PEtition is either for

• Our selves.
• Others.

[Page 31] 1 Our selves, and is called Supplication, consisting of two branches, viz.

• Apprecation.
• Deprecation.

1 Apprecation, or collation of good, which also consists, in desiring;

• 1 Supply of all wants
  • Spirituall.
  • Corporall.
• 2 Continuance and encrease of all blessings both
  • Eternall.
  • Spirituall.
  • Corporall.

1 Apprecation, for bestowing of all good blessings, viz. 1 Supplying all our wants of things, 1 Spirituall, viz.

• Grace.
• Encrease of Grace.
• Meanes of Grace.

Apprecation for 1 For the grace of free Pardon for our sinnes, that God for his mercies, promise, Christs sake 1. Pardon of sinne. (even the abundant merits of our Lord Jesus his bloudy passion, who hath satisfyed for them to the utmost farthing, by pouring out his soule for an oblation for [Page 32] the sinnes of the whole world) would be pleased freely to forgive, and blot them out of his booke, never laying them to our charge before men, to shame us in this world; or to our everlasting confusion before men and Angels in the world to come.

2. Faith in Christ. Of which that we may more fully bee assured, wee pray for a lively and apprehensive Faith, by which we may be inabled to lay hold on, and apply the generall and free Promises of Salvation, to our selves in particular, that God would seale up the assurance hereof to our consciences, by the gracious testimony of his holy spirit, giving unto us the spirit of adoption, whereby we may with comfort and confidence cry ABEA father, that so being justifyed and freed from the guilt and punishment of all our sinnes wee may have peace of conscience, being reconciled to him in his Sonne.

2 Repentance unto life, whereby3. Repentance.our stony hearts may be softned & broken w^th godly sorrow, & our eyes run down w^th rivers of teares, for our falls and faylings heretofore, and we quickned to new obedience to serve the living God, in holinesse and righteousnesse all our remaining dayes.

3 All other sanctifying graces,4. All sanctifying grace. accompanying & furthering our everlasting happinesse,

• 1. as saving knowledge, that we may understand what the holy and acceptable will of the Lord is.
• 2 Fervent love to God, our brethren, yea our very enemies, for his sake that loved us when wee were enemies.
• 3 Ardent zeale.
• 4 Lively hope.
• 5 Son-like feare of God.
• 6 True humility and contrition of spirit.
• 7 Sincerity and boldnesse in the profession of the truth. Perseverance, patience and strength under the crosse, Contentation in [Page 34] all
  2. For growth and encrease of Grace.
  estates, either of weale or woe, want, or abundance.

2 Encrease and growth of all these graces, that the bruised reed may not be broken, nor the smoking Flaxe quenched, but that our graces, like the light, may shine more and more to the perfect day; and our works be more at last, than at the first.

3. The meanes of grace continued and sanctifyed to us.3 The meanes of grace continued and sanctifyed unto us: as

• 1 Gods Word
  • preached at Church.
  • 2 Read in private,
  that the holy Ghost blessing it from heaven, may bring it close home unto, and savingly worke it upon our hearts, that thus the heavenly spirit breathing on his own ordinances, they may quicken us, and become effectuall to our salvation:
• 2 Sacraments.
• 3 Sabbaths.
• 2. Petition for supply of temporall wants.4 Prayer.
• 5 Fasting, etc.

2 Supply of wants temporall, [Page 35] our owne personall concernements, and all outward blessings appertayning to this present life, Health, Liberty, Friends, Rayment, Food, giving and preserving to our use the kindly fruits of the earth, so as in due time wee may enjoy them: preservation in our persons and estates, Direction in all our courses, thoughts, words, actions: the blessing of God upon all our labours, a right and sanctifyed use of all Gods blessings, and chastisements.

2 Deprecation of Evills, personall, 2. Deprecation.nationall, both of sinne and punishment, either before or after it comes: Before it comes, aversion & prevention; After it comes, ablation or removall.

1 Wee pray against the evill of sinne, that we may be, 1 Delivered, freed and acquitted of the guilt and danger of all our sinnes. 2 Endued with watch- [Page 36] fulnesse, power, and dominion over them all: in our judgements to dislike them, in affections to hate them, in heart to bewaile them, and in life to forsake them —

1. To be freed from the guilt of Sin.1 From the guilt and danger, that our sinne may not shame us before men, and torture our consciences here in this life, nor condemne us body and soule in the world to com; y^t our doing evil, omitting Personallgood, particular failings, frailties, distractions, indisposednes to serve God, our ignorance, Atheism, infidelitie, hypocrisie, inconstancie, pride, vaine-glory, envy, uncharitablenesse, putting off our repentance, forgetfulnesse, distrustfulnesse, unthankefulnesse, dulnesse, unchearfulnesse, [s]elfe-love, strife, wrath, flattery, idlenesse, gluttony, uncleannesse, covetousnesse, all inordinate desires, and all the evill of our good workes — etc — may never bee imputed or layd to our charge.

As likewise the Nationall unthankfulnesse,Nationall.heresies, schismes, swearing, oppression, security — (which crye open mouth'd against us) may not enter into the eares of the Lord of hosts.

Secondly, That we may from on, high be indued with power over those corruptions, and lusts,2. To have powerto which pleasure allures, profit provokes, sinfull custome most1. Over Sinne.of all swayes us; the plague of our own heart, that the lusts of our flesh may be crucifyed, and the whole body of sinne abolished, and we leade our captivity captive.

• 2 Victory over all the deceits of the whole world (which lieth
  2. The world.
  in wickednesse) and all the temptations thereof, that neither the persons, nor things therein, may become our snare.
• 3 Over the Devill, that archenemy
  3. The Devill.
  of our salvation, and his fiercest and craftiest assaults: that [Page 38] he may never finally prevaile over us: that the God of peace, would tread downe Satan under our feete, and so make us more than conquerors, through our Lord Jesus, who hath loved us.

2. To bee freed from the evill of punishment. Secondly, Deprecation of the evill of Punishment:

• 1. All those dreadfull curses due to our sinnes, that they may not be inflicted on us.
• 2 Deliverance from all plagues, which we now feele, or hereafter may feare. viz.
  Nationall
  • 1 Judgements nationall, which the whole Land mournes under: Plague of the pestilence, famine, warre, sedition, conspiracie —
  • Personall2 Afflictions personall, that lie on our selves, either in soule, body, or in estate; troubles and terrours of conscience: griefe of minde, scandalls and offences, imprisonment, banishment, sicknesse, poverty, disgrace, losse of [Page 39] friends or any other afflictions of what kinde soever: preservation from and in all dangers, Death it selfe, the king of terrours, the day of judgement, from Hell, and chaines of darknesse, from Gods wrath, and everlasting damnation —etc.

Secondly, We petition for others, which is Intercession: and2. Intercession for the Catholike Church.thus here, wee pray for the Catholike Church of Jesus Christ, militant every where on earth, which is either,

• 1 Uncalled (yet belonging to the election of grace) that they may be converted as
  • 1. Jews (our elder sister, which was in the covenant before us)
  • 2 Pagans and Infidels,
  that they may heare the glad tidings of salvation, and that the Sunne of righteousnesse may arise on them, with healing in his wings, that they may enjoy Gods Word, Sacraments, Sabbaths, that God would bring [Page 40] home them that goe astray, instruct the ignorant, and forgive them that rebelliously transgresse; Heretickes, yea the Enemies, and Persecutours of the Church, that they all may bee converted, or (if implacable) confounded: beseeching God to forgive our Enemies, Persecutors, and Slanderers, and to turne their hearts —
• 2 Already
  2. Called.
  called, that the Lord would purge it from Schisme, and Heresie, and appease all unhappy differences in the Church, making all Christians keepe the unity of the spirit, in the bond of peace: and that he would warme and enliven the setling and cooled affections of these secure and earthly-minded times. To watch over it for good, whether in the transmarine
  3. In forraine {p}arts
  parts, and forraigne countries abroad, or our owne nation at home, & herein especially our gracious soveraigne King Charles, and his Highnes Domi- [Page 41] nions, with all his sacred Stocke and Lineage, the Queene, young
  2. Our land at home.
  Prince, Princesse, Duke: the Lady Elizabeth the Kings onely sister, and her Progenie. The Lords spirituall and temporall, those of his Majesties most honourable Privie Councell: the Nobility, Majestra[c]ie, Ministrie, the two Universities, the Gentry, and Commonalty, our Parents, Kindred, Friends, Benefactours, all such as we stand obliged unto by nature, desert, duty, or any speciall relation.
• Thirdly, Afflicted in soule,
  3. Afflicted.
  body, or in estate, being oppressed, and persecuted under Popish tyranny, or Mahumetan cruelty: those that bee destitute of all comforts of this life, that want foode, rayment, harbour, liberty, peace, health, that grone under poverty, famine, nakednesse, etc. — that all the Israel of God may bee delivered from all their troubles.

Let me (if thou wilt) spell thee out this lesson, and shew thee the way — thus then —

RIghteous art thou, God. O Lord, Jer. 12. 1. when I plead with thee, yet let mee (who am but dust Gen. 18. 27. and ashes) talk with thee of thy judgements. Wherefore — Man. hast thou shewedPsal. 60. 3. thy people hard things, and made us [Page 262] Scriptures. Heads. to drinke the wine ofJer. 14. 19. astonishment? why hast thou smitten, Afflict. and there is no healing for us? Psal. 74. 1. — why doth thine anger smoake against the sheepe of thy pasture?Isai. 24. 11. All joy is darkned,Plague. the mirth of the land is gone — [Isai. 24.] — 7. all the merry-hearted doe sigh — weep, Jam. 5. 1. and h<o>wle Mourne. for the miseries that Psal. 83. 15. are come upon us — for thou persecutest us with thy tempest and make<st> us afraid with thy stormes — The Job. 6. 4. arrowes of the A<l>mi<g>hty are within us, the poyson Afflict. whereof drin<k>eth up our spirits, the terrours of God do set themselves in ar- [Page 263] Heads. Scriptures. ray against us.

For (Loe!) Death Pestilence. is come upJer. 9. 21. into our windowes, and is entred into our palaces, to cut off the children from without, and the young men from the streets — thy anger Deut. 29. 20. and thy jealousie smoake against us — and thou hast [Deut. 29.] 21. separated us unto evill Plagues. — there is a 1 Sam. 5. 11. deadly destruction, throughout all the Citie, and Country, the hand of the Lord is very heavie there, upon us — The Sword of the Lord, 1 Chr. 21. 12. even the P<e>stile<n>ce — fills all p<l>aces with Psal. 110. 6. the dead bodies — Slay. the carkeises of men Jer. 9. 22. fall as dung upon the [Page 264] Scriptures. Heads. open <field — the valliant Jer. 46. 15. men are swept away Rev. 2. 23. — and thou hast killed our children with death — O Jer. 47. 6. thou Sword of the Lord, how long will it be ere thou Peace. be quiet? put up thy selfe into thy Scabberd, rest and bee still.>

Surely Jer. 13. 22. for the greatnesse of our iniquities, Plague. our skirts are discovered, and our heeles made bare — Ezek. 33. 10. Our transgressions and ourSinne. sinnes bee upon us, and wee pine away in them, how should we then live? — We are Isai. 65. 3. a people that provoke thee, continually — Psal. 78. 8. a generation that set not our [Page 265] Heads. Scriptures. heart aright, and whoseUngodly. spirit is not stedfast with our God — therefore Dan. 9. 14. hath the Lord watched upon the evill, and brought it upon us — therefore the Psal. 106. 29. PlaguePlague. breakes in upon us — thouIsai. 14. 23. sweepest us away with the beesome of destruction — the Deut. 28. 21. noysome Pestilence cleaveth unto us — and we dye of grievous Jer. 16. 4. deaths — thusDeut. 32. 23. thou heapest mischeifes upon us, and spendest thine arrowes upon us — for surely Job. 31. 4. destruction is to the wicked, and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquitie —

O that we would1 Kin. 8. 28. [Page 266] Scriptures. Heads. know every mā{n} the plague of his owne Sinne. heart1 Chr. 21. 12. — then the sword of the Lord even the Pestilence Pestilence. — which thou bringest Lev. 26. 25. upon us to avenge the quarrell of thy covenant — should [Lev. 26.] — 6. no more goe through Jer. 44. 7. our land — to cut off from us, man and woman, Slay. child and suckling — thou Mic. 6. 13. wouldst then no longer make us Afflict. sicke Isai. 57. 18. in smiting us — thou wouldst then heale us, and leade us also, and restore comforts unto us and to our mournersComfort. — O Jer. 14. 7. Lord though our iniquities testifie against us, doe thou it for thy names sake, for our backe-sli- [Page 267] dings are many, wee have sinned against thee — Amen —

O Jer. 5 22. Lord the great and dreadfull God, which hast placed the sand from the bound of the Sea, by a perpetuall decree, that it cannot passe it; and though the waves thereof tosse themselves, yet can they not prevaile, though they roare, yet can they not Job. <38>. 8. passe over it, for thou shuttest up the Sea with doores and barres, and sayest to the waves, hither shall yee come, and no further. Thou art the hope of all the ends of the earth, and of such as abide in the broad Sea, wee O Lord, whose imployment and calling is in the deepe, in this heape Psal. 107. 23. of great waters, in the midst of the Seas, that go down to the Sea in ships, and doe businesse [Psal. 107.] 24 in great waters, we see thy [Page 277] works and wonders in the deep. For thou commandest and raisest the stormie wind, which lifteth Psal. <1>07. 25. up the waves thereof. We mount up to the heaven, we go downe againe to the depths, our [Psal. 107.] 26. soule is melted because of trouble, wee reele too and fro, [Psal. 107.] 27. and stagger like a drunken man, and are at our wits end. O teach us to [Psal. 107.] 28. cry unto thee in our trouble, and doe thou bring us out of our distresses: make thou (we beseech thee) the storme a calme, that the [Psal. 107.] 29. waves therof may be still, and so bring us to the desired haven, then shall we praise thee Lord [Psal. 107.] 30. for thy goodnesse, and for thy wonderfull works, towards the [Psal. 107.] 31. children of men.

Thou art our refuge and strength, a very present helpe in Psal. 46. 1. trouble, therefore will wee not feare though the earth be removed: and though the mountaines be carried into the midst of the Sea: though the waters thereof [Page 278] roare,Psal.. 46. 3. and bee troubled; though the mountaines shake with the swelling thereof: for unto thee, O Lord belong the issues from death. O make us to cast the anchor of our hope still on thee, who hast hitherto mercifully delivered us from so great a death, and dost deliver us, in whom we trust that thou wilt yet deliver us. Let not the depths, we pray thee cover us, neither let us sink into the bottome as a stone, though the flouds compasse us about, yet let not the waves and billowes passe over us: thou makest a way in the Sea, and a path in the mighty waters, thou art the God that hast made the Sea and the dry Land, doe not thou suffer that there be the losse of any Acts 27. 22. mans life among us, let not a hayre of our heads perish. Appease the mighty tempest when it ariseth, that our Ship may not be broken, rebuke the wind, and say unto the waves peace, and be [Page 279] still. O teach every Ship-master, and all the company in Ships, Ezek. 27. 29. those that handle the Oare, the Marriners, and all the Pilots of Rev. 18. 17. the Sea, and as many as trade by Sea, to trust in the saving helpe Mar. 6. 48. of thy right hand, when we be toyled in rowing, and the wind is contrary unto us, and not to rely on our owne skill: take from us that desperate boldnesse, fearelesnesse of thee and danger, that Atheisme, Swearing, and Prophanenesse, and notorious Ungodlinesse, which is too often found in many of us: Make us to be at peace with thee, in the blood of thy Sonne, that he may be advantage unto us both in life and death. There is continually but a step betwixt us and death, yea even but an hand-breadth, Psal. 39. 5. for thou hast made all mens dayes as an hand-breadth,and our age is as nothing before thee; Be thou our life in death, and to trust thee with our bo- [Page 280] dies and soules, knowing that the Sea shall at the last day, give up the dead that are in it, and our spirits shall returne unto God that gave them. If thou please to bring us safely to land, O make us to remember our vowes, which we uttered with our lips when wee were in trouble, Judg.10.13. lest otherwise thou shouldst deliver us no more — Grant this grace unto us for Jesus sake, to whom with thee, etc. Amen.