their better part the soule should so little regard the meanes by whom they receiue it the Ministers of the word of Saluation the Gospell of Christ Many will protest they loue Christ and yet the contrary appeareth when they not only regard not but despise his Ministers whom hee hath sent as Embassadors of his will We beseech you brethren saith Saint Paul to the Thessalonians that yee haue the Ministers of God in singular loue for their workes sake We should loue all men and pray for all men how much more for them that leade vs to the well of life The same Saint Paul willeth the Ephesians not only to pray in an ordinarie maner but in the Spirit with perseuerance and watchfulnes euen for him that vtterance might be giuen vnto him and that he might open his mouth boldly to publish the secret of the Gospell And are we lesse bound to pray for them that haue the Spirituall charge ouer vs the care and cure of our soules that they may be able to deliuer the Word sincerely to open their mouths boldly to our edification and consolation in Christ And that they namely the Ministers may be deliuered from vnreasonable and euill men for we know that Christ Antichrist Truth and Falsehood Christ and Satan cannot stand together And he that preacheth the word truely is the means to bring men out of darknesse to light from sinne to sanctitie from Satan to Christ. And therefore Satan will euer oppose himselfe and instigate euill men to encounter scandalize and persecute such as are truest and most painefull labourers in Gods Spirituall haruest whereby it commeth to passe that the word of God is oftentimes hindered the Church of Christ diminished Ignorance increased Religion despised Vice aduanced Faith decreased Obedience to God neglected and Truth among men meerely abandoned and cōtemned And al this where Prophecying Preaching faile God giueth not to man a more speciall blessing in earth then the preaching of the word which is as the net to catch men there were three thousand men so catcht at the first preaching of Peter and by his continuance in that spirituall fishing there were caught fiue thousand persons out of the snare of Satan Let all men therefore loue pray for them that thus fish to saue the soules of mē that haue the ouersight and rule ouer them they are the watch men of Christ and whoso loues Christ the Master and Lord cannot but loue his Ministers and pray for them not only as brethren but as men appointed by Corist to direct them the way of saluation And let no man thinke it is not their duetie to pray for them because they are appointed and ought to pray for others and not others for them as some prophanely affirme It is a needfull and required duetie to pray one for another especially for the Ministers who are or ought to be as Gods mouth vnto vs to teach vs his will as Gods hand to support vs by spirituall counsell as Gods eye to obserue our wayes and as Gods Ministers to reproue vs of sinne and to pronounce pardon in Christ to the truely penitent Pray therefore for them that the gifts of the holy Ghost may abound in them that men seeing their good workes may glorifie God our their Father which is in heauē A Prayer to be said for the Ministers of Gods word GRacious and mercifull O Lord our God art thou in all thy wayes and workes towards men and in nothing more gracious then in thy word preached vnto vs whereby thou doest open and reueile vnto vs the mystery of our saluation according to thy good pleasure in Christ our Lord. Thou teachest vs heauenly wisedome in earth by thy holy Spirit giuen vnto men whom thou doest set apart to that holy function as men chosen to winne men to thee And for as much as neither thy beloued Saints Peter nor Iohn nor Paul could preach or prophecie before they were sent neither were they sent before they were sanctified Sanctifie and send foorth Lord worthy Labourers into thine haruest and sanctifie and blesse them whom thou hast sent with such spirituall gifts and graces as may enable them to be instant in season and out of season that they may winue many vnto thee Inlighten their hearts with the light of true knowledge Touch their tongues with the coale from thine Altar that their lips may preserue knowledge and in their hearts may bee true zeale that they may still call vpon thy children to walk in the light of thy truth And as thou diddest send downe vpon thine Apostles the holy Ghost in fiery tongues to teach thē so instill into the hearts of all thy Ministers Preachers of thy word the fire of true zeale a godly boldnes to speake thy truth without respect of persons not to flatter the wicked nor to spare the rebuking of sin and let them comfort the weake harted let thē be able to bring them that erre into the right way that they may conuert liue that they may beleeue liue for Faith cōmeth by hearing and hearing by the preaching of thy word Let therefore the beautiful fruit of thē plentifully appeare amongst vs that bring glad tidings of peace which thē the glad tidings of our saluation And let thē speak nothing but as thy word teacheth thē that they may be foūd good disposers of thy graces Let their conuersatiōs be vpright before thee let thē be as lights set on a hill that they may teach as well by the example of their owne liues as by preaching thy Word that thou in all things mayest be glorified through Iesus Christ to whom is praise and dominion for euer and euer Amen Lord increase our faith A MOTIVE TO A Prayer for the Church Uniuersall THe Church which S. Paul calleth the House of God 1. Tim. 3. 15. is the Congregation of the faithfull dispersed throughout the world and in regard of the vniuersalitie thereof is called the Church Catholike Of which Vniuersalitie are many and seuerall societies distinct by place vnited by faith And euery seuerall company professing one and the same truth confessing one and the same faith and holding one and the same forme of administration of the Sacramēts are one intire bodie which bodie is the vniuersall Church wherof Christ is the head one Spouse whereof Christ is the husband He hath begotten this dispersed congregation by vertue of his word and made them one by the vnity of his Spirit By which Spirit the Fathers belieued in Christ before the came in the flesh and were of the same mysticall bodie whereof we that beleeue his word being come are also members and whereof Christ Iesus hath bin is and shall be the euerlasting head The parable of the Sower which Christ propounded Matth. 13. 24. sheweth by the euill seede mixed with the good that this Church shall neuer be free from offences both in doctrine and manners vntill the day of the fina 〈…〉
many yet forget not to bee good vnto thy chosen leaue not thy Saints vnto the spoyler rather shorten these dayes of sinne lest that the increase of vngodlinesse seduce euen the righteous and they perish also by straying from the way of life Lord increase our faith Another Prayer for the Uniuersall Church in the time of affliction or persecution MOst gracious Father as thou hast shewed thy selfe in former times a most powerfull protector of thy Church euer since the propagation thereof and by thy holy spirit hast conserued it in the vnitie of thy spirit in a constant true profession of thy word in a bolde and sincere confessing of Christ the head of that sanctified body euen when persecution vnto death raged and tyrannized most Bee still mindfull of the same thy little flocke feede it still with thy word defend it still with thy mightie hand guide it euer with thy holy spirit and euermore preserue it as the vine which thine own right hand hath planted Gather together thy sheepe scattered vpon so many mountaines let not the wolues seaze vpon thy tender lambes to teare them in peeces while there is none to helpe Let not the subtill foxes bewitch them with a false religion Let not the wild Boâ—e of Antichristian persecution deuoure them Let not Sathan nor sinne preuaile against them But as thou hast promised let thy Church and euery member of the same be as Mount Sion that shall neuer bee mooued let them stand fast for euer Let them florish in all faith and obedience as trees planted by the riuers and bring forth fruits of religion true pittie aboundantly compasse them with armies of thine Angels as thou diddest compasse Elisha with horses and chariots of fire and as the mountains compasse Ierusalem So let thy preuayling power compasse them about Suffer none O Lord to doe them violence but if in thy wisedome thou thinkest meet to make any member of thy Church a witnesse of thy trueth giue him the spirit of true vnderstanding of thy word faith and constancie to imbrace what measure of affliction or persecution thou shalt thinke fit to lay vpon him for the same forsake him not O Lord in his trials nor lay no more vpon him then it may please thee to giue him power to indure Make thy children O Lord strong and then cannot the threats of the cruellest Tyrants dismay thy outwardly weakest witnesses from vndergoing the extremest passion of martyrdome O fortifie all them whom thou hast appointed to any kind of torment for the testimony of the truth of the Gospel of Iesus Christ. Season them so with the assurance of their future glory that they flie not nor start backe for feare of whatsoeuer torture thine enemies may threaten or execute The least of which not being assisted and made easie by thy all-shining countenance vpon the soule of the persecuted cannot but dismay him and dismaying make him faint and fainting make him fall and so to denie thee Looke downe therefore O Lord vpon and visite all thine afflicted members protect them from secret conspiracies open practises and violent incursions plotted by Sathan and Antichrist and attempted by their bewitched instruments by whom thy Church and the members thereof and dayly afflicted and indangered Take thou wee humbly beseech thee our defence into thine owne hands Stop the breach which the enemie hath made Maintaine Lord thine owne word protect and keepe thine owne people conuert reuert or confound them that fight against thee by word or sword and fight against them that fight against thee in thy members that thou maiest be glorified thy Church increased and euery member of the same euerlastingly comforted in Christ their head Be it so good Father Amen Lord increase our faith Another short Prayer for the prosperitie of the Church and gouernment thereof GOd Father in Iesus Christ looke downe from heauen vpon and visite the viâ—e which thy right hand hath planted Send labourers into thy vineyard that they may so prune it and dresse it that it may branch and beare plentifully good fruit Suffer nâ— loyterers or idle persons in steade of labourers to enter into or vndertake to husband this vine Let no prophane person haue any superintendencie within the same But let the holy the faithfull the diligent industrious and such 〈◊〉 haue care to aduance thy Gospel and glory to instruct to exhort to improue rebuke and to bee instant in season and out of season be established ouerseers in this vineyard By whose watching and worke all the branches may be so succoured and carried vpward as they may not cease growing vntill they mount vp vnto the perfection of spirituall knowledge and practise of all pietie and fiâ—â—all obedience and consequently became members of that celestiall Ierusalem Send Lord such watchmen to keepe thy vine as by the sword of the spirit may be able to incounter and keepe out expulse abandon and driue away all hurtfull and prophane beasts all Swinelike drunkards all Lyonlike furious and Wolfelike denouring and rauening persons all Camelionlike Hypocrites all Leopardlike spotted Professors and all Foxelike crafty deuisors of and inâ—iâ—â—rs to new and false doctrines which the Gospel of thy Sonne Christ Iesus warranteth not Let onely the meeke sheepe and humble lambes the truly religious and holy be euermore gouernours and the gouerned in this heauenly Vineyard thy Church And although no visible Congregation can bee without these hidden and dangerous members knowne onely to thy selfe confirme the faith of euery childe of thine that they may be more and more inlightened confirmed in their hope through a sound and sincere profession of thy truth neuer to be remoued vnto the end Amen Lord increase our faith A MOTIVE TO A Prayer to be sayd for the Kings Maiestie WHen God had caused to be diuided the land of Canaan into parts according to the Twelue tribes of Israel he substituted as vnder and in the name of himselfe first Judges and after Kings to gouerne theâ— whereof some were vertuous religious and fearing God and they defended the truth of God protecteâ— his Church vnder them Some weroâ— dolaters perturbers of the Church 〈◊〉 God and Tyrants The first respecting the lawes of God and good of his Church made the lawes of God the paterne of their gouernments The second either not knowing God or knowing him did not honour him as God but fell from the liuing God themselues and caused the people to fall likewise from God to Idols therby highly incensing God to indignation against them who grieuously punished them with their Kings Dauid Iosiah Hezekiah Asa and Ieboshaphat were Kings that feared God 1. King 15. 12. 2. Chron. 17. 3. These did God aduance to comfort his children by the free vse of his word and to defend them from the aduersaries hand 2. Chron. 1. 11. Contrarily he setteth vp tyrants for the punishment of a rebellious people as Nehemiah complaineth Nehem. 9. 37. Manasses made the streets of Ierusalem
Let thy lawes be alwayes before their eyes let them neuer swarue from thy statutes in condemning the innocent and instifying the wicked Blesse them Lord with true knowledge of the word direct them by thy holy Spirit so shall they not erre in Judgement and thy people be freed frâ—â— iniustice and wrongs thy Church shall be in peace and euery member receiue iustice the Common-weale shall flourish righteousnesse and peace shall meete together mercie and truth shall imbrace each other Amen Lord increase our faith A MOTIVE TO A Prayer to be said of a man or woman vnmarried intending to marrie IT is the highest point of discretion in a man or woman to bee very carefull and circumspect in making choice of a husband or wife for rash and vnconsiderate mariages haue bred dangerous inconueniences not only betweene the man and wife in inferiour families but Cities and Kingdomes haue bene ruined by vnequall irreligious vnions of men and women of contrarie humors qualities and conditions Gods holy institution prophaned religion slaundered and the Church of God offended Mariage maketh two persons one before God but how can light and darknesse truth and falshood sinne and sanctitie good and euill agree can fire and water be at vnion in one vessell how then can a faithfull man marrying an Infidel a good woman knitting her selfe to a ribald a religious man or womaÌ„ vniting her self to a wicked and irreligious partie become one holy body How can it be but the euil wil rather peruert the good then the good reforme the euil For al men and women are by nature more apt to be ouercome with duill then to permit their euil to be ouercome 〈◊〉 goodnesse And therefore dis 〈…〉 premeditation holy consultation 〈◊〉 deepe deliberation ought to p 〈…〉 this kind of resolution Lawfull it is for euery man and woman to 〈…〉 ie yet in the Lord namely in his feare in a reuerend regard of his holy institution respecting the ends of that holy mysterie procreation of children mutuall societie and helpe one of another And how standeth the coniunction of the religious and prophane of the beleeuer and the infidell of the godly and the wicked with the former ends Can there be concordance or sweete societie betweene these contraries It may be said that the vnbeleeuing wife shall thâ— saued by the beleeuing husband and t 〈…〉 vnbeleeuing husbaÌ„d by the beleeuing wife but not without the beliefe of either for the vnbeleeuing wife must learne to beleeue of the beleeuing husband and the vnbeleeuing husband of the beleeuing wife and so bee saued otherwise he or she shall not be saued for euery man and woman shall be either saued by his or her owne faith or not at all But for a man or woman for any carnall respect to aduenture coniunction with the contrary minded and qualified tempteth God and consequently in steade of a promised blessing to them that marry in the feare of God a threatned curse followes them The godly wife of the religioâ—s husband shall be as a fruitfull vine vpon the walles of his house his children like oliue branches round about his table Thus shall the man and wife bee blessed that feare the Lord. This blessing yet consisteth not in the fruitfulnesse of the wife nor multitude of chlidren onely for so haue many heathens bene blessed that neither know God nor feare him But the substance of the blessing is in the vertues and religious carriage of the louing wife and in the obedience and goodnesse of the children wherewith God will blesse a godly man and vertuous wife for there cannot be in it self a greater burden or crosse to a vertuous father then to haue many and they vitious children It behooueth therefore these kindes of vnmarried persons to obserue in this weighty action some necessarie rules the first not to consummate the contract without approbation of their parents or gouernours secondly if either partie respect any priuate end more then the vertue and religious conuersation of the other that partie giues testimonie that it is not the feare of God that he or she standeth vpon but the satisfaction of his or her carnall affection which commonly is met withall in the iustice of God with many crosses and domesticall or forraigne afflictions wherefore it behoueth euery man or woman thus intending to couple him or her selfe in marriage with any to aske counsell of God in prayer So no doubt but God according to his promise will be the marriage maker and yeeld them mutuall continuing comfort one of another But if they rashly run into it without the approbation and allowance of the word of God it is seldome auoided but mischiefe or misery succeedeth A Prayer to be sayd of a man or woman vnmarried intending to marrie O Gracious euerliuing and most louing Lord God vouchsafe I humbly beseeth thee as thou in the beginning diddest create man and woman and diddest institute the holy order of marriage that the one of them might be a helper vnto the other and hast confirmed and approued this holy coniunction by many diuine examples of thy blessed presence As also by thy prouidence in ayding and assisting the vnmarried depending on thee to make their choice according to the rule of right religion Be pleased Lord that I feeling in my self a desire to enter into this sacred order may be directed by thee that I setting apart all carnall respects as chiefe motiues I may aime onely and altogether to make such a choice as aboue all things may please thee who art the authour and giuer of all goodnesse without whose prouidence and direction things of meanest importance cannot be effected without great affliction and danger And by whose fauour mercy things of weightiest consequence are easily and most comfortably brought to passe Forasmuch therefore gracious father as this mysterie of marriage is most high and honourable among all men the bed vndeâ—â—led Let mee not rashly runne into my choice as if mine owne wisedome or naturall policie could worke my contentment or comfort But aduise thou me and direct me O Lord and although I confesse it not expedient that I should expect from thee publike reuelatioÌ„ or visible Angels to leade me yet let thy holy Spirit so guide mine affections that I like not whom thou thinkest not meet to be conioyned vnto me in thy feare But let all things so succeede my proceedings as may argue and assure me of thy fatherly furtherance and diuine allowance as thou diddest in all things further with blessed successe the seruant of Abraham in choosing a wife for Isaac So let all things O Lord be blessed vnto me preuent mine owne desires if they concurre not with thy good pleasure and alter my will and intention if they answere not thy will and giue me an vnderstanding and feeling heart that I giue not way vnto my naturall motions and vaine inclination which in this single estate often ouerswayeth in me the rule of right reason
in me diuine meditations and prayers that my heart being truly and zealously exercised therein in my wakings I may admit no idle thought to possesse the same nor giue Sathan or mine owne corrupt affections oportunity to snare me and to seduce me from the works of the spirit to the deeds of the flesh but that sleeping and waking I may euer rest vnder the shadow of thy powerfull protection out of the â—each of all my corporall and spirituall enemies who are euer restlesse in their practises and deuices Be thou therefore Lord on my â—â—dâ— preuent them of their purposes garde 〈…〉 ee with thy holy Angels this night keepe me whom and whatsoeuer belongeth vnto me let all things prosper vnder my hands O Lord let neither the darkenesse of the night the distemperature of the ayre the sterilitâ—e and barrennesse of nature hinder the prosperitie of the creatures ordained to my vse Neither let my sinnes make breach of thy fauours towards me let the health of my body be at thy good pleasure continued my limbes sences preserued my sleepe blessed and all my thoughtes words and deeds sanâ—tiâ—â—ed vnto me in Christ my Sauiour and Redeemer this night and euer Amen Lord increase my faith and watch ouer me this night A MOTIVE TO A Prayer for the members of Christ to be vsed after priuate praiers in families IT were a matter much to be wondred at that any member of a body should be so little carefull of it fellow members of the same bodie as that it should not extend it vttermost power to support and aide them all As if the one hand should suffer violence and the other should disdaine to assist it or that the foote or any other part should be annoyd and the eye should scorne to looke vnto it or the hand to helpe it How much more lamentable were it if the members of our spirituall bodie whereof Christ our common Redeemer is the head should not pray one for another What can a man doe lesse for an ordinary friend then to speake for him to him that may steede him being at no further charge or trouble then to vse the breath of his mouth for him And shall wee thinke it too tedious a labor to vse our petitions to God in the behalfe of such as are our fellow members and our dearest brethren in Christ being professors of his name with vs and of the same fellowship and communion together with vs hauing the selfe same seales of adoption that we haue God forbid The neglect of which spirituall duetie implyeth our want of loue vnto our head Christ wherein we also breake the law of Christian Religion which commands vs to loue our neighbours as our selues If we then thinke it our dueties to pray for our selues we ought to pray also for them which Christ intendeth in teaching vs how to pray not as in our owne names my Father But in the name of all the Church Our Father though vpon some particular occasions a priuat maÌ„ may vse it in the name of himselfe But in generall supplications to God it is a duetie inseparable in Christian Charitie to pray one for another yea and for all men Let vs therefore in all our priuate prayers either with our families or by ourselues adde this consequent prayer or to the like purpose that wee discharging that Christian duetie for others God may the more esteeme our prayers for our selues and stirre vp other faithfull members to do the like for vs which may be much comfortable to all for the prayer of the faithfull auaileth much if it bee feruent Iam. 5. 16. A Prayer for the members of Christ whersoeuer dispersed fit to bee vsed after our ordinarie prayers of Morning and Euening GRacious Lord God merciful and louing Father the keeper and protector of all that truly professe the name of Christ thy Sonne we the poore and weake members of that mysticall bodie whereof he is the head as feeling the wantes of our brethren as our own do here humblie present our petitions vnto thee for thy whole Church and the members thereof howsoeuer or whersoeuer distracted dispersed and estranged by nation tongue or place from vs. That it may please thee who knowest who are thine to haue a fatherly care ouer them and whom thou hast already called to the knowledge of thy trueth graunt them Lord mercifull louing and constant hearts to stand in the profession thereof without wauering or starting backe call and incorporate such as are contrarily minded and whom thou hast in thy fore-election appointed to saluation That they also may be made of the same holy Communion with vs. And such as yet sit in darkenesse in the shadow of ignorance by the seducements of the ministers of Antichrist or of any other aduersaris inlighten and bring home by thy word vnto the sheepefold of the great Shepheard of our soules Multiply thy sauing spirit vpon vs and vpon all that belong vnto the kingdome of thy Sonne Aâ—â— vouchsafe good Father to inlarge the harts increase the knowledge confirme the faith more and more of all those that haue any chiefe place in Church or Commonwealth Kings Priests and People About the rest Lord open the heart of our King giue him a complete measure of true wisedome not only in gouerning his subiects in due obedience to his owne lawes but in a religious course of obeying seruing of thee in holinesse and trueth Protect and deliuer him from all plots complotments and conspiracies of whatsoeuer aduersaries domesticall or forraine Suffer not Lord the peace of thy Church or Common-weale to suffer violence by ciuill tumults treasons or rebellions Preserue his health increase his strength weaken his enemies and confirme his crowne to his sonne and his sonnes sonnes to the end of time Blesse and prosper in vertue and trueth his Queene and all that truly loue him in and for thee loue thou them and comfort them for thou hast made him a true maintainer of thy truth an enemie of all thine enemies Blesse vnto him a godly religious and wise counsell learned zealous and painefull ministers faithfull religious and truely loyall subiects comfort helpe ayde assist and relieue all and euery true member of thy Sonne Those that are persecuted for thy truth comfort confirme that they may constantly endure vnto the end Them that are weak strengthen Them that are poore and distressed relieue Cure or comfort those that are sicke Many are the troubles of thine own children Lord and according to thy promise deliuer them out of all make them able to indure and laâ— no more vpon any of them theâ— they shall be able to beare Touch the hearts of all thy children that they may be watching in prayer considering the dayes wherein we liue are euill And as thou hast promised to be present with vs and with all thy children in their meetings before thee in prayer Stir vs all vp we beseech thee to a more holy desire
their faces at the glory of thy great Maiestie And as for man clothed with mortality thou affirmest cannot see thy face and liue And yet thou sayest Seeke my face Lord what is it to seeke thy face but to seeke thy truth and to search thy word to couet to know thy will and to bee truely instructed and faithfully and sincerely inclined to keepe thy commaundements Thy word is a light vnto our pathes and a lanthorne vnto our feet It is the life of our soules the heauenly Manna without it there is no light no hope no spirituall comfort no assurance of saluation O how deare ought this word then be vnto vs Farre more sweet then the hony or the hony combe more precious then golde yea then the finest gold therein Lord see wee thy face therein beholde wee thy louing countenance there finde we the hidde pearle which to purchase the wisest will sell all worldly vanities yet is it to the foolish foolishnesse and a stumbling blocke vnto the carnally minded Jt is a mysterie Lord and a secret hidden from the wise of the world and reuealed onely vnto the humble to such as acknowledge themselues ignorant and hunger and thirst for the knowledge of the truth Such hast thou promised to teach and to instruct in the way of true wisedome by reuealing thy word which howsoeuer it seeme in the outward letter easie to be vnderstood it hath a spirituall and diuine sense which requireth a spirituall and diuine interpretation which commeth not neither can it be apprehended by nature And therefore in thy great mercy and loue thou hast ordained meanes whereby they whom thou hast appointed to saluation may bee made able to vnderstand the same namely the outward ministrie of men and the iuward elumination of thy holy spirit for without the second the first auayleth nothing neither in the minister that speaketh nor they to whom he speaketh vnlesse hee be sent of thee and the hearers eares opened and their hearts prepared by thee hee preacheth and they heare in vaine To the one a woe is pronounced as not preaching the Gospel sincerely to the other a curse for not receiuing the good word of truth as into good and fruitfull ground bringing foorth the liuely fruits of a life answerable to that word which is either the sauour of life vnto life or the sauor of death vnto death O Lord I am now come into thy presence to heare thee speake vnto vs here assembled by the mouth of thy seruant whom thou hast sent to preach thy word open therefore mine eares prepare my heart sanctifie mine Attention inlighten mine Vnderstanding strengthen my memorie rectifie my will that I may diligently heare attentiuely harken retentiuely remember and willingly imbrace and practice what shall bee truely and sincerely deliuered by thy minister And let not thy word Lord that shall fall from his mouth bee either choaked in mee with the thorny cares of the world nor be cast into so corrupt a heart as the vaine delights of my minde should deuoure it nor into so â—arraine a heart as should not bring foorth fruit at the least twentie fold to the glory and prayse of thy most blessed name to the beâ—â—ering and better direction of my conuersation before men to the assurance and sure sealing vp of my saluation in Jesus Christ to whom with thee O Father and the holy Ghost 〈◊〉 prayse for euer Amen Lord increase my faith A MOTIVE TO A Prayer to bee said after a Sermon heard AS the body of a man 〈◊〉 beast neither groweth to strength nor co 〈…〉 nueth in health without naturall foodâ— no more can the soule of man liue without Spirituall food the word of God And as man by art helpeth nature to concoct and digest his food to make it nutratiue to his body So the spiritual man hauing heard the sauing word of God vseth the means to make it profitable to the soule for as natural food takeÌ„ into the mouth and instantly spet out againe though it be a while detained and chawed and not taken into the bodie relieueth not the body So the Word heard with the care and not conueyed into and retained in the heart yeeldeth no comfort vnto the soule but rather worketh a kinde of contempt by custome and a kinde of lothing of the Word as a matter without the which his soule may liue for as that meate wherein the pallet hath no feeling of a pleasing taste delighteth not the appetiâ—â— no more can that Word which is not sauourie and delightfull to the soule be pleasing or profitable to the outward eare and consequently nothing comfortable to the vnfeeling soule But it is not in the power of man by nature profitably or with comfort to heare much lesse to make true vse of the word of God It is the gift of God to open the eare which is common to the good and bad hearers but a worke of the holy Ghost to open and prepare the heart to receiue the Word and to bring forth the fruit thereof without the which it is not only not an idle sound but a killing letter for it neuer falleth into the ears of any but it is either the sauour of life vnto life by the operation of faith and repentance or the sauour of death vnto death by the hardnes of the impenetrable and impenitent heart Therfore it much behoueth Christians not only to be carefull to heare but to be diligent and considerate how they heare to lay it vp in their hearts to make vse of it vpon all occasions in prosperity and aduersitie in sicknes and health and in what estate soeuer he is for it is as a treasure to purchase in euery calamitie comfort through patience and in all consolation inward or outward liuely and true thankfulnes Whatsoeuer or whosoeuer therefore thou be that hast at any time tasted of the good word of God forget not that although it be pronounced by man it is the word of the most Highest who will take an account of thee how and what thou hast heard and if thou fold it vp in the napking of forgetfulnes and put it not forth to the vse of thy soule it shall be taken from thee euen that thou hast and thou cast out of his presence whose word and counsaile thou hast so neglected Be not therefore forgetfull to ruminate and as it were often to â—hew the cud of that word thou hearest as at the mouth of God and because we are naturally al flow to heare what we should heare and our mindes very hard to retaine the good things proceeding out of the mouth of God we are to pray and humbly to petition the Lord of life to turne the word heard to the sauour of life vnto our eternally life it ought to be our continuall studie yea aboue al our worldly cares and occasions to meditate of the word we haue heard that it slippe not out of our mindes it is a Iewell which we shall hardly
haruest wheÌ„ this holy Congregation as good corne shall be gathered into the celestiall garner and the wicked and vncleane shall be cast off into vtter darknesse And therefore are the faithfull to arme themselues with patience and to vndergo with constancie the offences of the contrarily minded for therfore is the Church of Christ called a Church Militant because it is still exercised with enemies whom we are to resist and incounter with the weapons of the Spirit The contrary also are called a Church but a malignant Church a Church full of vanitie and prophanenesse sin Schismes Hypocrites and Reprobates Who also incounter and exercise the Church Militant with spirituall weapons the weapons of iniquitie whose head is Satan the Red Dragon the man of sinne the sonne of perdition Antichrist So that Bethel the house of God hath continuall warre with Bethauen the house of the Diuell Sanctitie with Sin Truth with Falshood Light with darknesse Christ in his members with Satan and his adherents heauenly holines with spirituall wickednes Ephes. 6. 12. Zechar. 3. 1. 2. The Church of Christ being thus continually assailed hath only refuge in danger to her head Christ Iesus who hath promised not only to send the Comforter to teach vs all things but to defend vs and to be with vs to the end of the world Matth. 28. 20. And as he hath thus promised vnto the body so is he euer with euery member where two or three be gathered together in the name of that one head he will be there in the midst of them and therefore it doth not onely behoue euery Christian to be continually watchfull against these many and malignant aduersaries spirituall enemies but to powre foorth coÌ„tinuall supplicatioÌ„s to God the Father in his Son by the Spirit not for himself only but for the whole euery part of this Catholike congregatioÌ„ that he will defend vs aswell from enemies threatning outward persecution as working inward tentation And it much importeth the Church in generall and euery member of the same to seeke and dayly to pray for the reformation of the corruptions cast into the field of the Gospel by that wicked one which doth not onely spring vp among but choaketh and hindereth the growth of the good seede of sinceritie by the errors of doctrine and workes of wickednesse And therfore doth the heauenly husbandman threaten the extirpation euen of the good seede that hee hath sowen and to leaue the ground vnto the weeds of sin and vanitie wherunto it is especially inclined to depriue it altogether of the manurance of his word and neuer againe to water it with the dewe of his holy Spirit lest therefore that he suffer strangers Sathan and his ministers to breake downe the hedges of our religious profession and holy practise of obedience the wild beasts of the field sinnes of all sorts to roote vp and deuoure the fruits of our holy conuersations and lest he should take away or breake the staâ—â—e of our spirituall strength the foode of our soules Let vs be stirred vp to pray vnto our head Christ Iesus for grace and that he will still preserue mainetaine and defend what his right hand hath planted A Prayer for the Uniuersall Church and for euery member of the same fit to be often said of euery Christian. ALmighty Lord God the fountaine of all goodnes the creator of all men who in Iesus Christ thy Sonne hast redeemed them that were captiues recalled brought home them that estrayed receiued and imbraced them again that were run from thee and saued them that were lost Looke now vpon them whom thou hast chosen and behold in mercy whom thou hast redeemed and as thou hast in thine owne free mercy fauour and loue gathered vnto thy selfe and set apart for thy seruice a remnant out of the whole number of mankinde a peculiar companie and hast vouchsafed to make them of many one sanctified body all by the merits of thy sonne in whom they are adopted and made heires of heauen in whom they liue moue and haue their spirituall and heauenly being So Lord be thou still their succour their shield buckler and euerlasting defence thou hast vouchsafed good Father to set apart this elected and small company for thine owne sacred seruice in this mortall life calling them by the voyce of thy word sounding through all partes of the vniuersall world and by the inspiration of that holy comforter left vnto thy children by promise hast taught them that wisedome that is farre about the wisedome of the wisest mortall man endowed theÌ„ with that sanctified integritie that farre exceedeth the sinceritie of the best qualified carnall man and hast thy selfe promised to continue with them by thy spirit to the end of the world lest they should through ouermuch heauinesse and affliction perish in the way of their pilgrimage Some thou hast released of their warfare some the more to testifie vnto the world their faith and constant assurance of thine eternall loue and prouidence ouer them suffrest to fall into the hands of them that could but kill their bodies their soules being safe in thy protection and haue in part receiued their reward in heauen hauing escaped the presentors hands Some thou hast called by a naturall dissolution elected redeemed sanctified and in part glorified And as yet good Father there is a small dispersed remnant which haue not finished their warfare but are still incountred with Sathan with sinne and with their owne corruptions and still afflicted persecuted and distressed be neere vnto them according to thy word assist them by thy grace enlighten them teach them and be euermore their defence and as successiuely from age to age the end of dayes there shall be an increase of people So let thy Gospel continually propagate and beget new children vnto thy selfe and let not the light of thy word decline but rather shine dayly more and more cleerely Let not the power thereof diminish nor the sound thereof cease vntill it haue gained and compleated the number of all that shall be saued Send foorth godly and painefull labourers that they may be instant in season and out of season giue them power to bent downe the power of sinne to stay the violent currant of backessiding and Apostacie Send foorth thy word into all lands let all nations heare it and al tongues professe it where thou hast planted it alreadie water it with the continuall showers of thy grace where it is not yet sowne let it fall fructifie where it hath bene sowne and is withered renew the liuely spring thereof continue increase beget more more children vnto thy selfe through all parts of the world through thy word And although we bee falne into the last most declining age and as it were into the period of time wherin as thou hast foreshewed sinne increaseth godlinesse diminisheth holy zeale waxeth weake loue becomes colde and counterfeit and thy sauing word become of none effect among
gouernest all thy creatures by the power and prouidence making many and great differences in the estates of humane creatures as some to gouerne as Kings som◠to obey as subiects some masters and some seruants I acknowledge thy great goodnes in that thou hast made me though a subiect to thine Anointed as a King to command in 〈…〉 ine owne family and hast giuen mee seruants to whom I say Goe and they goe Come and they attend Giue me wisedome to command nothing but what may be◠lawfull expedient and necessarie tending euermore to thy glorie and giue vnto all that are vnder my command obedience vnto knowledge of and willingnes to accomplish all things that shall concerne their duties and my necessarie seruice Let thy holy Spirit be vpon them to teach them and to direct them in all their endeuours Let them striue in a godly emulation one to exceed another in wel doing that they may truely and religiously performe whatsoeuer is fit and consonant to their places functions for it is neither the skill nor the desire nor the seruice done can succeed either to my priuate profit to the good of others or to thy glorie without thy speciall direction and blessing Blesse me therefore in right commanding and blesse my seruants in rightly performing what in thy feare and reuerence to thy Maiestie they shall attempt Giue vs all vnderstanding hearts not according to the high points of humane knowledge only But especially according to the right rules of Christian religion Make mee apt able and willing to instruct and direct them in the principles of diuine knowledge that a spirituall blessing may euer accompany their corporall callings and giue me patience to forbeare their infirmities in committing offences against me for I cannot but confesse that thou art to me a Master whome I haue and doe more often and more egregiously offen◠by my many sinnes then any or all my seruants can trespasse against me Giue mee therefore a feeling heart O Lord that I may make vse of my seruāts offences against me in recounting mine own transgressions against thee And as thou hast euer bin patient towards mee in forbearing to punish me according to my disobedience so I may beare with my seruants weaknes not maliciously offēding me Guide thē by thy holy Spirit in all truth make them though my seruants in respect of their corporall seruice to me thy sonnes and daughters by their spirituall seruing of thee and grant that we all may conioyne in one true obedience to serue thee hearing thy word attentiuely and praying vnto thee continually and faithfully that both thy spirituall blessings and corporall comforts in Jesus Christ may alwaies abound amongst vs and that we may prosper together in all truth peace plentie godly loue and happines making no spirituall though there seeme some worldly difference betweene the gouernor the gouerned knowing that thou hast no respect of persons but the Lord seruant the bond and free the outwardly glorious and base fearing thee are equally accepted with thee Lord increase our faith A MOTIVE TO stirre vp seruants to obey and pray for ablenes to serue their Masters and gouernours truely and to profit in their callings ALthough it seeme a harsh and vnsauourie seruitude and a base condition to be a seruant it is not as it is commonly taken vnlesse to be the seruants of Sinne and of Satan but to be a Christian seruant to a Christian master according to the flesh is to be Gods free-man according to the Spirit all creatures are seruants and seruiceable vnto man Why then should not one man be seruiceable vnto another We cannot be all masters but seruants we are all either vnto God in well doing and in a holy execution and performance of his commandements to the world or to Satan A seruant is nothing else but an agent or instrument to bee commanded by a more eminent person one whom he obeyeth whether it be to God as vnto our Father and preseruer vnto sinne and Satan our seducers to the world as our deceiuer to our vaine affections our betrayers or vnto man our fellow member of that bodie the Church whereof Christ is the head A Christian and beleeuing seruāt may be in the house and doe seruice to an Infidell and an Idolater as Iacob to Laban and Ioseph to Potipher who in their corporall seruice to man performed spirituall seruice to God who requireth obedience in seruants to their masters in all things not with eye-seruice as men-pleasers but in singlenesse of heart cheerefully and hartily fearing God as doing their seruice to God not vnto men so shall they that are bond seruants vnto men be made the Lords free-men and this freedome the Lord doth not onely not preuent but further their submission and obedience vnto their masters according to the flesh Saint Peter commandeth seruants to obey their masters with all feare not in a seruile slauish feare but a feare accompanied with godly loue which loue bindeth the conseience of all godly seruants to deale in all things honestly and carefully for their masters best aduantage not only when he is present but when he is absent to be true and faithfull diligent and vigilant imbracing direction and accepting reproofe with patience And because these vertues are not of nature but of grace It behoueth seruants to bee humble petitioners vnto God that he wil blesse their labours and endeuours to giue them vnderstanding hearts and abilitie of bodie and dexteritie of wit to apprehend and performe their duties both towards God the high and heauenly Master of all to their masters in the earth and for their owne good in learning apprehending and performing the trade mysterie and function whereunto they are called And for their better instruction it behoueth them to giue heede to the word of truth to frequent the place where the Word is preached and to indeuour to practise the same in all sinceritie And to this effect the Prayer following serueth A Prayer fit to be vsed of seruants GRacious Lord louing Father I acknowledge my selfe vnworthy to bee called thy seruant much lesse thy childe by reason of my great weaknes and manifold sinnes turne thy louing countenance towards mee againe O Lord and although I bee a seruant and subiect to the command and authoritie of another according to the flesh as deseruing bondage by reason of my too much seruing of Satan Make me yet free in thee and of the seruant of man make me thy sonne Let thy grace so gouerne mine affections that I be not seduced by the suggestion of Satan nor by my carnall and corrupt affections from that subiection and sincere seruice which I owe vnto my corporall master and commander in thee In thee gracious Lord without whose mercies and grace no seruice can be performed nor any true dutie done I am dull I am ignorant I am vnapt of my selfe to euery good worke but from thee proceedeth the perfection both of
will moue me to deale euermore iustly knowing that I fit not to execute mine owne will or mans iudgement but thine And if I wilfully erre thou wilt not hold me guiltlesse but wilt iudge me vniust and punish mee iustly Let not the opinion of the multitude either ouersway the truth in me or terrifie me from giuing sentence according to equitie And let me neuer be wearie of well doing but if cause so require it giue mee strength as thou diddest to Moses to heare and iustly to determine all controuersies from morning to night giue me a sincere heart free from malice and reuenge close mine eyes shut vp mine eares and claspe my hands that neither affection blinde me nor bribes peruert iudgement in me but that I may doe all things to the glory of thy name euer ayded by thy holy Spirit in and for thy welbeloued Sonnes sake Christ Jesus Amen Lord increase my faith in me confirme wisdome and iust iudgement A MOTIVE TO be vsed of Christians for Iudges and superior Magistrates THe necessitie of establishing Iudges and Magistrates to gouerne direct and punish doth giue vs to vnderstand that such and so many are the corruptions of our crooked deformed and rebellious nature at could not but breake into most inhumane vnnaturall impious and dangerous actions as if it were not preuented by laâ—es ordinances punishments and executions would breede speedie confusion among men And were there not Magistrates and Iudges to arbitrate and administer iustice and iudgement euery man would be Iudge reuenger of his owne pretended wrongs and would doe right to none he would maintaine his owne euill wayes to be vpright his oppressions to be iustice and his actions were they neuer so impious to be lawfull and right the weakest in power in their iustest complaints should be iudged vniust Wee may obserue notwithstanding lawes and statutes that in stead of Iustice and righteous dealing among men Rapine hatred dissention wrongs and murders vniuersally abound and what might we thinke would bee the state of things if Iustice should cease to execute her office and offenders goe without punishment Would not cain kill Abel Would not Haman conspire against Mordecai Would not Iesabel murther Naboth for his vineyard Would not Shemei raile vpon nay take away the life of Gods Anointed Would not Achan take the excommunicate thing Would not Iudas betray his master Nay would not Zimri and Cozhi commit wickednesse openly Would not all and all sorts of men run out of rule and would not sorrowfull confusion soone follow God foresaw this when he prescribed the lawes in two tables and constituted gouernours to keepe the people in obedience by inflicting punishments vpon offenders and to defend the cause of the innocent Moses and his Centurions first gouerned the multitudes of Israel then Iâ—shuah after them Judges and lastly Kings and were it not that Iustice continued her force neither Church nor Common-weale could stand If God should deale with vs as oftentimes he did with his owne peculiar people the Iewes for their sinnes namely to send vs corrupt Judges irreligious and tyrannous Magistrates would it not be vnsauory vnto vs and burdensome for vs And nothing more procureth it then our disobedience to God and there is no other mean to free vs but our obedience to godly and religious Magistrates and to the wholesome Christian lawes established for our peace not for feare of punishment but for a religious conscience sake If we obey God we cannot but loue and obey such as he hath set gouernours ouer vs and if we loue them we cannot but pray for them not as they are men onely and as they are members of Christ mysticall body with vs but as they are Gods ministers and beare the sword to correct the guilty and to defend the innocent Let no man thinke it therfore a superfluous but a Christian duety to pray for Iudges and superior Magistrates that God will indue them with graces and gifts answerable to their callings as with Wisedome Iustice Righteousnesse right Religion Courage and Christian integritie that they doing their dueties as gouernours we may as rather led by their godly examples then by their seuere iustice neither feare the punishment for disobedience to Gods Magistrates nor they our gouernours the threats denounced against such as peruert Iustice and Judgement A Prayer for Iudges and superior Magistrates to be vsed of all good and Christian subiects and especially of them that haue causes depending before Iudges and Magistrates FOrasmuch most gracious God and louing Father in Iesus Christ as thou being the Iudge of Iudges hast appointed Iustice and Iudgement to be done in earth and hast for the execution thereof appointed ministers called Iudges hast commanded thy people to obey them wee appeale vnto thy mercie for our disobedience vnto thy lawes which we dayly transgresse and thereby cannot but incurre the danger of Judgement euen in this life And we acknowledge that the sentence of an earthly Judge is not his but thine he pronouncing our punishment thâ—â— confirmest it Their censure 〈◊〉 thine if it be iust if vniust it is not thine but theirs yet their mini 〈…〉 is our iust reward for our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therfore humbly beseech 〈◊〉 to direct our hearts and our câ—â—â—ersations in all obedience to thy lawes and to the constitutions of thine Anointed who beareth the sword to punish offenders and to defend the innocent the fatherles widowes and the oppressed and from his supereminent authoritie vnder thee the power of inferiour Iudges and Magistrates is deri 〈…〉 to heare and determine causes of controuersie betweene man and man and matters of offence against the stare of superiours the peace of the Church and Common-weale They are indeed bu◠〈◊〉 whom wee see in their sâ—â—tâ—s of Judgement whom wee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom we obseruâ— to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 th 〈…〉 censure they pronounce but their hearts are in thine hands and their sentence by thy direction or permission thou directest none but according to equitie yet permittest iniustice to bee done vnto men for their iniquities hee that iudgeth vniustly and hee that is vniustly iudged haue their punishments the one in augmentation of his 〈◊〉 to his greater punishment to â—â—â—ne the other either in iudgement for sinnes past or in mercy to reforme him Consider therefore most gracious Lord God how and in what porill thy people stand vnder the censures of Judges vniust and lay not vpon vs the burden of their vniustice but conforme their hearts to true Judgement and account none to that high office of iudging thy people but such as thou shalt first furnish with wisedome experience and true sinceritie Let them be of like and of one mind with thee abandoning partialitie bribery and respect of persons and be thou alwayes with them and direct them in all causes of Judgement let them neither admit reward and so corrupt Justice nor follow the opinion of the multitude and so ouerthrow the truth