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
A PROGRESSE of Pietie OR The harbour of Heauenly harts ease to recreate the afflicted Soules of all such as are shut vp in anye inward or outward affliction By Iohn Norden Rom. 12. Continue in Prayer LONDON Printed by I. Windet for I. Oxenbridge and are to be soulde in Paules Church-yarde at the signe of the Parrot 1596. TO THE MOST famous christian Queene Elizabeth by Gods especiall fauor Queene of England France and Ireland defender of Gods eternall truth YOVR MAiesties moste gracious acceptance of a poore former trauaile of mine The Mirror for the multitude my most dearely beloued Soueraigne Emboldeneth me once againe in al loyal obedience humbly to beseech the same to afforde the like gracious acceptance of this Progresse vnto heauenly harts ease which although it might haue carried a more base title in regarde of myne vnworthinesse yet considering the course of the treatise and the estate of the time whose happines and harts ease is of some censured after the quantitie and qualitie of euerie particular mans worldly felicitie I thought it not vnfit vnder your Maiesties most royall protection to giue it that title for that it leadeth vnto the true peace of the inner man who howsoeuer the body in bodily thinges fare in this life ought onelye to bee comforted and eased with the due contemplation of Gods most diuine loue ready helpe prouident regard of our inward and outward miseries wherewith we can not but bee touched in some measure while wee liue here And because we haue here no continuing cittie but seeke one to come it behoueth vs to goe out of the campe of these worldly cares and take our progresse in the way of piety vnto that heauenly harbour where wee shall rest through the assurance of Gods loue towards vs in this life inwardly endued with such ease of the hart and peace of conscience that whatsoeuer affliction or crosse thwart our endeuours yet shall we rest as the Saintes of God in a heauenly harts ease vntill we come to that heauenly Cittie newe Ierusalem where wee shall haue full fruition of all happie and heauenly hearts ease for euer Now forasmuch most deare Queene as that your gracious lenitie affordeth acceptance vnto the least showe of loyall loue therby enciting manie to shewe themselues willing to present their trauailes vnto your sacred view I the worst and vnworthiest in all humilitie presume to reach out the hand of my heartie zeale and vnfained loue to bee laide euen vnder the feete of your most sacred will and disposition And woulde thinke mee your most happiest poore subiect might it please your Maiestie fauourablye to accept this my poore Progresse Your Maiesties most happie subiect in seeing your gracious dayes whose ende God grant I neuer see Iohn Norden The Authors Praier which hee vsed in the performing of this worke OH merciful wise god what am I that I shoulde take thy word into my mouth That I should vndertake to celebrate the praises of thy name being a man of polluted lips of a defiled hart of a corrupt conuersation before thee I do acknowledge against my selfe good Father that I deserue not to bee heard when I crie so ignorant am I of my self vnable rightly to pray for my self but rather to be reiected and especially presuming to set downe rules directions to teach others to pray But in all humilitie my good God I enter into thy presence crauing pardon for my sinnes and thy directions in my proceedings who saydst vnto Dauid Open thy mouth and I will fill it oh fill me with thy diuine knowledge and I shall be filled and shew thy glorie to posterities Thou that saidst vnto Paul My grace is sufficient for thee assist mee with that grace and enable me to performe those thinges through the strength thereof which in loue of thee I haue conceiued and in thy feare haue purposed to publish to the glory and comfort of thy childrē Amen O Lord increase my faith A preparation to Prayer Ephes. 6. 10 MY brethren be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might 11 Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the assaultes of the deuill 12 For wee wrestle not against flesh and bloud but against principalities against powers against worldly gouernours the princes of the darknes of this world 13 For this cause take vnto you the whole armour of God that ye may bee able to resist in the euill day And hauing finished al things stand fast 14 Stand I say and your Ioynes girded about with veritie hauing on the brest-plate of righteousnes 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace 16 And aboue all take vnto you the shield of faith wherewith you may be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked 17 And take the helmet of saluation and the sword of the spirit which is the word of God 18 And praye alwaies with all manner supplication in the spirit and watch thereunto with all perseuerance Being thus furnished in the Lord wee may proceed on in our progresse with this precogitation following A Psalme wherein is set foorth the loue of God towardes vs wherein he accepteth vs to come vnto him for whatsoeuer we neede fit at all times to be sung O What a ioyfull thing it is to sing vnto his praise Who louingly imbraceth his and guides them in his waies He calleth such as are opprest and helpes them by his might The poore oppressed gain thē rest the wronged haue their right O come therefore and let vs fall and humble vs on knee In heartie zeale and then he shall of bond-men make vs free His mercies great and manifold forthwith he will extend His fauours far surpasse the gold whose glorie shall haue end Let vs therefore sing out in zeale that people all may know That he to his doth still reueale his secretes here below His heauenly hearts ease they shall find who do performe his wil. But worldly men continue blind vainely conceited still O teach vs Lord teach vs in loue what we should do and say Giue vs direction from aboue how we should rightly pray That we to thee may honour giue and to our children show How thou thy seruants dost relieue that want thine aide below A motion to Praier that God by his holy Spirite will teach vs how to praie LEt vs consider how willing and readye our good God is to harken vnto the desires of all such as hunger and thirst for the riches of his grace without which such is our pouertie That we know not what to aske as we ought But the spirite helpeth our infirmities and maketh request for vs with sighes which can not be expressed And although that flesh and bloud bee so corrupt that it alwaies groueleth on the puddle of worldly cares and the better part namely the inner man in the meane time is forgotten and standeth indangered to
with her may meet our sauiour Christ Jesus together in the cloudes when we shall enioy our absolute harts ease in heauen If we consider the perillous estate of our tune wherein wee liue and the danger of our dayes wee shall finde great occasion to humble our selues before the Lord in prayer for her that the bright beames of his fauour may shine vnto vs euen in her who as we see hungreth and thirsteth for the peace comfort and good of vs her people who being taken from vs we know not whether the Lorde will send vs in regard of our forgetting his so great a benefite in her a Dauid or a Saule and therefore it behooueth vs to pray that God wil lengthen her daies vpon the earth for the further comfort of his Church If we looke into the present estate of our neighbours in forraine partes it will if we be not carelesse strike vs with terrour least that God for our sins should also turne our peace into warre our plentie into want our comfort in her to miserie and trouble by forraine enemies Let this and many other deepe occasions carry vs into a desire to crie vnto our God for his continuall loue towardes her whose prosperitie is ours whose health is our happines and whose continuance is our comfort The right hand of the King of kinges holde her vp The Prayer for the Queene OUr omnipotent and mighty God that gouernest Kinges and kingdomes whose power exceedeth the power of all Potentates of the earth we acknowledge thy mercy we commend thy wisedome and praise thy mightie power in that thou hast so like a louing Father established the peace of thy church here in this our land and in that thou hast cast out the aduersaries of Israell and planted vs as thine owne people in their steeds Which waightie worke O good father such is thy strength that thou hast enabled thine handmaide not by tyrannie but by truth not by crueltie but by louing kindnesse to establish in this our realme who hath confirmed the same to thy obedience and hath reduced many of thin aduersaries from disobeying theee to loue thee from not knowing thee to serue thee And therefore good father we magnifie thy name we extol thee with praise And so much the more good father because she hath through thee driuen back our enemies and in thy name and by thy power troden downe such as rose vp against her and vs and aboue all for that vnder her we haue tasted how sweet louing and comfortable thou art towards vs. And thy fame in her is spread from one nation to another people yea from one end of y â— earth to the other and all the nations of the world do see and consider that great is her God for the wonders that thou hast done for her are maruelous in the eies eueÌ„ of her enemies for when men rose vp against her they preuailed not but stumbled and fell The experience of thy continuall fauour encreaseth yet daily euen to thy perpetuall praise Wherefore good father be still mindfull of her and blesse vs in her continue thy louing kindnes and make her daies ioyful that she may see the increase of thy glorie to shine in this land as the Sun in his strength And let her foes be beaten downe on al sides let not one of theÌ„ be able to stand in her presence graunt her continuall peace and true happines gouerne her well and sanctifie her affections and beautifie her crowne with the glorious ornaments of godlinesse of wisedome of knowledge of faith of zeale true humilitie before thee that she may continue a spectacle of sinceritie to all posterities And that the Princes of the earth may see her godly proceedings and in a godly emulation endeuor more more to follow her good and gracious example And let al her people practise euermore to serue thee and to celebrate thine euerlasting praises in her behalfe Hearken vnto her from heauen and vnto vs for her behold her from aboue and graunt that she may openly confesse that all her strength al her comfort and saluation coÌ„meth from thee Thou art her strength thou art her castle thou art the author of her perpetuall safetie Giue vnto her thy iudgements O Lord and thy righteousnes vnto her councel that they may iudge thy people with righteousnes and thy folke with equitie O let the mountaynes bring peace and the little hils righteousnesse vnto thy people Let there be no decay no leading into captiuitie nor any cause of lamentation in our land but let thy truth preuaile let thy peace continue and let her godly proceedings take effect vnder thee to the gratious gouerning of all thy people Let thy word breake foorth and the glorious beames therof shine foorth banish the obstinate and stiffnecked ignorance of such as delight in vanities And to this end good father exalt thine annointed let thy hand assist her and thy right arme hold her vp And let not her foes preuaile against her So shall she sing foorth thy praise and wee her people for euermore giue thankes vnto thee for thy louing hand and fauourable care of her sauing health Amen O Lord increase our faith A praise for her Maiesties most gracious gouernment REioyce O England blest Forget thee not to sing Sing out her praise y t broght thee rest froÌ„ God thy mighty king Our God and mighty king our comforts hath renewde Elizabeth our Queene did bring his word with peace endewde His word with peace and loue she planted and it stands Her helper was the king aboue she brings it from his hands She brings it from his hand his counsell and decree That she a Hester in this land should set his children free None ruleth here but she her heauenly guide doth show How al things should decreed be to comfort high and low Oh sing then high and low giue praise vnto the king That made her Queen none but a foe but will her praises sing All praises let vs sing to King of kings aboue Who sent Elizabeth to bring so sweet a tast of loue A short Prayer for the Queene OH Lorde almightie King all sufficient the gouernour preâ—eruer and continuall protector of princes to whole becke and will all kings of the earth are subiect looke in mercie and fauour vpon the estate of thy seruant our Queene Elizabeth Be vnto her a safe refuge in all times of daunger and let thine holye spirite bee vnto her a continuall guide of all her imaginations actions and proceedings And for as much as thou beholdest the present daunger of the estate of vs thy little flocke of this Realme in that the enemie of thy Sonnes Gospell vaunteth himselfe against vs thy poore people and against her our defender vnder thee Bee both to her and vs a tower of strength and fight thou with them that fight against her and vs be with our armies when soeuer they shal encounter the
and bee in the end crowned with the glorious merites of thy Sonne in heauen Amen O Lord increase our faith For the kingdom of God THe God of blis Who faithfull is His sacred word doth send To teach vs all On him to call And to his lawes attend His kingdome pure Which shall indure For euer doth begin In those that know How here below To mortifie their sinne And they that will Imbrace with skill The way that traines to blis Shall quickly see That they shall bee Reformde from things amiâ— O God aboue Looke thou in loue On all that long to see Thy sauing health Thy heauenly wealth And glorious kingdome free Thy kingdome show To vs below That wander here awâ—y Direct our feete Thy statutes sweete To vs thy folke discrie Oh be not slacke But what we lacke With speede let vs obtaine For thou doest feede Such as haue neede Thou dost no poore disdaine A short Prayer for the obtaining of the kingdome of God OH Father mercifull euerlasting be mercifull vnto vs and giue vnto vs a feeling of thy blessed will open vnto vs the waye of true knowledge prepare our steppes to walke a right that in all the course of our liues we may be guided aright and sauour more of heauenly then of earthly thinges And let our whole delight be to meditate righteousnesse Let vs imbrace equitie and execute iustice let vs abounde in loue mercie sanctitie and true holines furnish vs largely with al spiritual graces wherby we may continually seeke thine euerlasting kingdome and practise the righteousnesse thereof for euermore illuminate our vnderstandinges by thy spirit and let thy word be our whole comfort and the vse thereof our continuall delight And abandon from our thoughts all superfluous cares of worldly thinges that we may shew our selues by a continuall holye meditation of thee and things aboue may vse the thinges of this life as if we vsed them not knowing this and assuring our selues by thy promises that if we seeke and couet to haue our conuersation on things spirituall all carnall thinges expedient shall be giuen vs by thee to whom be praise for euer Amen O Lord increase our faith A short Prayer for Mortification OH Lord mightie and mercifull who didst create man in the beginning simple sincere pure and without sinne in which is innocencie he then represented thine owne image who art pure and without spot of sinne yet such was man that he fel from thee by disobedience whereby hee corrupted his waies and became farre vnlike vnto thee defiled with all vanities wherein alas we all of vs wallow the most with greedinesse and all in ouermuch neglect of our duties wherefore most deare fâ—ther in Jesus Christ create in vs new thoughts new affections and new wils shape in vs true obedience that we all may mortifie and kill all sinne and vaine inclinations which in vs rise vp against thee Let sinne no longer heare rule in vs But let thy grace more and more abounde that all that wee doe thinke or speake may be sauouring of our godly desires of heauen and heauenly things And let all earthly and carnall delightes become of no price in our heartes that so we may bee approued not onely before men to bee as wee ought but to thee to be as thou requirest in Christ Jesus our Lord. O Lord increase our faith A most necessarie Motion to a Prayer tending to the comforte and preseruation of the Church of Christ worthy to bee dulye considered in these dayes THere is none so ignorant I trust but well knoweth and is fully satisfied that our good God by the operation of the Spirite through the preaching of his woorde hath gathered together a greate multitude of people out of all partes of the worlde whome hee hath endued with the knowledge of himselfe and whom he hath chosen sincerely to serue him to call on his holy name and to celebrate his praises in this worlde which companie of people though farre and neere scattered hee hath so vnited and knit together in one faith in one baptisme and in one sincere course of doctrine taught and left vnto vs by Christ our sauiour That he our sauiour disdaineth not to call them his Church in whome hee will bee serued and in whose hearts and soules hee vouchsafeth to dwell euen by his holy spirite hee disdaineth not to accept this Church as his spouse and wife affording himselfe to be her husband he is the head and this faithfull companie the meÌ„bers This church of God is holy it is sanctified in Christ Iesus and euery member thereof is a saint by calling Whosoeuer is of this fellowshippe and companie is trulie ioyned vnto that head Christ Jesus is so seperated from the wicked that he liueth in Christ and Christ in him And forasmuch as we al know that Christ our sauiour when he came in the flesh and beeing present in the world though he were Lord of all became as a seruant humbling himselfe and was of no reputation among men but was scorned derided whipped spit at and in most base manner abused and at last hee was crucified yet was hee pure innocent stedfast patient faithfull and did loue his enemies and prayed for them All this he did and suffered to the end that his Church and euerie member thereof should learne of this their head and be guided by this their husband how and in what course to carrie themselues in this present world And for that man of himselfe is ignorant and weake â—he hath left his owne example for his children to follow and his spirit to guide this his Church that it steppe not aside to an vnknowne husband But that in all obedience they shoulde performe what hee commandeth and carefully auoid what he forbiddeth Christ beeing now ascended and sitting in the heauens at the right hand of his father hath left this his Church as his image heere in earth to be scorned scoffed whipped afflicted persecuted eueÌ„ massacred murthered and spoyled by the enemies of his crosse And euerie member of this Church must lay downe his account before hand and reckon what it will cost him and he shall finde that it will amount vnto no lesse than persecution trouble enemies and euen death it self if he wil truely follow his maister Christ. And this portion is the very badge whereby his Church and the true members therof are known It is the touch stone and triall of our professions And to the ende that wee may the more exactly follow him hee commandeth vs to forsake our seâ—ues and to take vp his crosse and patientlie abide and beare whatsoeuer triall shall be laid on vs by his enemies who if they spared not him being the head they will not forbeare the members If they called him euen our maister Belzabub what reproch will they not giue vs if they crucified the Lord of glory much more will
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
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
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
that the high looks and the thundring threates of the mightie aduersaries dismay them not so shall thy name bee glorified thy word magnified and thy poore children sing foorth the praise of thy might and maiestie with heauenly wisdome in worldly foolishnesse and in the ende bee crowned with the diademe of eternall felicitie with thy Saintes in blisse Amen O Lord increase our faith Against false Prophets and deceitful teachers O God that guid'st that faithful flock and leadst it by thine hand That gau'st it water of thy rock in drie Arabia land Giue grace to vs to flie the men that teach thy word awry Of whō thy son forewarnd vs whē he did their sleights espie He did foresee hypocrisie should lurk in godly weed And wolues in sheeplike tyre to lie and on thy sheepe to feed The subtile serpent shroudes his wiles attyrde like Angel bright And false Apostles fraught with guiles do counterfeit the light The man of sin that sits on hie with triple crowne on pate And lifts his leudnes to the skie holds sauing Christ in hate He sends his subtil sots by swarms through all the world to win Thy childrē pure by wicked charms to draw their soules to sin Keepe vs thy children Lord therefore direct vs by thy grace That their inchantmentes may no more our zeale sincere deface And let thy truth be stil our guide that we thereby may know Their falshood who do start aside and flie the subtill foe A motion tending to praier that al estates may gouerne themselues according to their duties WE often offend all the sorte of vs in this point namely in attributing more vnto our welth our worldly wisedome our offices our places and high titles our callings and our skill in whatsoeuer art or facultie then indeed we ought for by ouer good conceit of any of these we imagine that all good successe commeth of our selues inso much as the wealthy seeme to be secure in regard of their aboūdance of all things and think they haue need of nothing and therfore seldome or neuer flie vnto God for succour but seeke it in their chests The politike and wise according vnto the world are carelesse of the counsell of God of his directions and assistance because in their generations they are wiser than the children of light and so deepe are they in their owne selfe iudgement that it is impossible for them to bee deceiued They that haue high profitable and honourable offices which is in this life the greatest worldly gift that God bestoweth vpon man what auaileth it if they execute such high places without the due obseruation of the sinceritie of conscience violated with corruption and violence towardes inferiours and with crueltie towards such as offend them These high callings honourable or profitable offices wil render vnto the abusers of the same the reward of eternall ignominie in the end The baser sort of men such as in their arts faculties and manuall occupations do exceed other in skill and excellencie they waxe arrogant and eleuate themselues aboue other and in their conceites despise other yet in the end besot themselues and fall into miserable contempt euen of the most basest Sith then that these high gifts often times make vs to forget our selues and God it is good most expedient for euery man in his calling to looke into the ende for which hee was called thereunto and to proceede vnto the performance and execution thereof according to the commandement of God in truth in zeale of a good conscience and in all humilitie and meekenesse knowing this that otherwise our callings wil be crossed and that in iudgement Saule was worldly wise and a mightie king and one that stood in the place of high honour and dignitie Yet because he thought his wisdome better than in deed it was the Lord pulled him down from his kingly throne to ignominie and shame Iob was welthy yet hee was brought to extreme pouerty to shew the vncertaine estate of rich and wealthy men Achitophel was wise and politike in so much as his counsel was accounted as the Oracle of God yet because it was not seasoned with the truth in the feare of God it turned to his owne shame and at last his counsell being contemned hee hanged himselfe The Judges that accused Susanna falsly were men of authority yet for that they abused their authoritie they were found worthy of death Demetrius was a cunning artificer and vnder collour of his skill and by reason of the gaine which he got by the same hee was moued to driue others of the same mysterie not hauing the fear of God not onely to forsake religion but to raise tumult against Paule So that wee see that not one of these excellent gifts or rare qualities are of them selues able to cōfort or releeue vs but rather of them selues to draw vs into diuers euils yea and breed in vs greater inconueniences than if we were destitute of them And therefore it behooueth euery one of vs to craue the assistance of god the direction of his grace that we may guide our professions and vse his gifts wisely reuerētly humblie knowing that it commeth not of our selues to performe any good in what place or calling soeuer we be howsoeuer rich howsoeuer glorious howsoeuer wise howsoeuer cunning we are without the feare of God we are yet poore ignominious foolish and ignorant and verie sots and nothing that we take in hand shall prosper to the end howsoeuer it fare with vs for a time We may not shewe our selues swine who seeke their draffe and acornes and their whole nouriture from the earth neuer looking vp to the hand that giueth it nor to the tree from whence they fall We liue not by bread onely that wee sowe and reap of the earth we get not our wealth by our owne wisedome but by the prouidence of God by his word and by his promises which we apprehend and receiue by the hande of faith and therefore must wee looke vp vnto the hil from whence commeth our help we must flie vnto the Lorde who blesseth our wealth our wisedome our authoritie our knowledge and our occupations for he setteth in authority and pulleth downe hee giueth wisedome and besotteth it hee instructeth vs in artes sciences and in our occupations and he blesseth and curseth vs in them as wee shewe our selues in dutie obedient vnto him so he sheweth himselfe readie willing and able to blesse and help vs. It is not ynough to be able in some measure to discharge our dutie in our offices and callinges but we must pray that wee may discharge the same truely which we cannot doe without the blessing of God Except the Lorde builde the house they labour in vaine that build it Except the Lord keepe the cittie the watch men wake in vaine All our endeuours and labours are to no purpose except the Lorde blesse the ende It is in vaine