of the Gospel amongst vs for the death of thy sonne al that happinesse which we haue thereby also because thou hast chosen vs to life before we were and that of thy meere goodnes vndeserued fauor towards vs hast called vs in thine appointed time iustified vs by thy grace sanctified vs by thy spirit adopted vs to be thine own childrē heirs apparant to the great crown O Lord open our eies euery day more more to see and consider of thy great marueilous loue to vs in all these things that by the due consideration therof our harts may be drawne yet neerer vnto thee euen more to loue thee feare thee obey thee that as thou art enlarged towards vs in mercy so we may be enlarged towards thee in thanksgiuing as thou doest abound towards vs in goodnes so we may aboūd towards thee in obedience loue And sith deere father thou art neuer weary of doing vs good notwithstanding all our vnworthines naughtines therefore let the consideration of thy great mercy fatherly kindnesse towards vs euen as it were force our hearts and compell vs to come into thy most glorious presence with new songs of thankesgiuing in our mouths We pray thee O most mercifull God to forgiue vs all our vnthankfulnes vnkindnes prophannes great abusing of all thy mercies specially our abuse contempt of thy Gospel together with al other the sins of our life which we confesse are innumerable mo then can be reckoned vp both in omission of good things commission of euill We most humbly intreat thee to set thē all ouer to the reckning which thy son Christ hath made vp for them vpō his crosse neuer to lay any of them to our charge but freely forget all forgiue all Naile downe all our sins iniquities to the Crosse of Christ bury them in his death bathe them in his blood hide them in his wounds let them neuer rise vp in iudgement against vs. Set vs free of the miseries that are vpō vs for sin keep back the iudgements to come both of soule body goods and good name Be reconciled vnto vs in thy deere son concerning all matters past not once remembring or repeating vnto vs our old abhominable iniquities but accept vs as righteous in him imputing his righteosnes to vs our sins to him Let his righteousnes satisfie thy iustice for all our vnrighteousnes his obedience for our disobedience his perfection for our imperfection Moreouer we humbly beseech thy good maiesty to giue vs the true sight feling of our manifold sins that we may not be blinded in them through delight or hardned in them through custom as the reprobates are but that we may be euen weary of them much grieued for them labouring and striuing by al possible means to get out of them Good Father touch our harts with true repentance for all sin Let vs not take any delight or pleasure in any sin but howsoeuer we fal throgh frailty as we fall often yet let vs neuer fall finally let vs neuer lie downe in sin nor continue in sin but let vs get vpon our feete againe turne to thee with all our hearts seeke thee whilest thou maiest be found whilest thou doest offer grace and mercy vnto vs. O Lord encrease in vs that true and liuely faith whereby we may lay sure hold on thy sonne Christ rest vpon his merits altogether Giue vs faith assuredly to belieue all the great and precious promises made in the Gospell and strengthen vs from aboue to walke and abound in all the true sound fruits of faith Let vs walke not after the flesh but after the spirit Let vs feele the power of thy sons death killing sinne in our mortall bodies and the power of his resurrection raising vs vp to newnesse of life Let vs grow daily in the sanctification of the spirit and the mortification of the flesh Let vs liue holily iustly and soberly in this present euill world shewing foorth the vertues of thee in all our particular actions that we may adorne our most holy profession and shine as lights in the middest of a crooked and froward generation amongst whom we liue being gaineful to all by our liues conuersations offensiue to none To this end we pray thee fill vs with thy spirit and all spirituall graces as loue wisedome patience contentment meekenesse humility temperancy chastity kindnesse and affability and stirre vs vp to vse praier and watchfulnesse reading meditation in thy law and all other good meanes whereby wee may grow and abound in all heauenly vertues Blesse vs in the vse of the meanes from day to day make vs such as thou wouldest haue vs to be and such as we desire to be working in vs both will and deede purpose and power For thou O Lord art all in all thou wilt haue mercy vpon whom thou wilt haue mercy and whom thou wilt thou hardenest Haue mercy vpon vs therefore deere Father and neuer leaue vs to our selues nor to our owne wils lusts and desires but assist vs with thy good spirit that we may continue to the end in a righteous course that so at length we may be receiued into glorie and be partakers of that immortall crowne which thou hast laid vp for all that loue thee and truely call vpon thee Further we entreat thee O heauenly father to giue vs all things necessary for this life as foode raiment health peace liberty and such freedome from those manifold miseries which we lie open vnto euery day as thou seest meete Blesse vnto vs all the meanes which thou hast put into our hands for the sustenance of this fraile life Blesse our stocke and store corne and cattell trades occupations and all the works of our hands for thy blessing only maketh rich and it bringeth no sorrows with it Giue vs therfore such a competency and sufficiency of these outward blessings as thou in thy heauenly wisdome seest most needfull for vs. Moreouer we humbly beseech thee most louing Father in great mercy to looke downe from heauen vpon thy whole Church and euery member of it Be fauourable vnto Sion and build vp the wals of Ierusalem Behold with the eye of pity the great ruines and desolations of thy Church Heale vp the wounds make vp the breaches thereof in all Nations Regard it as thine owne flocke tender it as thine owne family dresse it as thine owne vineyard loue it as thine owne spouse Think thoughts of peace to it alwaies look vpon it in deepe compassion Blesse it with thy grace guide it with thy spirit defend it alwaies with thy mighty power scatter the deuises confound the counsels ouerthrow the forces of all that fight against it Specially we intreate thee deare Father to set thy self against that antichrist of Rome that man of perdition which setteth himselfe against thee and against all thy
so indéed Phil. I pray you tell me what that same regeneration and new birth is whereof you speake Theol. It is a renewing and repairing of the corrupted and decayed estate of our soules As it is written Be ye changed by the renewing of your minde And againe Be renewed in the spirit of your minde Phila. Explaine this more fully Theol. Euen as the wild Oliue retaineth his old nature till it be grafted into the swéet Oliue but afterward is partaker of a new nature so we til we be grafted into Christ retain our old nature but afterward are turned into a new nature as it is written If any man be in Christ he is a new creature Phila. I vnderstand not what you say Theol. You must know this that as there is a naturall birth of the whole man so there is also a spirituall birth of the whole man Phila. How is that Theol. When as the naturall faculties of the soule as reason vnderstanding will and affections and the members of the body also are so sanctified purged and rectified by grace that we vnderstand wil and desire that which is good Phila. Can not a man will and desire that which is good before he be borne againe Theol. No more then a dead man can desire the good things of this life For mans will is not frée to consent vnto good till it be enlarged by grace and an vnregenerate man doth sinne necessarilie though not by constraint For mans will is frée from constraint for it sinneth of it selfe but not from thrasdome vnto sin Phila. You speake as if a man could do no other thing but sinne till the new worke be wrought in him Theol. That is mine opinion indéed for a man his flesh are all one til he be regenerate they agrée together like man wife they ioine together in all euill they liue and die together for when the flesh perisheth the man perisheth Phila. Is not this regeneration a changing or rather a destroying of humane nature Theol. Nothing lesse It is neither an abolishing nor changing of the substance of bodie or soule or any of the faculties thereof but only a rectifying and repairing of them by remoouing the corruption Phila. Is then our naturall corruption so purged and quite remoued by the power of grace as that it remaineth not at all in vs but that we are wholly freed of it Theol. Not so For the reliques and remnants of our old nature which the Scripture calleth the old man doe hang about vs and dwell in vs euen vntill our dying day as it is plainly prooued in the ten last verses of the seuenth to the Romanes Phila. Then you affirme that this new man or new worke of grace and regeneration is vnperfect in this life Theol. Yea. For the new creature or new worke of grace can neuer be fullie fashioned in this life but is alwayes in fashioning And as our faith and knowledge in this life are vnperfect so is our regeneration and sanctification Phila. You said before that the regeneration or new birth is of the whole man which speech seemeth to imply that the new worke of grace is entire and perfect Theol. You mistake the matter For although the new birth is vniuersall and of the whole man yet it is not entire perfect pure and without mixture of corruption For it is written The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh The Apostle also prayeth that the Thessalonians may be sanctified thorowout in spirit soule and bodie Phila. This seemeth very obscure I pray you make it more plaine Theol. You must note this that the new worke and the old flesh and spirit grace and corruption are so intermingledly ioyned together in all the faculties of the soule and body as that the one doth euer fight against the other Phila. But tell me I pray you how you vnderstand this intermingling of grace and corruption in the soule Do you mean that grace is placed in one part of the soule and corruption in another so as they be sundred in place Theol. No that is not my meaning but this that they be ioyned and mingled together as I said in and thorowout the whole man For the minde or vnderstanding part is not one part flesh and another part spirit but the whole minde is flesh and the whole minde is spirit partly one and partly another The same is to be said of the will and affection Phila. I pray you expresse it more plainly Theol. Euen as the ayre in the dawning of the day is not wholly light or whollie darke as at midnight or at noone day neither is it in one part light in another part darke but the whole aire is partly light and partly darke thorowout and as in a vessell of luke-warme water the water it selfe is not only hot nor only colde but heat and colde are mixed together in euery part of the water so is the flesh and the spirit mingled together in the soule of man And this is the cause why these two contrarie qualities fight together Phila. Out of doubt this doctrine of regeneration is a very great mysterie Theol. Yes certainly it is a secret of secrets which the wise of this world cannot cōprehend Phila. Some thinke that courtesie kindnesse good nurture good nature and good education are regeneration and that courteous and good natured men must needs be saued Theol. They are greatly deceiued for these things doe not necessarily accompanie saluation but are to be found in such as are altogether prophane and irreligious yet wée are to loue such good outward qualities and the men in whom wée finde them Phila. What say you then to learning wit and policie are not these things of the essence of religion and prooue a regeneration Theol. No no for they be externall gifts which may be in the most wicked men as in Papists Heathen Poets and Philosophers yet wée are greatly to reuerence learned and wise men although the new and inward worke be not as yet wrought for that is onely of God that is from aboue Phila. The common people doe attribute much to learning and policy for they will say such a man is learned and wise and knoweth the Scripture as well as any of them all and yet he doth not thus and thus Theol. It is one thing to know the History and Letter of the Scriptures and another thing to beléeue and féele the power thereof in the heart which is onely from the sanctifying spirit which none of the wise of this world can haue Phila. It is a common opinion that if a man hold the truth in iudgement be no Papist or heretike but leadeth an honest ciuill life then he must of necessity be saued Theol. That followeth not for many come so far which yet notwithstanding haue not the inward touch Phila. That seemeth strange For many will say As long as they be neither whore nor theefe nor spotted with such
and shut the heauens Abraham likewise preuailed so farre with God by his praiers for Sodome that if there had béene but ten iust men found in it it had béene spared The almighty God saith in the 15. chap. of Ieremy Though Moyses and Samuel stood before me yet mine affection could not bee toward this people Which doth plainely shew that Moyses and Samuel might haue done much with him had he not béene so fully bent against his people for their sins as he was So likewise he saith in the Prophecie of Ezechiel Though these three men Noah Daniel and Iob were amongst them they should deliuer but their owne soules by their righteousnesse Which also sheweth that if there had béene any possible entreating of him for the Land these thrée men might haue done it but now he was resolutely determined to the contrary In respect therefore that the zealous preachers and true professors of the Gospell doe so much preuaile wish God by their praiers they are said to be the defence and strength of Kingdomes and Countries of Churches and Common wealthes as it is said of Eliah that he was the Chariot of Israel and the horsmen thereof Elishah also was enuironed with a mountaine full of horses and Chariots of fire And sure it is that Eliah and Elishah are not onely the Chariots and Horsemen of Israel but also by their praiers they do cause God himselfe to be a wal of fire round about it as the Prophet saith in the 22. of Ezechiel verse 30. the Lord God saith I sought for a man among them that should make vp the hedge and stand in the gappe before me for the land that I might not destroy it but I found none Which sheweth that if there had béene but some few to haue stood in the breach he would haue spared the whole land This also appeareth more plainely in the Prophecie of Ieremy where the Lord saith thus Run to and fro by the streets of Ierusalem behold and inquire in the open places thereof if yee can finde a man or if there be any that executeth iudgement and seeketh the truth and I will spare it Oh then marke and consider what a man may doe yea what one man may doe what an Abraham may doe what a Moyses may doe what an Eliah may doe what a Daniel what a Samuel what a Iob what a Noah may doe Some one man by reason of his high fauor with the Eternal is able sometimes to do more for a land by his praiers and téeres then many prudent men by their counsell or valiant men by their swords Yea it doth euidently appeare in the sacred volume of the holy Ghost that some one poore Preacher being full of the Spirit and power of Eliah doth more in his study either for offence or defence either for the turning away of wrath or the procuring of mercie then a Campe-royall euen forty thousand strong or as the Spirit speaketh though they all haue their swords girded to their thighes and be of the most valiant men in Israel All this is clearly proued in one verse of the booke of the Psalmes where the Prophet hauing reckoned vp the sins of the people addeth Therefore the Lord minded to destroy them had not Moses his chosen stood in the breach to turne away his wrath lest he should destroy them Sée therefore what one man may do with God! Some one man doth so binde the hands of God that when he should strike he hath no power to doe it as it is said of Lot I can doe nothing till thou be come out Sée how the Lord saith he can doe nothing because he will doe nothing Hée doth wittingly and willingly suffer his hands to be manacled and bound behind him for some fewes sake which he doth make more account of then all the world besides so pretious and deare are they in his sight Likewise it is written that the Lord was excéedingly incensed against the Israelites for their idolatrous Calfe which they made in Horeb yet he could doe nothing because Moyses would not let him And therefore he falleth to intreating of Moyses that Moyses would let him alone and entreat no more for them Oh saith the Lord to Moyses let me alone that my wrath may wax hote against this people and that I may consume them Thus wée sée that except Lot goe out of the City and Moyses let him alone he can doe nothing Oh the profoundnesse and altitude of Gods mercy towards mankind Oh the height and depth length and breadth of his loue towards some Oh that the most glorious inuisible God should so greatly respect the sonnes of men For what is man that hée should be mindfull of him or the sonne of man that he should regard him Let vs therfore that are the Lords remembrancers giue him no rest nor let him alone vntill wée haue some security and good assurance from him that he will turne away from vs the wrath which we most iustly haue deserued that he wil spare vs and be mercifull vnto vs. Yea as the Prophet saith Let vs neuer leaue him nor giue him ouer till he repaire and set vp Ierusalem the praise of the world lest for default héereof that be charged vpon vs which was charged vpon the head of some of the Prophets in Israel that they were like the foxes in the waste places that they had not risen vp in the gaps neither made vp the hedge for the house of Israel For now adaies alas wée haue many hedge-breakers few hedg-makers many openers of gaps few stoppers many breakers of breaches to let in the flouds of Gods wrath vpon vs but very few that by true repentance goe about to make vp the breach and to let downe the sluces that the gushing streames of Gods vengeance may be stopt and staied Phila. I doe now plainely see that there be some in high fauour with God and as wee say greatly in his books sith his loue is so great vnto them that for their sakes he spareth thousands Theol. It is written in the Prouerbs of Salomon that the righteous in a land are the establishment of the kings throne and the wicked the ouerthrowing of the same The words are these Take away the drosse from the siluer and there will proceed a vessell for the finer Take away the wicked from the King and his throne shall be established in righteousnesse Likewise in another place the wise man affirmeth that the righteous are the strength and bulwarke of Cities Townes and Corporations but the wicked are the weakening vndoing of all Scornefull men saith he set a City on fire but the wise turne away wrath To this purpose most excellent is that saying of Eliphas in Iob The innocent shall deliuer the Iland and it shall be preserued by the purenesse of their hands Wée reade in the booke of the Chronicles that when the Leuites the
all our loue and chearefull obedience towards him For therefore wée loue him and obey him because we know hée hath loued vs first and written our names in the booke of life But on the contrarie the Doctrine of the Papists which would haue men alwaies doubt and feare in a seruile sort is most hellish and vncomfortable For so long as a man holds that what encouragement can he haue to serue God What loue to his Maiestie What hope in the promises What comfort in trouble What patience in aduersity Antil Touching this point I am flat of your minde For I thinke verily a man ought to bee perswaded of his saluation And for mine owne part I make no question of it I hope to bee saued as well as the best of them all I am out of feare for that For I haue such a stedfast faith in God that if there should be but two in the world saued I hope I should be one of them Theol. You are very confident indéed You are perswaded before you know I would your ground were as good as your vaine confidence But who is so bold as blinde Bayard Your hope is but a fancie and as a sick mans dreame You hope you can not tell what You haue no ground for that you say For what hope can you haue to be saued when you walke in no path of saluation What hope can a man haue to come to London spéedily that trauelleth nothing that way but quite contrary What hope can a man haue to reape a good crop of corne that vseth no meanes neither ploweth soweth nor harroweth What hope can a man haue to be fat and well liking of his body that seldome or neuer eateth any meat What hope can a man haue to escape drowning which leapeth into the Sea Euen so what hope can you haue to be saued when you walke nothing that way when you vse no meanes when you doe all things that are contrary vnto the same For alas there is nothing in you of those things which the Scriptures doe affirme must bée in all those that shall be saued There be none of the fore named signes and tokens in you You are ignorant prophane and carelesse God is not worshipped vnder your roofe There is no true feare of God in your selfe nor in your houshold You seldome heare the word preached You content your selfe with an ignorant Minister You haue no praiers in your family no reading no singing of psalmes no instructions exhortations or admonitions or any other Christian exercises You make no conscience of the obseruation of the Sabbaths you vse not the name of God with any reuerence you breake out sometimes into horrible dathes and cursings you make an ordinary matter of swearing by your faith your troth Your wife is irreligious your children dissolute and vngratious your seruants prophane carelesse You are an example in your owne house of al Atheisme and conscienceles behauiour You are a great gamester a rioter a spend-thrift a drinker a common ale-house-haunter an whoore hunter and to conclude giuen to all vice and naughtinesse Now then I pray you tell me or rather let your conscience tell mée what hope you can haue to be saued so long as you walk and continue in this course Doth not S. Iohn saie If wee say wee haue fellowship with him and walke in darkenesse we are liers Doth not the same Apostle auouch that such as say they know God and kéepe not his commandements are liers Againe doth he not say Heth at committeth sin is of the Diuell And whosoeuer doth not righteousnesse is not of God Doth not our Lord Jesus flatly tell the Jewes which bragged that Abraham was their father that they were of their father the diuell because they did his works Doth not the Apostle Paul say His seruants we are to whom we obey whether it be of sin vnto death or of obedience vnto righteousnes Doth not the scripture say Hee that doth righteousnesse is righteous Doth not our Lord Jesus affirme that nor euery one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the will of my father which is in Heauen Therefore I conclude that forasmuch as your whole course is carnall carelesse and dissolute you can haue no warrantable hope to be saued Phila. I doe verily thinke that this mans case which now you haue laied open is the case of thousands Theo. Yea doubtles of thousand thousands the more is the pity Asune Soft and faire sir you are very round indeed Soft fire maketh sweet mault I hope you know wee must be saued by mercy and not by merit If I should doe all my selfe wherefore serueth Christ I hope that which I cannot doe hee will doe for me And I hope to be saued by Iesus Christ as well as the best of you all Theol. Oh now I sée which way the game goeth You would faine make Christ a cloake for your sinnes You will sinne that grace may abound You will sinne frankly and set all vpon Christs score Truely there be many thousands of your minde which hearing of Gods abundant mercie in Christ are thereby made more bold to sin But they shall know one day to their cost what it is so to abuse the mercie of God The Apostle saith The mercy and louing kindnesse of God should leade vs to repentance But we sée it leadeth manie to further hardnesse of heart The Prophet saith With him is mercy that hee may bee feared But many thereby are made more secure and carelesse But to come néerer the marke you say you hope to be saued by Jesus Christ And I answer that if those things be found in you which the Scriptures do auouch to be in all that shall be saued by him then you may haue good confidence and assured hope otherwise not Now the Scriptures do thus determine it and set it downe That if a man bée in Christ and looke to be saued by him he must be indued with these qualities following First he must be a new creature Secondly hee must liue not after the lusts of men but after the will of God Thirdly he must be zealous of good works Fourthly hee must die to sinne and liue to righteousnesse Fiftly he must be holy and vnblameable Sixtly he must so walke as Christ hath walked Seuenthly hee must crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts Eigthly he must walke not after the flesh but after the spirit Last of all he must serue God in righteousnesse and true holinesse all the daies of his life Loe then what things are required of all that shal be saued by Christ Now therefore if these things be in you in some measure of tenth then your hope is currant sound good otherwise it is nothing worth For in vaine doe men say they hope to be saued by Christ when as they walke dissolutely The reason hereof is because the
land and discharge it of all the horrible sinnes thereof Drowne them O Lord in thy infinite mercy through Christ as it were in a bottomlesse gulfe that they may neuer rise vp in iudgement against vs. For although our sins be excéeding many and fearefull yet thy mercy is farre greater For thou art infinite in mercy but we cannot be infinite in sinning Giue vs not ouer into the hands of the Idolaters left they should blaspheme thy name and say Where is their God in whom they trusted But rather deare Father take vs into thine owne hands and correct vs according to thy wisedome for with thée is mercy and déepe compassion Moreouer we most hartily beséech thy good Maiesty to blesse our most gratious King Iames and to shew much mercy to him in all things Guid him in thy feare and kéepe him in all his waies working in his soule vnfained sorrow for sinue true faith in the promises a great care to please thée in all things and to discharge the duties of his high place in all zeale of thy glory and faithfulnesse towards thy Maiesty that as thou hast crowned him héere in earth so hée spending his daies héere below in thy feare may after this life be crowned of thée for euer in the Heauens Wée béeseech thee also to blesse his Maiesties most henorable priuy Counsellors Counsell them from aboue let them take aduise of thée in all things that they may both consult and resolue of such courses as may be most for thy glory the good of the Church and the peace of this our Common-wealth Blesse the Nobility and all the Magistrates in the Land giuing them al grace to execute iudgement and iustice and to maintaine truth and equity Blesse all the faithfull Ministers of the Gospell increase the number of them increase thy gifts in them and so blesse al their labours in their seueral places and congregations that they all may be instruments of thy hand to inlarge thy Sonnes kingdome and to winne many vnto thee Comfort the comfortlesse with all néedfull comforts Forget none of thine that are in trouble but as their afflions are so let the ioyes and comforts of thy spirit be vnto them and so sanctifie vnto all thine their afflictions and troubles that they may tend to thy glory and their owne good Giue vs thankefull hearts for all thy mercies both spirituall and corporall for thou art very mercifull vnto vs in the things of this life and infinitely more mercifull in the things of a better life Let vs déepely ponder and weigh all thy particular fauours towards vs that by the due consideration thereof our hearts may bée gained yet néerer vnto thée and that therefore wée may both loue and obey thée because thou art so kinde and louing vnto vs that euen thy loue towards vs may draw our loue towards thée and that because mercy is with thée thou maiest bée feared Grant these things good Father and all other néedefull graces for our soules or bodies or any of thine throughout the whole world for Jesus Christs sake In whose name we further call vpon thée as hée hath taught vs in his Gospell saying Our Father which art in Heauen c. A praier to be vsed at any time by one alone priuately O Lord my God and heauenly Father I thy most vnworthy childe doe héere in thy sight fréely confesse that I am a most sinnefull creature and damnable transgressor of all thy holy Lawes and Commandements that as I was borne and bred in finne and stained in the wombe so haue I continually brought foorth the corrupt vgly fruits of that infection contagion wherein I was first conceiued both in thoughts words works If I should goe about to reckon vp my particular offences I know not where to begin or where to make an end For they are mo then the haires of my head yea farre moe then I can possibly féele or know For who knoweth the height and depth of his corruption who knoweth how oft he offendeth Thou onely O Lord knowest my sins who knowest my heart nothing is hid from thée thou knowest what I haue béene what I am yea my conscience doth accuse mée of many gréeuous euils and I doe daily féele by woful experience how frail I am how prone to euill how vntoward to all goodnesse My minde is ful of vanity my hartfull of prophanenes mine affections full of deadnesse dulnesse drowzinesse in matters of thy worship seruice Yea my whole soule is full of spirituall blindenesse hardnesse vnprofitablenes coldnesse and security And in very déed I am altogether a lumpe of sin a masse of all misery therefore I haue forfaited thy fauour incurred thy high displeasure haue giuen thée iust cause to frown vpon me to giue me ouer leaue me to mine owne corrupt will and affections But O my déere father I haue learned from thy mouth that thou art a God full of mercy flow to wrath of great compassion kindnesse towards all such as grone vnder the burden of their sinnes Therefore extend thy great mercy towards me poore sinner and giue me a generall pardon for all mine offences whatsoeuer seale it in the bloud of thy sonne and seale it to my conscience by thy spirit assuring me more and more of thy loue fauour towards me that thou art a reconciled father vnto me Grant that I may in all time to come loue thée much because much is giuen and of very loue feare thée and obey thée O Lord increase my faith that I may stedfastly beléeue all the promises of the Gospel made in thy son Christ rest vpon them altogether Enable me to bring foorth the sound fruits of faith and repentance in all my particular actions Fill my soule full of ioy and peace in beléeuing Fill me full of inward comfort and spirituall strength against all temptatious giue me yet a greater féeling of thy loue manifold mercies towards me worke in my soule a loue of thy Maiesty a zeale of thy glory an hatred of euill and a desire of all good things Giue me victory ouer those sins which thou knowest are strongest in me Let me once at last make a conquest of the world and the flesh Mortifie in me whatsoeuer is carnall sanctifie me throughout by thy spirit knit my heart to thée for euer that I may feare thy name renue in mée the image of thy sonne Christ daily more and more Giue me a delight in the reading and meditation of thy word Let me reioyce in the publike ministery thereof Let me loue and reuerence all the faithfull Ministers of thy Gospell Sanctifie their doctrines to my conscience seale them in my soule write them in my hart giue me a soft and melting heart that I may tremble at thy words and be alwaies much affected with godly sermons Let not my sinnes hold backe thy mercies from me nor mine vnworthines stop the passage