AN EARNEST EXHORTATION TO A TRVE NINIƲITISH REPENTANCE. VVherein is briefly declared:
- 1. What true Repentance is.
- 2. How a man should perceive it wrought in him.
- 3. Exhortation to a due examination of everie ones self.
- 4. A right penitentiall Prayer.
- 5. The Barres which hinder Christs working in the soul.
- 6. What true and living Faith is.
Also two Questions resolved:
- 1. From whence WARRE doth spring.
- 2. By what means it ends.
Together with other considerable matter fit for the times.
LONDON: Printed by T. P. and M. S. and are to be sold by Ben. Allen in Popes Head Alley. 1643.
TO ALL MEN DEDICATED:
THat they might heartily try and examine themselves in this troublesome and miserable time; so, that each one might begin to enter into himself, and there make a narrow search; whether he be in CHRIST and CHRIST in him; or whether he be united to the World, the Devill, and his own Flesh and Blood. Whether Light or Darknes have dominion in him and over him, for his servant he is and shal be whom he obeyes, whether of Sin unto Death, or Righteousnesse unto Life everlasting.
REPENT ACCORDING to the Repentance of Niniveh.
O Beloved Man! who so ere thou art, consider seriously in thy heart and mind, thy present externall and internall estate and condition; hast thou ever had any cause to Repent? didst thou ever do? or leave undone any thing unadvisedly? didst thou ever repent thereof? seriously examine thy self, and help thy self thus.
Quest. What is Repentance?
Ans. Repentance is a divine work in Man, whereby GOD makes known to him, that he hath forsaken GOD, and his holy will, in the inward ground of his soul, and hath turned himself from the All-in-all enlightning Light of Grace, CHRIST JESUS; and through his own mind and fleshly-Will rejected the government of the Holy Ghost; and yet imagined himself by his accustomed outward worship and assumed name of Religion, to be a right true Christian, although he evidently lived in the love of the world, in fleshly lust, and in spirituall and corporall pride. For which subtiltie and all other deceits of the craftie Serpent, GOD works in Man an heartie sorrow and repentance, for complying with GODs enemie; So that a man by divine Grace begins openly to acknowledge such heavie and inward fall, and departure from GOD, and his holy will, bitterly to lament the same, and in very earnest to hate his accustomed internall Idolatrie committed with the world, flesh and blood, and with the proud and holy-seeming Devill, and so to forsake, relinquish, and abandon the same: That when he is tempted either inwardly or outwardly; he then by the living power of CHRIST within him, resisteth, fighteth, subdues, conquers and overcomes, and thus he lets the new penitentiall Light appear without selfnesse or arrogancie, and shine forth to the Glory of the most holy name of God, and the edifying and amendment of his neighbour, in a right divine Love, according to the example of CHRIST, without any selfnesse, for by the divine Repentance (which is true [Page 2] godly sorrow) all selfnesse will at last be totally mortified and swallowed up.
From hence ariseth another Question.
2. Quest. How may a man know that such Repentance wrought by GOD, is in him?
Answ. By the inward and outward Combate which he hath daily and continually with the enemies of Christ (who is his Head) and overcomes their assaults. Also when he is outwardly tempted by the world, by its deceitfull Riches, transitorie treasures, and by getting of the reputed necessarie provision of silver and gold, wherupon the Heart would relie, if need should be, or else leave it to his Children: that then in faith he makes void and quencheth such darts of the world and saies: Ah thou deceitfull world with thy seeming Riches and vain glorie; I thank God through Jesus Christ who hath redeemed me from thy love, and stirred up in me a Love to the heavenly Treasure, which neither temporally nor eternally will forsake me; Which when I have and keep, I shall then truly possesse that which can and will keep, maintain, and preserve me for ever.
If the World with its Honour, Reputation, Greatnesse, or else with Contempt, Despight and Reproach, begins to exalt it self against holy conformitie to the Crosse of CHRIST JESUS, which follows upon this Repentance, when a man will not conform himself to the world any more, nor joyn with it, in fleshly sports, and sinfull works; then the penitent soul is readie in Faith and saith: Avoid! away! I know not of any honour, greatnesse, delight, sport, or pleasure, but what I have in and by Christ, and the Conformity with his Crosse, whereby the world with all its honour, &c. is crucified to me, and I to the world against all inward, spirituall, and bodily Temptations and assaults; namely, 1. against the bodily; as cares for food and maintenance, grief for losse of temporall things, covetousnesse, lusts, desires, and briefly in all and with all things wherewith the old Adam will delight, content, and cherish himself, or be lustie, wanton, and alive (for all these things are in the eyes of God an abomination, whatsoever the sons of Babel will prate and fable to the contrarie, it being so that God will have the old Adam killed through Christ, in his lusts, words and actions, and by no means cherished.) Thus speaks the repentant Soul, I am buried with Christ after the old nature of the flesh, so that I neither [Page 3] may nor can, shall nor will, live any longer therein, but in the New Life which is Jesus my Saviour, I will serve God with fear and trembling, in holinesse and righteousnesse (which is such a delight as remains for ever) and thus I will be a crosse to my fleshly Tabernacle, as it in its Lusts is a Torment to me, wherefore I bear also a longing desire, for its laying aside, and to be rid of it.
2. Against the spirituall Temptations, as when the Devill perswades the soul, that she is a farre gloriouser, beautifuller, and better endued Spouse then others, and that now all is so well with her that there is neither need nor occasion of Fear; she may also now judge, despise, and condemne those that speak any thing dissonant from her, or else are not as it were subject to her, nor will not suffer themselves to be moulded in her frame, to brand all those, with Heresie, anathematize, curse and condemne them: that God would easily connive and wink at her, she being the Spouse of Christ, although perhaps she failed now and then, or went beyond the bounds, &c.
Here we must observe that it is impossible for a man to understand and perceive all the Devils subtilties and craftie stratagems, unlesse God reveal them to him, and in Christ defend him from them, so that they may not hurt the soul.
Against these craftie assaults of the Devill, thus speaks the repentant and beleeving Soul, I am Nothing, a poore wretched, miserable and distressed worme, therefore I have no reason at all to exalt my self, for what my Head and Husband CHRIST bestoweth on me, are of meere Grace which ought to work in me Humility; and acknowledgement of mine unworthinesse (that I am not worthie of them) and in no wise work in me Pride, nor any Proprietie or puffing-up. Therefore avaunt Satan with thy subtiltie and deceit, for thou art a Theef and a Robber of the due honour of my LORD JESUS CHRIST, to whom onely is due all honour and not to me: and for that reason whosoever will honour me, is and shall be mine enemie.
O beloved Man, in this manner (thy repentant enlightned soul considered) thou art as yet in an evill Inne or Lodging, where no good dayes do shine, but strife upon strife, battell upon battell, storme upon storme, of which state the Scripture cleerly testifies, that no man should be secure, but continually examining and proving of himself, and encountring with, and couragiously resisting his enemies, lest he be sifted, deceived, foyled and overthrown by [Page 2] [...] [Page 3] [...] [Page 4] the Devill, stirred up to unprofitable words and works by his flesh and blood, and ensnared by the Love of the World, for if any of these Images possesse thy soul, then Christ is expelled, and hath in thee no form.
Perform, O Man, what actions soever thou wilt outwardly, yet it is but as the Scripture termeth it untempered morter.
Let every man after this manner trie and search himself now, whether his hitherto practised Repentance hath been divine and true; namely so, that the old Adam is thereby truly disturbed, crucified, mortified, and Christ really conceived, formed, born, grown, and become perfect in his soul; all which, O Man, thou must in power feel and find in thee, and not know it according to thy Reason out of the holy Scriptures or mouth preaching, for that is but a knowledge without feeling, a Historie without experience, and a word without power.
3. Therefore in the third place, I earnestly exhort every man in particular, in the name of God, to examine duely, and to look narrowly to himself in these times of the righteous and burning wrath of God, whether he be a sincere Christian, such a one as in the Love of God is powerfull and active, or else a meere verball or mouth-Christian, a knower, talker, and no doer, as alas, alas, the generall custome of most men is. For, O babling Babel, thou art according to thy imaginarie Faith, not spiritually rich, though thou knowest the holy Scriptures and its naturall or rationall exposition, and art able to speak thereof eloquently, and after a Philosophicall manner wittily to argue and dispute. Thou art not thereby spiritually fed nor refreshed, although thou usest the outward Sacraments after thy accustomed manner.
Truly thou perswadest thy self in vain, as if nothing else were requisite to accomplish thy Christianitie, then an imputation of the merits of Jesus Christ, and that in thine open transgressions, sinfull courses, Adulterie, Sorcerie, and Idolatrie: For it is evident that thou in this thy worship or Religion art very wretched, blinde, poore, and wholly bare or naked of the Righteousnesse which God approveth, yea it is evident to thee, by the Plagues of Gods righteous wrath, and the consuming punishments which never have missed, but alwayes have followed upon a false and (before God) frivelous Religion, which punishments also even for that cause now adayes bear full sway.
(For the true Religion hath never from the beginning of the [Page 5] world stirred up Rods of wrath, but worketh Patience in the fatherly chastisements and outward persecutions for Christs holy Names sake, and hearty Thanksgiving for the Conformity with Christs Crosse; therefore if the world suffered in a good conscience for the confession of Jesus, then were her case and condition good.)
Therefore, O thou Babell, rise up from thy false foundation, leave thy spirituall Pride, wherein thou imaginest as if thou wert a true, pure, and sin free unspotted Spouse of Christ, and stoodst in the power of the New birth, and Regeneration of the holy Spirit, in holinesse and righteousnesse, in an obedient faithfull service, with due fear and trembling, as unalterablie (or of necessitie) becometh the Spouse of Christ, before God the heavenly Fathers presence. Ah thou sinfull stinking and loathsome Whore, lay down and submit thy self with Nineveh before God in humilitie of Heart, with acknowledgement of all thy committed whoredomes and pollutions with the Creatures and thy strange Lovers, lye down in the sackcloth and ashes of deepest and lowest unworthy, that God may no further uncover thy shame and ignominie in the Judgement of his wrath; but out of his grace, may work in thee true Repentance; And then thereupon shall follow a right and true worship of God, proceeding from the living Faith, divine Love and Righteousnesse, a holy Christian-like and blamelesse Life. (for these two are so linked together, that that cannot severally consist) and confequently the inward Peace and outward quietnesse, even grace, goodnesse, mercie, happinesse, life and blessing; as upon unbelief, unrighteousnesse, voidnesse of Love, feigned Repentance, and outward false worship of God (whilest the true internall foundation whereout the externall worship ought and must issue, is rejected and forsaken (as John Arnt in his third Book of true Christianitie plainly layes open) and thereby are practised the Heathenish, yea worse then Devillish life and conversation, &c. Warre, Plague, Famine, and other punishments and afflictions threatned by God, are sprung up in all places, among that people which call themselves the people of GOD, and carrie themselves also outwardly as if they were such indeed, boasting themselves highly to be Christians by their imaginarie Faith, which they themselves have learned by their own power; and also by the outward Religion which flows from the former: and all this in a fiery Zeal or Heat (yet altogether without the moving or driving Power of GOD to it) in their [Page 6] Churches, Prayers, Singings, Sermons, Communions, or Almesgivings, &c. and yet are altogether estranged from the Life of Christ according to the Power and Truth of it, both inwardly and outwardly, as by comparison will evidently appear to every one, when he will make it without the flatterie and adulation of the old man, in a right due and Christian-like triall and examination of himself. Therefore this conceited world might well begin betimes, duely and otherwise then hitherto hath been done, to examine its customarie Religion, its pretended Christian faith, communion in the Spirit, especially by this burning wrath of GOD, and yeerly encreasing terrible Destruction, from their heart, even from their very heart stirring up themselves to turn to God in the right way and manner of Nineveh, not imaginary as if those Villages, Cities and Countreys in Germany, and elsewhere, that have perished alreadie in Gods wrath, were more wicked then those which are yet in a tolerable state and condition in respect of their outward prosperitie. No verily, no, For if the remaining Towns, Cities, Countreys and Dominions do not soon, even very soon (for the time of Life to Repentance passeth and hasteth with greatest speed to an end) bring forth true and upright fruits of Repentance, (for with false and seeming fruits God will not be baffled off nor appeased) and with Nineveh humble your selves from your very Heart unfeignedly, and prostrate your selves down before the highly displeased God, or else you shall perish in a more terrible manner: for the slowlier, the sharper and severer the Judgement of God will break forth, which no going to Church, Preaching, or hearing of Sermons shall divert (though ye should use and practise them daily according to your accustomed manner, as other Nations in other places have done, and yet for all that are ruined) but bring upon you the like judgement as other confumed Countreys and Regions have felt, nay draw and hasten upon your selves a farre heavier judgement.
Therefore he that yet will be advised and take counsell, let him arise and go forth out of his own private little and fleshly Babell, and consequently also out of the great and publick Babel, lest he perish in them in body and soul: For the wrath of the Lambe shall soon shew it self in a right Lion-like property against his mockers and despisers. Therefore let him kisse with true and heartie penitentiall tears, him that may be kissed, lest he perish in his own vain Way, and be thrown from bodily into everlasting Destruction. O [Page 7] thou blinded Babel, be, I beseech thee, intreated for Gods sake, and for thine own salvations sake, to relinquish that damnable Imaginarie-Belief, being but an opinion prated into thee, as if thou sufferest as a right and pure Spouse of Christ, for the true Religion and right fear of God; for were't thou the Spouse of Christ, and practised the right and true Fear of God, without all doubt God would be thy mercifull Father, and not thy consuming fire: O how heartily would Christ thy Head and thy Husband take care for thee, and cover thee in motherly Love and tendernes under His Wings: Ah how would the Holy Ghost intercede for thee with unspeakable Groanings, so that the Just Fire of Gods Wrath could not thus consume thee: yea how heartily would thou rejoyce if it should be the will of God to baptize thee with the Baptisme of the Crosse, for the confession of His Son, for as much as thou thereby shouldst be made like unto the Image of God.
But O Babell, thou art neither inwardly nor outwardly fashioned and framed in the right form after Christ Jesus thy Lord and God: Ah thou Arch-whore, wherefore imaginest thou thy self to be a Virgin, since thou art so throughly impregnated and defiled with the Diabolical seed of Sin, that neither in thee nor about thee, there is no appearance at all of any thing else to be seen or heard, but sin, sin, sin: O remember, how by thy kingdom of sin thou shalt together with thy Paramour the Devill, (by whose instigation and motion thou dost plead so hard for the cursed kingdom of sin in thee, and not so much as de firest once, through Christ to become perfectly Righteous and without sin, but wilt to the utter Contempt of His Holy Merits, use thy Saviour as a daily servant of sin:) be cast into the pit of Hell, with a double hellish torment, for all thy crying and saying: Lord, Lord, and for all thy Preaching, Prophecying, Signes and Wonders, &c. and then thou shalt rightly and really perceive and know whether (as Babell saies:) Christ cannot chuse but love the wicked and malicious sinners, whom He both threatneth and also makes to feel wo, wo temporally and eternally.
Now he therefore that will escape the place of torment temporally and eternally, let him in right earnest without any hypocrisie and simulation direct his Heart to God, powring it out, and all that is in it, wholly and fully before him, lamenting and saying for himself and for others with a broken heart and contrite spirit, bitterly, heartily, and moanfully, thus:
O Thou great God, and terrible LORD of Hosts: Ah we Men have sinned, we have committed unrighteousnesse, and have been ungodly, we are wholly revolted from Christ Jesus our inward Living Fountain, whereby we are totally departed from thy Commandments and statutes, and are become sinners deserving nothing but punishment. Ah Lord, our Teachers, Princes and Rulers, and all the people have so trespassed against thee, that they have forsaken thine inward Law, and Testimonie, transgressed thine outward Covenant, neglected thy Voice, nor would hear the same in them, but have sought all from without, and are thereby become so unprofitable, that there is scarce one that doth good, yea not one; and yet we will not learn to be ashamed, that thy beloved Son Christ Jesus is rooted out of his true inward Church, Temple and Dwelling, nor freely and openly confesse and acknowledge these our great sins, and horrible transgressions (that thereby thou mightest be again reconciled to us in and by Christ (the onely Mean of Reconciliation and unition with thee the living God) and turn thy countenance to us in grace through the Mercie-Seat) which we by the new extirpation of him out of our souls have more horribly committed, then ever the Jews did by the outward crucifying of him: Nay we plaister over such our misdoings with our outward customary worship of God, by which we moreover wickedly varnish over our heathenish, ungodly, yea altogether Diabolicall life and doings with a manifestly pernitious and damnable doctrine, as though we could not chuse even in and by the New Birth otherwise but be sinners, and to deserve punishment, whereas by the testimony of the holy Scripture, through the true and new Regeneration (which is wrought by Christ Jesus in us by the effusion or imparting of his holy Spirit) we must be purged from sins, freed from all punishments of wrath to serve God in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life; and to walk in fear and trembling before his presence, which is the perfection of the true Christians in Christ Jesus their Head in this Time of Grace. But whilest that we, as did the Jews, reject the inward Circumcision and Baptisme, and relie on the outward covenant in our open sinfull courses and fleshly doings according to the first birth, therefore thy just curse, and hideous execration on all sides lighteth upon us, O righteous God, in that thou hast sent such miseries upon us that are but Name and Mouth-Christians, and outward Religionists, wherein many are [Page 9] already languished both in body and soul; yea O righteous God, thou art readie in thy just anger to send yet greater plagues upon us, for the vials of thy wrath stand prepared to be effused upon us who are not yet right Christians, but godlesse revolting children, who yet still as thou (according to thy righteous judgements) afflictest, plaguest and punishest us, we adde more and more to our backslidings, that so we may be destroyed from the earth, and our Name be never any more remembred.
O God heavenly Father, seeing that from thy Grace, Goodnesse and Mercie all (things) spring, and all good Gifts have yet their originall, and must through Christ flow into us: therefore mollifie we beseech thee, through the power of thy Spirit our stony Hearts; break them to pieces, by thy true sorrow, Contrition and Repentance, which thou thy self workest in Men. O, bruise them so, that they may come to a true knowledge of their sins, and in a sincere penitencie lay themselves down before thee in a sorrowfull and continuall prayer, crying, seeking, knocking, and not leaving off in their repentant Lamentation. Ah Lord mark: Ah Lord hear: Ah Lord be gracious: Ah Lord mark: Ah Lord delay not for the honour of thy Name sake: for thou art our Creator, and we the work of thy hands. O Father, thou knowest that after thy Name we are called, wherefore wilt thou then thus utterly destroy us, that we be no more a People: Ah righteous God, this have we merited by our sins, that thou in justice shouldst everlastingly cast us from thy sight, for all our doings in and with our wonted externall Religion or formall God-service (it proceeding not out of the Living Faith, Spirit and Truth: forasmuch as the inward powerfull office of the holy Spirit is (alas) ascribed to the outward Ministerie, and thereby all is perverted and subverted) they are in thy sight, O righteous God, a truly polluted and defiled thing, much more odious then Dung and Filth, wherefore thou (O holy God) throwest in wrath the dung or durt of our holy dayes, and the noise of our Songs and Psalms back into our faces: Ah that we were not so hard hearted, but that we might perceive that the Curse instead of the Blessing on all fides pursueth us. O Father we turn us to thy bottomlesse Mercy, which is greater then all our sins, and cry heartily to it, that thou wouldest not enter into Judgement with us, nor lay the sin to our charge, for we can answer nothing else, but this: Ah Father, we have sinned, and our sins are more then the sand of the Sea, which have (alas) seperated us from one another, and brought wo upon us, because [Page 10] we have cast out of us and rejected the Throne of Mercy with its Office, and have adhered to Idols and humane Traditions: O God of all grace and goodnesse, forgive us, we beseech thee, our great sins, and be gracious to us. Oh have mercy, upon us, for we are but dust, ashes and earth, wherefore then should we be thus utterly consumed in thy wrath without all Mercie.
O most loving Lord Jesus Christ, look upon that great calamitie and destruction with thy Love-replenished Heart, which thy Father in his just displeasure hath determined now to let passe upon whole Mankind, the like whereof never hath been under heaven before, nor shall be the like for ever hereafter, seeing that the wickednesse of the present world also farre exceedingly surpasseth all the ungodlinesse heretofore practised from the beginning of the world, therefore the judgement shall light so much the more heavily, and hidcously upon the hard hearted, and deriding Mockers and despisers.
O thou onely Mediatour, intercede thou for us out of meere grace and mercy, fot without thee there is no means to be found, neither in heaven nor earth, betwixt thy Father and us poore, miserable and forsaken people. O intercede! thou onely right and true Intercessour, seeing thy heavenly Father doth at all times heare Thee. O thou heartie Friend of Men, let this move thee to compassion, that men, for whose cause thou becamest man, should wholly be ruined, and destroyed, and that thine Inheritance which thou hast redeemed with thy rosie red Blood, should become a spoyle and prey to thine enemies. Ah we perceive, mark and find that by reason of the new crucifying of thee, thou wilt exercise vengeance upon vengeance through Heaven and Earth, upon men and beasts: Ah we have really deserved that the pit of darknesse should swallow us up everlastingly as right fuell for that hellish fire, because we have indeed loved Darknesse more then Thee the true Light, when thou wouldst inwardly aright have enlightned us, and revealed thy kingdom in us, therefore we deservedly also reap our unfruitfull works of darknesse, and shall in Hell smart for it according to thy righteousnesse and judgement, and have nothing to say against it. But, O God thou blessed holy Spirit, who hast thy chiefest delight in and among the children of Men, to heal them again, to sanctifie them, and to purge them from sins, O hide not thy self now in this time of extremitie and urgent calamitie, because that we have grieved thee, and expelled thee with our reigning sins. O thou Divine [Page 11] Flame of Love, assist our cold hearts with unspeakable sighs: Ah mediate: Ah intercede, Ah kindle our hearts with a true fervent and heartie sorrow and repentance, that we may not so unawares and suddenly be snatched away without all Mercie: Ah thou true chastiser, chastise and reform our unnurtered Hearts: Ah thou onely Enlightner, enlighten thou, we beseech thee, our darkned hearts: Ah thou onely Sanctifyer, sanctifie our unhallowed hearts. O thou true Cleanser, cleanse now out hearts that are unclean and altogether defiled by the world, money, fleshly lust, and spirituall pride.
O thou true Circumciser, circumcise our wholly uncircumcised hearts.
O thou onely true Converter, turn to day out of thy meer grace and mercie, and convert our perverted hearts, for without thy gracious drawing and powerfull operation in us, we are able to do nothing: therefore thou onely true worker of the will and the deed, make thou to day, to day the beginning in ours and all mens hearts to a true and cordiall Ninivitish Conversion. For if thou turnest us, we are rightly turned and converted from our wayes, so that we do truly repent, and cease to sin, relinquish the world, hate the flesh and blood, and fight in thy strength against the subtle assaults of the world, the flesh and the devill, and obtain the victorie, and not in a deceitfull way make a shew of holinesse for a day, as if we therin were become religious men, according to the customary, naturall, seeming, Mouth-Repentance, and notwithstanding all this, remain inwardly the very former sows and dogs, and in the dayes to come shew forth plainly the same properties of sows and dogges, and upon a new pretended Remission, sin afresh again; and think to plaister over again outwardly such works of the Flesh with a Sacrament, not considering that such use of it is turned to a double torment in hell for them, for no Remission is ordained for such Hypocriticall Repentance, but Hell and everlasting damnation.
Come, O come thou true Divine Flame of Love, and guide us to the true divine worship, and pierce to day our souls with the true beams of thy grace, whereby all accustomed hypocrisie, false holinesse, Phatisaicall godlinesse and the fair externall glistering shew, being nothing but a meer Devils cloud may vanish, for these are and for ever shall be an enmitie with thee the everlasting, true, and living God.
O thou most clear and shining splendour, enlighten throughly our hearts, that the holy seeming Devill, and the deceitfull selfnesse [Page 12] and arrogancie may be truly expelled. O thou sole inward Teacher, and outward True witnesse of the Divine Truth, teach all men inwardly aright to know Christ Jesus, and in thy power to call him Father in truth O thou Director to the true path and onely Way to salvation, which is Christ Jesus the Son of the All-praised God in his Body, namely, the Church of the Saints; Ah lead us, we beseech thee, in the right union to him, forasmuch as we are, alas! by the instigation of the spirit of error so far seperated, and so miserably disjoynted from one another, that out of the scattered multitude, that true and promised One may in right unitie and sincere brotherly love again arise: O thou onely Apprehender, lay hold upon us to day with the hand of thy grace, and bring us again into the essentiall heavenly paternall countrey of Grace, that we may there altogether spend the remainder of our earthly life with fear and trembling, and serve thee the eternall God unblameably in holinesse and righteousnesse from our whole heart.
Ah thou onely Looser, loose and untie to day poore mankinde from the hideous snares, bonds and chains of the holy-seeming Devill, and all his instruments, which change themselves into Angels of Light, and thereby violently ruine and destroy poore Mankind. O thou the true Destroyer, destroy the kingdom of sin in us wholly, quench the lust rising in the flesh: conquer the world with its deceitfull Treasures, kill and crucifie the flesh, refrain and stay all that, which exalteth it self against the inward essentiall knowledge, and from thence-springing open confession.
O open the eyes of our soul, that she may lift up her self to the Mountain, from whence the quickning and for ever refreshing delight, joy and comfort doth spring, and flow, that she alwayes may long after the same. O loose the inward spirituall eare, that it may truly hear Christs word and voice, that it may stand open to all the works, wonders and deeds of God, and alwayes stopt and close to all vain talk, unprofitable words, and jests, unmeet for Christians to hear. Untie the tongue, that she may be thy holy pen, and no instrument of the seducing and (with the old Adam) flattering devil any more.
O untie our hands, that they may in right true and unfained love give to the right and truly poore and needie, of the right blessing of God, and not of that Mammon, which by covetousnesse, exaction, extortion, and under the colour of righteousnesse is hoorded up, which doth at this present time tye fast the hearts and hands of men [Page 13] in all states with such a powerfull dominion, that they are not able truly to lift up themselves to God, being they are full of the blood of Lazarus.
O thou onely Renewer, amend thou and renew in us all in all, that we may even at this day, while there yet remaineth time for Repentance (which will quickly even very quickly be past, run out) that we so may become new living creatures and children of God, brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ, and a living Church and dwelling of thine (O God thou holy blessed Spirit) and not any more deceive our selves with our outward accustomed assembling in the stony Churches (in which the stony hearts, and so one stone goeth to another) as though that were the Comminalty of the Saints, and but gather our selves in the true and living fellowship of thee O Spirit of God, in truth and the sincere bond of Divine Love, and out of one Spirit, soul and heart, truly honour, praise and magnifie thee O onely God.
Ah thou holy and for ever blessed Trinitie, one onely eternall God for ever, be again mercifull unto us, and spare us according to thy righteousnesse for the dear Merits sake of Jesus Christ. Ah, out of thy meer grace renew in us the Covenant of Grace, that we may again become thy people, and thou our God and gracious Father. O manifest such a Covenant out of grace in all Teachers, Princes and Rulers, and in the souls of all the people, and shew unto them thy wonderfull goodnesse, O thou Saviour of such as hope in thee: O God, let thy countenance shine again in us, that we may be revived and enlivened in right living power. O God encline thine eare unto us and heat us, for we are become very small. O open the eyes of thy mercie upon poore Germanie and Ireland, and behold how lamentably it is destroyed, wasted, overflowne, made desolate, and even wholly ruinated. O look upon this thou great God how through the instigation of the three unclean prophetical spirits men afflict, torment, marter, kill, slay, and devoure one another, insomuch that the wilde beasts in their nature and race abhor such inhumain outrages.
O thou Archshepherd of Israel, awake & behold, how thy poore sheep are scattered, and torn, and they that fear thee are also scattred and rushed away. Ah God and Lord, let the blood of the poore and innocent sheep and lambs, which do not know, wherefore they thus are torn by the spirituall and bodily woolves, move thine angrie heart, and once stir thee up to a mercifull deliverance. O let, [Page 14] we beseech thee, the promised help come out of Zion. Ah shorten the dayes of the inward and outward desolation. O let, we beseech thee, the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah roare in power against the bloodthirstie and treacherous whom thou, O righteous God, hast in abomination, that they may be inwardly and outwardly terrified and astonied, and may so with horrour perish, according to thy Judgement. O thou righteous God, crucifie the Crucifiers of thy dearly beloved Son. Ah recompense to them that afflict and torment him, Anguish and Torment, and give to the Refractary-ones the thunder and lightning, the brimstone and fire of Hell for their reward. O God stand up in thy power. Ah Lord lift up thy self, we beseech thee, in thy strength. Wherefore shall the ungodly exercise their worse then diabolicall malitiousnesse and insolence upon the poore and afflicted any further, and say in their hearts, and confirm and shew it with their deeds, as though there were no God, no deliverer, no more any Helper of the poore and afflicted. Oh appear thou righteous Judge of the earth, unsheath thy sword of Vengeance, and let it fully reach the blasphemers and extortioners, that the abominable scorners may once perceive, that thou art yet the righteous Judge upon earth, and hast not yeelded thy judgements to mortall men to exercise them according to their own revenge, fulnesse, but hast in thy wrath, by reason of our unbelief, unrighteousnesse and wickednesse, wherewith we have offended Thee, suffered them to passe over us as a flood of water to mollifie us to Repentance, untill thine anger be fulfilled. Therefore, O God, convert us to day, and turn thy self against the vessels of thy wrath, repay unto them double, what they have done to the poore and innocent, so will we for it praise Thee with united hearts everlastingly, that thou in the midst of thy wrath hast yet remembred thy infinite goodnesse and mercy; and turned thy self from thy wrath and our well deserved punishments, and hast again mercy upon poore mankind, and raised up a Saviour unto them. O heavenly God and Father, grant this our Prayer unto us for Christ his bitter death and suffering, to a true Ninivitish Repentance and conversion, that the day of thy promised Redemption may break in as a Lightning, and that the Jews and Heathen may be gathered together in and to the Truth, Amen. Allelu-jah. Amen.
The Barres, which the Devill and the darkned Reason do set before the Souls, that Christ cannot begin to work therein.
Ob. 1 1. That it is impossible, that a Man through Repentance wrought by God can wholly die from sin that it henceforth should have no ruling power. Ans. Hereby is Gods omnipotencie, Christs merit, and the Holy Spirits inhabitation wholly made void, and greater power ascribed to the Devill in our destruction, then to Christ in our Renovation, contrary to the tenor of the holy Scripture, Rom. 5. 6, 7, 8. 14. 1. Cor. 2. v. 16. Cap. 3. v. 17. 2. Cor. 3. v. 17. 18. Gal. 2. v. 20. Ephes. 2. v. 5. 6. Epqes. 5. v. 27. &c. Now as long as this Barre of doubt remaineth in thee, so long is Christs kingdom shut up in thee, and the kingdom of sin manifest, varnish it over outwardly how thou wilt, it will nothing at all avail.
2 Barre.
Ob. 2 That God is mercifull, and winketh at the sins of Men for Christs merits sake. Answ. Verily hereby is Christ made a Minister of sin, contrary to the testimonies of the holy Scripture, Gal. 2. v. 17, 18. 1 Cor. 1. v. 30, 31. 2 Tim. 3. 17. Colos. 4. v. 12. Ca. 1. v. 28 Cap. 2. v. 10. and the Righteousnesse of God slandered and blasphemed, Deut. 27. v. 26. Psal. 5. v. 6. 1 Joh. 3. v. 10. and his Grace wrested or drawn by licentiousnesse into a most damnable abuse. Epist. Jud. v. 4. 14. & seq. 2 Pet. 2. v. 14. 1. Joh. 5. v. 2, 3. 1 Joh. 2. v. 6.
3 Barre.
Ob. 3 Although man live not so blamelesse and fear not God with all his heart, yet he may and can convert himself, and obtain of God forgivenesse of his sin. Ans. Hereby is Repentance (which is meerly Gods work, and is not within the comqasse of mans abilitie) Jer. 31. v. 18. 19. 2 Tim. 2. v. 25, 26. ascribed to our naturall powers, and by that meanes idolatry committed. And in the like manner it is also with Prayer, for it is the onely work of the holy Spirit, Zach. 12. v. 10. Rom. 8. v. 15. 26. 27. Joh. 14. & 15. Now God heareth not sinners, for they pray without the Spirit, which dwelleth in no soul that is subject to sin, Wisd. 1. ver. 3, 4, 5.
4. Barre.
Ob. 4 Hereby men may be brought to desperation, when all grace is denied to sinful evil doers, and a man would have altogether a pure Church. Ans. O happy desperation, which worketh a spirituall sorrow, 1 Cor. 7. v. 9, 10, 11. killeth the old Adam wholly, Rom. 6. v. 6. siq. Rom. 8. v. 4. 19. Gal. 5. v. 24. maketh the world with all its doings to a bitter Crosse, Gal. 6. v. 14. Phil. 3. v. 8. 1 Joh. 2. v. 15, 16. Matth. 10. Luk. 14. taketh [Page 10] captive the Reason, 2 Cor. 10. v. 5. maketh a man become a child, Joh. 3. v. 3. a beast and a fool, Psal. 73. v. 22. yea a meer nothing, Gal. 6. v. 3. for a reasonlesse, naturelesse, creaturelesse, worldlesse man, and freed from all vanity is fit for the kingdom of God, and that is then the pure soul, wherein God dwelleth, 2. Cor. 6. v. 14. seq. Psal. 18. v. 27. Psal. 24. verse 4.
5 Barre.
Ob. Such men as these it is impossible to find in the world, therfore is it foolishnesse, yea madnesse to require this of any man. Ans. He that is fleshly minded must judge fleshly, and calumniate Gods work and truth, for he is an enemie of the true Regeneration out of the Spirit, 1 Cor. 2. v. 10, 11. seq. Rom. 8. v. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. Psal. 73. v. 89. Gal. 4. v. 29. There is but a narrow way to Lise, wherein for even very few and not many walk, Matth. 7. v. 13. 14. Luk. 13. v. 23.
The summe of Christianitie is this: That the old Man with his lusts and desires must perish, 2 Cor. 4. v. 16. be killed, destroyed and drowned by Regeneration, 1 Tit. 3. v. 5, 6. Rom. 6. v. 6. and all become new, 2. Cor. 5. v. 17. that Christ may be all in all, Colos. 3. v. 11. fill all in all, Ephe. 1. v. 23. and present every one perfect to the Father, Colos. 1. v. 28. Cap. 2. v. 6. 10. Colos. 3. v. 34. Colos. 4. v. 12. 2 Tim. 3. v. 17.
THE SUMME OF THE TRVE AND LIVING FAITH, and of all the Articles of the Belief.
The true and living Faith (O beloved Man) consisteth not in the knowledge of the holy Scripture, which Moses, the Prophets and Apostles have left behind them, nor in such Articles, which men have according to their reason collected out of the holy Scripture, which a man can learn by heart, and fasten in his memory, and then out of his naturall power say and confesse; this I beleeve: for this truly is but the meet imaginarie faith, wherewith all the world is at this day bewitched, deceived and befooled, yea so farre, that men go on to defend this their saith wrought by their own power by wrangling, contentions and disputes, yea even by the sword, with the shedding of the blood of the poore, and murthering of many innocent souls, which imaginary faith is the very true inward abomination of desolation, from whence is also sprung the outward desolation of Countreys and people in the righteous wrath of God, which shall continue, break forth, and make desolate so long as this unbeleef with its manifest power of unrighteousnesse and cold LOVE beareth sway.
The true Faith, (O dear Man) is a divine work or power of God in [Page 17] man, which changeth and regenerateth him out of God, truly killeth the old Adam, and maketh a whole new man from the heart, minde and all his powers, and bringeth with it the holy Spirit, wherethrough man becometh without sin, and keepeth and fulfilleth Gods Commandements, which to the beleevers are not heavie. For the righteousnesse of Faith maketh a man without sin, fully righteous before God, so that he feareth God, honoureth him as a Father, and loveth him as a Lord, from his heart, whole soul and all his powers, and his neighbour as himself, as Luther described the true, but at this day very much unknown, Faith.
Now he that findeth such power in truth in himself, and thereby doth the will of God, he is a true member of the houshold of Faith, a Religionist, a Christian, an heir and child of God; but he that hath not such a Faith, nor suffereth the fruits of love to grow and blossome, in a right godly and not seeming-holy way or nature, he knoweth neither of Faith, Religion, nor Christianitie, yea of no God in truth, though he understood all the Scriptures, all mysteries and Articles of beleef, and could thereof talk and dispute eloquently and rationally, even as an Angel of Light, yet is he in Gods sight an unbeleever, a miserable and contemnable man, for he hath not in him the living power of the living Faith which alwayes is fruitfull in love, therefore he talketh and prateth much of Faith and its righteousnesse, yet he knoweth not what either Faith or Faiths works are; whiles he doth not find and feel them experimentally inwardly in spirit and truth, nor outwardly sheweth his talking and knowledge in deeds and works which God and good men may approve.
With such unprofitable Bablers is (alas!) at this day all the world replenished, namely, with such as with open mouth cry, Lord, Lord; prophesie and do signes and wonders, but fulfill and accomplish not the will of God in power, all these are but external plaisterers, external cryers and seekers of Christ and the Faith, despisers of the inward power of God, or of the living Word, of Faith, and the whole kingdom of God in men, in whom and by whom is the fulfilling of the Commandements, and also the true Christian freedome in holinesse and righteousnesse.
Therefore thou Faith-conceited Man, beseech God, that he would work this living Faith in thee, and free thee from this damnable and wrath producing imaginarie faith, since that thou by this faith prated into thee hast imagined to thy self a freedome to sinne, to transgresse Gods Commandments, relying upon Absolution according to thy [Page 18] accustomed manner, whereby alas! thou art verily free but not from sinne, as Christs kingdom requireth, but from God, and the fulfilling of his will and the observation of his Commandements in perfect obedience, and so art become truly a slave of Satan, 1 Joh. 3. v. 7, 8, 9, 10.
Every one therefore that will be a master of Faith, let him behave himself as a pattern unblameable inwardly, (by the office of the holy Spirit) in doctrine, and outwardly in life as a follower of Jesus Christ; He that boasteth of faith, let him shew the new obedience of faith by a new, righteous, holy and to Christ-conformable life and conversation in the Love of God and his neighbour: He that vaunteth of the Articles of Faith, let him shew them forth in deed and truth, for God is served neither with knowledge, babling nor disputation, nor yet the Church of the Saints, which overcometh all things with Love in Patience, and consequently not with words, but with power.
Therefore O beloved Man that sayest, that thou beleevest in God, or but that there is a God, make thy faith appear with true fruit in the strict observation of his commandements, otherwise is thy saying vain, and thou in truth beleevest on no God, nor that there is a God, for otherwise thou wouldest tremble and shake at the breach of his Commandements.
Thou that sayest I beleeve that Christ is dead for me, shew then by thy self in deed the death of Christ, namely, that thine old Adam is buried with him, thy lust and desire is crucified with him, and thou risen again with Christ in a new nature or life of the Spirit, otherwise is thy faith of Christ an historicall knowledge, without all power and propertie of Faith.
Thou that sayest, I beleeve a Church of Saints, which the holy Spirit enlightneth, sanctifieth, and purifieth: examine thy self, whether the holy Spirit doth inwardly enlighten, teach, chastise, admonish, anoint, guide, govern, lead and direct thee, and thou also hast by the power of the holy Spirit the kingdom of God revealed in thee, so that thou resistest all that exalteth it self against Gods will, his knowledge and confession, through the office or power of the holy Spirit, and that the tentation from the world, flesh and blood, and wicked enemie, is a right hellish torment to thee, so then art thou a true member of the true Church of Christ.
Sayest thou, O Man, so I am, for I am a baptized Christian; O beloved Man, shew forth the drowning of the old Adam, the mortification of his lusts and desires, and the renuntiation which thou hast made to the Devill, the World, and the Flesh, in truth, so that they [Page 19] rule no more in thee, nor move thee to sin, though they entice, stirre, and egge thee on to it. Doest thou not, or findest thou not this, so then art thou an unbaptized and unchristened man, for thou livest in the old and not in the new birth, therefore art thou a violator of the Covenant of God.
Sayest thou, yet I partake of the flesh and blood of Christ: If thou partake thereof, then shew the living-making power of the flesh of Christ, and that the blood of Christ hath cleansed thee from all sins in words and works, so hast thou truly partaken of the flesh and blood of Christ, otherwise goest thou to the Lords Supper to thy double condemnation.
In summe, all the Articles must live sensibly in thee, and outwardly demonstrate the living power of love, otherwise is thy Christianitie meer hypocrisie, seeming holinesse, self chosen godlinesse and imaginarie faith, which do but further the destruction both of body and soul, as (alas) appeareth before our eyes, and yet no man taketh it to heart, or will duely examine himself.
Two Questions verie necessarie concerning these present and continuing Warres.
- viz. 1. From whence Warre doth spring.
- 2. By what meanes it ends.
AS the inward exterpation (or rooting out) of Jesus Christ, with his holy and threefold office in mans soul, (which, when she is obedient unto, and receives him, he then as the true and onely high-Priest, perfectly reconciles, sanctifies, cleanses, and presents her as a new creature to his heavenly Father in holy attire of Love, and as the onely Master and Teacher in her, sent from the heavenly Father, makes her remember her miserie, in penitencie chastises her, instructeth, teacheth, guideth and preserves her from the spirit of errour: and thus in her powerfully exerciseth his royall office, as her Head and LORD, to the utter (ruine and) demolishing of the Devils Sin pallace, bruising the head of the subtle and holy-seeming Serpent, quenching and suppressing of all that shall exalt it self against his inward kingdom of grace, as also to the overcoming of all outward enemies through the Spirit of Prayer, and his iron Rod or Scepter: and thus killeth and crucifieth sin, Death, the Devill, Hell, the Flesh and Blood, and break [Page 20] asunder the whole kingdom of sin, so that it can no more bring under subjection or into darknesse the soul, which he hath redeemed:) is the onely cause of unbelief, and from thence springing unrighteousnesse, wickednesse, malice, hypocrisie, self-chosen godlinesse, outward false worship of God, or Sectarie and Schismatical religion, consisting meerly and altogether in outward things, as externall ceremonies, Articles, and Opinions, without any true inward and experimentall fear of God, perfect obedience or keeping of Gods Commandments; and thus without any true either inward or outward conformity to and with the life and conversation of Jesus Christ (which properly is called and really is true Religion, according to which these divided Religionists ought to prove and examine their Name-Religions now adayes): So also is the rejection or neglect of this (placed by God in men) Foundation stone of all happinesse, life, blessing, peace and holinesse, &c. the onely cause of all inward and outward Warres, jarres, miseries, calamities, desolation, destruction, confusion and fundamentall alteration of all the Foundations or Kingdoms of the Earth; whereby it is come to passe, that men (which ought to be vessels of Jesus Christ, that is, remain in the Love, grace, goodnesse and mercie of God, beare one an other in the bond of Love, and be united each to other in the Spirit of Peace:) turn and become fierce vessels of wrath, through hatred, envie, enmitie, desire of temporall honour, or perishable goods, raging even with swords one against another, insomuch that the one falls by the others sword in wrath and self-willed revengefulnesse, and thus the soul must come to her end with horrour; whereof the holy Scripture thus testifieth: Since ye have rejected him out of you, whom I have sent unto you and in you, viz. Jesus Christ, the onely Prince of Peace; Behold therefore I have slinged and cast you out of my grace, life and blessing, into wrath, death and curse, and given you up to do things that are nought and unseemly, full of unrighteousnesse and ungodlinesse, yea I rejoce therein that one falls by the sword of the other, so that Countreys and people are made waste, and the Earth laid desolate. For this is the effect and operation of the strong delusions wherewith I have threatned you, when ye should forsake and suffer to be pulled out of you the King of Truth, by whom I would have ruled you with the staffe of meeknesse, and directed the Rod or staffe of wo against mine Enemies, which (staffe) now for the unbeleef, unrighteousnesse, and hypocucies sake, must begin at mine Own House, and continue forwards, since there is no conversion or returning to me or my living Fountain.
Therefore to day, to day, whilest ye hear my voice, and find the strokes of my wrath, (which could not hit nor touch you, if my Child Christ Jesus had ruled in you, and established anew again the inward peace betwixt Me and you; for we are separated one from another by the kingdom of sin) go out of Babell, put away the high places which in you have exalted themselves against the kingdom of my Son, and erected outward Idoll-houses, and committed therein the abomination of desolation, (according to my Sons prediction) through the motion and deceit of the holy-seeming devill: that yet the inward temple of your souls may be opened, and a pure, holy and righteous dwelling (in which I the LORD your holy and righteous God may go out and in) may be prepared therein for Me, through Christ Jesus; and so the inward peace be established: and then I will according to my righteous judgement, give unto you all the Heathen and mine Enemies, which would not kisse Christ, for a prey and spoyl, that you may according to my righteousnesse reward them double as they have deserved it of me and my Son Jesus. He that hath eares to hear let him hear: he that will not hear, he shall feel it temporally and eternally, saith the LORD God: For I am strong enough to judge and avenge my self.
The principall causes why the Devill doth make all Visions and Divine Revelations contemptible and suspected, are these.
1. THat the extirpation of Jesus Christ and his holy Office in the Devils own members might not be revealed and discovered to the world, which needs must come to passe, if the Devils disciples or apostles should allow or approve the works of the holy Spirits Office; of which the holy Scripture witnesseth, 1 Joh. 16. v. 13, 14. Amos 3. v. 7. Apoc. 1. v. 1. Joel 2. v. 28, 29. Phil. 3. v. 15. 1 Cor. 2. v. 10. Which works of the holy Spirits office, are no where abrogated; and therefore a man hath the more cause to observe and beware of the Devils craftie subtiltie, for he is a seeming holy Angel, as his Ministers now adayes in doctrine and life do sufficiently shew, and therefore he cavilleth and slandereth the Ministerie of the true Angels and Gods works.
2 Secondly, that the Devils kingdom of darknesse, which he hath gotten in men may not be discovered, (the which yet every man discerns and perceives by the works of darknesse which bear sway everie where, and confesses that all things are naught with the children of Men; yet notwithstanding none will go out of this darkned Babel, lest [Page 22] he should loose the worlds friendship, its honour, profit and love, &c. for it is a hard and troublesome thing for the old Adam, and goes to his very heart, when he shall be counted a Fool and a Beast (which he notwithstanding is, by his highest wisdom.) And to this scope all exhortations do aime, viz. that men should turn again to God and his Son Jesus Christ by true Repentance: Now to hinder this true Repentance, and to keep men in securitie by their own hypocriticall repentance, the Devill (thirdly) doth cavill and blaspheme, whatever God causeth to be told, denounced, and declared: For the same course and processe is at this day in hand (with the worse) as was taken with the first world, Sodome, Gomorrha, Jerusalem, and other Cities and Countreys which perished in the wrath of God, which also by the devils motion and instigation despised all things, and relied upon their outward religion, and their usuall insolent and domineering government; and so by that means had no regard at all to the Day of the Lord, which the servants of God were fain to denounce unto them.
O ye spirituall and corporall buyers and sellers, O ye voluptuous eaters and drinkers; O ye worldly and covetous planters and builders; O ye fleshly and wanton woers, men and women: O ye stubborn and revolting children altogether, will ye not at all have regard to the fearfull Day of the LORDs wrath, unlesse it overwhelme you as a Lightning, and destroy you from the earth; will ye not learn to mark and observe by other mens harm and ruine the craftie subtiltie of the devil, and the deceit of his apostles, as from whom all calamitie and confusion hath taken its originall, for they are those that have caused the poore people to sin, and established hypocrisie by their witchcraft and idolatrie; by which means the wrath of God hath begun to burn, and shall not be quenched untill Babel be brought down and destroyed Now he therefore that will not fall with her from temporall unto eternall death, let him erect and lift up his head in Faith, observing and marking by all the works and signes of God, that the Day of Redemption draws nigh, and is even before the doore.
A Prayer for the Body of Jesus Christ in this troublesome and distressed time.
O Thou true and onely Head of thy (in all the world dispersed) Church; Let to day the noble Balsam of thy holy Spirit flow down in full power into thy members, that through the pure and sincere Milk, the children may become young men, young men through solid meat, perfect men, that we all may attain to the measure of thy perfect Age, Be it, O Lord Christ Jesus; O let every member to day be right fruitfull in all works of Love which by thee are wrought in him to the honour of thy Fathers Name. Let thy holy countenance shine in us, that everie member may in all necessities of soul and bodie be powerfully healed: Arme everie one with a new power of Grace, that he may be strong against all high things, which exalt themselves against thy holy and inward Knowledge, and outwardly resist it. Let the Light of the living Faith shine out of every one, that people may see the works of thy inward Righteousnesse, enter into themselves and receive thee into themselves the onely Worker of all Good, that to the dispersed Church some may be daily added and gathered. O thou true and onely Living Power of God, drive away and repell all spirituall and corporall VVolves that they may not devoure not snatch away any of thy Members; make void all wicked counsell, which is consulted against thy Bodie, that the raging and furious ones may perceive that all their consultations against thee are in vain.
O thou Father of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, work in everie man out of thy Grace the true knowledge of his sins, the totall dying and the spirituall resurrection to a new, holy and righteous life.
O LORD, Jesus, thou that therefore hast appeared in all men, that thou mightest destroy and raze the kingdome of darknesse, and manifest thy kingdome of Light and Grace in men, apprehend, we beseech thee, vanquish the old, craftie and deceitfull Serpent, [Page 24] bruise its head to the purpose, bind it with the promised chains of Darknesse, that it may cease to seduce people, in its seeming light of holinesse.
O God thou blessed holy Spirit, since that thine is the Office of Judgement and Vengeance over all them that do evill, rise up in thy Power; arme thy self with might, and utterly cast down them that revile and blaspheme thy holy Office: Turn away ungodlinesse with the Scepter of Iron, since that few or none from his heart will kisse the Child Jesus: O let thy help break forth out of Zion: Ah redeem thy poore distressed people: Unite Heathen and Jews, make one Sheepfold, and let the Everlasting Gospel shine therein, to the glory of thy holy Name, Amen.
BE IT SO.