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, God is wil­ling and ready to giue his spi­rit to them that pray for it. without which such is our pouertie, That we know not what to aske as we ought: We knowe not what to aske without the spirite Rom. 8. 25, 27. 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, Flesh and bloud ig­norant of things ne­cessarie to be prayed for. 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 fall into manie euils, yet hauing the earnest of this spirit, 2. Cor, 1. 22. & 5. 5. we may boldely come vnto our GOD, who hath promised to sende the same: if we aske it at his handes, [...]e will giue it in such aboundance [Page] [...] [Page 1] [...] [Page] and full measure that by the ver­tue thereof we shall be able to pray according to the wil of God. Rom. 8. 17 This is the cōforter which Christ pro­mised to sende vnto vs, The Spirite of God the promised comforter euen the holy Ghost, Ioh. 14. 26. which should teach vs all things. And without it wee know nothing. Wordes with out the spirit of God are vaine. And alas what were it for vs to fall downe before God in most reuerent outwarde maner, pouring foorth a huge heap of words from the lippes, not ha­uing this inward director: Sure­ly it were but to spend time to no purpose: The effect of the spi­rit. It is the Spirit that cri­eth in our hartes, Abba father. The spirit of a man knoweth only the things that are of man: The spirit of man vn­derstādeth onely out­ward things. but the Spirite of God knoweth and de­sireth the things that are of God, And the naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God: 1 cor 2. 11. vers. 14. 15. for they are folishnesse vnto him. But he that hath the spirit of God, The spirit of God dis­cerneth all things. he discerneth all things. Let vs therefore pray in the holy Ghost, Iud [...] [...]0 let vs pray alwaies with all maner prayer and supplications in the Spirite. Ephe. 6. 1.

And let vs pray continually for [Page 2] the ayde of this sacred guide, the holy Spirit of God, which will both mooue vs vnto, and direct vs in all things that are requisite to the due performance of this godly exercise.

FOrasmuch (deare Father) as euery man liuing is of him selfe before thee as a beaste, neither knowing thee, nor the thinges concerning their owne duties, vnto thee, I, as one of the most peruerse, filthy and corrupt, doe here humble my selfe before thee, begging at thy hands, that which thou hast pro­mised to giue vnto as many as ask it of thee, thine holy spirit, that sa­cred comforter, which reuealeth thee and thy will to the simple and ignorant, which also stirreth vp the minds and inward affections of thy children to call vpon thee, it [Page] prepareth the hartes, and openeth the mouthes of thy children, to ce­lebrate thy name. Bestow it ther­fore, good father, bestow it vpon me thy poore creature, and vpon all thy children. And graunt that although all of vs are of corrupt affections, and of polluted lippes, yet we may bee besprinkled with that heauenly Isope, that wee therby may haue our harts clean­sed from the corrupt affections of the world, and the eyes of our vn­derstandings opened, that we may see the good things that we should aske, that our feet which are fette­red with the cares of vaine things may be set at libertie, that we may walk the right way vnto the king­dome of heauen, that the hands of our soules, may apprehend and take hold of the riches and righte­ousnes of thy son Christ Jesus: And that by the aide of the saine spirite, we may cast of all impedi­ments, lets and incumbrāces that detaine vs from comming vnto thee. Sanctifie mee within and without, wash me and I shall be whiter then snowe. Let thy truth [Page 3] and thy spirit meet together in my soule, that my praier may enter into thy presence. And that thine eares may incline vnto my humble petitions: so shall I declare thy louing kindnesse in the morning, and thy truth in the night.

Thou knowest whereof we be made, thou forgettest not that we are but dust, & vnprofitable peo­ple: not fitte, apt, or able of our selues to pray vnto thee, or praise thy name.

Wherefore good Father, en­lighten vs and teach our hartes rightlie to cōceiue: & our tongues, freelie to speake, what may be to thy glory and our comfort: allure vs to seeke thee, and graunt that our harts may reioyce in thee, and that we may liue and die in thee. Amen.

O Lord increase our faith.

FOrasmuch as ex­perience it selfe teacheth, As the Prince is, so are the people? that as an euill Prince draweth the grea­test parte of his subiects vnto the same profession and course of life which the Prince professeth and taketh, and so the Prince and peo­ple, as it were bound vnto sinne, passe together in the way of death: so the good and godly prince, both by good example of life, and by sa­cred lawes, enciteth and winneth his people to the heauenly course, which tendeth to the obtaining of freedome of soule and body to life eternall. And as the former is sent in iudgement vnto a people for their punishment, Queene Elizabeth was giuen a token of Gods loue. and his long continuance to be lamented, so is the other giuen as a blessing, and a most speciall token of the loue of God, for whose long and prospe­rous raine, euery subiect is in du­tie [Page 4] bound louingly, zealously, and faithfully, to pray vnto God. The bles­sings that we haue by Queene Elizabeth

If so, what haue we to say: what haue we to do, and what haue we to think of our gracious Queene, chosen of the Lord him selfe, and miraculously preserued, and lo­uingly giuen vs for our most spe­ciall good, by whome wee haue the freedom and libertie of the Gospel, which is the path to our heauenly hearts ease, which before her days we knowe was stopt by with the briers and thornes of persecution and death, and nowe laide open a­gaine as a most euident token that the lord by her sacred gouernment will lead the people through the wildernes of all the diuisions, hur­liburlies, & tumults in this world, and to that end hath raisd vp ma­nie zealous, graue, and religious Counsellors, and godly ministers, who do direct the whole progresse and marching on of her obedient people in the path of a godly pro­fession of the word of God, wher­by at length they shal com to that pleasant land of knowledge, wher they shall euen in this life enioy [Page] the heauenlie harts ease, the peace of a good conscience without re­proofe. Wee must haue con­sideration of our du­ties to our gracious Queene for many cau­ses. Therefore it is most expe­dient that we should call to minde our duties which we ow vnto her Maiestie, not only in regard of y ^• commandement, which Paule set­teth down to Timothy, That sup­plications, praiers, intercessions, & giuing of thāks, 1. Tim. 2. 1. 2. shuld be made for kings, and such as are in authority: but also in regard of the dayly ex­periēce of her most sacred gouern­ment, which is such & so gratious, No nation hath had like bene­fite as Eng­land hath had, not only of the Gospell, but of long peace. as the like benefite hath not beene extended to any nation before vs. And therefore that we may auoid negligence in that behalfe, let vs according to the former counsell of Paule, pray for her Maiesties prosperous continuance amongst vs. We must pray for our graci­ous Queen that God will blesse her with all comforts. Let vs make intercession for her perseuerance and going on, in her sacred dutie to God, as she hath begunne, and that hee will preuent the euils which her aduer­saries maliciously pretend against her. And finally, let vs giue thankes for her so long comforta­ble being our nursing mother, that [Page 5] shee may so continue (if it please God) to the shutting vp, and fi­nishing of all time vpon the earth, that she with vs, and we 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, The perill of our time giueth vs occasion to pray for Queene E­lizabeth. 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, And especial cause to praye for Queene Elizabeth. 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. The dan­gers of for­raine coun­tries.

If we looke into the present e­state of our neighbours in forraine partes, it will (if we be not [Page] carelesse) strike vs with terrour, giue vs cause also to pray for Queene Elizabeth. 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.

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, [Page 6] 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 ^• earth to the other: and all the na­tions [Page] 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 euē 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 thē 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 [Page 7] 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 cōmeth 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 [Page] 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.

OH Lorde almightie. King all sufficient, the gouernour, pre­ [...]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 [Page 9] armies when soeuer they shal en­counter the aduersarie, that shee thy seruant and we thy people her subiects, may still shew our selues thankefull vnto thee for thy pro­tection, and couet more and more to serue thee in all truth and holy zeale as becōmeth vs in al things, graunt these things (good Father) in the merites of Jesus Christ our sauiour, in whom as thou art well pleased, bee pleased to blesse, preserue and direct our Queene, to comfort, defend & support vs, and either to bring our enemies to a perfect peace, in imbracing thy truth with vs, or to confound their deuises and power for euer, Amen.

Oh Lord increase our faith.

MOst gracio [...]s God, and louing Father in Jesus Christ, pure and holye, I Confesse vnto thee mine vnrigh­teousnes [Page] which maketh mee vn­worthie to come before thee, not onely in regard of mine originall corruption, which I traduced from disobedient Adam: But in regard of my continuall sinnes, and actuall euils which I daylye commit against thee, whereby I can not but become offensiue vnto thee, and euer lo [...] [...]me in thy sa­cred eyes. But a [...]s such is mine estate, being considered, as it is in and of my selfe, that I can bring forth no better fruites, then the tree of Adams disobedience, whose rootes as they are sinne, so beare they sinne in me, and consequent­ly procure death and destruction. But deare Father, as by Adam sinne entred and tooke hold of him selfe and all his posteritie. So by thy Sonne we are all Justified by our adoption into his righte­ousnesse of thy free loue: If wee take hold of thy promises in him, and become obedient as hee is o­bedient vnto thee. And therefore deare Father howsoeuer our cor­ruptions as they are in vs, of our selues haue be wrapped vs in [Page 10] bondage to sinne and death, let thy Sonnes merites bee vnto vs a sufficient ransome for our e­uerlasting libertie, not onely to come freely vnto the throne of thy grace, but in the ende to obtaine the ioyes eternal with him in hea­uen. Amen.

O Lord increase our faith.

HAuing thus cast our selues downe before our God in true hu­militie, wherein wee haue acknowledged that we are so polluted with sins, and so tyed with the chaines of death, that there is no euasion or meane in our selues, or by our selues to escape the snares of Sa­than, that lurketh lik a roaring Ly­on seeking whō he may deuoure. We must now endeuor to findout the meane, how to be made at one [Page] with, We must seeke howe to be re­conciled to God. and be reconciled vnto our God againe. Wherin thus much we are first to consider, that as by Adam all men haue sinned, and haue deserued death by sinne: euen so by Christ we are clensed from sinne, and stand againe in the fa­uour of God, the father by faith in him: Whom also we haue to be an Advocat to God our heauenly fa­ther, and he it is that obtaineth pardon for all our sinnes. Christ re­concileth vs to God our osten­ded hea­uēly father. It is the passion and most innocent death of Iesus Christ, the immaculate Lambe, which is a sufficient recon­ciliation for our offences. And therfore he saith, If any man sinne, he hath an Advocate with the fa­ther, euen Iesus Christ the righte­ous. That is, if any man acknow­ledge his offences truely before God, and that he is sinfull, impure and corrupt, and doeth faithfullie submit himselfe vnto the fauour of God in Christ, without standing to iustifie himself righteous. [...]ho hath the benefit of Christs death Such a one hath the benifite of Christes death, and such a one shal be parta­ker of the deserts of Christ: wherin he shall obtaine pardon for all his [Page 11] sinnes. But he that will not thus throw himselfe downe before the Lorde, and crie out against his owne vnworthynes, and say that he is a sinner, and vnable of him­selfe to obtaine remission of sins, there is no place of mercy for such a one. For Christ came to call, not y ^e righteous, Mat. 19. 13. such as were in their owne conceit, 1. Tim▪ 15 holy, pure, iust, and without sinne, but sinners (such as did so confesse & acknowledge thē selues) to repentance. Whome Christ came to cal Such sin­ners as are sorie for their sinnes, & repent them of their euils: such Christ himselfe calleth, saying Come vnto me Al ye that labour, and are heauy laden, 2. Pet. 3. 9. and I wil ease you. Our God is patient, and wold haue no man perish, but woulde that al men shuld come to repen­tance. And therefore, hee sent his sonne Christ Jesus, Mat. 2. 28 to giue him­selfe a ransome for all that repent and truely beleeue in him.

We were in bondage and capti­uitie, Christ is our ransom and he most franckly tooke vpon him to ransome vs with a great price, Mat. 26. 28 euen his bloud, which bloud he shed for many, for the re­mission [Page] of sinnes: not for all, but for such as truly repent & amend their liues: They that runne on stil in sinne haue no profite of the merites of Christ. for they that runne on still in their sinnes, howsoeuer they flatter themselues, they are left vnto themselues, and the me­rits of Christ worke not for them: his death to them is none aduan­tage. And we therefore must take heed, left that we deceiue our selues with this, Ioh. 1. 19. that he is the Lambe of God that taketh away the sins of the world And that thereby euery man in the world is so included, & euery mans sins by him so taken away without repentance, The effects of faith that we haue scope to sinne, because hee ta­keth it away. But wee must take hold of his merits by faith, which faith will worke in vs a detestati­on of sinne, and ade [...]re to, reforme euill in our selues, and to be recon­ciled vnto God in amendment of lyfe. For it appeareth that the whole world was polluted and de­filed with sinne, The whole world was dead in sin. and that the whol world naeded a meane to be cured of that great miserie, and to that end came Christ, men to saue all that repent and beleeue the Gos­pel: [Page 12] to such is the glad tidyinges of saluation sent, as well vnto the Gentile as to the Jewe, to the bond, All are cal­led to sal­vation. as to the free, to all people and nations of the world, Where­in appered the vnspeakeable loue of God, not that we loued him first but that he loued vs, and sent his sonne to be a reconciliation for our sinnes, 1. Ioh. 3. 1 [...]. It was he that bare our sins in his body on the tree, that being dead to sinne, should liue in righ­teousnesse, 1, Pet. 2. 22. by whose stripes wee are healed.

Being then healed of this dead­lie euil, euen of death it selfe, let vs speedily repent vnto our good God in hartie repentance, How we must repē [...] ▪ casting aside, and g [...]uing ouer all the de­ceitfull workes of darkenesse: and let vs pray that he will vouchsafe vs forgiuenes of our sins, wherein of long time we haue liued. Let vs be earnestlie sorrie that wee haue spent the time past of our liues, af­ter the lusts of the Gentiles, 1. Pet. 4. 1. licenti­ously and wickedly, in wantonnes, in lusts, drunkenesse, gluttony; co­uetousnes; & in abhominable I do latrie. To day if we will heare his [Page] voice let vs not harden our hearts: But hauing laid open our weak­nesse and infirmities, with an ar­dent desire to reforme our liues: God is rea­die to re­ceaue vs if we vn­fainedly repent. let vs boldly approch vnto our merci­full God, who seeing vs a farre of, namely, vnfainedly purposing to amende our liues, hee will come with his spirit and meete vs, Luk. 15. 20. and will imbrace vs with the armes of his loue, and will put on vs the robes of his owne righteousnes. Loe his mercie is from gen [...]tion to generation to them that feare him. Luk. 1. 50. And therefore let vs feare no more, for we are freely iustified by grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus, whome God hath set foorth to be a reconciliati­on through faith in his blood, Rom. 3, 24▪ 25 to declare his righteousnes by the for giuenes of our sins that are passed.

O let vs not therefore despise the riches of his bountifulnesse and pa­tience, and long suffering, Rom. 2. 4. knowing that the bountifulnesse of God leadeth vs to repentance. Gods rea­dinesse to receiue vs Let vs fall downe before him therefore, and he will heare vs vp; let vs crie out, and he will hea [...]e vs, let vs fly [Page 13] vnto him, & he wil come & meet vs & imbrace vs. If you sins were as red as skarlet, he wil make them as white as snow. Therfore wil eue­ry man that is godly make his prai­er vnto him, Psal, 326 in a time whē he may be foūd. Psal, 34, 22, The Lord redeemeth the soules of his seruants, and none that trusteth in him shall perish.

I should haue fainted, but that I belieued to see the goodnes of the Lord in the land of the liuing. Psa. [...].

O God of my saluati­on, I haue acknow­ledged my sins vn­to thee, I haue not hidden mine iniqui­ties. For thus (my good God) I thought, I wil confesse my wickednes against my selfe vnto thee, O Lord, forgiue the punishment of my sinnes, vnto thee O Lord, I cry, O my strength be not far from me lest that if thou answere me not, I be like them that goe downe vnto [Page] the pit. Remember not the sinnes of my youth, nor my rebellions, but according to thy kindnesse re­member thou me, euen for thy goodnesse sake remember thou mee: gracious and righteous thou art, and thou teachest sinners in the way. O turne thy face to­wards mee, let thy louing fauour and mercie euermore be extended, for I am miserable, sinfull and poore. And I come vnto thee the fountaine of all helpe, forgiue my sinnes, wash me and I shall bee cleane; let me taste of thy old lo­uing kindnesse, who haste euer bene readie to forgiue, euer readie to helpe, ready to receiue the com­plaint of the poore, ready to receiue the miserable, to imbrace them that returne from their euill ways, as appereth by Dauid, by Peter, by Marie Magdalene, and many other who repenting their sinnes, haue found fauour. Our fathers called vpon thee, and thou didst heare them, they trusted in thee, and wer deliuered, they depended vppon thee, and were not confounded. Wherefor haue mercie vpon mee, [Page 14] O God, haue mercy vpon me ac­cording to thy great mercies, and according to the multitude of thy compassions do away mine iniqui­ties. O cleanse mee from my se­crete sinnes, and couer my known sinnes with the righteousnesse of thy Sonne▪ remooue mine iniqui­ties farre away from mee, and be not angry with thy seruant for e­uer. O enter not into iudge­ment with me, for if no flesh be­fore thee be iustified, what shall become of me, who haue [...]o highly sinned?

Lord, my God, full of mercy, I appeale vnto thee, I flie vnto thee, I rest vpon thee, leaue thy disple­sure against mee, and howsoeuer weake and vnable I be to stande in thy presence, oh let thy spirit of strength hold me vp, and say vnto me, feare not, for my grace is suf­ficient for thee. I take hold of thy loue, and I rest vpon thy fauour in Christ, reiect mee not, though there bee no good in mee: powre downe that absolute good thing, euen thy grace, and let it direct me to amendement of my corrupt life. [Page] Thou hast said that thou art wel pleased in Christ thy Sonne: in him be thou also pleased with me, and receiue mee againe into thy loue through his merites, by whome euery sinner receiueth free accesse vnto thee. And although I for my part (most louing God) be a vessell full of faultes and filthy­nes, although I be no more wor­thy to bee called thy Sonne, al­though I bee a seruant most vn­profitable, yea, a withered and star­ued branch, who haue lost the quicknes and vigor of thy blessed spirit, and am good of mine owne proper nature, for nothing but for the fire. Yet, good Father, haue mercy vpō me, haue patience with me, cast me not from thee, but ra­ther endue me againe with a new spirite, and a liuely feeling of thy pleasure, and will, and ablenesse to do thereafter, that I may fill vp the residue of my daies in sinceri­tie, in holines, in righteousnesse, and in the due seruice of thee, in faith vnfained, and in all single­nes of heart and soule, that from henceforth, insteede of straying [Page 15] from thee, I may dwell, and bee shrouded vnder the shadow of thy winges, that in steede of sinne, which heretofore hath miscaried me, I may imbrace pietie, godly­nesse, and true zeale: and in steed of ignorance, whereby I haue gone so long astray, I may take hold of the knowledge of thy sau [...]ng truth. And let it be as a lanterne vnto my feet, & a light vnto my pathes, that so I may rest safe in thee, through a liuely faith which neuer deceiueth And graunt that I may carefully performe what thou li­kest, howsoeuer disliking it be vn­to me, and may watchfully auoid what thou lothest, howsoeuer li­king it be vnto me. For I acknowledge, good father, that flesh and bloud sauor nothing of the things belonging vnto saluation: but I waite in the spirite for thy louing kindnesse and mercie promised in Christ thy Sonne, in whome I am bolde with deepe sighes of the heart to crie, Lorde forgiue mine offences, remit mine iniquities, couer my sinnes, and lay not my former euils vnto my charge.

[Page] Good Father, giue the knew­ledge of saluation vnto me, and to all thy people, by the remission [...]f our sinnes, through the bowels of thy tender mercies, that we may perceiue in our mindes both com­fort, peace, and gladnes of thy ho­ly spirite, which may begin a newe lyfe in vs, pleasing thee. And for the beter perfourming of our du­ties vnto thee, from hencefoorth quench all the corrupt motions of our minds, striuing with thy di­uine pleasure, and restore againe in vs the image of thy deuine light, whiche was lost, that being thus inwardly renued in our minds, we may reforme vs outwardly in our conuersations, and may sing a­loud vnto thee, and may serue thee with gladnes, and come alwayes vnto thee with ioy. Amen.

Sing vnto the Lord a new song, O Sing vnto the Lord a new song Psal. 96. 1.

Sing vnto the Lord, and praise his name, declare his saluation from day to day. vers. 2.

OH Father euerlast­ing, mercifull and full of pittie, I doe acknowledge my selfe sinfull, where­by I haue deserued punishment in thy heauie displeasure; But I haue an aduocate euen Jesus Christ the righteous, and he hath redeemed me frō all feare of death, if I truely repent mine euils, and [Page 17] forme my life according to thy will, wherefore most deare Fa­ther in him, sanctifie mee againe & wash me clean through his bloud, [...]ouer mee with the precious and most glorious robe of his integri­tie and obedience, and in him for­giue my sinnes, and for his sake; remember them no more, but ra­ther supply the wants of all spi­rituall graces and gifts in me, of [...]aith, of knowledge, of loue, of patience, of repentance, of obedi­ [...]nce and true reformation of my [...]ife, that being renued againe and regenerate in him, I may morti­ [...]e all my corrupt and filthie af­fections, and liue in all holinesse, [...]ighteousnesse and true zeale, all [...]he daies of my life, that when his frayle bodye shall returne to [...]ust, my soule may ascend where Christ my Sauiour sitteth at thy [...]ight hand at the time appointed, my soule and body may receiue [...]he fulnesse of the ioyes prepared [...]or thine elect in thy relestiall Pa­ [...]adise, Amen.

Oh Lord increase my faith.

HAuing acknowled­ged our sins, & cor­rupt affections be­fore our God, and in Christ his son, ha­uing obtained attonment with him, and yet resting in our selues sinfull and miserable, & of our selues vnable to obtaine the fauour of God, and being ob­tained, not able to stand without his continuall aide: we must seeke by all meanes to frame all our actions in his feare, knowing this that it is not inough for vs to haue found the meane how to bee reconciled vnto God, We must seeke to keepe the fauour of God. but we must vse the meanes also (being recon­ciled) to retaine and keepe him out fauourable God still, which is by mortifying of those euils in vs, [Page 18] which breake foorth vnto his dis­honour. We must leaue sinne Yet this is not inough, Wee also must cleaue vnto righteousnesse, and exercise our callings to Gods glo­ry: It is not enough to forsake sin, but wee must cleaue vnto righ­teousnesse. we must not onely eschue euil, but we must doo good, we may not onely seeke peace and attonement with God, but we must en­sue and follow it. Psal. 1. 1. &c. It is not inough for vs not to walke in the counsail of the scorner, and wicked persons or not to stand in the way of sin­ners, but we must delight in the law of the Lord, and that not for a time, and then to retourne to our vomite and vanity againe, accor­ding to the course of the worlde, who thinketh not inough to cease from euill for a time, and to serue the Lord at seasons ordinary, but wee must exercise our selues in his word, and that continually, day & night: Psal, 1. 8, And we must gird vp the loynes of our mindes, and be so­ber, and trust perfectly on that grace that is brought vnto vs in the reuelation of Jesus Christ, as obedient children, not fashioning our selues vnto the former facts of [Page] ignorance, but as he which hath called vs is holy, so let vs be holy in all maner of conuersation, plea­sing God, Not making our boast of our owne harts desire, 1 Pet. 1. 13. 14. 15. as the co­uetous, who blesseth himself in his owne wealth and prosperitie, and contemneth the Lord: grounding the foundation of our hope vpon vain things, Thinges may offend God. which cary coulor to be lawfull wher [...]by oftentimes we are stirred vp to execute things offensiue vnto God, which yet may carry coulor of warrant by the law of man, wherin the inward affections of the hart appeere not only not mortified, but rather re­uiued to sinne. If we duely looke into our desires, we shall find out few or none that truely tende to that mortification which is requi­red, but rather to the aduancing of the pride of our flesh against the humility of the spirite. The first [...] be­come a godly man Let none thinke it irkesome or tedious to leaue this, that the first step to the perfection of a godly man, is, to deny himselfe: which deniall, is keeping vnder of all the corrupt motions which rise in our selues, and couet to breake foorth in action [Page 19] contrary to that which our God hath commanded: and if that bee hard to performe, that which is further required is more hard, and they are the words of Christ him­selfe, Mat. 16. 24 which I dare not deny. Mar. 8. 34. If a­ny man (saith he) will follow mee, let him forsake himselfe: and yet that not inough, Let him take vp his crosse and follow me. And in another place, If any man will come after me, let him deny him­selfe, Luk. 9. 23. and take vp his crosse dayly and follow me. We are commaun­ded to forsake our selues: and to deny our selues, wherein we may see the great necessity of this mor­tification, and how seuerely it is enioyned vs. If we forsake our selues, whether shall wee flye to leaue our selues? we must vnder­stand that we, as long as we are in the body, are at home in the flesh, where many corruptions lurke, and therefore if we will for­sake our selues, We must forsake our selues. we must suppresse the euils in our selues, and by the spirite ascend vp from our carnall habitation, and dwell with the Lord in continuall contemplation [Page] of his will, in a dayly desire to bee with him: thus also must we de­ny our selues: for when the mo­tions of the flesh do, as it were in­treate the minde and soule to con­sent vnto that which is vnlawful, wee must presently checke our selues, and in an inward godly aunsweare, repell the proud de­sires of the flesh, We must deny the desires of the flesh. Which sauour not the things that appertaine vn­to life, but vnto death, and there­fore necessary to be denied. Thus if we carry our affections within the compasse of the Lordes good pleasure, we shall then easely at­taine vnto the other part, namely to take vp the crosse, that is, ac­cept willingly the miseries, trou­bles afflictions, and persecutions, which may happen vnto vs: but so long as wee are carried away with the alluringes of the world and the flesh, we shall say as Peter said vnto his maister (sauo [...]ing of the flesh, and not of the spirite) Saue thy selfe, How dan­gerous it is to [...] go not to Ierusalem to fall into trouble: so shall we al­wayes couet pleasing thinges, but poyson [...]d things, as riches, pre­ferment, [Page 20] honor, ease, idlenesse, ne­gligence in our callinge, excesse in buildinges, superfluous diet most diuelish attire, and what euill ac­companieth not this: Many grosse faults are thought no faults. It is thou­ght an easy fault, nay, no fault, to be enuious, to bee a glutton, to be drunken, to be a blasphemer to re­ceiue rewardes against iustice, to be partiall in iudgement, if it leane but a little awry, and especially if it be not seene of men. But this liberty of the flesh will be one day restrayned, and Gods mercies de­teined from such libertines, who although they cannot, nor will forsake or deny themselues as yet, it may please God to rowse them out of this forgetfullnesse, & strike their hearts with such a feeling of his displeasure, that they may cast off their affections of the flesh, and measure all their thoughtes, woordes, and workes by the spi­rite: Prayer ne­cessary to mortifica­tion and therefore it is good to pray vnto the Lorde for his assi­stance therein, knowing this, that he that cannot forsake himself, and deny himselfe, howsoeuer hee flat­tereth his owne security, and inte­grity, [Page] wherein he foolishly persua­deth hymselfe that hee followeth Christ, he is far from Christ, and surely he will say vnto him in the last day, No excuse will serue. I know thee not, It is not the buying of a farme, the pro­uing of oxen, nor the marriage of a wife, that can excuse vs, conti­nuing in the flesh and fleshly de­sires.

It is not inough to obserue the letter of the law: The obser­uation of the letter of the law excuseth not. For then wee may still continue manslayers in wrath towards our brethren, wee may commit adultery, by lusting we may sinne in our communica­tion, exceeding yea and nay. And therefore must we abstaine from all apparance of euill, 1. Thess. 7. 5. 22. and in all purity both of soule, mind and bo­dy, through the power and stren­gth of the spirite of God, endeuor continually to forsake and deny our selues, being made free from sinne, let vs become the seruants of righteousnes, Rom. 6. 18. 19 and let vs giue all our members instruments of righ­teousnes, in holynes and purenes. When we were in the flesh, sin had power in our members, bringing [Page 21] foorth fruites vnto death. Rom. 7. 5. 6. But now being deliuered from sin, we must serue the Lord in newnesse of spi­rite, No good dwelleth in our flesh. and not in our old conuersa­tion Ther dwelleth no good thing in our flesh, for we may feele con­tinuall rebellions therein, which repugne the lawe of the spirite: which law giueth strickt comman­dement against the affections of the flesh, and would haue all the corrupt motions therof to be vt­terly denied. And therfore let vs fight manfully against all euils, in what degree so euer they rise a­gainst the spirite.

Wee must carefully watch the doors of our hearts, We must be watch­full against sinne. with the wea­pons of the spirite, least that sinne creepe into our inwarde partes, which obtayning the consent of our minds, yea but a little, it will take such aduantage by pleading possession, that it will be harde to remoue it. And therefore let vs preuent the entry of sinne, by mor­tifying the deedes of the flesh, so shall it neuer beare fruite in vs to death. Rom. 1. 11 [...] And surely if the spirite that raised vp Christ dwell in vs our [Page] mortall bodies shall be quickened by the same spirite: How wee may bee knowne to be the sons of God. And so quick­ned, that it shall bring foorth the fruites of true mortification in vs. And then shall we be knowne to be the sonnes of God, euen by that badge of denying our selues.

Let vs pray therefore vnto the Lord that he wil sanctifie vs with­in, Rom. 11 16. that he will make our whole lumpe holy▪ the roote and the bran­ches holy, If our heartes be pure, all our actions will likewise be pure. We must hunger and thirst for righteousnes, if wee will bee blessed with the righteous. Wee must runne the race of the godly if we will receiue the reward wyth the godly: we must subdue our e­uils, and conquer our corrupt mo­tions, as doo the godly, if we will bee crowned with the godly. We must haue our hearts, hands, & all the partes of our bodies knit to­gether in one consent, The in­ward affec­tions and outward actions must concurre. to the true forsakinge and denyinge of our selues. The inward shew and out­ward affections must concurre in the same: so shall we be both out­wardly approoued and inwardly [Page 22] assured that wee haue the spirit of trueth, and so consequently that we are the Lordes, who will al­wayes attend our safety, if wee thus carrie our selues before him.

Reade the 15. Psalme, learne it and haue it in thine heart, and ob­serue it in thy proceedings, and it shall teach thee what it is that is required of thee to become a fit man to enter into the kingdome of God.

O Righteous God, & mercyfull Father, who art so pure and cleane, that there is no euill dwelleth with thee, no corruption resteth in thy sight, But he that walketh vp­rightly, he that worketh righteous­nesse; and speaketh the truth from his hart, he is accepted with thee: such a one thou louest, such a one thou receiuest, and such a one shall rest in thy holy hill. But on [Page] the contrarie, hee that walketh after his owne hearts desires, hee that yeldeth vnto the corrupt mo­tions of flesh and bloud, and cloa­keth iniquitie vnder the shew of godlinesse: such a one doest thou hate, such a one doth thy soule ab­horre, and such a one shall not come neere thee: hee may pray and shall not be heard, he may cry and call, but thou wilt not helpe him. Wherefore my good God, sith there is required in all men the sinceritie and true inwarde zeale of the soule, and an absolute kil­ling of the motions of the flesh, and mortifying af all fleshly affec­tions. Looke fauourably vppon me, in whome doe dwell an innu­merable troope of foolish fantasies, a heape of sinfull affections, I find and feele, that though many times to will, be present with me, yet to perfo [...]rme is not in my power: sinne preuaileth, and deathe through sinne swalloweth mee vp: so that I rest in darkenesse of sin, and that by giuing scope vnto mine owne peruerse will: And so long good Father, as I dwell in [Page 23] this house of flesh and bloud, de­tayned downe-warde wyth the pleasing and entising things ther­of. I cannot maister my corrupt desires. I cannot bridle mine af­fections: but in steede of true mortification, I breake out into such outrage, by consent of all my members, that my affections ex­tend from conceiuing euill, to per­forming of euill, from desiring to sinne, to commit sinne, euen with greedinesse. And yet such is my miserable estate, being thus in my selfe, that flesh and bloud flatte­reth it selfe, and concludeth, that whatsoeuer I purpose in an euill desire, so that it breake not foorth into open grosse wickednesse, that I am holy enough, that I am as sincere as is requisite, and that I stand too fearefull of thy iudge­ments, when thou knowest, that all and euery the least conceite of sin, breaking into action, in what couert measure or meane degree soeuer, it by and by endaungereth my soule, and deserueth suddaine iudgement. And therefore let it please thee, that as thy deere sonne [Page] through thy surpassing loue, hath reconciled all such vnto thy fauor againe, that are truely penitent: so let thy holy spirite continually worke to the taming of vnbridled flesh, and let me by the same spi­rite, neuer leaue more and more to seeke and endeuour to subdue my grosse affections, vntill I come to a true and absolute mortification of all▪ t [...]e euils that rise vp in mee: so shall I denie and forsake my selfe and follow thee: so shall I leaue my selfe and come vnto thee: I shal hate my selfe and loue thee: I shal conquere my self and serue thee.

Good Father, thou seest that I am most weake, and without the continuall woorking of thy grace, I can not in any measure suppresse my desires, but rather they the more strongly rise in me: I cannot denie my selfe, but ra­ther I deny the working of grace in me, I do not onely not mortifie my sinnes, but sinne rather reui­ueth and becommeth strong in me insomuch as it bringeth forth fruit not vnto life, but vnto death. [Page 24] Therefore I beseech thee sanctifie me, that I defile not my selfe with the filthinesse of the flesh, or fleshly thinges, howsoeuer they seeme to please me. Let me not be deceiued with the pleasing iudgement of wordly men, who affirme sinne to bee no sinne, darkenesse to bee light, and light to bee darkenesse: Atheisme to be religion, and sanc­titie to be sinne: couetousnesse to be good husbandry, and charity to be folly, hatred and reuenge to be manhoode, and loue to bee cowar­dice, swearing to be courage, and meekenesse to be madnesse, pride to be decencie, and comelinesse to bee beastly. Oh good Father, many are the enormities that rise vp in vs, & defended not only as things tollerable, but as things laudable: oh mortifie therfore, mortifie these euils, let vs no longer be besotted with y ^e filthy fashions of the cor­rupt world: extinguish the flames of carnall desires, represse the ra­ging lusts of the flesh▪ and graunt that we may shun, and with due watchfulnesse auoyde all thinges that haue but the apparance of c­uil: [Page] that being thus inwardly sub­dued, I may make outward pro­fession, that whatsoeuer I doo, it may be simply grounded vpon the truth of a good cōscience, in single­nesse of the spirite, in newnesse of life. And let me still retaine this in memorie, that I can not follow mine owne will, and thy woord. I may not impart my affections to the deedes of the flesh, and the woorkes of the spirite. I can not walke in darknesse and light, the way of death, and the way of life, I cannot serue thee and sinne. Direct me therefore▪ good Father, direct mee in my whole life, and se­perate mee from the worlde and worldly things, and let me dwell with thee in all godly meditati­ons, and contemplations, and let mee vse the things in this world, as if I vsed them not, let mee liue in this life, as if I were dead to sinne: and beeing thus truelie mortified in the body, and quick­ned in the spirite, let mee looke in continuall watchfulnesse, for the dissolution of this my mortall bo­die, that my soule may ascende: [Page 25] and in the ende both in soule and bodye, I may for euermore en­ioy the eternall ioyes of heauen. Amen.

O Lord increase our faith.

IT hath pleased Al­mightie G [...]D in greate measure of mercye to call vs home vnto him, to confesse our sins, which although they be great & many, yet through the abundance of his loue, he hath taken them away through the me­rits of his sonne. And onely cra­ueth this, that we wil forsake our selues, and follow him: wherein we are mooued to seeke the Lord our God▪ and to frame our selues to that course that may bring vs wholy vnto him, being the foun­taine of all goodnes, which we can receiue either in soule or body

[Page] And forasmuch as hee saw the corruptions of our heartes to bee such, as they brought forth often­times, peruerse and contrarie de­sires, tending most especially to worldly and fleshly things: He in fauour directed vs especially what to craue at his hands, namely, To seeke the kingdome of God & the riches and righteousnesse thereof. And then shall all things necessa­ry both to body and soule bee ad­ministred vnto vs. In so much as it appeareth that the foundation of al our petitions, tending to bo­dily reliefe, must bee builded, not vpon our owne rash conceites, as to aske what our naturall dispo­sition will lead vs vnto: But to seek the word of God, the know­ledge of Christ, and the things of the body beeing of small moment, shall be cast vpō vs by the louing prouidence of our good God. Al­though in deede the kingdome of God bee not meate and drincke, it cōsisteth not in the outward man, as in promotion, in riches, in beauty, in honour, in health, in friends, nor in whatsoeuer pleasures of [Page 27] flesh and bloud: no, not in cere­monies and traditions inuented by man: not in the outward word, neyther in whatsoeuer is seene with the external eye. But it con­sisting in spirituall feeling, taste, and vse, in the sincere and pure knowledge, exercise, and comfort of the Gospell of Jesus Christ, perfourming the will of God here in earth.

And heerein it is required, Luke. 6. 20. that we be poore in spirit, Math. 5. 4. to hunger & thirst for righteousnes, Esa. 61. 2. 3. to be meke to be mercifull, Psal, 37, 11. to be pure in hart, and gladly, Psal. 24. 4. Suffer persecution for righteousnes sake. Math. 5. 10. We must be lo­uing, 2. Cor. 9, 5 [...] 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, deliue­ [...] without vaine glory: receiued [Page] 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 [Page 28] 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.

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 [Page 29] 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 [Page] 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: [...]hat wee may all put on that sanctif [...]ed garment of [Page 30] a new life and sincere conuersati­on, which may approoue vs to bee thy children, and Citizens of thy kingdome: and that as bec [...]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 [Page] 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, and bee in the end crowned with the glo­rious merites of thy Sonne in heauen. Amen.

O Lord increase our faith.

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 [Page 32] 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.

OH Lord▪ mightie and merci­full, who didst create man in the beginning simple, sin­cere, pure and without sinne, in [Page] 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 f [...]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 [Page 33] in Christ Jesus our Lord.

O Lord increase our faith.

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, [Page] and whom he hath chosen sincere­ly to serue him to call on his holy name, and to celebrate his praises in this worlde: How the whole, strength is knit toge­ther thogh the mem­bers bee scattered. 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, Ephe. 5. 22. and this faithfull companie the mēbers. 2. Cor. 11. 2 This church of God is holy: Reu 21. 2. 9 it is sanctified in Christ Iesus, Ephe [...]. [...]3 and euery member thereof is a saint by calling: Col 5. 24. Who­soeuer is of this fellowshippe and companie, 1. Cor. 1, 2. & is trulie ioyned vnto that head Christ Jesus, Euery member of the Church is ioyned vn­to Christ. 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 [Page 34] came in the flesh: and beeing pre­sent in the world, Mat. 28. 18. though he were Lord of all, Col. 2. 10. 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, The spir [...]t of God dwelle [...] in his Church. [...]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, The true Church is the image of Christ. and carefully auoid what he forbiddeth.

Christ beeing now ascended, and sitting in the heauens at the right [Page] hand of his father, hath left this his Church as his image, heere in earth to be scorned, scoffed, whip­ped, afflicted, persecuted, & euē 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, The church must suffer persecutiō. 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 se [...]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 [Page 35] of glory, much more will they per­secute his children.

It appeared, as soone as the maister was taken away, the ser­uantes were despised; when the shepheard was gone, the sheepe wandred abroad, and all the chil­dren of God were tryed, The lot of God [...] children. some by mockings and scornings, som by bondes and imprisonment, some were [...]ewne in peces, some stoned, some slaine with the sword, some wandred vp and downe in sheepe skinnes, destitute of comfort, affli­cted and tormented, Heb. 11 36▪ 37. 38. some wandred in the mountains and in the wildernes hiding themselues in caues and dennes of the earth, and none escaped the hand of the enemie, & yet they were such as the world was not worthy of. 2. Cor. 1 [...] 24. 33. Paul the Apo­stle was mightily persecuted of the Iewes after hee became a mem­ber of this Church. Peter & Iohn were also bitterly persecuted. Ste­phen most miserably handled, Act. 4. 3. and at last stoned. Act. 6. 12. Al the Apostles and Disciples of Christ were persecu­ted, Act. 7. 58. and hauock was made of the Church of God, Act. 8. 13. in so much as all [Page] such as tooke on them the professi­on of Christ, or had but the name of Christians, were forced to taste of the cup whereof their master ta­sted. And we that followe them in prof [...]ssion, must be contented to follow them in troubles, to take vp the crosse, and to beare what the world will lay vpon vs. There is no way to the kingdom of hea­uen, but by Christ, and there is no way to Christ, but by tribulation

The wicked do continually seek to oppresse such as are true of hart, they make sharp their swords, they bend their bowes, and dispose their arrowes in the stringes, Psal. 11. 3. coueting to shoote at those that feare God. The Kinges of the earth band thēselues, & the Princes of the world assem­ble themselues together against God and his church. Psal. 2. 2. England, since it hath come to the tast of true re­ligion, hath tasted how true it is that is said, that they that will liue vprightlie, shall haue many that will rise vp against them. How hath the rage of Sathan appeared against vs, with bitter threats frō Spaine, with excommunications [Page 36] and condemnations from Rome? how haue we bin labored to haue bene seduced by Priests and Se­minaries, The pra­ctises of the ene­mies of the Church of God. from our bounden loue and dutie, not onely towards her Maiestie but towards our God? if cursings, if blessings, if disswa­sions, or perswasions, if threats of hell, if promises of heauen, if thro­wing downe, or exalting high, if feare of fire and sword could haue preuailed, we had falne and for­saken God ere this day: how haue they sought the death and destruc­tion of our gratious Queene, and graue Counsellors, by inchant­ments, by magick, by murther, and by all deuilish practises? Haue we not bine enuironed by Fleetes of foes at sea? by armies of rebels by land, and endaungered by hidden Traytors at home? hath there ye [...] any of their conspiracies preuay­led? hath not God stood our de­fence? hath not our Christ, the head of our Church stood in the gap against these trecheries and tumultes? and doeth there not herby appeare a Church militant, a Church still driuen to defende it [Page] selfe: and a Church malignant, a Church fraught with malice a­gainst the truth? A Church militant & a Church malignant, a Church offen­ded, and a Church offending, a Church suffering, and a Church persecuting,? And who doth not see how manifestly it appeareth▪ that our Church is that Church which resembleth our head Christ Jesus in suffering, and the other to be the Church resembling their father the Deuill, by massacring and killing▪ who seeing his king­dome to bee nee [...]e at an ende, and noting how his Church and the reprobates companie diminisheth, beginneth to enkindle the coales of dissention betweene kings and kingdomes, and stirreth vp trai­tors vnder collour of teachers, murtherers in the name of catho­liques, and deuils vnder the habit of a religion: by whome the whole worlde is at this day set all in a flame, and they labour by all means, to peruert with the venom in their tayles, the consciences of al true Christians, and where they see they cannot preuaile by the trueth, they seeke it by tyrannie: [Page 37] in the place and steede of mercie, they vse massacres, The badge of the An­tichrist an Church. in steed of peace which the truth imbraceth, they stirre vp warres, and in steede of loue (the badge of Christians) they execute all hatred, euen to bloud. If we looke into late yeares, wee shall finde in Fraunce how thou­sands of the Church of God haue bene murthered, The [...]rou­bles in France. some in their beds, some in the streetes, some in the temple, some preaching, some praying, and whosoeuer was no­ted to serue god aright, was swal­lowed vp in this deuilish furie: and for that the more they striued to suppresse the truth, the more see­ing it to preuaile, they by the in­stigation of the adulterer of Rome proceed on to new deuises, spa­ring neither old nor yong, great, nor small, but take all by the throat euen their Kinges, and with butcherly hands defile their pallaces with most cruel murther, killing euerie innocent, euen such as can but name the Lord Christ, and him serue as their onely redee­mer in the lowest measure, doe they most cruelly cut off with vn­timely [Page] death.

Is it not therfore high time for the poore Church of God, in re­gard of this bloody worke of the Deuill, to poure foorth continuall ardent prayers vnto our God for his present helpe in this trouble? And howsoeuer we rest in great measure freed from massacres and open murthers heere in England, through the louing hande of our good God, yet are we not without continuall occasions, England hath great cause to pray. to moue vs to godly supplications, that God in his mercies will cōtinue our fa­uourable God for euer, and that he will be still mindfull of vs, that wee fall not into our enemies hands, who (as we see) practise by all kindes of pollicies to presse in vpon vs, to deale with vs as they haue dealt with other nations: nay to make vs to be no more a people.

The remembrance of our little persecution in the time of Queene Marie, The perse­cution in Queene Maries time, a meane to [...] may moue vs to due obedi­ence vnto our God, who did spee­dilie deliuer vs by the gracious hand of our most sacred Queen E­lizabeth in whome, vnder our good [Page 38] God, we haue bene this 39 yeares almost compleat, so happily defen­ded, that wee haue had free scope to serue our God in truth: where­as wee see other nations to bee so suppressed by the heauie hande of the wicked man, that none dare stand vp to professe God, but with present torture.

Oh let vs therfore be thankfull to our mighty God, for his help in all former dangers, and pray, that we may shew our selues as wise as Serpents, & as innocent as doues, that we may stand sound and vn­blameable in our professions, in faith strong, in loue vnfayned, and constantly perseuering in this in­uiolable truth, that the gates of hell, nor the tyrannie of the euill man preuaile not against vs, that the fond and idle furie of that Ro­mish Idol terrifie vs not, whome together with his worshippers, our alsufficient God laugheth to scorne: who, as we see, and haue tasted, hath by his prouidence tur­ned their practises to their owne perdition, all their plots, snares, and pittes to catch themselues: is [Page] not this maruelous in our eyes? But the truth is great, and it pre­uaileth.

It is the Lord that hath doone this great thing. It is hee that dri­ueth backe the heauen, Psal. 44. 2 and that planteth his church, it is he that de­stroyeth the aduersaries, & maketh his own people to grow, Psal. 29. 2 it is he that giueth strength vnto his people, & blesseth vs with peace. Why then doe the foolish heathen thus rage, why do these peeuish people mur­mure against the church of Christ in vaine? Psal. 2. 1 When their hope was to haue preuailed with their pee­uishly tearmed (inuincible armie) they stumbled and fell: The ene­mies, hope commeth to nought the hande of the iust God was against them and his mighty hand cast them in­to the bottome of the sea, and with his power he confounded their de­uise: and howsoeuer they seeme to continue malicious, and in a deepe desire to cut vs off, and to dispeople vs, let vs not feare, but duely call vpon the name of God, our head and husbande, and hee will breake their bowes, hee will shiuer their speares in sunder, their [Page 39] owne swordes shall pearce them­selues, and their owne bullets shal rent themselues in peeces.

Let vs therefore continually fal downe before him in prayer, If God will that we suffer, let vs glorifie him therein. and in due obedience vnto his worde, submit our selues vnto his will, and if hee will that wee suffer for his name and truethes sake, let vs glorifie him in our sufferinges, knowing this, that a crowne of life is laide vp in store for as ma­ny as take his yoke with patience, and faithfully endure vnto the ende.

If it please him, hee can make warres to cease from one ende of the world to the other: but if it be his pleasure to raise vp new euils against vs for our sinnes, let vs acknowledge his iudgementes to be iust, and our deserts to be vile. And let vs serue him continually, without feare of them that can but kill the body, and can not an­noy the soule, then shall nothing seperate vs from this our Christ, Nothing must sepe­rate vs frō Christ. nor from the vnity of his Church, neither tribulation, nor anguish, nor persecution, nor famine, nor [Page] nakednesse, nor peril of the sword, nor death, nor life, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come nor height, nor depth, nor any crea­ture, neither Pope, Spaniard, Turke, nor Infidell, nothing shall seperate vs from the loue of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Let euerie member then of this true Church, with all power and diligence, endeuour to approoue himselfe, by knowledge, by faith, by praier, by humilitie, and pati­ent abiding the Lordes leasure in all thinges: so will our louing God keepe vs vnder the shadowe of his winges, and preserue vs as the apple of his eye, that wee may grow vp, & bring forth fruite a thousand fold, to the glorie of his name: and whether by life or by death, he hath decreed to glori­fie vs, let vs take either in all god­lie obedience vnto his will, and present our continuall praiers vn­to his Maiestie, for the comfort and preseruation of the vniuersall Church.

O Almightie God and euerliuing Father, who hast vouchsa­fed to gather vnto thy self an holy com­panie out of all nations of the world, whom thou hast most glo­riously entituled with the names of thy Church, thy spouse, and thy members, and whome also thou teachest, louest, and feedest: whome also thou so tenderly considerest, that howsoeuer the wicked, euen thine enemies, doe seeke to annoy it, thou so defendest, gardest & bles­sest it, that no haire of the head or the least member thereof falleth, much lesse any one of that cōpanie perisheth, or is troden down, with­out thy prouidence. Yet▪ good fa­ther, such is thy pleasure, that while this companie shall dwell in earthly vessels, it is as a ship tossed [Page] and tumbled with the cruel storms and dangerous waues of the sea, of continuall persecutions subiect to often assaults of the enemie, da­shed sometime against the sword, sometime beaten with slaunders, backbitings, reproches, & somtime to beatings, buffettings, crossings: and sometime to massacres, mur­thers, and most cruell death. It is neuer free from perill, it is alwaies and by all meanes tryed. There is no comfort, no ioy, no rest, as long as it is in this life, but in hope, wayting patiently the comfortes and consolations in heauen.

It continually depainteth out the sufferings, the crosses, and ig­nominious course which Christ himselfe was forced to suffer here in earth In so much as it is made knowne to be thy Church, by the continuall calamities which here in this life it endureth.

Good father, thou seest how the heathen do rage, and how the fro­ward people of the earth do mur­mure against thee in these thy members: how the Kinges of the earth band themselues, & the prin­ces [Page 41] assemble and consult together against thee, thy Christ, and against his Church. But make thy people strong in faith, that we may breake their bands, and cast their cordes from vs: For saluation belongeth vnto thee; and thy blessing is vpon thy people. Thou seest, O Lord, thou seest how the wicked bende their bowes, and make ready their arrowes, that they may secretely shoote at thy children, and to hit them that feare not. But thou righ­teous Lord, louest righteousnes, thy countenance doth behold the iust, and thine hand shal hold them vp. Withdraw not therfore thy tender mercies from thy Church: let thy mercie and thy trueth alway pre­serue it: for thou seest that innu­merable trobles are raised against it, but send thou thy light and thy truth, and let knowledge, faith and true obedience in lowlines & zeale, lead it: and by thy mightie hande preserue it in thy holy mountaine, and let it alwaies rest in thy ta­bernacles: furnish it with all ioye and gladnes, & gird it about with strēgth. Let it through thee be able [Page] to thrust back her aduersaries and in thy name, tread downe such as rise vp against her. Let thy church continually sing, The Lord is my light & my saluation, whom shall I feare? the Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shal I be afraid? In the time of trouble and daun­ger, hide thy people in thy taber­nacle in the secret place of thy pa­uilion: hide them, O Lord, and set them vpon a sure rocke, that when the wicked, euen their enemies and their foes come vpon them to de­uoure them, let them stumble and fal. Be thou our strength & shield, Thou giuest strength to thy peo­ple, and blessest them with peace. But, good Father, thou seest that the wicked furiously rage, and en­deuour to rush in vpon thy sanctu­arie, they imagine mischief against thy church, and seeke by all meanes to deuour thine inheritance. They lay snares, O Lord to entrap thy spouse, & to dismember thy Christ. They take wicked counsaile, and in deceit doe they worke all their diuises: they [...]y wait for the righ­teous companie, and seeke to de­stroye [Page 42] them. But they 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: [...] that euery member of thy church [Page] 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 [...]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 [Page 43] 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 stiffe­necked 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.

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 mal [...]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 [Page 45] 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.

CHrist forseeing in the daies of his flesh, that after his departure, his Children shoulde [Page] 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: Mat. 7. 15. 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: 2. Pet 2. 1. 2. & Sa­than should transforme himselfe in­to an Angell of light: Sathan and his mini­sters, chāge them selues into angels of ligh [...]. 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 [Page 46] of being of the flocke of Christ, but by their actions haue shewed them selues verie deuourers of the sheep of Christ, There are many kind [...] of deceiuers 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 [Page] whole sailes are deecitfull, Sathans barke a de­ceitfull and a secure [...]radle 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, Act. 20. 29. 30. 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, euē of the fellow teachers in our congregati­ons, that should speake peruerse [Page 47] 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, 1. Tim. [...]. [...]. 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, Deut. 1 [...] [...] ver. 6▪ 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, Ier. 2 [...] ▪ [...]. and which they haue [Page] 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, 1. Tim. 6. 4. euill surmisings, &c. And yet feare not nor blush to make the Lord of heauen the authour of their lies and vanities: The impu­dencie of false pro­phets. 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. 2. Cor. 12. 13. 14. 15. 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, Hacket a counterfeit Christ. that hideous Hacket, stirred vp by Sathan, who was trāsformed into no lesse in arrogation of title, then into Christ himself hauing on a kinde of habite of holinesse, his heart [Page 48] fraught with a [...]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, It is dan­gerous to dispute with false prophets 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 cōference, 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, Christians through frailty may fall into errours. 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 [Page] 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, Whereun­to a coun­terfeit show of godlinesse may tend. 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 [Page 46] preach vnto vs repentance: It is time for Gods Ministers to preach repentance & amend­mēt of lif [...] 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 warrāt 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, Ignorance the mother of errours. and erronious teachers, is ignorance of the word, which would God it were meerly banished the Church [Page] of God that through knowledge we might wade in the true worde, and by the same distinguish and [...]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, Col. 2, 2. 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. Phil. 3. 16 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 [Page 50] 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, The end of Hacket that coun­terfeit Christ▪ that counterfeit Christ, that forged king, who was deser­uedly crowned with a halter in Cheap, according to the words of Paule, 2. Cor. 1 [...]. 15. 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, 2. Tim. 2. 1 [...] 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 [Page] may stay prophane and vaine bab­lings which increase to more vn­godlines: 2. Tim, 2. 25 16. 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, 2. Tim. 6. 25 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 [...]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 [Page 51] 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. Luk. 17. 9. 10.

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, The Deuill endeuour­eth to ble­mish euerie sincere ex­ercise. 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 [Page] 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, 2. The. 2. 15. 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. The Deuill practiseth to blemish to prea­chers of the word. 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 [Page 52] 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, What the true pro­fessors must looke for. 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, A consider­ation of the contro­uersies in our owne Church. 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 [Page] 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 [Page 53] 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, Heb. 13. 17 and submit our selues, for they watch ouer oursoules, as they that must giue accounts, that they may do it [Page] with ioy, and not with griefe, for that is vnprofitable for vs, know­ing that false prophets are the ene­mies to the crosse of Christ, Phil. 3. 18. 19. whose end is damnation, 2. Tim 2. 21 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.

FOrasmuch, good Father, as the [...]atter times of the [...]orlde are come vpon vs, and we [Page 54] 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 [Page] 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 m [...]ch as the trueth it selfe is little, yea, least of all main­tayned, [Page 55] but suppressed, persecuted, and vpbrayded, euē with the titles of error, heresie, falshood, noueltie, cause of tumults, of rebelliōs, 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 [Page] 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 ^• 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 [Page 56] 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 al [...]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 [Page] felicitie, with thy Saintes in blisse. Amen.

O Lord increase our faith.

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 [Page] and high titles, Our good liking of our high e­states, dan­gerous. 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 aboū ­dance 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 [Page 58] with crueltie towards such as of­fend them? A sincere conscience must ac­companie a high of­fice or cal­ling. 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, Too good opinion of our skill in manuall occupati­ons, dange­rous. 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: Euery m [...] must con­sider why he was pl [...] ­ced in his calling. 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 [Page] 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, Iob. 1. 3. 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, 2, Sam. 16. 23 yet because it was not seasoned with the truth, in the feare of God, it turned to his owne shame, [...], Sam. 17. 23. 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 [Page 59] see▪ that not one of these excellent gifts or rare qualities, Our cal­lings them selues can not re­leeue vs. 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, No calling without the feare of God pros­pe [...]eth e­uer. 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 [Page] 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 [Page 60] house, Psal. 127. [...] 2. &c. 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 for vs to rise earlie, and to go to our rest late, and in griefe to eate our breade, vers. 20 vnlesse the Lorde giue a blessing vnto our labours and studies.

Wherefore let vs repayre vnto our good God, with humble harts in faithful supplications: that hee will giue vs ablenesse to performe our callings skilfully and religi­onslie, that in quiet of conscience wee may eate the fruites of our la­bours, and so prosper in al that we take in hand, that our brethren be neither deceyued by vs, nor our selues forced to vse any vnlawfull thing for our owne reliefe, which may offend the Lord.

O God of all comfort, and giuer of all con­solation, forgiue my sinnes, cleanse mee, and wash mee from all iniquitie, which disable mee to performe my calling, in such since­ritie as becommeth mee. And through the bloud of thy Sonne, purifie my heart, and my imper­fections, increase my knowledge and sanctifie mine affections with thy grace, that my sinnes being forgiuen, I may rest in thy fauor, and in thy fauour finde continuall comfort, and be dayly blessed with new gifts: that I may be founde perfect in my calling, seasoned so with a liuely faith in thee that thy holy spirite may continually dwell and beare rule in me, and lead mee to the due performance of those things which thou requirest to be done in my calling: that all vn­naturall affections being truelye [Page 61] mortified, I may onely rest in thee, and relie on thee, and be ruled by thee in all things.

Good Father, graunt that I may take the direct & right course in my vocation to eternall life. In which course consisteth the in­ward peace of the soule, which is onely delighted in thine inuiolable truth, reueiled by thy Sonne, and left vnto vs in his word and last will. In which his last will and Testament are comprehended all necessarie rules, and the sacred dis­cipline, whereby thy children are to guide them selues in their seue­rall callings: which directions, are comprehended in three principall vertues, by thee bestowed vp­on them that seeke them at thy hands, in the name of thy sonne, faith hope and loue: which three are so vnited and knit in one, that they dwell altogether in thine elect children: & so precisely direct them through thy grace, that they goe not awry in their callings.

I therefore (good Father) be­ing of mine owne wisdom igno­rant, and of mine owne power vn­able [Page] to comprehend the height, the length, and depth of my calling, in­stantly beseech thee, in mercy to be­holde mee, an vnperfect creature▪ without these vertues, and so a­dorne me with them, that I, may be made perfect in all good workes of the spirit, that my bodilie labors be not in vayne in thee.

Graunt also, that I may ioyne with all my trauailles, labors, af­fections, desires, and endeuours, faith with faith, knowledge with knowledge, temperance with tem­perance; patience with patience, godlines with godlines, brotherly kindnes, and with brotherly kind­nes loue: that I bee not vnfruit­full in my calling. But may ac­knowledge thy sonne Christ Je­sus, and in him to haue peace of conscience: that I may bee patient in troubles, long suffering in wronge [...]: meeke in trials: faithfull in expecting helpe in distresse, re­ioycing in heart, quieted in minde, in hope to inioy at thy handes, and in thy good time, whatsouer ma­keth to the true comforte of my soule, and the reliefe of my bodie. [Page 62] That in all truth and inward fee­ling of thine aide, my calling may be made perfecte, and sealed with the seale of thine owne spirituall approbation. So shall I thine vn­worthy creature, and all such as thou hast committed to my charge bee directed in the true know­ledge of thee, and sustayned with thinges necessary while wee liue here.

Oh blessed Lord and louing fa­ther, except thou thus direct me, I cannot stande, but shall fall into many miseries. For no estate, no degree, no calling, office function, or trade of life, can prosper or bee rightly performed, without thy continuall ayde, direction and pro­uidence.

Therefore Lord, guide mee by thy spirite, encrease my faith, giue mee wisedome and ablenes in all thinges to execute calling as I ought: and to the execution there­of, blesse all my members, make them apt and ready instrumentes to perform their duties, that in no poynt I fayle in a Christian pro­ceeding therein. And bridle in mee [Page] the nature of flesh & bloud, which (vnles thou season my affections by thy spirit) will so much the more glorie, by howe much thou hast exalted me to worldly preferment, & enable mee to liue in this world, in higher reputation than other men, whereunto flesh and bloud is ready to attribute chiefest harts ease. And by that subtil shift, Sa­than manie times, mooueth vs to relie vpon vain things. And ther­fore (good Father) vouchsafe so to ground all mine affections vppon thy feare, that I bee not miscarri­ed in my calling, from the true o­bedience vnto thee, without which neither honour, profit, friendes, wealth, wisedome, or any other blessing of thine, can steede, releeue, or comfort me.

Be present therefore, good and gracious Father, with mee, and grant that all thinges that I take in hand, may begin in knowledge, proceed in feare of thee, and end in loue, that my whole course of life may be blessed with good effect, in all my endeuours. That neither mine enemies reioyce at my mise­ries, [Page 63] the godly bee offended at my rashnesse, nor my estate hindered by my foolishnes. Good Lord grant this for thy sonnes sake. Amen.

EUery one that wal­keth aright, The poore mans enter­tainment in this pro­gresse. shal suf­fer affliction: vnder which title of afflic­tion, are compre­hended all troubles crosses and ca­lamities whatsoeuer, be it pouer­tie, sicknes, imprisonmēts, enemies losse of goods, slaunder, banish­ment. or whatsoeuer other aduer­tie. And all these, The godly & the wic­ked are troubled, but in di­uers sortes. or some parte of them do all the children of God e­specially tast, but in loue although sometime the wicked are touched with them also, in the Lords iudg­ments: But for the most part the wicked come not into misfortune like other men, The world­ly estate of the wicked. but are lusty and strong, and flourish like greene bay trees, laying vp great heapes of riches for their children. And con­trariwise, [Page] the godly, such as feare God and walke in his waies, such as tremble to sin, they are pinched with pouerty, they are visited with sicknesse, they are imprisoned, they are persecuted▪ slandered, The estate of the god­ly in this life. and taste of all the perverse things of the world, according to the saying of Dauid, Psal. 6. 2. 33 Many are the troubles of the righteous, but the Lord deliue­reth them out of all. He heareth the poore, and despiseth not his priso­ners: Such as are shut vp in the afflictions of the world, as was Dauid, who was persecuted of Saul, and crossed by his owne son Absolon: Gen. 39. 20. As Ioseph, who was im­prisoned for his sincerity & conti­nencie, whose hard & euill entreat­ment is specified Psal. 105. Ieremy the holy prophet of god, Ier. 20. 2. was like­wise imprisoned and buffeted, fet­tered and euill intreated, for doing the message of God. Daniel, Dan. 6. 6. for that he refused to commit Idola­trie was cast into the Lions den. Elias was pursued by the wicked ministers of Iezabel, to haue bene slaine, But let vs marke how the Lord worketh. Hee willeth vs to [Page 65] call vpon him, The Lord worketh [...]or his chil­dren. in the time of trou­ble, and he will heare vs and ease vs. So these men cried vnto the Lorde, Psal. 50. 15. and he deliuered them out of their distresse. Psal. 107. 1 [...] He did not onely deliuer David, but made him a king. He did not onely set Ioseph free, but made him chiefe ruler of the kings houshold, Gen. 41. 4 [...] he was exalted out of prison to promotiō: so were Ieremy, Daniel, Elias, and all Gods children deliuered. We also read of Peter, Paule, Silas, and many other: the ende of whose troubles, are comfortablie wrought by the li­uing hand of the Lorde by prayer. Prayer dra­weth [...]on­bles to a good end. Yet oftentimes the Lorde permit­teth his children to be most deepely plunged in misery, in such sort as flesh and bloude often doubteth whether it bee possible that there may be any meane to deliuer it, for we see that we stick fast) as Dauid [...]aith) in the deepe myre of trou­bles, Psal. 62. [...] where no stay is, where is no comfort at all, no friend to aide [...]s, no mean to rid vs, but the cruel [...]reames and merciles waters run [...]s it were ouer our head. Psal. 71. [...] The lord [...]heweth his children great troubles [Page] and aduersities, but he turneth vn­to vs againe, he re [...]iueth vs, and taketh vs vp from the deepe of the sea. So did he help the children of Israel, euen through the redde sea: the story of Gods great goodnesse and power therein is manifest, and comfortable to gods children, Exod. 17. 6. how he fed them in the barren wilder­nesse with bread from heauen, Psal. [...]14. 8. and how hee gaue them drinke of the hard rocke. Exo. [...]6. 13. Sampson being ready to die with thirst, Psal. 78. 6. the Lorde gaue out a fountain of water out of the tooth of the ia [...]one of an Isse to comforte him. Iud. 15. 19 Elias being hun­grie, Gods pro­uidence in feeding his children. had meate sent him from God by a Rauen: the Lorde can and will, if he see it expedient for vs, make vs bread of stones, hee preserueth his children in the fur­nace of the most cruell fiery tryall. The children of GOD walke through fire and water, Psal. 6. 12 but the Lord bringeth them into a weal thie place, Gen. 32. 10. as hee did Iacob, who came ouer Iorden with his staffe onely, but he returned very riche, God blesseth his children with good things, and when wee beginne to [Page 66] shrinke through the extremitie of our afflictions, yet hee will extende his hand, as he did vnto Peter, and will hold vs vp, that we perish not in the waters of trouble, Psal. 6 [...]. [...] Let vs thē cast our burthen vpon the Lord, & he shall nourish vs, he will not suf­fer the righteous to fal for euer. Let vs take vp the crosse & followe our maister Christ, Psal. 55. [...] who hath framed out this progresse before vs, & ta­sted of the crooked passage of the world. God is our hope & strength yea a present help in trouble: Psal. 46. [...] he is ready alwaies to bee founde, why should we then feare, or bee faint-hearted, though we fall into mise­rie, as though some strange thing happened vnto vs? Let vs be pati­ent, and wait a while, for it is the way that the godly haue walked before vs, and haue beene comfor­ted. Dauid before he was troubled went awry, Affliction a necessary meane to draw vs to God. he fell from his dutie to God, but after hee was tou­ched with the crosses of the world for his disobedience, he beganne to [...]ooke backe againe from whence hee was slidden, and acknowled­ged, that it was his sinnes that [Page] had plucked downe Gods anger against him. So he reformed his heart, and confessed, that it was good for him that he was troubled. So let euery one of vs acknow­ledge that our miseries are but messengers to reu [...]ke vs frō sin▪ & to keep vs in aw of our God, Affliction [...] of Gods loue, & [...] pros­peritie the [...]. who is so louing vnto vs, that hee will not suffer vs to fall, but wil by and by whip vs for our fault, if not, it is an argument that hee beginneth to leaue vs to our selues, to fill vp a greater measure of sinne, against the day of vēgeance. Thus he suf­freth y ^e wicked to wallow in their pleasures, in health, in wealth, in friendes, in continual prosperity & to haue, as it were all harts eas [...] in this world: but alas, it is a dan­gerous slumber wherein they ar [...] cast by the heauines of sin, wherein they lie fatting in all delightes but at last, they come to the euerlasting slaughter And farre bett [...] were it that they had suffered wa [...] in steed of wealth, A [...] saying to secure men. sicknesse in [...] of health, sorrowe in steede of ioy [...] paines in place of pleasure, and [...] misery and affliction in steede [Page 67] their delightes in this life, which is but for a moment, rather than to perish, for their pleasure eternal­lie. But alas, what is this coun­sell to the wise of this worlde? it is foolishnes. I wil therefore speak again to the poore, to the miserable, to the imprisoned, to such as li [...]e as though they were already dead, in regard that the world affordeth them no comforte, and whose life seemeth vnto the prosperous a ve­rie madnes, a very hell, and an ig­nominious life. To such I say thus and wolde with them to take vp their crosses with patience, and follow Christ. And let them not feare, though the earth be moued, and though the mountains fal into the midst of the sea, though the waters thereof rage, and be trou­bled, and the mountaines shake at the surges of the same, for there is a riuer whose streames shal make thē glad, for God is in the midst of it. And thereof giueth hee the thir­sty to drinke, and therewith wa­sheth he away the teares from the eyes of his afflicted children, and poureth aboundance of comfortes [Page] vpon all such as long for his ready help: and let them knowe this, Psal. 9. 18. that the poore shall not alwayes bee for­gotten. The hope of the afflicted shall not perish for euer: Gods fa­therly care of his chil­dren. the Lord is a refuge for the poore, a refuge in the time of trouble: hee forget­teth not the cōplaint of the poore. But for the oppression of the nee­die, and for the sighes of the poore, I will vp, Psal. 22. 3 saith the Lord, and wil set at libertie whome the wicked hath imprisoned. psal. 18, 2. The Lorde is our rocke, and our fortresse, it is he that deliuereth vs, he is our strēgth, let vs trust in him, our shielde, the horne also of our saluation, and our refuge: he is not as the world, who loueth onely the glorious, The world loueth things fa­mous and glorious, The Lorde despiseth not the poore. the rich, and such as are famous in the world, and who abhorreth the needie, the base, the poore, and mi­serable. But the Lorde loueth and regardeth, he fauoureth and relee­ueth the poore: hee hideth not his face from him that is in miserie: but when he calleth vpon him, hee heareth him, and releeueth him: And howsoeuer miserably we be [...] crossed: let vs bee comforted, for [Page 68] the porest that trusteth in him shall eat and be satisfied. They that seek him, shall want no manner of thing that is good: although for a time, we be tryed and cast down, and most miserablie tossed in this cruel world, and though wee seeme to walke through the valley of the shaddow of death, let vs not feare, for God is with vs, his rod and his staffe will comfort vs: he will prepare a table for vs in the sight of such as seeme to say of vs. God hath forgotten them: hee shall an­noint our heades with the oile of inward comfort: he will fill our cup, The worlde addeth sor­row to him that God visiteth. and our ioy shall be full. psal. 69. 16. And although it fall out with the godly in this worlde, that when they are afflicted, the wicked, nay, some­times such as carrie great colour of Christianitie, are ready to per­secute them whome the Lorde visi­teth, and sticke not to ad more sor­row vnto their griefe, whom the Lord toucheth with any crosse. It is no new thing, for experience it selfe teacheth it, and it is become a prouerbe, that one mischiefe fol­loweth another, and all troubles [Page] come together: and to verifie it e­uery euill is made to fall vpon the afflicted man, and the worlde ad­deth miserie to misery, wha [...] then? shall Gods childrē dismay at this? God forbid: nay, which is more, we see, that if it please God to pull vs downe from prosperity to aduer­sitie, from ability and weal [...], to disability and pouertie, as many times the most godly are by the hand of God, in loue: How do our auncient friendes and familiar ac­quaintance slide frō vs, as though they knew vs not? They scorne to see vs, [...] dearest frends flie from vs in our trou­bles. and they passe by vs, nod­ding the head, saying reprochfully, he trusted in God, but see his mise­rie: and if there be any cause, they will haue a blow at him, Psal. 38. 11. that is al­ready striken: and they thinke it seruice to God, to vexe them that are vexed, and to afflicte the affli­cted. And surely, if without offence I may make the comparison, the men of this world may be likened to a company of dogges, who will ioyne all together vpon a poore curre, that is already ouermatched. And so do the cruell men, hand in [Page 69] hand ioyne together to oppresse the oppressed And therfore al such as feare God, The whole world is set against the Godly. arme you against troubles, for the whole world is set against you. Are yee poore? it will seeke your further miserie: are ye slaundered? it will speake more euill of you: haue yee enemies? it will also hate you: are ye any way afflicted? it will seeke to pull you vtterly down. But stand valiant­lie, fight a good fight against all these crosses, not with the hand of reuenge, but with patient abiding: so shall yee find rest at the last. Cast all your care vpon God, 1 Pet. 5. 7. for hee ca­reth for you, his eyes are alwayes ouer the righteous, 2 Pet. 3. 12. and his eares continually open vnto their pray­ers. Grudge ye not therefore at the prosperity of the worldly men, who liue here in all pleasure and wantonnesse, nourishing their heartes as in the day of slaughter: Eph. 5. 5. [...] although they seeke to kill you, and to oppresse you, bee patient vnto the comming of the Lorde, settle your hartes, for his comming dra­weth neere, and take the Prophets for an example of suffering aduer­sitie, [Page] and of long patience, who ac­counted them blessed which endu­red: They that suffer are bl [...]ssed. consider the patience of Iob, and his miserie, and marke what end the Lord made, for assuredly, the Lord is very pittifull, and mer­ciful, wh [...] although sorrow▪ mour­ning, & teares endure for a night, hee sendeth ioy againe in the mor­ning: although father, mother, and friends forsake vs, the Lorde ta­keth vs vp: although we may not looke for outwarde comfort while we liue here. [...]. 9. 10. Yet let vs suffer affli­ction, let vs sorrowe and weepe, let our laughter be turned into mour­ning, and our ioy into heauinesse: let vs cast downe our selues before the Lord, and he will lift vs vp. He hath saide, [...] [...]3. 5. I will not faile thee, nor forsake thee. Howsoeuer we fall, wee shall not perish, for the Lord putteth to his hande, and there­fore may the poore afflicted build his comforte vpon this promise, and say, Psal. 37. 24. Vers, 6. The Lorde is my helper, neither will I feare what man can doe vnto mee. Hearken yet yee poore children of God, what Dauid saith to comfort you, I haue bene [Page 70] young and now am old, Psal. 37. yet saw I neuer the righteous forsaken, nor their children to beg their breade. Hath not God chosen the poore of this world, Iam. 2. 5 that they should be rich in faith, and heires of the king­dome which he promised to them that loue him? Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God, commit their soules to him in well doing, 1. Pet. 4. [...] as vnto a faithfull Creator. And reioyce yee in as much as ye are partakers of Christs suffering, verse. 13. that when his glorie shal appear ye may be glad and reioice. In the meane time, let vs repaire vnto him in prayer.

O Lord God, my most louing Father, & crea­tor, who of thy franke and free fauour hast called mee into this world, and placed me in the same, when I wādred as a poor pilgrim, a miserable and distressed wretch [...] for whome thou heretofore hast vouchsafed to prouide thinges ne­cessarie and expedient, and hast al­so giuen mee prosperous and gra­cious successe in my proceedinges. But of late, my sinnes haue made a seperation betweene thy fauour and my necessitie, in so much as I now feele thy heauy hand of iudg­ment, wherein I am bereaued of some of thy woonted comfortes, in somuch as it seemeth that thou set­test thy self, as it were against me: but alas, what am I earth and a­shes, that thou shouldest contend with me? let it rather please thee (good Father) to refresh mee with [Page 71] the timelie showers and pleasaunt dewe of thy louing assistance, that where I am now low, I may bee exalted to thy protection: being poore, I may be enabled to liue: be­ing base, or of little or no credit in the world. I may be beloued and imbraced, and comforted of thee: behold my pouertie, consider mine affliction, and weigh my miseries: For innumerable troubles haue compassed mee, my sinnes haue taken such holde vpon mee that I am not able to looke vp. Oh let it please thee (good Father) to deliuer me, make hast (O Lord) to releeue me, though I be poore and needie: O thinke thou on me, thou art my helper and my deliuerer, oh make no long tarrying: O (my God) why hast thou fergotten me? thou art the God of my strength, why hast thou put mee away: vp (my God) why sleepest thou, awake, be not farre off for euer, wherefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest my miserie and affliction? my soule is beaten downe, I haue no ayde, no comfort, all my consolation is come to an end, therefore rise vp, [Page] O succour me, rise vp, O my hel­per, rise vp, O my castle, rise vp, O my refuge, rise vp and restore mee againe, thou God of my comfort, Thou rocke, and my fortresse, my strength, my shield, the horne also of my saluation, and my refuge.

Thou hast promised to be a re­fuge for the poore, a refuge in due time, euen in affliction. I am poore and in miserie, help me, for baine is the helpe of man. They that knowe thy name, will trust in thee, for thou neuer failest them that trust in thee. The poore shall not alwayes be forgotten, the hope of the afflicted shall not perish for euer. Thou hast promised to blesse our victuals, and to satisfie the poore with breade. Innumerable are thy mercies, and that my soule knoweth right well, and I thirst after thee in a barren & drie land: I wait thy releefe, in this mise­rable time, wherein there is no comfort: but thou vpholdest them that fall, thou releeuest all that are ready to perish, and therefore doe the eyes of all wayte on thee, and thou giuest vs all meate [...] [Page 72] due season: open thine hand, and fill vs with thy blessings. Diuide the red sea of this cruell, euill, and hard worlde, that wee may passe through our dayes without dan­ger, satisfied with euerie good thing: open the hard rocke, and giue vs the water of comfort to drinke, send vs the Manna of thy loue and ready helpe, that we may bee filled with all good thinges. Stand in the gappe betweene vs and our aduersaries, that our ene­mies oppresse vs not. Increase the oyle and meale of our stocke and store, that we may haue sufficient, not only to feede and cloth vs, but to releeue thy poore children, and to pay what we owe vnto all men, that we owe nothing to anie man but good will Great art thou (oh God) and great is thy power, yea, thy wisdome and prouidence is infinite, and past finding out: Worke therefore (good Father) worke for mee thy poore wretched creature, that haue no meane to help or releeue my selfe. Help thou me (O my God) that I may say and confesse, I sought my God, [Page] and he heard me, and deliuered me out of all my troubles.

Oh turne thee (good Father) turne thee towardes me, and haue mercie vpon me, for vnlesse thou hold me vp, I shall fall, vnles thou stay me, I shall bee ouerthrowne, and vnlesse thou releeue me, I shal vtterly perish.

Oh, the remembrance of thy loue is sweet, the experience of thy power recomforteth my soule. It was thou, O Lord, that sentest E­lias foode by a rauen, euen so canst thou by vnexpected meanes sende comfort vnto thy children, euen in raysing vp the most cruell men of the world to releeue them. It was thou that deliueredst Daniel from the Lyons, and thou canst deliuer vs from the cruell men of the worlde. It was thou that direc­tedst the hand of Dauid to kil Go­liah, and thou canst teach our fin­gers to fight and withstand them that rise vp against vs. It was thou that filledst many thousande people with a small show of bread and Fishes, and it is thou that canst feede thy seruantes that call [Page 73] vpon thee euen with little in shew, and canst increase it as thou wilt. It was thou that diddest saue thy three childrē in the furnace from the force of the fire, and thou canst preserue vs in the fierie triall of this world. It was thou that deliueredst Paule and Sylas out of prison, and thou canst deliuer thy children out of whatsoeuer cap­tiuitie. It was thou that didst worke for Ioseph, that his impri­sonment turned to his promoti­on, and thou canst turne al our ca­lamities to our comfort. It was thou that raysedst mee from my mothers breast vnto this estate wherein I am, and thou canst preserue me, feede me, and hold me vp for euer: yea (good God) I, euen I by experience, can sing of thy goodnes, yea, the goodnesse of the Lord endureth for euer, the mer­cies of the Lord endure for euer, the loue of the Lord endureth for euer, the power of the Lord endu­reth for euer, yea, the willingnesse and the readines of the lord to re­leeue the afflicted, indureth for e­uer, yea, let all such as heretofore [Page] haue beene dull of beleefe, nowe see and consider, that great is the God of Abraham, of Isaak, and of Jacob, yea, our God, the God of all the beleeuers, whose hand is mightie to saue, his mercies infi­nite, his loue woonderfull, his pro­uidence past finding out: when sor­row commeth in the euening, thou Lord, sendest ioy again in the mor­ning: when I am in neede, thou releeuest me, when I am in dan­ger, thou comfortest mee, when I am sicke, thou makest my bed, and curest my disease. When haue I come vnto thee, and haue bene re­iected? Neuer hath my complaint bene put back, but louinglie hard, and my petitions graunted, so that I reste assured of thy conti­nuall help. I am forced (good Fa­ther) to seeke thee dayly, and thou offerest thy selfe dayly to be found, whensoeuer I seeke, I finde thee, in my house, in the fieldes, in the Temple, and in the high waye: Whatsoeuer I doe thou art with mee, whether I eate, or drinke, whether I write, or worke, goe, or ride, reade, meditate, or pray, [Page 74] thou art euer with me wheresoe­uer I am, or whatsoeuer I doe, I feele some measure of thy mercies and loue. If I be oppressed, thou defendest me, if I be enuied, thou gardest mee, if I hunger, thou feedest me, whatsoeuer I want, thou giuest me. Oh continue this thy louing kindnesse towards mee for euer, that all the worlde may see thy power, thy mercie, and thy loue, wherein thou hast not fayled me, and euen mine enemies shall see that thy mercies endure for­euer.

O Lord increase our faith.

IT is a necessary thing while we liue here, that wee should bee continually exercised in a due contempla­tion of Gods mercies towardes vs, All seasons giue vs oc­casion to praise God. and there is no time, but ne­cessarilie administreth vnto vs great and daylie occasions to cele­brate the name of the Lord.

If we looke into the day, wher­into wee enter rising out of our beddes, a thousand thinges open themselues vnto the viewe of our eyes, whose glorie and beautie, put vs in mind of our farre surpassing glorie to come, as also of our frail­tie, and ignominie present. For what are we of our selues, We men of our owne nature far worse than the floures of the field. in re­gard of the flowers of the fielde, whose beautie and hew, may make vs blush, and indeede to tremble, in respect of our casuall and short continuance here, had wee not a certaine assurance of a more glori­ous estate to come: for as we see [Page 76] the most sweete & fragrant floure quicklie to fade: A resem­blance of the estate of mans life as to grow in the morning gay, and in the euening cut downe and withered, and all other thinges to come speedilie to their end: euen such is our estate if we consider the vncertaintie of our dayes, which would soone haue an ende, did not the mercies of the Lord, and his comfortable hand conduct vs, and holde vs vp.

For let vs consider how the want of our daylie sleepe doth an­noy vs: The bene­fite of day­ly sleepe. who can forbeare sleep one weeke? nay, for lesse while? What thing is more tedious and irksome vnto the bodie, The want of dayly rest grie­uous to the body, and the vse thereof the contrary. than the want of dayly rest? and what comforteth it more than the daylie vse and en­ioying thereof? and what are we, being possessed with heauines and drousines of the bodie? and when we are cast into a dead sleepe, are we not as dead men? Sleepe ma­keth vs be­ing aliue, to resemble men dead. whose me­morie, hearing, seeing, and all other sences are cleane gone? wherein we are seperated (as it were) from God and the world, wee can nei­ther think on God, or good things, [Page] we cannot doe any thing where­by to defend our selues from the least danger.

Let vs therefore this morning recount the light & great fauour of our good God towards vs, We should in the mor­ning re­count Gods bles­sings in the night past. where­in euen this night he hath preser­ued vs from many casualties, whereof there are many kinds, by theeues and robbers, by fire, by suddaine sicknes. Yea, death see­meth to haue a hand fixed on vs, which might easilie haue dispat­ched vs this night, had not God preuented vs, whose continuall help is so ready, that euery mor­ning doth witnesse his loue. Let vs therfore reuerentlie fall downe, What our dutie is to­wards God in the mor­ning. and giue him condigne thankes, for all his louing kindnes towards vs: yea, early now this morning, let vs shew foorth the louing kind­nes of the Lord. Psal. 92. 2.

O Lord, I will praise thy name, earlie now this morning will I glorifie thee, who by thy louing protecti­on hast so garded me, that no euill hath taken hold of me this night.

Oh most high, mightie, and fa­uourable God, the day is thine, and the night is thine: thou hast framed the day for vs to trauaile in, and the night thou hast appoin­ted for vs to rest in. I giue thee most humble & vnfained thankes, good father, for thine vnspeakeable mercies, who hast not only giuen me my comfortable rest this night past, but also hast kept me, as it were, vnder the shaddow of thy wings, euen as the apple of thine owne eie. And had I not bene de­fended by thee, innumerable daun­gers had ouertaken mee. If then hadst not raised mee vp this mor­ning, I should not haue bene able [Page] to rise, but haue perished in my bed. O great is thy mercy towards me, far surpassing my deserts: for it is thy hand (good Father) that hath this night preserued me from perishing. Therfore lift I vp mine eyes euen to the heauens, from whence I haue obtained this safe­tie. Yea, betimes in the morning I wil call vpon thee, that thy mer­cies may euermore preserue mee, and ouershaddow me, that no euill either of soule or bodie hurt mee: and graunt that thy most sacred protection may alwayes preuent al the secrete and open euils which hang ouer my head.

Giue me thy spirit of wisedome and reuelation, this morning, that I may know thee, and serue thee. Lighten the eies of mine vnder­standing, that I may knowe thy will, and according vnto the same, frame all mine actions this day: and graunt also, that I may finde how excellent thou art in thy po­wer, how sweete thou art in thy mercies, and in performing thy promises, wherin thou continual­lie workest, to the comfort, defence, [Page 78] and releefe, of all such as come vn­to thee.

O Lord increase our faith.

THe day being now past, & the light of y ^e sun being ouer­shaddowed with darkenes, A godly considera­tion in the entrance of the eue­ning. let vs consider, that e­uen so there will come the daye wherein the light of our bodilie eies shall be shut vp, not for a night as in the bed through a slumber, The night is ordained for the rest of man. but vntil the appearance of Christ in his glorie, comming to iudge­ment.

And forasmuch as al things for the most part, A conside­ration of our estate in the night, with a godly resolution when we shut vp our eies to rest▪ at this time betake them to their rest, & man is limit­ted this time to cease from his la­bours. It is our duties especially to betake vs into the gracious protection of our good God, sub­mitting vs, our bodies and soules, [Page] to his tuitiō, that if it be his plea­sure to touch vs this night with the finger of death, we may be so readilie prepared, that we bee not taken at vnawares, but that wee may haue the light of the lamp of a faithfull expectation of that bles­sed houre, burning continuallie in our hearts, which may awaken vs out of the deadly slumber of securi­tie, whereby otherwise, we shall be so darkened, that we shall perish, not onlie in our beds for a time, but in our soules and bodies for euer. And surely in this danger shal we sleep, vnlesse we betake vs into the hands of God when we go to bed. It is a matter of great moment, little regarded of worldly men. How the children of God [...] them to [...] rest in the night. But the children of God farre otherwise betake themselues to their corporall rest, for they make their sleepe an image of their death, and their bed they enter in­to, as into their graue, and in the morning when the sun and light appeareth, they take a new occasi­on, when they rise to contemplate of the celestiall and eternall light, glorifying the name of God, for [Page 79] his most gratious protection.

And therefore arise now all yee seruants of the Lord, cry out in the night, poure out your hearts like water, before the face of our li­uing God.

I Thanke thee (good God, and most mer­cifull father) whose prouidence reacheth vnto the least of thy creatures, and thy fauour and loue alwaies wait vp­on thy children to preserue them: thou hast executed thy sacred com­forts towards me this day, thou hast giuen me all things necessary: and hast suffered none euill to an­noy me. And by thy mightie wor­king, I haue passed this day, and am now come to the ende thereof, entring into the dark and lothsom night wherin many dangers lurk, and lie secretlie hidden, to vexe thy children, if thou preuent them not in thy wisedome and loue. Haue [Page] regard therefore (good Father) vnto mee, who am fraile, and soone fall into many things offensiue vnto thy Maiestie: and the right is often polluted with my sinnes, insomuch as I cannot but accuse my selfe before thee, that my sleepe cannot be iustified to be pure, but euen therein, by dreames, fantasies of the flesh, and many vaine temp­tations. I am often mooued to consent vnto that which thou lo­thest, and can in no wise then per­forme what thou louest.

Sith therfore (my good father) that I through my sinnes deserue no fauour but punishment, I ap­peale vnto thy mercy in Christ, beseeching thee for his sake, to an­noint the eies of my heart with the oyle of thy grace, that though the naturall man slumber, and in slumbering fall away by weaknes, yet my soule may be refreshed this night, with diligent watchfulnes, least that the aduersarie sowing therein the tares of temptation, I giue consent to sin, and so endan­ger both body & soule by my neg­ligence, Good Father, pardon my [Page 80] sinnes for thy names sake, be mer­ciful vnto me, receiue me this night into thy custodie and safe protecti­on, let thy grace comfort me, and let thy continuall fauour defend me from all perils. And in thy loue vouchsafe me such comfor­table rest, as thou shalt see expedi­ent for the refreshment and pre­seruation of the helth of my bodie, which els cannot but waxe feeble, and be made subiect to such infir­mities, as I shall not be able to execute my dutie vnto thee.

In thy name therfore, good Fa­ther, I yeeld my selfe vnto my rest, wherein let thy holy spirit keepe the doore of my hart, and thy holy Angels attend about my bed for my safetie, for Christ Jesus thy deare sonnes merits. Amen.

O Lord increase our faith.

Tremble and sinne not, exa­mine your owne hearts vpon your bed, and be still. Psal. 4. 4.

O Lord increase our faith.

IT is a common matter and neces­sary for Princes and great estates, How Prin­ces and great men vse to deck their hou­ses, where they pur­pose to a­bide. vpon their repaire vnto any house. wherin they pur­pose to make any small abode, to take order that the same be clean­sed, swept, garnished, perfumed, and set in decent and pleasing or­der, as well for healths sake as for somelines, pleasure, and delight. But much more it behoueth vs, that haue taken by our lodgings, [Page 82] and abiding places in these our mortall bodies, to take order with our affections, What or­der wee must take in our bo­dily houses. wils, and dispositi­ons, that our conuersations be in such decent, comely, sweete, and comfortable order disposed, that our soules be not annoyd with the filth and stincke of our corrupti­ons, while we abide in the same, but rather that our soules may be delighted with the sweete odours, and sacred perfumes of sanctitie and spirituall graces.

Wee must therefore like vnto good Surueyers and ouerseers of our owne buildings, carefully en­deuour, that all the noysome pla­ces within our building be clen­sed and the contagious sincks and vnseemely filth and rubble, which disgrace or annoy the same, be cast out and swept. We must clense the hart aboue all other places. And aboue all, we must looke into the heart, for there lieth infinite filthines, and vnles it be carefully seene vnto, it wil hard­ly be throughly clensed, Iere. 17. 9. for the hart is the place that is most deceit­full and wicked, yea aboue all the other parts of the bodie: and ther­fore it is demaunded; who can [Page] know it? In so much as the Pro­phet argueth, The heart is a subtile corner. that the heart is so subtil and deceitfull, that vnles we most narrowly search it, there will lye hidden filthinesse & corruption, when we thinke it is well swept and garnished. It is a dangerous thing for vs to flatter our selues in our hearts, saying, our hearts are cleane, Deut. 29. 19 and we shal haue peace. and yet the filthines of sin rest in vs, Acts. 8. 23. and y ^e roote that bringeth foorth gall and wormewood, groweth in our willes & behauiour. But we must circumcise our hearts, Deut. 30. 6. we must cut off all peruerse & corrupt affections, and purge vs of all ini­quitie, wherein we must craue the assistance of y ^e spirit of God, which will purifie our hearts. And hee that will not thus endeuour to cleanse this most filthie part of his house, but resteth stiffe-necked, and as it were, Acts. 7. 51. of an vncircumci­sed hart and eare, not forsaking his old wicked conuersation, neither will heare whē God speaketh vn­to him: he doeth as it were, resist the holy Ghost. And his filthi­nes will so infect his poore soule, [Page 83] 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: We must cast away the dregs of old A­dam, & im­brace Christ. 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 [Page] 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 [Page 84] heauenly habitation, the absolute end of our progresse, and the full accomplishment of our heauenlie hearts ease.

Let vs then consider, Where­withall we must adorn the houses of our soules in this life. 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, The fruites of the spi­rit, must bewtifie our earthly taberna­cles. 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 [Page] 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: We liue not to our selues, nor for our selues. 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, Euery body hath 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 [Page 85] 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, We are to thanke God for our head Queene Elizabeth 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, 1 King. 10▪ 8. 9. hap­py are these thy seruantes, The Queen of Saba to Salomon. 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. Pro. 24, [...] ▪ 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 [Page] hath tasted the like benefites, by peace, No nation hath tasted like bles­sings as England. 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, England spiritually [...]. 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 [Page 86] 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, How sub­iects must fashion themselues in obedi­ence. 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: 1. Pet. 2. [...]. 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. Exo. 22. 28. We are commanded reue­rently to vse the Judges, and not to speake euill of the ruler of the people. Euery soule must subiect it self to the higher powers, for there [Page] is no power but of God, Rom. 13. 1. 2 and the powers that are, are ordayned of God: whosoeuer therefore re­sisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God, and they that resist, they that will not obey and submit themselues vnto such as are in authoritie, shall receyue vnto them selues iudgemente: they shall bee punished, The disobe­dient shal­be punished not onely by the censure of the iudge in this worlde, but by the iudgement of God.

This then is not the least thing that we should haue care of, while we are in this house, to cast out of our hartes all disobedience, and so beautifie the same with vnfayned loue vnto her Maiestie: who so wisely ordereth and gouerneth this our standing house, Q. Eliza­beth aideth her distres­sed people. and louingly entertaineth euery member of this bodie, that shee suffereth not the least, the weakest, the poorest, nor the basest to bee distressed, wrong­ed, or abused, but shee extendeth present reliefe, comfort, and assi­stance.

What an vnnaturall member is it then, that will raise it selfe vp, [Page 87] to offend this so sacred a head: nay what member is it, vnlesse hee bee ouermuch infected with the poy­son of enuie, that will not striue by all possible strength to performe the dutie of a true subiect in what­soeuer office, calling or authority he bee placed: although very dan­gerous members haue beene found in this body: Withered members of the body of the commō wealth. but they were withe­red & dryed vp with the scorching sunne of vaine glorie, so that they in their callings could bring forth no fruite, but very rottennesse of heart, wherein lurked nothing but the eating wormes of enuie, the viperous affection of hatred vnto the truth, and consequentlie diue­lish desires to disturbe, nay, to sub­uert and confounde the whole bo­dy. But their rottennes, and fil­thinesse haue beene happily founde out and they iustly cut off.

Let vs therefore that now litte in a time wherein euery man may walke in his dutie aright, while it is to day, yea, while wee are in this earthly tabernacle, We must all wel agree in our callings and there­in haue the comfortable vse of the worde to teach and direct vs: [Page] let vs all endeuour to keepe a di­rect course in euery of our particu­ler callings, y ^t we all may be found liuely and profitable members of this our common weale.

And no doubt (which I hear­tely wish in the Lord) but all our gouernours knowe what belon­geth vnto their christian duties, wherein they ought to consecrate themselues wholly, Gouernors must ende­uour to preserue the common wealth. to the benefite, profite, honour and quiet of this our publique stare, wherein they are appointed to gouerne, not spa­ring any labour, care, expences, toile of minde or bodie, no not their liues, to preserue and keep this our Common weale, in all happy feli­city. And as in these our sacred go­uernours and magistrates, there appeareth a continuall working & watchfulnes for the maintenaunce and vpholding of this publique weale: So in vs that are to be go­uerned, there is a necessitie of re­solute obedience and dutie vnto their authority, Necessity of obedience laide vpon subiects. laid vpon vs. And forasmuch as we see by experience, that the wisdome, loue, and zeale of our gracious superiour gouer­nour, [Page 88] doth in some measure seeme to surmount her authority, in com­manding vs, let our humilitie, loue and free obedience towardes her, and the gouernours vnder her, be greater then our ciuill subiection: And let our hartes in all fulnes be fraught with such dutiful desire, to frame our whole affections to the will of the Magistrates, that there may be no occasion giuen them to lift vp the sword of iustice against any of vs, for they beare not the sword for nought: hee that offen­deth shall be punished, and euery e­uill member of this body shall bee cut off by the same. Euery good member is praysed and receiueth reward. But such as are profitable & helping members, shall not onely not taste of punish­ment, but be praised: and euery good endeuour shal receiue his rewarde: yea, and whosoeuer is grieued a­mongst vs, if it be the foote, then y ^e head it selfe, and the most especiall members of the bodie, will haue regarde vnto the same, and en­cline help thereunto, as vnto them­selues.

Who therefore woulde not en­deuour with al force, to answere in [Page] dutie what is offered and admini­stred vnto vs, Obedience the prop of our quiet. from these higher powers? for take away obedience, and we cannot but fall into many miserable calamities, while we are in this howse of our mortall bo­dies. A priuate howse wee see is well ordered, when seruants yeeld obedience to their maisters, and children humility to their parents: But turne it contrary, and there followeth present confusion: how much more will the calamitie bee great, and the mischiefe intolle­rable, if there shoulde not bee true loyalty in the subiectes towardes their gouernors, as there is godly carefulnes in the gouernours for the preseruation of the subiect?

Wee runne the most of vs, and especially which are the inferiour sort, into a most rash breach of the lawes carefully made by our supe­riours, and it argueth in vs incon­stancy, and bewrayeth in vs that our heartes are not fully cleansed from grose enormities. And ther­fore if it will rest in this house of our earthly bodies, in hope when we depart hence, to attaine vnto [Page 89] that spiritual home, that sacred Ci­tie which wee seeke, that place of perpetuitie and euerlasting ioy. We must enter againe into our hearts and thrust out the olde grosse de­sires, and corrupt affections there lurking, which breake forth often­times to the breach of the lawes of our common weale, God seeth our wal­kings. which should be kept by vs inuiolable. But es­pecially wee therein violate the lawes of our God, who looketh on vs, who considereth our waies, and beholdeth our proceedinges, howsoeuer we thinke he seeth vs not.

It might be thought a superflu­ous thing to set downe perticular­ly wherein we offend grosely, but for that it is a thing necessary that they should be considered and re­formed, I will briefly call to mind some such as I wish especially were redressed: Among which, as the most ougly before God and good men, Pride, a most vglie sinne be­fore God, is Pride, a peeuish euill, & a flattering conceit of our selues, that we are that which indeed we are not, and indeede wee make our selues monsters, and are not, for [Page] God hauing created vs seemely, and the most glorious of all other creatures, we of our selues deform our selues, & marre by our mischief what God hath made in his mer­cy. But the beginning hereof, euen of our pride, is, to fall away from God, and to turne our hearts from our maker. Being falne from God we are cast downe vnto Sathan. and turning our hearts from our maker, wee become one in consent with our miscarier: & yet how go [...]ehand in hand with this wicked one, by whome we were deceiued, euen in the humour of pride, in the beginning? and can not yet take heed of his wiles, wherof the grea­test is this filthy fashiō pride: And the pride of England, The pride of England. is, as it were set vp vpon the highest mountaine of the worlde, seene and scorned e­uen of very infidels of the earth [...] such as knowe not God, make meruaile of our monstrous attire which exceedeth not onely in cos [...] and colour, but in weight and fa­shion: oh pull it downe, it is no [...] fit for such as are taking the wa [...] to the kingdome of heauen, it agreeth [Page 90] not with the guest which lodgeth in vs, Pride pol­luteth all the corners of our house. the spirite of God: it is no fitte ornament to decke the howse of our silly soules, for it stinketh and polluteth all corners of the house: oh remoue it, and sende euery Countrey his fashion againe: bee not beholden to any nation for such trumpery, neyther to the garmentmaker, whose study therein though it please the vaine-glorious for a time, it will bring repentance, too late to the worke and the workeman. It is from the Court come into the Countrey, a dangerous euill, and hath infected the poore plowman, that an years wages sufficeth not one suite of attire. If I should tel all, the carter woulde steppe in with his courtly gards, The cart [...] and plow­man excee­deth in pride. and will defie him that is not of the fashion: men and wo­men, the rich and the poore, the olde and the yong, are too far gone in this sicknesse, the Lorde giue a timely medicine, least wee perish therein. We might (were we mind­full of our dangers) call to minde what diuersities of diseases, and strange maladies, haue beene a­mongst [Page] vs of late, as though the Lord would say, as ye change your affections vpon vaine things, & as yee are neuer satisfied w ^t variety of fashions, falling dayly from me, so will I make you know by the vari­etie of my punishments, y ^t I haue yet in store more strange calamities then yet ye haue felt. And shal we not yet cast off these enormities? Surely it is so dislike that wed­ding garment, wherwith we must enter into our heauēly harts ease, and it is so strange vnto the Lord, that he wil not know vs to be his: oh that it were reformed, for euery man and woman wade in excesse in this sinne, without reproofe, let it be reformed, lest God reprooue vs.

Should wee let passe some little recompting of another grosse euill, whose reproofe is deseruedly set downe by the sacred censure of God, and therefore I will shewe what the Lorde himselfe speaketh against it, y ^t I may be irreprouea­ble, 1. Tim. 6 10 Couetous­nesse the The desire of money is y ^e root of all euill. Oh what a short and sharpe sentence is this? If it be the [Page 91] roote of all euill, then hath it no doubt many braunches of euill, therefore is it very vnfit to rest in this house of our soules, for they that haue thus lusted extraordina­rily for this worldly mucke, haue erred from the faith, and pearced themselues through with many sor­rows. See what a most dangerous euill this couetousnes is, it disqui­eteth both the body and minde here. The whole house is out of or­der where this filthynes lieth, and therefore aboue all other euils it is to bee reformed for that it distem­pereth vs here, and stoppeth the wayes that should leade vs to our heauenly hartes ease. Woe be vnto ye riche, saith Christ, for yee haue your consolatiō here. It is a sinne so displeasing vnto the Lord, that hee pronounced destruction vnto y ^e people of Israel, Ierem. [...] for that from y ^e least vnto the greatest of them, e­uery one was giuen vnto coue­tousnes. Let vs therefore haue a care to reforme this enormitie, and let vs cast it out of our hearts, for it breedeth many euils: yet this e­uill aboue all other, seemeth vnpu­nishable, [Page] nay rather commendable. Couetous­nes vnpuni­shable. because it seemeth good husbandry. But all that are in the right way vnto that heauenly harts ease, will cast it out of this their standing house, as durt, dung, and vnpro­fitable rubble.

This euil of couetousnes, draw­eth vnto it another dāgerous euil, Flatterers. flattery, which is an euill that dra­weth light conceited mē into vain-glory. But all flattery is as y ^e kisse of an enemy, as was Iudas, and therefore are all flatterers to bee reiected, & to be cast out of this cō ­mon society of the mēbers of this body, and to be cut off as vnprofi­table and perillous, yet these pros­per in the worlde: & fare far better then such as speake the truth from their hearts. Cast them off.

Certain idle persons, whose in­fections do annoy a great parte of this bodie, are to bee cured or cut off, for they are daungerous mem­bers, for whose reformation haue beene made many notable prouisi­ons, by sundry sage & graue actes, and howses of correction for vaga­rants, erected in euery shire. But [Page 92] it falleth out, that the number of such daungerous weeds rather in­crease then diminish, to the great detriment of our quiet abiding in this standing howse of our com­mon weale: wherein I suppose the negligence of inferiour officers, is a great occasion of their increase.

I haue trauelledm any shires, and it appeareth that there is little or no executiō of these good lawes, greatly to be lamented, not only in regard of the common quiet which by them is like to be disturbed, but also in regard of the persons them­selues, who endaunger their own estates, by their vngodly loosenes and lewdnes of life. The common wealth also loosing their labour & trauel, which might in some mea­sure steed their brethren, if with a sound and godly disposition, they would frame their lims to labour, yet eat they that which is gottē by the sweat of other men. The num­ber of these persons is great, the persons themselues for the most part, able of body, hardy, stout har­ted, and fit to be imploid in strong affaires, a number of them yet [Page] counterfeyting impotency, and de­forming themselues with rotten ragges, passe through the country halting in the day time, and often­times annoy the good members of this publike weale in the night. These passe and repasse by such as haue authority to examine, to com­mit, to punish, and to reforme their disorder, and yet fewe or none set hand to redresse it. If the Citie of London be viewed, the streetes within it, & the suburbes & fieldes neere it, will yeeld of young & old, men and women, able of body to serue maisters, and to labour for their liuing, a great number of va­gabondes. And which is most la­mentable, the young and tender girles & lads of all ages, lie vnder stalles in the streets by great com­panies vnder hedges in the fieldes, & no man taketh them vp, to bring them to some faculty to get their liuings, as is commanded, but suf­fer them to wallow stil in idlenes, vntill they be past to be reclaimed, falling into breach of the lawes, and so are eaten vp with vntimely death: who if they had beene care­fully [Page 93] prouided for, they might haue proued good members of the weale publike. It is no new thing, and would God it might bee nowe at the eldest estate, that these euilles might be cut off, or in some mea­sure reformed. The roote being cut in sunder, the branches would wi­ther, for there are diuers occasions giuen and tollerated, whereby they thus grow into these idle and va­grant courses. It seemeth lawful, for it is tollerated, that euery man at his pleasure may leaue his tra­uel, and go to the play house, bow­ling Allyes. Beare gardens, Ale houses, Tauernes, and gaming, where they lose their time, cōsume their thrift, and offende the lawes of God, and her Maiesty. And the Sabboth day which shoulde bee sanctified with prayer, and hearing of the worde, is prophaned with these accustomed euils, which if they were cast out as vnprofitable, in this our earthly abiding place, wee should the more sweetely passe on the way to our heauenly harts ease. For out of these euils of i­dlenesse and loytering, spring ma­ny [Page] noysome thinges, that blemish our body here, as filthines of the flesh, drunkennes, gluttony, swea­ring, and blasphemy, forgetfulnes of God, and contempt of Magi­strates, wherewith our abode here being grossely defiled, such will be our vnsauery dwelling, that our spiritual guest the holy Ghost, wil refuse to abide with vs.

I herefore, 2. Tim. 6. 11. to 16. O yee men of God, whom the spirit of God directeth, flie these things, and followe after righteousnes, godlines, faith, pati­ence, and meekenesse, fight the good fight of faith, lay holde of eternal life, wherunto ye are called, & haue professed a good profession before many witnesses. Keepe on the course ye haue begun, without spot, & vnrebukeable, vntil the ap­pearing of our Lorde Iesus Christ, who only hath immortalitie, and dwelleth in the light that none can attaine vnto, whome neuer man saw, neither can see. Vnto whome be honour, and power euerlasting, Amen.

WE humbly pray thee most merciful father in mercy to looke down vpō the dan­gerous estate of thy Church which is much pestered & infected w ^t the suds of errour, inso­much as it seemeth to be swallow­ed vp of the perilous inundations of sectes and scismes coined by the subtilties of that wicked one Sa­than, whose practise is euer from y ^e fall of Adam, to stop the pure pro­ceedinge of the Gospell, by the peruerse workes of darkenesse. Sanctifie therefore thy children, with thine especiall grace, and ma­nifest thy truth vnto them, that by the light therof they may know how to shape the way to the true seruice of thee. And let them be able to discerne betweene truth and errour, y ^t they may be alwaies free from heresies, and not be intang­led [Page] with false doctrine, nor defiled w ^e the lothsome pitch of mans in­uentions, but being indued with the purity of heauenly knowledge, wee may all ioyne together in one truth, wherein we may liue and dye: and so in Christ thy Sons merites, liue with thee in heauen eternally, Amen.

Oh Lord increase my faith.

OH Father, full of mer­cie, and loue in Jesus Christ, haue compas­sion vpon me, whome thou hast touched with thy hand of correction. Thou hast found me out in my sinnes, and beaten me, thy hand lyeth heauie vpon me, I am not able to sus­taine the burden of my miseries. I can not but faint in my distres­ses, and run too and fro for help, but loe, oh Lord, my crosses in­crease, and thy anger I can not beare: wherefore good Father in Christ, haue compassion vpon me, recomfort me againe, be pleased with me, and take thy heauie dis­pleasure from mee: and though my sinnes haue deserued more then I can beare, the merites of thy Sonne are greater then my sinns. And therefore for his sake come againe in loue, and by thy mercie and power, repayre my decayes, [Page] relieue my wants, and cure my diseases, speake the word, and it shall be done, all things obey thy voyce, wherefore blesse thy crea­tures all to my vse, that I may haue them all in this life blessed vnto me, and I blessed by thee in Christ, Amen.

O Lord increase our faith.

LOrd God Almigh­tie, mercifull & pure, be pleased in fauour to consider the weak­nes of man, and so sanctifie vs with thy grace, that we may all confesse our sinnes, and cry to thee for pardon, all acknow­ledge our weakenes, and cry to thee for strength, all see our igno­rance, and come to thee for know­ledge how to behaue vs in this [Page 96] mortall life in our seuerall cal­lings, that thereby both thou mayst be glorified, our bretheren comforted, and our selues relie­ued: that when we shall be called by thee to render accompt of our stewardships, we may be able to stand before thee acquitted from all that eyther sinne, the deuill, or our corrupt flesh may charge vs with, not through our owne de­seruings, which in our best ende­uours are euill euermore, but in the merites of thy Sonne Christ, Amen.

O Lord increase our faith.

HAuing attained tho­rough the diuine as­sistance of my good God. vnto the ende of this my poore tra­uaile, I can not but conclude with an earnest intreatie of all such as couet this eternall hearts ease, that they wil in this standinghouse of the body, call continually to minde, the absolute end of this Progresse of pietic, which princi­pally tendeth vnto the finishing of the iourney and pilgrimage of this life, in all godlines, faith, zeale, and ardent loue of that heauenly man­sion, which so farre excelleth this earthly tabernacle, as the purest gold exceedeth the filthiest and most lothsome dirt & dung of the earth: and the hearts ease thereof, is [Page 97] much farre sweeter, then the hearts ease of this world, as the sweetest honey passeth in sweetnes the most bitter gall: and happy is that man, that soonest atteineth to the enioy­ing thereof but in part, that is, ey­ther in this life, through the quiet­nesse of conscience in our Christ, or being departed hence, hath the fruition thereof in spirit, expecting the comming of that great Judge, when soule and body shall enioy the same at full. Oh let vs all therefore, in all godly watchful­nesse, in this our pilgrimage which shortly shall haue ende, haue due regard vnto our walking, that we walke not awry. Let vs dayly ex­amine our selues, & consider with iudgement, that we shall all ap­peare before that high Judge, frō whome, no step of our progresse shall be hidden, and whome soeuer he shall finde halting, or walking awry, he will bereaue of that most sweete hearts ease in heauen, and will giue most sowre and vnsauery hearts sore in hell. If I should discourse of the comforts which shal be shewed vnto such as walke [Page] this progresse, and end the same as they ought, & as they are cōmaun­ded, alas, I am as vnable, nay, there is no toong of man or angell can neerer declare y ^e deapth of the sweetnes therof, then I am able to number y ^e starres in the firmamēt: the excellencie thereof, is such & so vnspeakeable, as no hart is able to comprehend or conceiue the same: but let this satisfie all curious con­ceits, that, that our heauenly man­sion, our euerlasting tabernacle, that our spirituall inheritance, is such and so full fraught with such variety of ioy, with such vnspeak­able comforts, with such endlesse felicitie, and surpassing glory: yea, such is the fulnesse of all spirituall contentation there, that we shall not couet to see more, the eare de­sire to heare more, the body haue will to feele more, nor y ^e hart thirst to conceiue more, then we shall there for euermore enioy, howsoe­uer they are now, whilst we are in y ^e flesh, far remoued frō our grosse conceits, and euery report of them seemeth dark vnto our senses, vntil our all sufficient God, our Christ, [Page 98] and our Sauiour, shall himselfe appeare againe in the clowdes: then shall our vnderstandings be opened, then shall our senses be lightened, and then shall we most plainely see, euidently perceiue, and to our absolute comfort taste of the fulnesse thereof, yea, then shall we see our God face to face, when there shall be an end of all our tra­uailes, of all our toyle, of all our carke, care, feare, trouble, and irke­some passage: then shall we hun­ger no more, thirst no more, then shall we neede no friend, nor feare any foe, then shall we that are here now in prison, be set at libertie, and we that are pressed downe with misery shall be raysed vp to com­fort: yea, then shall be an end of all things that now discomfort vs. Oh let vs therfore be euer thank­full vnto our God, that hath not only prouided this heauenly harts ease, and endlesse ioyes for vs, but hath also layde out the way there­unto, and giuen vs his owne hand to leade vs, yea, himself to conduct vs vnto the same. Let vs without ceasing therefore pray vnto him, [Page] and let vs be alwayes in good com­fort in him: yea, let vs groane in our hearts, with most longing ex­pectation, for the appearing of him that shall deliuer vs, and free vs frō dangers, and settle vs in these ioyes. And let vs cut off all lets and impediments, how neere or deere soeuer they bee vnto vs, whether it be the eye, the hand, or the foote, let vs cast away all excu­ses, wife, children, lands, goods, gold, and siluer, honours, digni­ties, yea, let not life it selfe be deere vnto vs, if it seeme to hinder vs from a speedy passage vnto our God: knowing, that so long as we are heere in this earthly house, our estate is miserable, our passage dangerous, our pleasures peri­lous, and we wander as wret­ches through many miseries.

We are heere but as in a strange countrey, farre off from our owne home, whereunto we must ende­uor to attaine in all simplicitie, carrying onely with vs, as our staffe to stay vs vp, the merites of our Christ, and for our defence heere, the swoord of the spirit, [Page 99] whereby we shall be able to walke through all the perils and dan­gers, yea the fire & water, through which we are to passe. Let vs ex­pect, yea and wish with ioy that most happy daye, wherein that sweete trompet of our sauing Christ shall sound out to call vs: let vs hearken for it continually, and let vs thinke it will sound to morrow. Then to morrow shall be our merry day, for then to morrow shall we meete our God, that will carry vs home with him, that in body and soule we may dwell with him for euermore. Oh come Lord Jesu, come quickly, and let all the people of God say, Amen.

STep foorth and stagger not my silly Booke: Dread not to draw neere vnto the Pallace of thy Princely Patronesse, whose sacred Scepter shall be thy sufficient safe­tie, and whose worthy wisedome, will way the willingnes of thine vnwoorthie woorkemaster, who though he below, yet he is loyall, howsoeuer homely he hath com­piled thee: he in all dutie and hu­militie presenteth thee, though a worke vnworthie to be patronized with so puissant a Princesse. But heerein comfort thee, that her Ma­iesties royall countenance graceth the present that carrieth shew of true loue and loyaltie, and accepteth the gift, as is the minde of the giuer.

Vade, Vale, & profice, non vised veritate.

MOst omnipotent maker, and gui­der of all worlds, thou onely sear­chest & fadomest the botome of all hearts, consciences, and conceits, and in them seest the true originall of all actions intended. Thou that by thy foresight doest truely dis­cerne of al actions intended. Thou that by thy foresight doest truely discer [...]e, how no malice of reuēge, nor quittance of iniurie, nor desire of bloudshead, nor greedines of luker, hath bred the resolution of our now set out army, but a heed­full care, and a wary watch, that no neglect of foes, nor our securi­tie of harme, might breede either danger to vs, or glorie to them. These being the groundes, thou that diddest inspire the minds, we humbly beseech thee with bended [Page] knees, to prosper the worke, [...] with the best forewinde guide the iourney, speede the victory, make the returne the aduancement of thy glory, the triumph of thy fame, and suertie of this Realme, with the least losses of english bloud. To this deuout pe­tition Lord giue thy blessed graunt.

Amen.