for forgiuenes and to runne to the fountaine of Chrisis blood And yet that we may find comfort in the al-sufficiencie thereof 9. To the end that we may not bee deceiued in the forgiunes of our sinnes To pray for true repentance and faith which are the vnseparable companions of forgiuenes And to trie them both by the word to be sincere Wat. pag. 2. lin 8. And such as haue been vvrought in vs by the Gospell and do increase and grovv 10. That vvee may continually examine iudge our selues 11. To pray againe for pardon of the sins of our land As the instant prayers of Gods seruants by the blood of Christ. Whereas we must pray to be forgiuen as we forgiue 1. To pray against all maliciousnes and desire of reuenge That though we hate the sinnes of the wicked and reioyce in
praiers and thankesgiuing accordingly for each of our particular and principall sins are as Satan that stood at Iehosuahs right hand that our praiers cannot go vp vnto the Lord. And of all others that euery one whose conscience doe accuse them of crueltie towards their brethren would take away that crying sin of oppression crying louder for vengeance then al the sins of the earth besides which brought the floud of waters when the earth was filled with crueltie and brought in the fierce Babylonian to oppresse and spoile the great men in Iudea and to make those goodlie houses desolate which had formerly been built by the oppressions and spoiling of the poore which makes the poore to sigh being wearie of their liues whose sighes the Lord must needes heare and auenge when man regardeth them not which will so shut vp the bowels of the Lords mercie and compassion that hee will shew vs no more mercie but reiect all our praiers because we would haue no mercie of the poore no though Noah Iob and Daniel were amongst vs that they should but saue their owne soules and so must needs bring a fearefull desolation vpon our sinfull nation vnlesse it be speedilie redressed besides the blasphemies of the Idolatrous enemies of the Church of God and their braggs of their workes of mercie and pitie thereby mouing the people to a discontentednes to dislike of the religion of the Lord as being the breeder and nourisher of all such cruel and vnmercifull dealing though euen in this same bloodie sin they be as deepe as any other Secondly that all would learne of our Sauiour to pray as he hath commanded I haue this consident hope that the weakest Christian amongst vs hauing a good heart although he haue neuer been able to vtter his requests to God for himselfe or Gods Church would in few weekes but following this poore direction learne to pray in feeling with much comfort those who want good hearts would by this practise obtaine them Thirdly that wee would all ioyne to pray according to the two first petitions for the Church of God our Prince and Realmes with true vnitie therein and against all the enemies of them for then vndoubtedly we should neither neede to feare the practises of the Popes Seminaries nor diuels nor yet all the enemies of the world but only stand still with Moses and see what the Lord would still do for vs. Happie shall they be whom the Lord singles out vnto this worke to be if it were but as one of Gedeons three hundred for the perpetuall preseruation of the Church of God and their countrey But for the rest although they scape the Beare yet a Lion shall teare them in peeces for being deliuered with Gods sâ—ruants from the temporal iudgement the eternall wrath of God doth certainly remaine for them Wherefore giue me leaue to speake a little further vnto your soules in this important businesse if I may awake but some of you You that spend your liues in pleasures will you not be perswaded to spend some houres in this heaueÌ„ly work to talke with God for the sauing your owne soules and the people of the Lord Oh that you knew the vnspeakable sweetenesse that heerein you should find whereas in your vaine pleasures what can you looke for but intolerable bitternes in the end will not all these increase the wrath against vs whereas the changing them into prayers with fasting and teares would be as the sacrifice of Noah wherein the Lord would certainly smell a sauor of rest and as the repentance of Niniuie that hee that had compassion on the poore ignorant heathen would much more cause his face to shine still more bright vpon vs whom he hath vouchsafed so long the profession of his name Know it for certaine as the Lord hath giuen any of you mo of his outward blessings with them more time meanes to serue him so hee lookes for so much more time at your hands to be spent in instant prayer then of any other of the earth and so must your account be Do not the popish sort that liue in your bosoms obserue besides your extreame irreligiousnes how you neuer vse to pray priuately or with any deuotion and are they not hereby hardened to like far better of their owne blind superstition wherein they spend so much time in praier How will you answere your God for the blood of so many soules as hereby perish If you could bee perswaded which you will one day feele either in this life or when it is vtterlie too late that these all other your sins wherein now is your felicitie will bee as so many swords to peirce your poore soules and so many diuels to torment you eternally and your repentance death altogether vncertaine you durst not let one minute passe but would fall into bitter mourning for all your sinnes and for your time so ill spent and bee warned by our Sauiour to begin to watch and pray that you might escape all these miseries that will certainly come vpon you You also that haue filled your houses with the spoiles of the poore the earth with their cries the crie of your sinnes is gone vp into the heauens that the Lord threatneth to be auenged forthwith Let the counsell of Daniel to Nabuchadnezar be acceptable vnto you if you will escape the decree that is comming forth against you Breake off your sins by righteousnes and your iniquities by mercie towards the poore Repent and make restitution while you may Cease to do euil learne to doe well seeke iudgement releeue the oppressed iudge the fatherlesse and defend the widow as the Lord bids you by his Prophet Then you may pray and your praiers shall be heard though your sins were as crimson that is most bloodie sins yet they shall be made white as snow If yee consent and obey yee shall eate the good things of the Land but if yee refuse and be rebellious ye shall be deuoured with the sword for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Your oppressioÌ„s which haue pressed downe the poore vnto the ground will one day crush you into the bottome of hell and will be a loade heauier then the whole earth vpon you that you would giue all the world if you had it to be disburdened of them and at your death the iudgement threatned vnto Iehoiakim shall surely light vpon you that none shall lament or mourne for you to say ah Lord ah his glorie but all shall reioyce that the earth is eased of you and your remembrance shall remaine most vile and loathsome to all posteritie as the memorie of other oppressors doth before And for you that would neuer spare so much as one houre from your worldly businesses to priuate praier when God opens your eyes to discerne the true profit hereof aboue the other that hitherto you haue been meerely of
the world and vtterly without God howsoeuer you look to your worldly businesse you will looke to this businesse of the Lord and set your selues times of praier which the gaining of the world cannot make you to forget And in a word so many of you as can talke with men of any earthly matter and make any request for this present life for whatsoeuer you need and yet could neuer vtter so much as one speech no not in secret to your Father in heauē nor make any one supplication for any heauenly thing with feeling how can you thinke that euer you were touched with Zeale of Gods glorie or his kingdome or how can you imagine that you can be the children of the heauenlie Father or haue any interest in the Lord and his kingdome or be any thing but meere worldlings sauoring onely the world and it alone your portion hauing a world of miseries and torment remaining for you for euer Learne therefore to praie aboue all you will finde this a treasure ten thousand times better then all the wealth pleasures of the world For what you would haue this will vndoubtedlie procure you as far as shall be good and whereas all the honors pleasures riches and friends in the world can neuer giue you any true contentmēt nor adde one minute vnto your life this only will fill your hearts in heauenly contentation with abundant ioy and gladnesse and make you liue and raigne with Christ for euer in the heauens Now so many as acknowledge that thus indeede you ought both to watch and pray and yet but only giue these the reading without care to learne the practise of them or happily hauing some good motions or purposes to put them forthwith in practise or it may be haue begun well yet through your pleasures or worldly businesse or at least a carnall sloth and securitie leaue them off and returne to your old courses bee warned from the Lord for this will certainly be one further witnesse and conuiction against you then euer formerly you receiued and much better it had bin for you that you had neuer seene this way of life thus plainly and easily set before you and how you may either helpe to preserue the whole or at least escape your selues from the euils to come then after you haue knowne it and subscribed in your hearts to the truth and necessitie of it and happilie put your hands to the plow to looke backe againe Remember Lots wife if you be out of Sodome hie for your liues vntill you be safe in Zoar and being safe your selues learne to be as importunate with the Angell of the Couenant when you but thinke of the sins of the Land as faithfull Abraham was comforting and incouraging your selues in this that you are not alone but many with you and the Lord hath yet his ten righteous left in all quarters some that mourne and crie for all the abominations If in this attempt I haue failed of that I desire I humblie craue pardon and also that my good will may be accepted in this endeuour intended chiefely to helpe the simple Vouchsafe me your better direction and I shall willinglie follow it My desire is to labour herein also to bring this together with the watch to more perfection if I shall find it accepted and that it may bring the least good to Gods Church in which I desire not to liue one day longer then I may bee some way profitable I haue so oft made reference to the watch as to a maine ground of prayer and for that this is as a second part and an vnseparable companion thereof as the Apostle makes them Ephes. 6. and also that I neede not trouble you with oft repetition of the same things Cōcerning the present necessitie hereof that I may neither seeme ouer bold not yet to fearful of some grieuous iudgment without cause I desire of all sorts that you would examine it betweene the Lord and your owne consciences to whom I appeale and which I know will witnesse with me when I shall stand before the great tribunall your consciences I say not asleep in this deepe security but either throughly awaked by the law or as they were vpon the instant of the discouerie of the gunpowder plot or at any time before any of our great deliuerances fullie accomplished in the midst of our extreame dangers Remember but whether your hearts weare not then as my heart is now that if God had done with vs as he then threatned he had not been most righteous and wee iustlie deserued it Did not all hearts tremble in the acknowledgement of the truth of his Maiesties sacred speech in the Parliament house at that time And who would not haue confessed in any of these dangers that it had not been full time for each to haue betaken himselfe to this armour to haue run to God by instant supplication and stood vp in the breach and for euery one to haue learned to watch and pray And must not our case since be far more desperate wee hauing receiued thus our third most terrible admonition together with so many mercies still heaped vpon vs Let vs but thinke what wee haue done since that time to secure vs from the finall execution of his vengeance haue we not most fearefully increased the transgression going still many degrees backwards running from the Lord and suncken deeper in our rebellion insteed of turning to him according to our oft promises and his infinite mercy Besides our impudencie in sinning and our eating vp one another in euery corner and degree racking al things to the vttermost farthing and all commonly to maintaine pride and all excesse countenancing the lewdest in euery place disgracing and treading vpon the vpright that he that abstaines from euil maketh himself a prey Let but the shamelesnes of that one sin of quaffing condēned by the heathē in Assuerus Court in their greatest pomp and excesse that euer we reade of and registred in Gods book for that cause be witnes although we cānot imagin that euer it was practised in halfe so odious a maner as it is ordinarilie with vs euerie where in scorning the Lord to his face and sacrificing to Satan Our cloakes of Ciuility wil proue but Adams figleaues Inquire of your own hearts whether this be not the generall verdict of all whom God hath touched or who retaine any of their ancient feeling yea whether the very blind may not grope it that there was neuer such a declining to all loosenes opē prophanenes euen Atheisme heard or read of in any age where the Gospell was professed nor that sinne was practised with so high a hand And then answere plainly whether the Lord may not iustly get himselfe glory of vs in the declaration of his iustice and the power of his wrath against our sins seeing the riches of his mercies in sparing and deliuering vs haue made vs so far to exceede as to deny
our selues but to all the world that wee are thine own children indeed giue vs hearts to loue all thy children being our brethren and sisters aboue all other for thy sake alone and euery one so much the more as they more liuely carry thy image in all holines excelling in vertue and so are more deare vnto thy heauenly Maiestie that we may euery day in all our prayers remember them as our selues begging alike for them all saying Our Father And that wee may delight in their companies onely as those with whom we shall coÌ„uerse together for euer in the heauens Knit all our hearts in this firme bond of brotherly loue that we may tenderly exhort releeue helpe comfort support the weakenesses one of another seeking by all meanes the edifying of others afraid of giuing the least offence to grieue and much more to hinder the saluation or turne any one out of the way of life Let this happie brotherhood and holy agreemeÌ„t in all the substance of thy truth which is able vndoubtedlie to saue our soules together with our ioynt profession to walke hand in hand in all the narrow way of life haue more power firmely to vnite vs then all the trash pompe or pleasure of the world with all the cunning of Satan or Antichrist can haue to diuide vs. Are wee not all that so walke thine owne children hauing thy Son our Sauiour thy Spirit our coÌ„forter and earnest for our ioint inheritance and glorie notwithstanding all our infirmitie and imperfections with some lesse diuersities in iudgement which must accompanie vs vntill we bee perfect in the heauens Confound therefore all the deuices of thine enemies that worke this euill among thine owne children to so great dishonor to thy heauenly Maiestie whereby our enemies insult ouer vs who haue conspired thus to worke our shame and to prouoke thee against vs to leaue vs into their haÌ„ds to our vtter ruin if it were possible Deare Father let vs neuer thinke our state to be good vntill vve carrie these hartie affections to al thy children studying to knit this bond of loue being able truly thus to pray Our father For hereby we know that wee are translated from death vnto life because we loue the brethren and vntill this time we abide still in death Which art in heaueÌ„ And whereas thou our Father art highly exalted in the heauen of heauens and there also hast prouided thrones for vs thy childreÌ„ after wee haue suffered a little humble vs euermore in the sense of thy greatnesse together with our owne basenes and vnworthinesse beeing but poore wormes crawling vpon the earth loaden with innumerable sinnes And yet withall lift vp our hearts alwaies vnto the heauens there to be conuersant with thee our heaueÌ„ly Father minding heauenly things especially in all our prayers longing there to behold thee face to face and that in the meane time while wee abide heere below we may be of such heauenly conuersatioÌ„s so vsing y e world as if wee vsed it not that the world may see that wee are not of it but pilgrims and strangers here and thy heauenly childreÌ„ and that our selues also may hereby grow vp to a strong assurance that heauen is ours all the ioyes thereof reserued for vs by our Lord Sauiour and all the creatures in heauen and earth at a league with vs to do vs good so far as shall stand with thine honor and our saluation euer readie to helpe in time of need Hallowed be thy name And seeing thou oh tender Father hast vouchsafed vs this honour aboue the greatest part of the word to bee thine owne children and heires of thy glorious kingdom wheras thou mightest iustlie haue left vs in our sinnes with all the wicked to euerlasting shame and perditioÌ„ Giue vs grace good Father to testifie our loue and thankfulnesse all the dayes of our life in studying in and aboue al things which way to honor thee Open our blinde eyes to this end to behold the glory of thy wisedome power goodnes and righteousnes shining in al thy workes euen in the basest creature in heaueÌ„ or earth and much more in thy heauenly word chiefely in all thy terrible iudgements executed vpon the enemies of thy Church therin reueiled with mercies towards thy children and which thou still shewest euery day especiallie towards our selues Make vs abâ—e to take euery occasion to consider of aright and set foorth the praises belonging to thee therein and haue a holie vse of them both in word deed y t by vs thy great name may be knowne magnified in al the world Aboue all set euer before our faces good Lord that wonderfull glory wherein thou hast been magnified in these our daies and before our daies in the euident declaration both of thy displeasure against vs of this sinfull nation and withall of thy mercy and tender care for vs and wrath against our enemies how for dishonoring thee by abusing thy Gospell which thou hast giuen vs with such peace and prosperitie as neuer nation knowne before thou hast not only corrected our grieuous transgressions and securitie as a tender Father with thy milder rods of dearth pestilence sundrie the like to bring vs to amendmeÌ„t and cause vs with more cheerefulnes to embrace thy Gospell and bring foorth the fruits of it but also raised vp against vs sundrie times most cruell enemies threatning not only the taking away thy Gospell but our vtter destruction also brought the enemies to the verie execution thereof because we would not serue thee with good hearts according to all thy mercies bestowed vpon vs and yet euer when we haue cried vnto thee thou hast heard vs as thou diddest thy people Israel and as thou diddest heare Iehosaphat against the Moabits and Ezechiah and Esay against the proud Assyrian and plucking them back in the instant hast taken vengeance for vs that we haue oft thought that they durst neuer haue risen against vs any more so as if the most barbarous nations of the earth had receiued but the least of our deliuerances with our meanes they vndoubtedly had repented long ago in sack-cloath and ashes as we for the present haue promised vnto thee Oh gratious Father inable vs alwaies to remember and acknowledge this and to see moreouer that thine anger is not yet turned away but more fearefully kindled against vs for that as our sins and prouocations are multiplied so these our bloody enemies insteede of decreasing or ioyning themselues vnto vs do still increase daily and their malice is become much more deadly against vs thy poore children without hope of leauing off vntill they haue wrought either ours or at least their own vtter ruine which in time they must needs effect Good Father cause this principal token of
thy displeasure together with all other signes therof shewed from heauen and earth as the arming of the dumbe creatures against vs both winds and waters so strangely and furiously in so many places threatning vtterly to sweepe vs away in our deadly securitie for the great ouerflow of all iniquitie euerie where cause this to work so mightilie that we may all bee presently awaked out of our deepest securitie and seek by al meanes to appease thy wrath Oh Lord diddest thou not before that most secret bloodie and fierie conspiracie warne vs all frō heauen as thou diddest Ierusalem before her last destruction by a fierie tent directly ouer our heads inclosing vs all with pillers of most horrible darknes pillers of fire and pillers of blood foreshewing vs as by that which followed wee may iustlie deeme that bloody darknesse and fiery destruction that was towards vs Did not the hearts of many of vs tremble in the beholding thereof and in fearing some grieuous iudgment that was to come causing vs to flie to thee to seeke to hide our selues vnder thy wings And did wee feare without iust cause Had it not been effected indeed and we all chiefely our dread Soueraigne with all our heads and rulers inclosed in the most darke fiery bloodie tent that euer the world heard of in that most vnnatural and accursed massacre if thou our gracious and most tender Father haddest not heard the prayers of thy poore children which both before and at that very instant were humbled before thee and so thought on vs in mercy And shall we now be senselesse still in these signes tokens still entring in vpon vs as fearefully as euer any of the ten plagues vpon the Egyptians making the whole land to tremble at the very report of them Saue and deliuer vs from that iudgement of all other the heauiest that euer fall vpō the heart of man and whereby not onely the Egytians were prepared for their finall ouerthrow in the sea but also thine owne people Israel both before the great captiuitie and also before the last and vtter desolation of that natiō so oft threatned by our Sauiour that by hearing we should heare not vnderstand and seeing we should see not perceiue but haue our hearts made more fat and senselesse by all the meanes sent to call vs to repentance lest wee should be conuerted and thou shouldest spare vs. Oh open our eies that we may see in what state we stand and how farre this iudgement hath seased vpon vs already Conuert vs we shall be conuerted and neuer let vs as those whom thou hast vtterly destroyed harden our selues against the euident tokens of thy wrath denying or making light of them much lesse to oppose our selues against thee thy word and seruants Preserue vs from the outragious ouerflowings of the multitude which thou mayest iustly arme against vs in their ignorance like the furious waues of the raging seas for lack of our care cōscience to see thē taught to knowe thee and thine ordinances and to feare thy great and mighty name Let not the flouds of iniquity swallow vs vp Aboue all neuer leaue vs in their hands whose very mercies are cruelties that they should blaspheme thy great name to say where is now their God but let vs still fall into thy hands and deale with vs as it pleaseth thee for with thee is mercy and when thou smitest vs yet thou pitiest vs euer in wrath remembring mercie Though our prouocations be more hainous then we are able to expresse yet Lord heare the crie of thy seruants and let them stil preuaile with thee to stay thy hand Hast thou not sayd it and manie a time made it good euen vnto this very day that the innocent should deliuer the Iland doest thou not call for vs thy poore seruants to stand vp with Moses in the breach to stay thy fierce wrath because thou art a God of mercie and wouldest not destroy thy people most declaring the riches of thy grace in pardoning and sauing whole nations at the praiers of a few of thy poore seruants and giuing the wicked for their ransome Therfore oh good Lord we whom thou doest call to be thy remembrancers knowing that thou art still the same good God to thine as thou wast to Moses Abraham and Samuel and being assured that through thy Son we are as deare vnto thee as the apple of thine owne eie that thou canst denie vs nothing which we beg in his name which may make for thine owne glorie and good of thy people do humbly intreate thee to glorifie thy mercy that it may shine to all the world in pardoning the sinne of our Land turning the harts of all sorts speedily vnto thee to meete thee with an intreatie of peace but make all the vnplacable enemies of thy Church to feele thy hand and those chiefly who haue as Balaam and the Midianites caused vs with their wiles to prouoke thee to so fierce a wrath wherein we haue bin so oft and so lately almost vtterly consumed through our backslidings and rebellions against thee Get thy selfe glory vpon them as vpon Pharo in the heart of the sea that when thou hast deliuered vs ouerthrowne them as sundry times thou hast begunne and promised to accomplish we may sing the song of Moses thy seruant and all ages keepe a remembrāce of thine endlesse mercy Let euery one of vs be afraide of defacing or obscuring any part of thy glory and much more of seeking vainly our owne glory especially of robbing thy Maiestie by taking any part of thine honour to our selues as Herod being proud of thy gifts whereunto our sinfull natures are strongly inclined But aboue all keepe vs frō dishonoring thee by our euil example amongst the wicked and vngodly to cause them to blaspheme that glorious truth which we professe Make vs to account it our greatest honour to honor thee and the greatest dishonour and euill that euer can befall vs so much as in shewe to dishonour thee Strengthen vs to walke so vprightly that others seeing our good workes may glorifie thee our heauenly father and that we may stop the mouthes of all the wicked bearing their reproch as a crowne vpon our heads So inflame our harts with a zeale of thy glory that our righteous soules may be vexed from day to day for all the abominations whereby thou art dishonored by Atheists Papists and all sorts of godlesse men And let vs be so farre off from dishonoring thee by being ashamed with Peter of thee and thy religion or any part thereof where we ought to professe it that in all places we may shewe it forth with all wisdome and boldnesse as that which is our chiefest glory gracing it with a holy conuersation that our Lord Sauiour may