which shall approue their heartes By whose doctrine also we shall bee able to find out all the false Prophets that endeuour to miscarry vs. The aptest mean to bring men into the captiuity of errours and erronious teachers is ignorance of the word which would God it were meerly banished the Church of God that through knowledge we might wade in the true worde and by the same distinguish and â—ull out the poyson of all peruerse teachers and cast it in the fire of vtter obliuion That the hearts of true Christians might be comforted all the congregation of God knit together in loue And that all the ministers of God might proceed in one rule and might al mind one thing in the lord that nothing be done of contention or vain glorie but that in meeknesse of minde euerie man esteeme other better than himselfe What mooued these two Gentlemen Ardington and Coppinger to run that course but vaine glorie and ignorance of the word without the knowledge whereof the intricate and hidden subtiltie of that wicked monster Hacket could not be descried who bewitched them with forgetfulnes of their duties to God their most gracious Queene for that they searched not the counsell of God neither builded their proceeding vpon his word but pricked on by the fling of singularitie and vaine glorie brake out into desperate and irreligious terms laying open as it were before all the world their own corruptions and the deuilish affections of that wicked man that counterfeit Christ that forged king who was deseruedly crowned with a halter in Cheap according to the words of Paule that the ende of these men shall be according to their works It is time for the Children of God to take warning and bee watchfull considering these daungerous times wherin swarmes of falfe prophets do euerie where fly to and fro to disquiet the godly as papists Brownists Anabaptists the Familie of lust and leudnesse termed the family of loue many other dangerous sects who seeke to quench the ardent zeale of sincere Christianitie striuing about words which is to no profit but to the peruerting of the hearers But let vs pray that our Ministry may shew it selfe approued vnto God and that our Ministers neede not to be ashamed but may diuide the word of trueth aright that they may stay prophane and vaine bablings which increase to more vngodlines And that they may keepe the pattern of the wholsome word which they haue learned in faith which they may teach in loue in Christ Jesus For such is the subtilty of this wicked workmaster who hath sent foorth these hellish haruest-men that some one of these his subtil sectes in showe meeteth as it were matcheth euery godly endeuour and sincere course that the children of God doe practise in deed only to unpaire the credit of a right Christian life in Gods sincere children by the opposition of science falsly so called We know that it is the duty of euery childe of God to â—oe good workes to approoue his faith by which faith he is iustified And we see that the deuill hath stirred vp a doctrine of workes that by them men are iustified and therfore such as stand vpon their own iustification carry themselues in shew answerable in mortall sincerity to the most godly when yet they hang in the Spiders web of sinne because they imagine that God wil thanke them because they doe that which he hath commaunded them And yet by the mouth of God himselfe they are condemned for vnprofitable seruants We know that true Christians do thirst after the word and desire to be fedde with the foode of the Gospel And therefore desire to repaire vnto sermons and to be studious in the word And wee may see how the Deuill prouideth to blemish this Christian vertue by stirring vp euen of his wicked ministers to perform the same as did the southsayers of Pharao and at length to breake out into grosse and most palpable euils to the end that the fal of them that stoode not should blemish the zeale of right godly affected Againe we know that it is the dutie of Christians to shun swearing and blasphemie to giue continuall thanks for Gods benefites to instruct their families and to pray for and with them And wee see that the deuill hauing emulation hereat endeuoureth either to draw such as exercise this sincere course of life into some action to discredite their profession or else stirreth vp some counterfeit of his in some shew to performe this integritie that at the last by some notable fall he may bring all other sincere professors into ignominie Therefore brethren stand fast and keepe the instructions which yee haue bene taught either by words or by the examples of the apostles For aboue the rest of his daungerous practises marke how hee endeuoureth to blemish the profession of the Gospel euen in the Ministerie in the sound preachers of the word by drawing them into some grosse euill or other to the end that he may bring all the godly and zealous workemen of the Lord into contempt blinding the eyes of the world and therby raiseth a false opinion of the verie sacred truth By this we see that euen now is come the time of triall and now it wil be found out who are Gods children in shew and who in deed it will appeare who will continue vnto the end for if wee giue consent to strange doctrine to newe deuises to false and counterfeite waies whereunto wee are dayly mooued then shall wee bee vagabonds from the Church of God howsoeuer we seeme to dwell in the same and to be members of it in outward shew then wil God in the last day say I know you not howsoeuer we say we haue prophecied and preached in his name Oh let vs therefore pray that we may hold on a true course and keepe the line of the truth without going to the right or left hand howsoeuer subiect wee shall then be to slaunders to scoffes to reproches to imprisonmentes and sometime to death it selfe Happie are wee that haue the booke of life laide open before vs wherein is contained the way to Gods kingdome and whereby we may take the path to our heauenly hearts case and that without reproofe whereof we may reioyce And for a farther cause to moue vs to go vnto god in praier let vs somewhat consider the controuersies which of late haue risen by the work and instigation of the deuill euen in our own Church amongst our own guides in our own natiue land how it hath raised a scruple and doubt in some that are not altogether grounded in the knowledge of the word Whether they should obey the Maiestrate in Ecclesiasticall causes And whether there should be a superiority or equalitie in the Church gouernors These and many other cauils hath hee raised to hinder the preaching of the Gospell which is greatly to be
And heerein it is required that we be poore in spirit to hunger thirst for righteousnes to be meke to be mercifull to be pure in hart and gladly Suffer persecution for righteousnes sake We must be louing liberall pittifull patient in troubles and in all thinges wee must frame and conforme our wordes workes and thoughts to doe the will of our heauenly father To him we must fall downe to be strengthened in faith without which we cannot reteine this kingdome the liuely and effectuall word which that it may bee purely preached without fraud deliueâ—â— without vaine glory receiued and practised without faltring or fear we must pray vnto our God who hath promised and will perfourme to send vs his ayde to keepe vs vpright in this glorious path to eternall life And wee must pray vnto him that hee will make our vnderstandinges capable of the trueth of his will and what hee requireth at our handes in seekinge of this hys kingdome That he wil frame our liues in all simplicity of faith submitting our selues wholy vnto his word casting downe our own imaginations and euerie proude conceit of our selues that through meekenesse in true knowledge and obedience we may be made meete partakers of the euerlasting kingdome of God Hauing obtained this spirituall feeling of the will of God in his word and being sealed vp through faith in a longing desire for al spirituall perfection let vs proceede to the execution of our callinges which may aunsweare the commaundement of God heerein Let vs continually seeke new and dayly meanes by hearing the woorde preached by stirring vp one of an other and by giuing sacred examples of vertue and godlynesse that our callings may bee made sure to be founded and established in this kingdome Then may wee freely approach vnto our God and he will receiue vs we may cal on him and he wil heare vs we may beg of him and he wil giue vs al things necessary for body and soule Hee is our almighty king and he will defende vs he is our mercifull God and he will relieue vs and hee is our mercifull father and he will feede vs cloath vs and teach vs. And at last he wil crowne vs with the glorie of his sonne hee will make vs as the saintes in heauen and we shall receiue the inheritance of euerlasting blisse And therefore let vs seeke and praie vnto him that wee may obtaine this principall and chiefe foundation of all true comfortes in this life the kingdome of his Sonne Christ Jesus The prayer for the kingdome of God O Most gracious God and louing father it hath pleased thee to commaund vs first before all things to seeke thy kingdome and the riches righteousnes thereof with promise that then al things necessary for body and soule shal be giuen vs wherfore good father sith that our vnablenes is such that we cannot attaine vnto this high matter of our selues vouchsafe to prepare our heartes that at this time and alwaies wee may aboue all things hunger and thirst for this righteousnesse the absolute meane of our true comfort without which all our comfort is but care our wisdome but foolishnes our glory but shame our riches but pouertie our godlines impietie and all our praiers sin Wherefore good father I humbly praye thee in the behalfe of all thy children that thou wilt poure into our hearts a godly consideration of our imperfections not being endued with this absolute integrity that we may see our pouerty nakednes not being enriched cloathed with this riches weedes of sanctitie that wee may feele how ready we are to pine for want of this foode of our soules thy sacred woord the glorious Gospell of Christ wherein consisteth this heauenly kingdome which kingdome O Lord teach vs to find Endue vs with thy holy spirit poure into our harts that sacred gift which thou hast left for our comfort to leade vs to this kingdome that may direct vs in all truth that may manifest in vs the knowledge and exercise of thy word wherein resteth that spirituall happinesse which heere by faith we see as a shadow farre off which one day shall be manifest to our absolute ioy and saluation In the meane time good Father sanctifie our hearts with heauenly contemplations and sanctified meditations that our ioye which now is but in part may be dayly enlarged through the diuine fruites of loue to thy law faith in thy promises and of hope that our ioy shall be full at the appearinge of thy sonne So shall the kingdome of thy sonne appeare in vs and wee which wander in the darknesse of this polluted worlde shall appeare manifestly to bee the heires of thy kingdome through faith testified by the fruites of a sanctified life And to the end good father that thy kingdome may dayly more and more appeare and increase graunt free and comfortable passage to thy word and Gospell of Christ that it may be plainely purely and plentifully preached And vouchsafe to increase the number of the laborers in this worke who may faithfully and diligently worke therein That through the same thy people which now sit in darknes may be enlightened that such as are farre off may come neere and they that are without at thy good pleasure may be brought into this kingdome â—hat wee may all put on that sanctifâ—ed garment of a new life and sincere conuersation which may approoue vs to bee thy children and Citizens of thy kingdome and that as becâ—mmeth thy sonnes we may be reformed in our liues Giue vs thine holy Spirite that wee may beleeue thy worde and therby so direct our liues that we in all vertuousnes godlines of conuersation may finish our course vpon earth And afterward liue with thy Sonne in eternall blisse And seeing thy kingdome is not meat and drink neither consisteth in ceremonies and traditions deuised by man neither commeth it with obseruations neither is it in word but in righteousnesse and peace and ioy in the holy Ghost and in power Graunt that wee all may bee truely regenerate and borne new by the holy spirite and may no longer spend the dayes of our liues in the lusts of the flesh in the vanities of the mind and in pride of life But may eleuate and raise vpwarde all our affections euen vnto thy holy hill from whence commeth the life wherein we liue the helpe whereby wee stand and the power wherby we are defended And be thou present good Father in al readines to support vs being weak to releeue vs being poore and to traine vs vp in all heauenly knowledge being altogether ignorant And let euerie of thy children that thirst after that righteousnes bee filled with all good thinges within and without that wee may goe forwarde in dayly exercise of pietie and godlines in knowledge in faith in loue in hope and in true zeale that we may liue within the compasse of thy fatherly protection die in thy loue
shall not be destroid in the perillous time For thou Lord hast promised to stand in the defence of thine owne people Thou hast saued vs from our aduersaries and hast put them to confusion that hate thy people Up Lord and beholde how yet the enemie seeketh to destroye vs O hide not thy face forget not our miserie and affliction thou God art the king of all the earth thou raignest and rulest ouer the heathen therefore will we not feare The Lorde of hostes is with vs the God of Jacob is our refuge yea this God is our God for euer and euer hee is the guide of his Church and he it is that wil come and will not keepe silence a fire shall deuoure before thee so that thine enemies shall not bee able to stand in thy presence they shall be scattered abroad come to shame suddainely Thou God hast giuen a banner to them that feare thee that it may bee displaide in testimonie of thy truth That thy beloued euen thy spouse may bee deliuered â— that euery member of thy church may dwell in thy tabernacle for euer and may rest vnder the couering of thy wings when the wicked shal fal and be vtterly discomforted Oh â—ow terrible art thou in thy works through the greatnesse of thy power shall thine enemies bee subiect vnto thee And although thou sufferedst the wicked to ride euen ouer our heades although we haue bin forced to passe through fire and water yet hast thou deliuered vs and brought vs into a wealthie place where thy word and Gospell euen the truth of our saluation is freely deliuered Wherefore O God arise let thine enemies bee scattered Let them that hate thee flie before thee as the smoke vanisheth so let thine enemies be driuen backe let them not come neere thy sanctuarie As waxe melteth before the fire so let the enemies of thy Church perish at thy presence and let thy people be glad let thy congregations sing and reioyce let thy beloued leape for ioy O send downe thy gracious raine vpon thine inheritance refresh the weary members of thy Church such as haue felt the woe of thine enemies Let them bee recomforted Let the solitarie poore man that thirsteth for thy sauing health be filled with the hid treasures of thy loue Deliuer the unprisoned and let the children now in captiuitie be set free Wound the heads of the obstinate and stiffe-necked aduersaries of thy church and bruse the hairye scalps of such as seeke to destroy thy people Destroy the companie of the spearemen the multitude of the proud whose hearts are lifted vp against thy people Scatter those idle and euill affected ones whose delight is in warre so shall all kingdomes of the earth seeke thee and the nations dispersed shall attend vnto thy voice all such as know thee shall sing foorth thy praises yea they shal sing vnto him that rideth vpon the high heauens ascribe al power vnto thee our great God our mighty king our husband and head O God of hostes cause thy face to shine vpon vs and we shall be saued O Lord increase our faith A Praise of Gods fauour in protecting his Church comfortable to the faithfull Sing faithfully vnto God our strength sing aloud vnto the God of Iacob Psal. 81. 1. OVr God is good why shuld we theÌ„ so long neglect his praise His help doth passe the helpe of meÌ„ whose lawes and loue decaies But lo the loue of God endures from day to day it stands His spouse to loue liue he lures and breaks her cruel bands He sends his word and giues her light his gospell feedes his flocke His people onely take their flight to him their liuely rocke On him they stay on him they staÌ„d band and he extends his aid He breaks with truth the dolefull whereat his Church dismaid No pompous Pope no Spaniard proud no direfull drum of foe No shaft no shot no rainles cloude can daunt his spouse with wo What though the peeuish maÌ„ of sin his bloudy badge display What if he vainly vaunt to win be still he shall decay The proudest of our foes shall fall their stoutest strength shall rue The stately strumpet fraught with gall shall faint and all her crue Iehouah yet his Church shall saue and with his hand defend Who then will rest a popish slaue and not our Englands frend Breath out thy word O God our guide let it be publisht so That it may stand and still abide and teach thy Church to grow Let truth preuaile let faith abound let all reforme their waies Our Queen preserue her foes confound send peace in al her daies A Prayer for the Church of Christ. MOst gracious God and louing Father in Jesus Christ look in fauour vppon the estate of thy Church generally dispersed through the whole world and whome by the malâ—ice of Sathan and tyrannie of Antichrist thou seest continually assayled with many dangers Be thou therefore a castle and defence a buckler and rocke strong and forceable to withstand the furie and force of all aduersaries for the better comfort endue it continually with faith vnfayned wherein it and euerie member thereof may safely runne and repayre vnder the shadowe of thy winges whensoeuer perill appeareth Graciously guide and gouerne it be present with it and take the defence thereof into thine owne hands to whome it specially and alone belongeth and let it hold on the true course of professing and practising thy true Religion that the aduersaries maye haue no cause to condemne it through sinne which howsoeuer it may seeme to dwell in the most godly while wee liue here yet let vs alwaies haue an eye and diligent watch ouer our thoughtes words and actions that our light may shine to thy glorie our good and example of other in peace and warre in comfort and calamitie and not bee dismaid at the noyes and report of the greatest daunger Amen O Lord increase our faith ¶ A motion to a Prayer wherein the soule must arme it selfe against daungers of the time in regarde of false doctrine CHrist forseeing in the daies of his flesh that after his departure his Children shoulde be in danger to be seduced from his sincere truth by the ministers of Sathan false Prophets and lying teachers hath very graciously giuen vs a forewarning to take heede of such as enter in amongst vs in sheeps clothing who are inwardly rauening wolues who should priuilie bring in damnable heresies euen denying the Lord who hath brought them and who bring vpon themselues swift damnation yet many shall follow their destructions by whome the way of truth is euill spoken of It was prophecied long agoe that in the latter dayes euen in the dayes wherein wee liue should rise vp very dangerous doctrines Sathan should transforme himselfe into an Angell of light and false Apostles hauing put on the person as it were of Christ himselfe and of his Apostles should creep into the hearts of Gods
children and so enchant them with their counterfet holines that many through their hypocrisie should be deceiued Many such haue in our dayes risen vs and haue caried great shew of being of the flocke of Christ but by their actions haue shewed them selues verie deuourers of the sheep of Christ and haue sought to suck the bloud of his saints of which kind of deceiuers there are manie kindes and they most subtile and wilie in their generation therefore it behooueth the children of God to be carefull watchfull and obedient vnto the wil and word of God which is the line wherby we must direct our course to sayle aright vnto the harbour of the heauenlie truth Wee must touch the compasse of our heartes with the loadstone of truth wherby we shal be able to eleuate all our affections vnto the heauenly day star Christ Jesus that no counterfet stone of mans deceitful opinions shal draw vs from the course vnto our heauenly harbour the kingdome of God wher we shall enioy our true and heauenly hearts ease euen in this life Let vs therefore pray that we be not miscarried by the deceits of the wicked pilot sathan whose directions are meerely indirect and whole sailes are deecitfull being glorious to the eye and the barke wherein he carrieth his vnhappie passengers seemeth to be a most secure cradle gliding on without tempest or waue vntill it come to the end of their race where alas they fall into the gulfe of perpetuall perdition such a maister is he and such mariners are his false Prophets that they delight flesh and bloud and all their course seemeth sweete but short and soure merchandize shall they haue that passe in the pinnise of his poisoned errours Let vs therefore be watchful and flie his painted poyson for wee may be soone miscarried if we enter but one step into this course Let vs cal to mind that Paul hath forewarned vs of a very perillous gulf wherin without great watchfullnes and praier we may easilie fall and that is into peruerse opinions drawn thereinto by such as should enter in euen amongst our selues yea of our selues eueÌ„ of the fellow teachers in our congregations that should speake peruerse things yea and draw disciples after them The strength of whose inchantments we haue seene euen in our owne Church of England whose peruerse doctrines might be recited but more fitlie omitted the spirite speaketh euidently that in the latter tunes some shall depart from the faith and shall giue heede vnto spirits of error and doctrines of deuels which speak lies through hipocrisie and haue their consciences burned with an hot iron Let vs harken vnto the worde of the Lord unbrace it Therfore let vs couet in all obedience and meekenes to be taught the trueth pray for vnderstanding and fulfilling of the same that we may bee able to discern these false prophets dreamers of dreames of whome Moses also forewarned the children of Israel willing them not to hearken vnto the idle fantasies of men who prophecie vnto vs lies and teach vs vanitie that speake the visions of their owne hearts and that teach those things that they themselues haue inuented of their owne brains and which they haue not learned out of the word of the Lord and yet say The Lord hath said it being puffed vp and yet know nothing but doting about questions and strife of wordes whereof commeth enuie strife raylings euill surmisings c. And yet feare not nor blush to make the Lord of heauen the authour of their lies and vanities who beeing enemies of God very traytors against his crowne kingdom and dignitie sticke not to collour their deuilish practises peeuish opinions and grosse errours with the worde of God when indeede the worde of God bewrayeth them confuteth them and confoundeth them Are not these false apostles deceitfull workers saith Paule transforming them selues into the Ministers of Christ and into his Apostles Such a strong deceiuer arose of late euen yesterday that hideous Hacket stirred vp by Sathan who was traÌ„sformed into no lesse in arrogation of title then into Christ himself hauing on a kinde of habite of holinesse his heart fraught with a â—egion of Deuilles who poured out mightie blasphemies against God high treasons against her innocent Maiestie and most detestable practises against his countrie And yet a Christ nay a cursed caitife in whom was performed the saying of Christ our Sauiour that there should arise false Christes that should showe such strength of errour that if it were possible the very elect should be seduced by them And surely it is dangerous for the weaker sort to touch them in discourses in disputations or any coÌ„ference vnles it please god to arme them strongly with the sword of the spirit that by the sword of truth they may bee enabled to confound them in their argumentes for the very true Christians may often fall through frailtie in some conceit of thinges euill to be good and good things to be euill and speciallie when it shall carrie collour of Godlynesse to conceiue it so And manie times it falleth out that euill things carry collour to preach vnto vs good as in the adherents of this wicked man the two Gentlemen that were deceiued by him and drawne to enter into an vnlawfull action that that action carried collour of loue in that they preached repentance vnto their countrie it carried collour of Religion in that they preached as Messengers sent from God But see howe all these gay showes were mingled with mischeifes tending to stirre vp vprores and tumults among the people and to raise an euill opinion and disloyaltie in the subiectes towards her Maiesty moreouer it tended to enuie and wicked zeale to bring Magistrats into contempt All which preach vnto vs that it is time for al estats to looke about them to be watchfull and to be ready to stand in the day of trial for these are persecutions raised against the highest euen by such as are with vs in some outward shewes but not of vs as the issue of their workes declare but in my poore opinion this their preaching publisheth vnto vs gods displeasure for ouermuch security If they being false Prophets preach vnto vs repentance it is time for the true Ministers of God to crie out for repentance for God many waies preacheth vnto vs repentance and amendment of life And because the deuill to an euill purpose preacheth that which may admonish vs let vs vse the meanes to learne howe to amende what is to be amended so shall we tread him and his purposes vnder our feete and God himselfe will send preachers to publish his pleasure and to declare his truth with warraÌ„t of his word whose exhortations shall not be by deceit nor by vncleannes nor by guile but as they were allowed of God and to whom the Gospell being committed they shall speake not as they that please men but God
lamented and an establishment of concord amongst our selues to be sought and hartily prayed for The word warranteth our obedience vnto Magistrats therfore woe be vnto him that wil teach vs contrarie doctrine Let vs indeuor to performe our duties and giue vnto God that which is Gods vnto Caesar that which belongeth vnto Caesar. And for the controuersie of the inequalitie of Church gouernours it is to bee considered that there are seuerall functions in the Church and euerie function hath his seuerall person and place let vs therfore pray that euery person may measure his calling by the word and limit his superiority or inferiority as they are therein directed then shall not the people of God want their due food in regard of humane contentions Oh that euery one woulde enter into his owne conscience and as much as in him lieth cast away all carnall consideration and what the word of God warranteth let him holde and giue no grounde to the cauillers and shun the contrary And for vs that are the common people that must expect to be fed by the ministery let vs pray for their vnitie and that God will giue them humble spirits vigilant and watchfull eyes knowledge loue zeale and constancie that the false prophets may be abandoned and the true ministers of God bee esteemed and imbraced as the Ministers of God Let vs obey them that haue the ouersight of vs and submit our selues for they watch ouer oursoules as they that must giue accounts that they may do it with ioy and not with griefe for that is vnprofitable for vs knowing that false prophets are the enemies to the crosse of Christ whose end is damnation whose God is their bellie whose glory is their shame which mind earthly things If any man therfore purge himself from these he shal be a vessel of honor and sanctified and meet for the Lord. And therfore let euery man pray vnto God that they may all speake one thing that there may be no dissentions amongst vs but we may bee knit together in one mind and in one iudgment so shal the glorie of God appeare and our Church prosper The Prayer against false Prophets errors and Schismes and for increase of Christianitie FOrasmuch good Father as the â—atter times of the â—orlde are come vpon vs and we are by thy diuine prouidence alotted vnto these dangerous and euil daies wherein as we haue bene foretold many false prophets and peruerse teachers dreamers of dreames and lying Apostles are risen vp and Sathan that wicked serpent hath turned himselfe into an Angell of light and his Ministers into the forme of thy Sonne Christ and his Apostles wherby hee endeuoureth to continue his kingdome and to hinder the passage of thy diuine word to exalt errour to stop the truth to confirme vanitie and to blemish thy word And forasmuch also good father as that man of sin the son of perdition heretofore foretolde to come is alreadie come and hath established his seate of pride and sendeth abroade his lying Ministers to seduce such as haue not sufficient taste of thy worde and whome thy grace directeth not to beware of his wicked practises Graunt oh mercifull God that we may through the assistance of thy diuine spirite be wise in thee and be so guided by thee that the deceiuing deuises of these lying spirits withdraw not our minds hearts and soules from the true imbracing of thy sacred worde Grant O Lord that wee wander not from the path of thy heauenly kingdome but may constantly and firmely perseuere in thine infallible trueth vnto the ende and may banish all errors and shew of falshoode and abide in the vnitie of thy true Church and Christian religion for euer let no deceitfull thing miscarrie vs let not the craft and subtiltie of Sathan nor the hypocriticall habite of holinesse wherewith many of the children of perdition are clad to deceiue the simple and true of heart preuaile with vs. Defend vs good father from erroneous sectes and let vs not in any sorte ioyne with the schismes diuisions of the world for good Father as they are many so are they in many sorts dangerous for they all carie shewe of truth some mixed with the truth and all of them defended for a truth in so mâ—ch as the trueth it selfe is little yea least of all maintayned but suppressed persecuted and vpbrayded eueÌ„ with the titles of error heresie falshood noueltie cause of tumults of rebellioÌ„s and contempt of Magistrates and such like persecutions which how contrarie it is thou knowest It is hard therefore vnlesse thou vouchsafe the light of thy holy spirit to discerne betweene these and as hard to stande without beeing seduced through their subtilties send downe therefore thy grace and direct vs in thy truth and gather vs together in one sound profession enable vs to conceiue aright the things that belong vnto saluation and keepe vs from such as come into the Church in sheeps clothing but are inwardly rauening wolues which spare not thy flocke but cruelly deuoure thy beloued sheep with the poyson of erronious doctrine and roote out the tares cockle and darnell of error already sowne from the good seed of thy word And forasmuch good father as the case standeth so that who so will professe thy name and seeke to sanctifie the same in a sincere and right course of life not bending his affections or yeelding liking to the wicked course of this world in whose proceedinges standeth but the shadow without the substanciall fruite of sinceritie cannot wade through this vale full of confused corruptions but he shall fall into the hands of such as carrie the titles of Christians will yet seeke Antichristianlie to impose themselues against him with y â— bitternesse of their vpbraydings to quaile if it were possible and to discomfite nay to seduce euen the faithfull from the sincere seruice of thee And this deere Father is dangerous vnto the weak and feeble ones wherefore giue vs aide and strength that we slide not by their slipperie practises from a constant perseuerance in the inuiolable truth but rather may with all willingnes not only lay down our goods all naturall respects but euen life it selfe rather than to shew our selues as broken bowes to start aside with euerie blast of vaine doctrine and thereby be carried away into vanitie and errour And according vnto thy promise vouchsafe that whensoeuer any of thy children for the testimonie of their faith in thee and for their ardent zeale in thy word shall be apprehended reprooued or exacted before Princes or rulers howsoeuer vnlearned or vnable they shall be in respect of deepe literature or worldly wisedom thine holie spirite may enlighten their vnderstandings giue knowledge vnto their heartes and vtterance vnto their lips that they may be able to speake defend thy truth to the vtter confutation of such false teachers as shall withstande the same giue them alâ—o knowledge and boldnesse
resist the holy Ghost And his filthines will so infect his poore soule euen with the leprosie of iniquitie that he shall neuer bee suffered to enter into the sweete habitation of eternall hartes ease All the filthy desires and lustes of the fleshe lye hidden in the hart adultery witchcraft hatred debate emulation wrath contention sedition heresies enuie murthers drunkennes gluttony and such other filthy annoyances which vnless they bee swept out and cast off they will infect the whole house of our bodies with such vnsauery and noysom pollutions y t our mouthes will be defiled with cursing lying and bitternesse our eyes with lust our handes with touching vncleane thinges our feete shall not bee able to walke the way of righteousnesse but take the waye of sinne and all the whole howse of our earthly tabernacle shall bee so inuironed with filthinesse that all our progresse will bee turned to our disprofite and our hearts ease to heart sore Wherefore let vs cast away al the dregs of y e old Adam which is vnrighteousnes wherein wee sometime walked and let vs deeke vs with the workes of the new man which is renued in knowledge after the image of Christ who is the way in whome we must walke the truth which we must imbrace and the life wherein we must liue for euermore which way as it is pure cleane sweete and without turning so must we be pure cleane and without sin not turning back vnto iniquitie And as that truth is vnchangeable plaine and without deceit so must we be simple constant faithfull and as that life is without all blemish euerlasting and neuer ending so must we be quickned liuing without all blemish and spot of sin in righteousnes holines for euer Therefore let vs consider what are the principall and chiefe ornaments to bewtifie this our mansion house being thus swept and clensed from the former filthines that when we shall remoue from this our earthly tabernacle we may take that way depart hence in that truth and so for euer liue in that life Christ Jesus who will bring vs vnto his heauenly habitation the absolute end of our progresse and the full accomplishment of our heauenlie hearts ease Let vs then consider that as the filthines which we haue cast out was most vgly filthy and noysome vnto vs because they were the works of the flesh which bring foorth death So we must adorne vs with sanctitie and holines the works of the spirit which will be a most comely bewtifying of these our houses of claie and leade vs vnto life We must now therefore sweeten and perfume our hearts with loue with ioy with inward peace with long suffering gentlenes goodnes faith meekenes temperance and all godly conuersation casting away all desire of vaine glory not prouoking one another nor enuying one another that being dead to sin and liuing to God we may declare the same in this our standing house by an innocent and sanctified life Hauing thus clensed our houses from filthines and corruptions of the flesh and decked the same with the ornaments of the spirite It is necessarie that wee should proceede to the execution of our callings according to the rule of the diuyne word knowing this that wee liue not vnto our selues but vnto god not for our selues but for our brethren for whose sakes wee are bound to trauell in our callings to execute our offices and functions as becommeth vs that our calling in Christ may bee made sure euen in this life There are in euery body many members and euery member hath his seuerall place office and function Euery kingdome is a body wherein there is a gouernour and people as subiects to be gouerned wherein also are many Magistrates as the principal members of that bodie and also there are inferiour members preserued and defended by the more glorious Euery familie is a body where is a father and where commonly are children where are maisters there are seruants All these hauing seuerall offices and places in this standing house of our Common weale must euery one proceede to the performance of his calling in such sort as there bee not any disorder or anie complaining in our streetes Wee are humblie to thanke our God that hee hath established our heade in such comely sort and endued her with all vertues aunswerable vnto her high function yea we may sing vnto our Queen Elizabeth the Queene of Sabaes songe which she made of the happie gouernment of Salomon Happie are thy men may wee say happy are these thy seruantes which stande here before thee and heare thy wisedome Blessed bee the Lord thy God which loued thee to set thee in the Throne of Englande because the Lorde loued Englande for euer and made thee Queen to do equitie righteousnes It is verified in her That the king by iudgment maintaineth the country How haue we the poore members of this body whereof she is the head beene maintayned preserued conducted and blessed in her gouernement No nation hath tasted the like benefites by peace by plentie by health and especially which is most sweete by the continuall vse of the worde of God whereby hath beene discried most filthie drosse and dregges and the rubble of errors which in former time stuffed vp the house of our land so that we could not walke in the truth without perill And now in great measure swept and cleansed and garnished adorned and beautified with spirituall ornaments of iudgement of equitie of mercie and truth in so much as we may sing that mercie and truth are met togither and righteousnesse and peace haue kissed each other The God of peace preserue her that she may be if it please him our head while we stay in this mansion of the flesh O that there were such a resemblance of performance of duetie in euery of the members as is apparant in the head that the subiects could answere in like sorte for their obedience as her Maiestie for gouernment then should we haue a most comfortable abiding in this our standing house of the flesh then should all the noysome corruptions of enuie malice reuenge gall and bitternesse of the hart be turned into loue meekenesse mercie peace then should we haue no leading into captiuitie no imprisonments no murthers no strife no debate no cause of complaining amongst vs. But we must looke into our dueties and fashion our selues not according to the former deedes of disobedience but as becommeth the seruants of God knowing that we are commanded to obey such as are appointed to rule ouer vs we must submit our selues vnto all manner ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be vnto her Maiestie as vnto our superiour or vnto gouernours as vnto them that are sent from her for the punishment of euill doers but for the praise of them that do well We are commanded reuerently to vse the Judges and not to