Grant to us therefore and to all thy Children these lively evidences of thy favour in our unfeigned repentance and also our effectuall faith increasing daily for Iesus Christ our onely Lord and Saviour IIII. A prayer that wee may not deceive our selves in vayne conceite that we are Gods Children when wee are nothing lesse as the greatest part doe but that wee may come to strong assurance heereof by feeling a totall change in our lives and conversations OH most holy and most gracious Father we intreate yet further of thy divine Majesty that neither we nor any other of thy people and Children may deceive our selves in a vaine counterfeit show and imagination of repentance and faith as the greatest part of those do who living under the sound and in the light of the Gospell doe imagine therefore that they have repentance faith and are well enough when as aalas they have nothing lesse then any part of true sound and unfeigned repentance or any power of a lively faith Grant to this end that neither we nor they may rest untill wee finde in our selves the new-birth begun and increasing daily by a totall change wrought in us since the time that we beleeved in Christ as a speciall fruite thereof and that in every part both of our soules and bodies and also in the whole course of our life and conversation Stirre up all our hearts Oh holy Father to this purpose that wee may never give thee rest untill wee finde this thorow change and alteration both in our mindes and understandings from ignorance and blindnesse to the true knowledge not onely of our selves but also of thy heavenly Majesty and so of thy Sonne Iesus Christ likewise in our memories that instead of remembring vanities we may be able to keepe a holy remembrance of the things which concerne thy glory and our owne salvation with the good of our Brethren Good Lord worke the like change in our wils from following and obeying the will and lusts of our flesh to bee ever pliant and obedient to thy heavenly will Perswade our hearts that we may never give thee over untill wee likewise finde the same change in our affections that therein wee are conformed daily more and more to the holinesse of Christ both in our love hatred our joy our greefe in child-like feare holy security resting onâ—… selves onely in thy love and favour Make us to labour to finde also the same in our Consciences that wee may never give any rest to our soules untill wee finde our consciences quieted in this assurance that we are washed from our sinnes in the blood of our Lord Iesus Christ and that our owne hearts and consciences doe beare a continuall witnesse unto us of our upright conversation at least begun in us with a settled resolution ever to walke with thee our God all our daies Good Father never suffer us to bee at quiet untill wee truely finde the same alteration wrought by thy holy Spirit in like manner in our whole body making every sense and member thereof instead of the service of sinne to become servants of righteousnesse even thine owne servants Lord perswade us all that all these parts being thine Created and Redeemed to these ends thou dost not only require this holinesse in every one of them but that thou likewise workest it effectually in all thine whom thou hast ordained to life and salvation according to that measure of grace which thou arâ—… pleased to bestowe upon every one causing every one of them to strive forwards towards perfection that untill such a change bee begun in us in some measure never any one of us can have any true comfort that wee are thy Children or in thy favour and love and that onely as this change and comformitie to Christ Iesus our head increaseth so doth our comfort likewise increase in thee and contrarily as it decreaseth so doe we decay in our comfort and assurance Hearken unto us therefore Oh tender Father and worke mightily by thy holy Spirit in us in all thy Children that wee may never give thee any rest in our prayers untill wee shall attaine this full assurance for our Lord Iesus Christ his sake our onely Mediator and Advocate V. A prayer that wee may finde in our selves not onely the generall but even all the particular markes of Gods Children namely those which our Saviour hath taught us to beg in his prayer OH Lord who art the only true perswader and seâ—…ler of the hearts and consciences of all thine elect perswade effectually both us and all other thy people that besides a whole change in our selves in all the qualities and faculties of our soules bodies thou hast given sundry peculiar markes and properties whereby thy Children may both certainly know themselves to bee thy Children and also by which they may be so knowne ought so to be esteemed amongst all thy people and that so much the more as they more lively and evidently have these markes upon them And namely good Lord perswade us of those which thou in this praier hast taught all thine to pray and to cry for daily whereby wee carry most lively the Image of our Lord Iesus our elder Brother Vouchsafe that we may bee most zealous of the glory of thee our heavenly Father and that with a holy zeale having the Spirit of burning and the Spirit of judgement joyned together which worldlings regard not being little or nothing at all acquainted with it Grant that wee all may seeke thy kingdome and righteousnesse first before all the things of this life whereas they that are of this world seeke onely or at least in the first place the things of this world Helpe and inable us good Father heerein to these ends that whereas carnall and unregenerate men seeke onely the satisfying of their owne lusts and pleasures and by all meanes to have their owne wils fulfilled little or nothing regarding to know or to do thy heavenly will we contrarily may seeke to know and fulfill the will of thee our heavenly Father as thou hast expressed it in thy holy and sacred word and that this we may make our very meate and drinke preferring it as did our Saviour before his daily foode Vouchsafe us thy holy Spirit that whereas carnall and worldly men are wont commonly for whatsoever they desire onely to use and seeke worldly meanes such as like themselves best whether warrantable from thee or no they make no matter seldome or never using to seeke and beg them as they ought from thy heavenly bounty onely in and by the meanes which thou hast appointed and doe as seldome unfeignedly returne thee thankes prayse when they have received their desires but are like the swine under the Acorne trees never looking up from whence the Mast falls sacrifising unto their nets ascribing all to
8 A prayer that we may be able to lift up our eyes to our heavenly Father looking beyond all earthly meanes in all the troubles and perils of the Church without which we cannot pray as we ought 9 A thankes giving for the deliverie of the Churches from Egypt and Babylon with an earnest prayer for the full accomplishment thereof and that we may never looke backe to them againe to provoke the Lord against us by the same 10 A prayer that in token of our thankfulnesse for our deliverance wee may all seeke to give him his glory in our unfeigned repentance and walking conscionably in all his holy Commandements 11 A prayer that we may all give God the glory of his inward worship according to the first Commandement to helpe to pacify his Majesty toward the Churches 11 A prayer to bee able to discerne the sin of the Churches whereby he is diâ—…onored provoked even by the transgression of the first Commandement 12 A humble confession of the sinnes of the Churches and an acknowledgement of Gods righteous proceeding agaynst them for our unthankfulnesse and transgression of his laweâ—… and for that though we have heard of the miseries of our Brethren we have not beene humbled nor made our supplications for them as vvee ought according to Nehemiah 13 A humble confession of the sinne of our Land so polluted by all the Popish sort rejecting the Lord and setting up the Pope of Rome with his idolatry superstition in place of him and his pure worship to provoke his Majesty against us 14 A prayer for all the simple-hearted seduced by the Iesuites and other Seminary Priests that they may see how they have bin deluded to helpe thereby to plucke them from sathan and bring them to our Lord Iesus Christ. 15 A humble Thankesgiving for our dread Soveraigne with our gracious Prince and Princesse and all the Royall Progeny and for all our deliverances and preservations by them with an earnesâ—… Prayer that our sinnes being forgiven they may bee each in their times and places the happiest heads of the most blessed people that ever haue beene in the world before 16 A humble Thankesgiving that God hath thus farre heard our prayers with an earnest supplication that he may goe on to perfect his worke and that as we have made entrance into this service so we may all proceede vntill we shall see the ful deliverance of all his Churches the new Ierusaâ—…em and the eternall glory of his Sion The other Prayers and that which God willing is to succeede see in the end of all after the Table of the particular Contents Rules to be observed in the use of all the Meditations and Prayers REmember throughout to expect not excellencie of words but the power of God Remember Daâ—… Sling and Iâ—…suahs Trumpets of Rammes horne Thine eye being on thy Booke let the eye of thy soule be at thy Christ making intercession at his Fathers right hand labouring to feele all in thy heart and especially to have a right sense of the necessities of all for whom thou prayest and so praying in Faith thou shalt prevayle Rules to helpe to keepe us from ever declining from the Lord and from all delusions cheefely by Popery 1 LAbour to walke with thy God as Enech making conscience of all thy wayes specially of thy particular calling and every holy dutie in the due time fearing all occasions of evill watching and taking forthwith all occasions of good 2 Pray as he hath directed thee respecting ever his glory and kingdome and the generall state of his Church before thine owne particular 3 Strive to live under the best meanes and vvith the best company which GOD shall vouchsafe thee 4 Remember ever those strong delusions of Poperie sent in Gods iustice for contempt of the Gospell in not receyving the love of his trueth mentioned in the Epistle to the poore seduced people and withall keepe ever in minde those principall supporters and pillars of Popery viz lying and â—…irther the cheefe workes of Sathan which shew that that Religâ—…on is of him likewise 5 Consider well how Popery overthrowes many of the cheefe Principles of the Catechisme For this See a Pill to purge out Poperie 6 Be affraid of conferring with the Serpent viz. inticers to Popery or any evill of reasoning with temptations 7 In all such doubts first conserre with God by holy Meditation and Prayer as Dâ—…niel his compaaions after with thy faithfull Minister or some of the worthiest servants of God so farre as God offers thee any opportunity 8 Strive to reioyce in the Lord alway and in thy happy estate through Christ Pray continually by lifting up thy heart through him In all things give thankes whatsoever come to passe So thou shalt see the event happy and thy selfe ever to prevayâ—…e vvith God and more then a Conqueror ¶ Places of Scripture to be ever in our hearts to quicken us and stirre up in us the power of prayer THe eyes of the Lord are upon the Righteous and his eares are open unto their cry Thou wilt prepare their hart thou wilt cause thine eare to heare To iudge of the fatherlesse and oppressed that â—…the man of the earth may no more oppresse Yea before they call I will answer And whiles they speake I will heare But let him aske in Faith nothing wavering The effectuall servent prayer of a righteous man avayleth much Elias was a man subiect to the like passions as we are and hee prayed earnestly that it might not raine and it rained not on the earth by the space of three yeares and six moneths And he prayed again and the heaven gave raine and the earth brought forth her fruite Concerning him when he was rapt up into heauen thus cryed Elisha after him My father my father the Chariots of Israel and the Horsemen thereof And for Elisha the king of Israel comming downe to visit him in his last sicknes wept over his face with the same words O my father my father the Chariots of Israel and the Horsemen thereof Of him that makes and keepes peace with God thus saieth the Spirit Thou shalt make thy Prayer unto him and he shall heare thee and thoâ—… shalt pay thy Vowes c. The innocent shall deliver the Iland and it is delivered by the purenesse of thy hands But as for the wicked thus he speaketh which he would have all men take notice of ponder well having set a double note upon it The Lord is knowne by the iudgement which he executeth the wicked is snared in the workes of his owne hands What hast thou to do to take my Covenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest to be reformed and hast cast my words behinde thee Errata Amend these slippes following with what is defective in this first draught through want of meete leysure and our God will I hope bring it forth againe with all the
or to make any petition to his heavenly Majesty More particular Meditations hereof MOre particularly for the better help and direction of every yong and weake Christian because this is that whereupon all our hope for our prayers doth principally relye that we in the first place meditate and ponder carefully of these things To the end that we may be able to cry thus in Faith O our Father which art in heaven we must make sure that we be his children indeed that we do not deceive our selves as the greatest part do even of those that live in the bosome of the Church And therefore 1. Wee must seriously bethinke our selves what wee were by our naturall estate from our first Father Adam not heavenly but all earthly wholly corrupt both in our nature in all our thoughts words and deeds Children of disobedience yea Children of Sathan and even of the wrath of God 2. What we are already or must bee by grace before we can have the favour of our heavenly Father or can helpe in this worke that wee must bee changed throughout borne againe made new Creatures so as was saide Children of our heavenly Father heavenly minded that is minding heavenly things obedient Children indeavouring to walke in all holy obedience before him so declaring our selves hereby to bee ordayned not to wrath but to the inheritance of the Saints in light 3. If wee doe not fully and plainly finde our selves in this happy estate of Gods Children but still remaining as we were borne and therefore Children of wrath the Lord cals upon vs loud that wee never rest day nor night untill we finde our selves certainly delivered out of that fearfull and wofull estate and that we are made by grace the very Children of our heavenly Father and are received into his favour and love And this cheefly he cals us to seeke to attaine by a deepe and continuall Meditation of the miserable estate in which wee stand even for the present untill this time as was saide before and morespecially for that extreame horrour misery which will certainly come upon us when our consciences shall bee throughly and soundly awaked which will be undoubtedly either in his life or so soone as ever we shall be taken hence And of the other side by a due and serious Meditation and consideration of that blessed estate wherein every one is that findes himselfe indeed in this manner the true Child of his heavenly Father and can thereupon by the spirit of Adoption cry thus unto him Abba O Father And to these ends that wee never rest seeking to be in this happy estate and that wee finde wee are in it undoubtedly by using conscionably and constantly all the meanes which God hath ordained thereunto chee◅y hearing of his blessed word and earnest prayer for obtaining these two generall and principall graces and ◅arkes of our regeneration to wit True repentance of all our sinnes and a lively Faith in Christ Iesus And in our repentance that wee find a chang first in ou◅ whole nature and after a change of all our courses and conversation from earthly to heavenly not walking thenceforth according to carnall reason but by faith in the word of the Lord. 4. If wee finde our selves such yet the Lord cals on us still to labour daily to encrease our assurance by increasing in our conscionable walking before our heavenly Father and as in his presence that so wee may receive more favour in his eyes to bee accepted in our prayers for his Church and to approach neerer and neerer unto him with faithfull Abraham Remembring ever these two lessons 1. That there is but onely one narrow way of life by our cōscionable walking wherein we can onely assure our selves of Gods favour and love but almost ten thousand leading out of the same all of them tending to hell and destruction The impenitent walking in any of which paths provokes his displeasure especially if we walke in it wittingly or carelesly thorow lacke of examining and trying our wayes 2. That all this way is directed and chalked out for the generall in the doctrine of our Catechisme both for our Faith and for our repentance or obedience to bee continually renewed and increased more particularly for every step as it were in the whole body of the Sacred Scriptures the blessed word of the Lord. 1. For our Faith by which we must live and walke that it is briefly comprized in the Articles of our Faith 2. For our life and conversation and the ordering thereof in the Ten Commandements written by the Lords owne finger in each of which and every part whereof wee must walke on forward in performing all duties to his heavenly Majesty and also to our Brethren 3. ◅or other helpes in this our journey and stayes to our Faith the right use and knowledge of the Sacraments 4. to the end to obtaine more strength so to walke in Faith and obedience that wee are to use earnest prayer the heavenly patterne whereof is set before us in that most exact forme prescribed by our Saviour called the Lords prayer That wee may all learne to pray as with one heart and soule according to that generall direction being used and applyed particularly as occasions times and seasons require 5. The Lord would haue us all to know and ever to keepe in fresh memory that he cals on us continually in the use of this prayer to strive not onely for our selves so to walke but for all our Brethren even all the Children of our heavenly Father dispersed over the face of the whole earth both already called and also all other of whom wee may hope that they doe belong to Gods eternall election whether of the Iew or of the Gentile Pagans Turkes or Indians That these being gathered forth he may speedily hasten the accomplishment of our happinesse by the glorious appearing of our Lord and Saviour And that wee never test vntill wee shall attaine heereunto to remember all these jointly in all our prayers in some good measure as being of the same mysticall body of Christ with us for that otherwise we cannot rightly pray Our Father And further also amongst them he would have us to pray in a more speciall manner for all those whom hee hath set in his owne place heere in the earth for our succour and comfort the aide and the comfort of all the rest of these our Brethren and for our joynt injoying of all these blessings which he hath promised to his Church and chosen flocke and which he hath beene wont by them to performe unto it To whom for this cause hee hath giuen his owne name calling them Gods and hath promised that to this end they shal be made foster Fathers nursing Mothers to his poore Church when he will be gracious
may yet put some more life into all these Meditations and quicken us in our crying to him according to all the prayers following hee calls upon us all to have this specially ever in our hearts and his voyce in it sounding incessâ—…tly in our eares which was in part touched before That as the Spirit and the Bride doe call to our blessed Saviour to come so first all the distressed Churches yea all the members of Christ and all the elect of God which are under the power of Sathan or of any cruell Tyrants or under other miseries doe call and cry to every one of us as the man of Macedonia did to Paul come helpe us Come helpe us by your prayers helpe us by your teares And secondly as the Angell of the Lord said Curse ye Meroz because he came not to helpe the Lord so now hee saith Curse ye all and every one of them who come not to helpe our Lord Iesus Christ who come not to helpe him in his poore members And tell every one who wil not set himselfe at least in the full purpose of his heart to come that hee hath no part in that heavenly prayer of our blessed Saviour nor of the glorious priviledges and promises conteyned in it that hee hath no part or portion in the Brother-hood Inheritance Glory Kingdome Rewardes Promises of this and the better life Remission of sinnes Deliverance from Sathan from the evils which hee seeks to bring on all that hee can have no comfort in that everlasting everliving Amen to whom all Kingdome Power and Glory do onely appertaine but that he is contrarily stripped of each of these and that our Lord Iesus is comming quickly in all Majesty and Glory to give to every one according to his workes to all that come the happinesse of all these blessings to all now refusing to come when he calls the misery of all contrary curses Wherefore hee saith to all Come Come every one thou though be in thy filth loathsome ragges all Leprous worthy to be thrust out of yâ— campe of Israel excluded for evermore yet come strip off those rags by repenâ—…ance wash in the fountaine of my blood which is opened to all the house of Israel and be thou cleane Put on the garment of the righteousnesse of thy Saviour and be glorious put on all the compleat Arm our of my Spirit in the full resolution of thy soule be valiant come helpe me Though thou have no strength but meere desires yet come and thou shalt bee accepted I will not quench the smoaking flax therefore come Though thy desires be never so weake yet come my power shall bee manifested and perfected in thy weaknes Therefore come yea though thou have no grace at all yet come hee tels thee from heaven his Grace is and shall be sufficient for thee And finally though thou have no faith to apprehend this Grace of his but art full of unbeleefe yet ever remember him that said I beleeve Lord Lord helpe my unbeleefe and how he sped and then thou wilt come Yea though thou get others to carry thee thou wilt certainly doe it if thou canst but set before thy face the Palsy-man thou wilt bee glad thâ—…s to come Finally be thinke thy selfe if ever thou canst name but one who thus desired to come to our Saviour in the uprightnesse of his heart neglecting no meanes thereunto who was rejected of him but contrarily how every one so comming hath beene graciously accepted and imbraced of him as the Prodigall Son was of his Father and then try whether his blessed Spirit will not give thee Davids Eccho to answer to him in thy soule Lord I come I come I come to doe thy will Thy will is within my heart Accept the worke of thine ownegrace Amen enen so Lord Iesus I come I come Prayers according to our Sauiours direction chiefly for maintaining and advancing of his glory and kingdome against the râ—…ge of Sathan and Antichrist and for helping his poore distressed Churches with all the members of Iesus Christ scattered over the face of the whole earth and that the whole number of Gods elect may be speedily gathered forth I. A prayer for our preparation that wee may bee made meete to bee admitted and may bee accepted as helpers in this so great a worke AH Lord our most gracious and tender Father in Christ Iesus wee thy unworthy children heere prostrate beholding how thy heavenly Majesty is foughten against thy honour trampled under foote thy kingdome people sought to bee destroyed out of the earth and that by Sathan Antichrist other thy cruell enemies who carrying a mortall hate against thee and against thy Sonne Iesus Christ and so against thy Gospell and people for thy cause alone do seeke that they alone may raigne over us and over all the world in thy place seeing also how thou hast suffered them fearfully to prevaile and still to proceed because of our sins and the sinnes of all other that professe thy name and hearing withall how thou now callest us all who are thine and in any favour with thy Maiesty to helpe thee and the rest of our Brethren and Sisters thy poore children in these their extreame miseries by our prayers and teares doe humbly intreat thee so to prepare and fit us that through our Lord and Saviour wee may be accounted meete to bee admitted to this so great a service Lord open our blind eies that we may have a right view of all these things open likewise our dease eares that we may heare thee calling us unto this duty and touch our dead hearts that they may be truly affected herewith inable us that thus seeing hearing and seeling we may cry unto thee uncessantly untill thou shalt shew thy selfe from heaven to come downe maintaine and defend thine owne causes and children to rescue all thine every where both from that bodily and spirituall tyranny and from all other dreadfull miseries under which they groane and so to judge betweene them betweene thine and their enemies and to get thy selfe a gloryous name and victory in thy due time to thine owne everlasting prayse and glory Oh deere Father perswade our hearts effectually how now at this very day in these fearfull times and extremities of thy poore Church as thou hast beene wont in all former Ages thou seekest out a man that may stand in the breach and how thou lookest for some that may specially bee singled out hereunto to helpe thee and thy poore people Vouchsafe good Lord that every one of us may strive to bee if not that one man yet as some one of Gedeons three hundreth And to this end that all these holy Meditations following and the like may be in our hearts continually That we may never rest untill hereby wee may know assuredly that
deserued this honor and hath this office to make us and our prayers to be accepted and therfore that we may in faith cry unto thee evermo◅e thorow him Amen Amen Good Lord helpe us and all thy people that by all these markes and the like wee may thoroughly try and examine our selves whether we be thy children or no and that wee may never give ouer crying unto thee untill we finde every one of these lively and sensibly in us Cause us rightly to understand and to bee fully perswaded heereof that in what measure we finde the former change wrought in us and every one of these marks in the same we may know our selves like wise to bee in thy favour and accepted of thee and that contrarily vvithout every one of these at least begun in us in some measure a sound resolution with an earnest desire and longing of our soules to increase and grow heerein vvee cannot assure our selves to bee any better then Hypocrites and that wee shall never finde sound comfort that thou wilt acknowledge us for thine untill we finde these evident markes upon us Grant unto us therefore Oh tender Father all the peculiar marks of thy Children and all other that hereby we and all thine may know our selves infallibly to bee thine owne deere Children for thy beloved Sonne our blessed Lord and Saviour Amen VI. A prayer for knowledge and right use of the meanes whereby wee may bee made Gods Children and grow up in the assurance thereof and so b◅ established in grace continually OH most gracious God and mercifull Father the onely fountaine of wisedome and grace forsomuch as every one who hath any sparke of grace or true wisedome desires to bee in the blessed estate of thy Children to have thy love and favour to grow up in the assurance thereof as the chiefest happinesse in this world perswade us and all thy people aright what are the ordinary meanes whereby thou begettest thy Children to a lively hope That thou dost it ordinarily and usually even by the same meanes whereby thou diddest first gather thy Church in the daies of our Saviour and after that so wonderfully and speedily spread it over the face of the earth even by the sincere preaching of thy heavenly word and namely of thy sacred Gospell That howsoever the world accounts that foolishnesse yet thou hast ordained it to be the immortall seede whereby thine are begotten anew and thus made thy Children by grace and to be thy mighty power unto salvation to make all thine to beleeve and in beleeving to make them partakers of thy favour and love and so to give them eternall life And that this saving kinde of preaching stands as the preaching of Paul did not in the intising speech of mans wisedome but in the plaine evidence of thy Spirit of power That so our faith may bee apparant to bee wrought not by the wisedome of men but onely by thy divine and mighty power alone Perswade all thy people moreover that as thou doest beget all thine a-newe by this thy heauenly voyce the sincere preaching of thy Gospell and in calling them makest them thy Children so thou feedest and nourishest them and all thy Graces in them by the same principally and next therunto by the right use of thy holie Sacraments the reuerent reading of the same blessed word and other holy bookes grounded thereupon with sacred Meditations conference with the godly practise of all holy duties carnest supplications and prayers for a right and sanctified use for thy blessing upon everie one of these meanes and the like to make them all effectuall heereunto Good Father perswade ◅ll who thus desire to bee thy Children and in thy favour and to have all others likewise partakers with them of the same mercy to seeke by all holy meanes the establishing and advancement of thy sacred Ministery that them selves and all others may depend upon the conscionable faithfull and sincere Ministers Pastors and Teachers whom thou hast ordayned in this respect to succeed in the place of holy Paul and the other Apostles for the gathering together of the Saints for the worke of the Ministry and for the edification of the body of Christ and bee wholly affraid of all Anaba ptisticall fancies or separations or of any way vvithdrawing themselves from under the meanes ordayned by thee for their salvation to lye open to Sathan and his delusions Oh gracious Father who so tenderest thy Children and chosen flocke as thou hast set Kings Princes in thy place for the care and comfort of them above all other of the earth perswade and move effectually the heartes of all those whom thou hast appointed to be thus as Fathers to thy children as namely all Governours and principally the cheefe whom thou hast specially ordayned to bee the prime foster-Fathers unto those thy deere Children in al the parts of the world That they by all the meanes power that thou shalt ever vouchsafe to put into their hands may looke to see thy people committed to their charge to be furnished with such conscionable sincere faithfull Pastors and teachers as by whom they may be first begotten and after nourished and fed so as they may grow up to the measure of the age of the fulness in Christ and be provided likewise for all other gracious meanes helps belonging hereunto Thus in like manner wee humbly intreate thee most mercifull God and tender father that by the mighty operation of thy heavenly Spirit thou wilt thorowly perswade and move all those whome thou hast in a peculiar manner separated unto this worke of winning of soules unto thee or who have or shall any way enter heereupon that they may wisely consider that principall part of their Vocation and Function namely to endeavour to make al their Congregations to bee thine owne Children carrying lively thy image and bearing upon them the markes of thy Children Cause them to seeke tenderly to nourish and comfort them as in thy place and presence and ever to preserve keepe them from Sathan and all his cursed agents and instruments as from all seducing Iesuites and Seminaryes who compasse sea and land to make all sorts the children of the divell worse then themselves and so from all other deceyvers and all the delusions of this evill world Grant that thus they may study to be able each according to their places at all times whensoever thou shalt call them to an account and chiefly at the great day to present them with all confident boldness and joy before thy heavenly Majesty saying vvith the Prophet Lord heere am I and the children thou hast given me by my Ministry or any way cōmitted to my charge Hearken unto us Oh gracious Father in these our humble supplications all other things which thou knowest to be
speedy and unfeigned repentance thou wilt cut them offâ—… from ever seeing thy celestiall Canaan and much more make all them to know this specially who with the tenne spyes after they have not only searched out the good land tasted and brought to others the fruite of it but filled them selves at least with the outward blessings and daynties thereof have yet either turned backe or brought an evill report upon it even upon thy sacred religion and Gospell to discourage their Brethren thereby to cause them to be faint-hearted and as much as â—…veth in them to turne into Aegypt againe Oh Lord most holy most dreadfull and most terrible make us all ever to remember that of all those hundreth thousands who so tempted and dishonoured thee by their unbeleefe in the way towards the earthly Canaan never any one could enter in but thou causedst their catkasses to fall in the wildernes untill they were utterly consumed and for those that brought that vile slaunder upon the good land thou causedst them to die by a terrible plague and that therefore these may justly expect a more heavy wrath and vengeance from thy Majesty Oh gracious Father give all thine owne faithfull people and children the same hearts of Caleb Iosua especially all them who as those thy two worthy servants have unto this day constantly stucke unto thy sacred Majesty in the conscionable profession of thy heavenly truth that we may all couragiously and boldly give testimony unto the happinesse of this good land into which thou hast brought us this good way of life wherein thou hast set us that this indeed to wit the sincere profession of thy name according to thy sacred word and as it is confirmed by our good Lawes is a land that floweth with milke and hony and the Lord if he love us will continue it unto us and increase the glory and happinesse of it untill he have brought us into his heavenly Canaan Inable us good Father thus to incourage our owne hearts and the hearts of all our faithfull Brethren and for all other to perswade them by all meanes out of thy blessed word that they rebell not against thee the Lord of hoasts neither feare the proud enemies of the Church but onely that we may joyntly be truly humbled before thy glorious Majesty for all our sinnes whereby we have thus provoked thy greatnesse and holinesse thus caused thee to muster thine armyes and to strengthen thine and our enemies against us to cause thine owne people in so many places to fly before them Oh Lord inable us by thy holy Spirit that wee may never leave wrastling with thee untill we have prevailed with thy Majesty thus farre that thou shalt incline the hearts of all especially all those whom thou hast set in thy place for the saving of thy people that they and all their dominions even all the Churches and every soule of thine may seeke thee in sack cloth and ashes in fasting weeping and mourning never giving over crying to thee through thy Christ untill thine anger be appeased and thou bee reconciled to thy people againe for that then undoubtedly as thou hast bene wont to doe in former Ages thou wilt make thine and thy Churches enemies to be but bread for thy people that all the world shall see that their sheild is departed from them and that thou the Lord of hoasts art with us and that wee shall not need to feare them any more Oh gracious God most tender Father cause all the Churches to know and especially us of this sinfull nation that hitherto we and so many as have beene preserved thou alone hast spared and saved us of thy rich mercy and at the instant requests importunings of thy Moseses which have bene amongst us And more specially cause all unbeleevers to know that thou now speakest to them as thou diddest to thy people in the wildernesse That notwithstanding thy great mercies and the sparing of us at the cries of thy faithfull ones yet all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord. that all those who have seene thy glory the good land and great deliverances which thou hast given to thy people and yet have so oft and doe still tempt thee not obeying thy voyce shall never see that thy heavenly Canaan which thou hadst so promised and offered unto them nor any other that so provoked thee by their unbeleefe That onely thy faithfull servants who as Caleb and Iosuah having another Spirit doe follow thee still remaining still more constant and faithfull even in the greatest timerousnesse and backsliding of the multitude these onely thou wilt bring into the heavenly Canaan and they alone shall inherit it for evermore Heare us Oh most gracious God and loving Father and keepe us by the mighty power of thy blessed Spirit that alwayes remembring what thou hast done for us and considering aright of the miserable estate of all under Sathan and Antichrists tyranny and our owne happy estate and condition under our Lord Saviour Iesus Christ we may all joyntly strive fast forward towards the full fruition of thine owne glorious Majesty in the heavenly Canaan and in the new Ierusalem eternally Grant that in the meane time the unfeigned repentance of all thy true Churches and people for all our sinnes may bee one of thy effectuall and principall instruments for the pulling of the remainder of thy people forth of Sodome and of Aegypt and to cause all thine to fly speedily and get themselves out of Babilon that by escaping her sins they may likewise escape her plagues and finally that it may thus prepare the way to the calling and conversion of the Iewes the gathering in of all thy Israel the speedy comming of our Lord and Saviour for our eternall deliverance the everlasting glory of thy Sion and of us all for evermore Heare us Oh most gracious Father in these our requests and accept of this our poore thanksgiving for this inestimable favour even for Iesus Christ his sake our onely Lord and Saviour X. A prayer that wee and all the Churches in token of our thankfullnesse to our blessed God for our deliverance from Babilon for making us his people and Children and his Covenant with us may set our selves to honour him more then ever wee have done especially in a more conscionable and chearefull walking in all his holy Lawes and Commandements that hee may alwaies keepe us from that bloody tyranny OH Lord most holy most great and glorious who hast made all things for thine owne sake even the wicked for the day of evill Perswade the hearts of all thine owne people that thou hast thus created formed all things for thine owne honour that thy great name might ever be magnifyed in all the world and especially by thine owne children and to this end
entred into for our selves our children and posterity and every one bound our selves by thy holy Sacraments chiefly by our Baptisme vow yet wee have all heynously transgressed wee have cast it behinde oâ—…r backes trampling under foote thy blessed Commandements thy statutes judgments Hereby good Lord have wee most justly brought all this thy fierce wrath upon so many parts of thy Church and also provoked thee to threaten most righteously the like or more heauy to come upon us all untill wee all see our unthankfulnesse and our breach of Covenant and that we do all joyntly humble our selves under thy most mighty and most fatherly hand to give thee thy glory by renewing and confirming this our Covenant in our true and our unfeigned repentance Wee therefore doe most freely acknowledge that wee have all most grievously and fearfully transgressed even in all the Churches against that first and great Commandement yea indeed against every one of thy most sacred Commandements in a high degree in one kinde or other and that in a speciall manner and as it were with a high hand For concerning thy inward worship and giving thee thy due glory by setting thee up as chiefe in our harts to adore and worship thee as our glorious God We humbly confesse for our selves and brethren even against us all that all of us who in the middest of this shining light of thy heavenly word doe still content our selves to liue in ignorance and blindnesse or in any heynous sinne and especially in Athiesme or prophannesse have set up Sathan the God of this world in our hearts to be our God and that hee it is that ruling there so blindes the eyes of all such least the light of thy heavenly truth should shine unto them and they should be conuerted and saved thereby Multitudes of vs O Lord thou knowest have set up the world as our God very many of us the riches other the pleasures and others of us the honour and pompe of it to adore many other that Antichrist the Pope of Rome as al who are Popishly affected in all the Churches who all preferre his decrees and ordinances before thy heavenly word for that all these and likewise all others who adore or honor any creature with that honour which is due to thy heavenly Majesty alone or above thee have and do preferre all these before thee and set them up in thy place But very few there are amongst us Oh most holy Father who have so set thee up as wee ought to doe our most glorious Lord and God that is so as to set our whole heart upon thee and to put our whole affiance and confidence in thee to love thee with all our heart soule strength and might to bee zealous for thee for thy sincere worship and truth but we are rather good Lord very generally as the Laodicean luke-warme worthy to bee spewed out of thy mouth Yea Lord wee have in verie many of us increased our sin in this in hating and scorning all such as have beene more zealous for thee and for thy truth then our selves are in that so many of us have sought utterly to destroy all power of true godlinesse in whomsoever it hath appeared yea that so very many of us have opposed our selves as it were fighting even against thine owne sacred Majestie like the Gyants before the Flood And for thy outward worship the sinne of multitudes of us Oh Lord hath beene and is no lesse to prouoke thy holines as in all those in each of the Churches who insted of worshipping thee onely according to thy blessed word in Spirit and truth have and do worship and do adore thee by Images Crucifixes the like Idolatrous or superstitious devises or by any will-worship whatsoever devised by man without the warrant of thy sacred word although those worships have beene most goodly in shew and pretended to most faire and holy ends And much more in and by all those who have or doe worship Sathan thy sworne enemy in thy place using divellish Arts to effect their desires and to bring to passe strange things by his helpe This wee confesse likewise what multitudes there are in the Churches who have and doe worship thee hypocritically meerely in outward ceremonies and bare shewes of religion and also of those who halt between thy pure and sincere religion and the religion of Antichrist And so likewise of such as worship mereely as the Pharifes being forward in small matters in tithing Mint and Cummin omitting in the meane time the most weighty and namely all true faith and unseigned repentance and true turning unto thy Covenant But for those Oh gracious Father who by their conscionable walking doe manifest to the world that they sincerely worship thee in spirit and truth when we consider of them aright how few they are wee may wonder at thy goodnesse in sparing us for their sakes seeing they have beene not onely so few but also so hated scorned abused for thy sake alone Moreover for taking thy glorious name in vaine Oh holy Father we acknowledge againe to our owne shame that we have made our selves extreamly guilty and worthy of all thy plagues for that besides all the fearfull oathes and blasphemies daily belched out against thy greatnes thou hast so sensibly spoken unto us by thy blessed word and by all thy glorious workes chiefly by threatnings and judgements upon our selves more mildly and upon our brethren in a more fearfull manner and yet wee have not hearkned unto thee And moreover for that besides all these thou hast spoken unto us by the voyce of thy mercies in all thy great deliverances and miraculous preservations of us in this Nation specially and through the incredible continuance of all thy blessings still by them all calling us all to know thee and to meete thee by an unfeigned humiliation before thy vengeance be poured out upon us for all our sinnes And for that yet we have not heard to tremble before this glorious name The Lord our GOD and unfeignedly to turne unto thee by our unfeigned repentance but have hardned our hearts to increase and hasten thy wrath by all our blasphemies and sinnes whereby wee have caused thy great name to bee blasphemed amongst the enemies unto this very day And finally for our Sabbaths Lord wee have and doâ—… confesse againe to the covering of our faces that we have so polluted them in all the Churches as that all of us doâ—… and must needs acknowledge that even for this sinne alone had wee no other wee have most righteously deserved that thou shouldst so begin to kindle such a fire of thy vengeance in the gates of all our chiefe Cityes as should not be quenched like as thou hast so fearfully done in forraine parts so often threatned us our selves heere at home Yea holy Father we have made our selves worthy that thou shouldest thus proceed in thy fierce wrath to
our Lord Iesus Christ to escape the â—…orment which they must otherwise indure with them for evermore OH Lord God most holy and most righteous thou hast said thou wilt bee sanctisied in all that draw neeâ—…e unto thee and therefore as thou arâ—… infinite in mercy towards all those who unfeignedly feare thy holy name and â—…mble at thy word and wâ—…t â—…eale thy secrets unto them and make them of thy priviâ—… counsell so thou art most dreadfull terrible unto all other who regard thee not in any such holy manner as to 〈◊〉 thee and to receive the loâ—… of thy most sacred truth Awaken we beseech tâ—…ee all those who are drunke with the wine of Popery and superstition that â—…t length they may behold in what â—… fearfull and desparate state they stand under the power of Sathan and Antichrist ready to bee â—…st into hell every moment of time Make them able to consider aright of the just 〈◊〉 which thou hast threatned to follow the contempt of thy Gospell chiefly in the dayes of Antichrist and whether for that very 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have not deserved it to come upon them That therefore thou wilt send upon them strong delusions that they shall beleeve lyes and be damned because they would not receive the love of thy sacred truth so as to obey it that they might be saved Make them to bethinke themselves wisely seriously and as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 presence what iniquity they have found in thee 〈◊〉 in our way of life or â—…n 〈◊〉 â—…ow they â—…de in Baptisme that they have so 〈◊〉 renounced and abjured it and deparâ—…d from the boâ—… of their mother to caâ—…t her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and with her â—…hine owne â—…jesty â—…o fearfully â—…o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—… 〈◊〉 of their 〈◊〉 blindnesse and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through 〈◊〉 strong 〈◊〉 whereâ—…â—…o many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bene and are dayly so carried away to that Idolatrous religion Goâ—… Lord make them able to discerne how grosse palpablâ—… those lyes are wherby the â—…cers doe bewitch them as â—…amely that so lately divulged of the Twenty severall sorts of Bibles which within thâ—…se sâ—…w yeares past England hath brought forth Cause them by this one to discerne of all the rest of their delusions when they dare proclaiâ—… such notorious lyes before alâ—… the world as every poore simple body may understand see anâ—…â—…ust needs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them all tâ—…t 〈◊〉 â—…nto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conceive in due time that this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all other their most deepâ—… and 〈◊〉 â—…entions whereby they seekâ—…â—…o raise a slandâ—…r upon thine owne Meâ—… 〈◊〉 truth and people to make their poore seduced Prosâ—…lites to abhorâ—… them and so to roote out both the remembrance of thy great nâ—…me of thy Religion and people from the face of the 〈◊〉 Make them to weigh well how they have do deceive and most shamefully abuse them all in perswading of them that they have moe devotion in their Church then we in ours and that therefore they are to joyne themselves to tâ—…em when as they have hardly the tenth part of the bookes of devotion and others tendiâ—…g thereunto viz to â—…orther Religion and godâ—… which the ignorant â—…ort can come by which wâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ours and much less of 〈◊〉 Sâ—…mons tending to the â—…ame Cause them to have a true sense of that delusion that they tell them that their devotions are more holy then ours when as ours are grounded directly upon thy most blessed and eternall word theire upon doctrinâ—… and traditions of men 〈◊〉 the doctrines of 〈…〉 of sinne 〈…〉 thy glory thâ—…t 〈…〉 may 〈…〉 thee their â—…o 〈…〉 thee of thine honour 〈◊〉 giving it to 〈…〉 tend onely to 〈…〉 Lord Iesus Christ 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 many other thing 〈…〉 place of him 〈…〉 which 〈…〉 wholy to 〈…〉 pride of mâ—…n theirs â—…o 〈◊〉 him up like Lucifer Make them to concelve aright how ours helpe us to understand and keepe our Baptisme vow Covenant with our God theirs to keepe them in ignorance of it all their dayes Ours teach us to sight â—…anfully under the banner of our Lord Iesus and for him oâ—…ely their 's to sight desparately against him and all his armies ours teaching and helping us to walke in the narrow path prescribed by â—…hee our blessed Lord and Saviour theirs to kill all who will not runne with them into by-paths and the broad way leading to hell How ours instruct and guide us to live onely the life of faith directed by thy heavenly word their 's the life of unbeleefe having nothing for the ground but the meere word of sinfull man how ours teach and direct us to live the life of faith by a particulâ—…â—…plying of Christ 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 so truly ingrafting â—…d in coâ—…porating us into Christ 〈◊〉 by his holy Spirit and thereby making us good trees 〈◊〉 wee may bring forth good fruite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to beleeve in generall and as the Church beleeves without any such particular application which â—…aith of theirs can neuer bring forth the â—…ound fruites of â—…anctification and true righteonsnesse especially when they scorne and persecute this true and saying faith as fantasticall and vaine Good Father 〈◊〉 these poore soules to understand and know how ours directe us to live the life of true godlinesse guided by thy word and Spirit which alone 〈◊〉 all the promises for this and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 life theirs teaching chiefly to live the life of superstition by bodily exerciâ—… themselves in such works 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 never required in any such manner Oâ—… perswade them all how ourâ—… bring to yâ— true practisers of them full assurance of thy 〈◊〉 and love and thereby â—…oy unspeakable glorious theirs bringing nothing but onely a â—…aggering hope so still doubting whether they be in thy favour or not which very doubting when the conscience shall bee thoroughly awaked will bring the very flashings of hell fire upon them How ours are heaven upon earth their 's hell upon earth ours the sweetest in the end when as each of them done in faith hath a reward promised thereunto their 's the bitterest in the end when instead of reward thou wilt demand concerning the best of them done without warrant of the word who hath required these things 〈◊〉 your hands Good Lord 〈…〉 hearts according 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 that our devotionâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Religion to 〈…〉 â—…oly and unâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the widdow and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 theirs to make them polluted with lying and all filthy 〈◊〉 as in their 〈◊〉 and other chiefe perswaâ—… to that Idolatry yea with the blood of Innocents to destroy the widdow and the fatherlesse out of the earth even all truly professing Christe name â—…o that their religion iâ—… the most polluted with lying and murder of â—…nnocents of all other Religions that ever 〈◊〉 in the world whereby their 〈…〉 Lord bring to their understandings and cause them to thinke of it and ponder it wel that all our devotions as our
Religion â—…end wholly to â—…ke us faithfull and loyall subjects to pray for our Kings Princes and to have them in our hearts to dye and 〈◊〉 live with sâ—…r them and that we dare not have an evill thought against the Lords Annoynted but yâ— in our patienâ—… sufferings they may see their duties their devotions â—…ending through the subtilty of Sathan and the Iesuites to make them cleane contrary and to carry false and tray toâ—… hearts against the Lords Annoynted unlesse the Lord 〈◊〉 wondefully over-rule â—…hem by his holy Spirit For they must of necessity bee so 〈◊〉 for maintaining 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 devotions and obeying their directors and ghostly fathers as to 〈◊〉 to destroy whatsoever 〈◊〉 hinder it to accoâ—… 〈◊〉 a most meritorious act to destroy all 〈◊〉 principally the chiefe of them Make them to weigh this with themselves how our devotions are made with understanding and so in faith and with a holy zeale without vaine repititions their 's without all understanding in a blinde devotion with 〈◊〉 babling repetition which thou condemnest and 〈◊〉 Finally Good Lord cause them all at length in mercy to understand how our devotions are such as helpe us to live a true Christian life in the practise of all the duties of piety and righteousnesse in examining our spirituall groweth in grace in heavenly meditations and contemplations praiers thanksgivings and the like all directing us to place our whole confidence for our salvation and whatsoever else onely upon thy rich mercy in Iesus Christ ascribing all our salvation to him and his merite alone their 's instead of these workes of piety are in their Masses Dirâ—… and Letanies even to Saints numbring and repeating upon their beads their 〈◊〉 Nosters Creeds Ave Maries and such other and that in an unknowne tongue without any understanding or right edification So likewise good Lord make them to see and considâ—… withall how they set their confidence in these and other their superstitions workes namely and principally in the merite of the virgin Marie and of other Saints in Indulgences and Pardons even for thâ—… 〈…〉 a num ber of such 〈◊〉 lying vanities whereupon when they come to their death 〈…〉 beth â—…ke themselves a 〈◊〉 more seâ—…ously they are fâ—…igne to câ—… away all 〈…〉 all these and to accounâ—… 〈◊〉 losse and dung 〈…〉 onely upon 〈◊〉 Christ if then they â—…y 〈…〉 â—…ercy by him Yea 〈…〉 to consider well 〈◊〉 timâ—… â—…w if ever thou open 〈◊〉 eyes 〈…〉 they 〈◊〉 then cast all these away 〈◊〉 detestation as 〈◊〉 iâ—… 〈…〉 and rest onely upon Christ 〈◊〉 Christ 〈…〉 ever thou 〈…〉 that meâ—…y 〈…〉 all good 〈◊〉 〈…〉 more time they 〈◊〉 oâ—… 〈◊〉 spend in these 〈…〉 more they haâ—…â—…nd 〈…〉 increase their sinne and make their condemnation the heavier and that one houre yea one minute spent in true devotion onely in the name of Christ calling upon him or thee the Father through him with the repentant Theefe upon the crosse shall bee better unto them then a thousand yeare spent in their superstitious manner And for this cause Oâ—…â—…ere Father seeing by their doctrines and devotions they can neuer have that true iustisying and saying faith whereby they might bee made partakerâ—… of â—…esus Christ and so â—…e thy children having thy 〈◊〉 and love and doing such workes as are pleasing 〈◊〉 unto thee but 〈◊〉 they doe by all 〈◊〉 scorne and persecute 〈◊〉 â—…aith make them all which belong to thy eternall election to know their wofull estate how they must all needs still remaine in the estate of nature and so of damnation untill they repent and turne to our Church againe Cause them Oh most holy and gracious Father to apprehend this and to bee warned in time that seeing their Religion cannot stand or continue 〈◊〉 it bee supported and holden up by lying and murder and that these two are and have beene ever the principall adâ—…ancers of it iâ—… aâ—… Ages and Countryes that this is notoriously knowne to all who will not shâ—…t their eyes And moreover â—…eing thâ—… this is also their doctrine so to promote and advance it That that Religion is undoubtedly of the devill and that our Saviour himselfe hath in mercy so forewarned them of it that they may get them out of Babylon and stand farre from it for feare of her burning and that they may escape her torment Lord make them able to concâ—… that these things being so as their owne hearts must needs beare witnesse if they will suffer their eyes to be opened they must of necessity renounce that Religion or else prosesse themselves to bee of their father the devill as much as ever were the Iewes who sought so to kill our Saviour and that they will 〈◊〉 his workes wittingly and obstinately fighting against thee our blessed Lord and Captaine and against all thy armyes to their utter perdition Good Father make them able to thinke what they will do at that day when thy Son Christ Iesus shall come to take vengeance of all his enemies when all the Kings and greatest Monarchs of the earth who have not helped him and his 〈◊〉 to the advancement of his heavenly Gospell shall â—…ry to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and mountaines to fall upon them and cover them from the face of the Lambe and of him that 〈◊〉 upon the throne â—…hen the 〈◊〉 their â—…ther 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and all his children that have bene deceived by him â—…nd especially they wâ—…o haâ—… 〈◊〉 for him against ouâ—… 〈◊〉 Iesus Christ and his 〈◊〉 must beâ—… 〈◊〉 and boâ—… and â—…ast 〈◊〉 him into thâ—… 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 and brimstone to bee 〈◊〉 with him for evermoâ—…e Lord make them to consider of all these things in time to weigh well our 〈◊〉 of life and their way of life our rulâ—… of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 devotions and their rule of prayers and devotions to weigh and try them in the 〈◊〉 of the Sanctuary whether will outweigh and whether are more agreeable to thy holy word whereby they and wee all must bee weighed and judged So vouchsafe this grace to all other who are wavering or doubting to thinke seriously of all these things to try them all by thy blessed word by that true weight that heavenly fire which will consume all their timber hay stubble Make them to bee afraid of conferring with or hearâ—…ening to the Serpent their Iesuites or other Semiâ—…ary Prests who all holding the same head their holy Father the Pope must needs bee â—…ll lâ—…d and inspired by the same spirit whatsoever shâ—…wes they make of the contrary Give them grace to be warned by the example of our first mother and keeping thy watch to goe to thee first by instant praier in all doubts and difficulties as Daniel did and after to conferre with thy heavenly word and with thy faithfull Ministers servants for resolution therein Above all grant unto all of us
the hopes and daunting the hearts of all thine thy Churches Adversaries and in beginning to grant all things according to the cryes of thy poore people and even above our expectations considering the heynousnesse of our sinnes Oh Lord who are we that even at the prayers of a few of us in regard of the multitude that know thee not and therefore do not nor can seeke thy face thou shouldest be so gracious to us Lift up our hearts good Father that we may conceive aright what thou wilt doe at our generall cries when we shal be joyntly humbled before thee and all seeke thee as thou hast appointed Grant specially this grace to every one of us who have already or shall heereafter give our names unto thee to serve thee heevein and helpe thy poore distressed Church and people that uppon this happy experience wee may labour every day to attayne unto more integrity soundness in walking uprightly and constantly before thee in all thy holy commandements Vouchsafe that heereby wee may get more boldnes wherby we may approach neerer unto thee and even to importune thee with holy Abraham Moses Ezra and Nehemiah untill wee have obtained the pacifying of thy Majesty by the taking away all the abhominations crying sinnes out of the Churches the delivering of thy Captives the restoring and re-edifying of thy Ierusalem and that all the hopes of our wicked enemies shall bee at an end and our dreadfull dangers and feares past and that we shall visibly beholde thy glory therein and also injoy thy glorious presence for evermore To this end deere Father enable us by thy blessed Spirit to use all the meanes furthering heereunto and that much more carefull conscionably then ever wee have done for confirming our weake hands for strengthning our wearie knees Make us all ever to keepe a fresh remembrance of thy goodness and mercy how readie thou art to heare the cryes of thy people and of the power of our prayers thorow our Lord and Saviour how farre they have already prevayled with thy Majesty Cause us ever to have a â—…arefull and watchfull eye to thy blessed Word that in all things we may have that for our guide and our direction Worke in each of us a holy resolution to cleave fast unto thee without any departing or staggering walking continually in all thy blessed Lawes and Commandements for ever even unto the end Teach and helpe us to feare alway the offending of thy Sacred Majestie and that with a true childe-like feare because of thy holinesse who canst not abide any iniquity no not in thy deerest Children and because of the extreame rage and subtiltie of Sathan against all thine dogging us continually at the heeles to provoke us to sinne agaynst thee that hee may accuse us and incense thy Majesty against us if it may bee to leave us unto his malice or at the least to hinder thy love and blessing And also because of our owne vile corruption which is ready alwayes to hearken unto him and to betray us into his hand Assist us to watch ever against all occasions of temptations keeping strict watch over all our senses our thoughts motions wordes and actions Make us everie day to waxe better and better still growing on toward that perfection which we doe dayly waite for in the Heavens Cause us ever to keepe in fresh memory that wee are thorow our cursed Natures and the industrie of Sathan like him that is in a boare vppon a strong streame that if wee bestirre not our selves constantly to go forward we certainely goe backeward if wee but forget our selves or withdraw our hands never so little Make us able to observe wisely all our slippes and faylings and euer to be carefull forth with to seeke the recovery of our selves by unfeyned repentance and by dooing our first and best workes Graunt unto us this grace that every one of us may have our owne particular warrantable callings that wee may know them well and what speciall duties thou requirest of us in them and that we may labour to walk faithfully therein that thy blessed Angelles may rejoyce to attend upon us and protect us alwayes and Sathan may neuer take us out of our way to get any advantage against us thereby Lift up our eyes evermore to the recompence of reward that therein wee may cheerefully follow our Lord and Saviour running fast towards the marke untill we shall attaine the Crowne which hee ever holdeth forth unto us in his right hand Helpe us to set thee ever before our faces and at our right hands as thy seruant David that we may never sin against thee but that we may go on couragiously with holy Moses as seeing thee with us ever that art invisible Make us able to rejoyce alwayes in our happie estate thorow Iesus Christ by comparing it with the estate of the greatest Princes and Monarkes who are enemies vnto thee and whether vvee wold change with the mightiest of them Cause us to goe 〈◊〉 cheerefully not onely contented with our condition but also rejoycing heerein that the lines are fallen unto â—…s in so fair a ground and that we haue so goodlie an heritage Make us able in praying continually for what we stand in neede of for our selves and for all the Churches and people of the Lord ever withall 〈◊〉 give thankes for that measure which we have alreadie and for whatsoever deliverances hopes or other 〈◊〉 which we have formerly 〈◊〉 or do â—…ow injoyâ—… And finally enable us in whatsoever we beg to ayme 〈◊〉 aâ—… the advancement 〈◊〉 glory and of the kingdom of thy Sonne with the saying of thy people that thus going on in the zeale of thy glorie and in the â—…owels of commiseration towardes thy poore Ioseph in a tender feeling of his affliction and in the constant use of all holy meanes we may be assured that wee shall be as Caleb everie day stronger and stronger in all grace and in the power of prayer and as the greene Olive in thy house bringing forth more fruite to our olde age and last dayes that our last daies may be our best dayes our last breath may be spent for thy Majesty that so we may see the selâ—…citie of thy chosen and may reigne and triumph with thee in heaven for evermore Perswade all thy people that every one vvho comes not thus to helpe thee thy poore Church by their prayers must perish that none can helpe indeede but they onely who seeke to attayne this integrity and to abide aud grow therein perpetually Hearken unto us O most tender Father in these our humble suites and in whatsoever else thou knowest needfull for us for thy poore distressed Churches or for any member of thy whole vniuersall and Catholike church even for the Lord Iesus Christ his sake thy most beloved