University of Virginia Library

Let GOD arise! Arise LORD, I implore thee;
And, let all those who hate thee, fly before thee;
Rebuke them who thy Adversaries are,
The Bulls and Calves who take delight in War;
Aswel the Common People, as their Kings,
Till all the world, to thee, due tribute brings.
Let those destroying Angels, which are sent
To chastise us, make a distinguishment
Between them, who through Humane frailty sin,
Without persisting wilfully therein,
And, such, as have been unto thee and Thine,
Malitious Foes, a long time, by Designe;
Or, who, not onely, against us, now be
Confederates, but likewise against Thee.

In Mercy, look again, on us, and those,
Who are, at this day, our professed Foes;
Lest, the pursuit of what is yet intended
Consumes both Nations, ere the War be ended.
Now, so unclose the Eyes of evry Nation,
Which hath pretended to a Reformation,
That, they may see how much, they have been blinded;
How they depraved are, and how self-minded:
So prudent make all Governours and Kings,
So qualify the Peoples murmurings;
So, let thy holy Spirit sanctifie
Each Congregational Societie;
So shew, to evry Individual one,
What ought to be believ'd, and to be done
Together and Apart, which may improve
That, Principle of Universal Love,
In which, the Being of the world begun;
Whereby, preserved while Time wheeleth on,
And, by which, that perfection shall be gaind
Which was by thy Eternal Love ordaind;
That we regenerated may become,
And not continue, till the day of Doome,
So stupified in our sins, as they
Who were, at last, with Water, washd away;
Or, Sodom-like, in sinning persevere
Until with Fire consumed as they were:
But, let what thou hast done, sufficient be
To turn thee unto us, and us to Thee.

I do confess, shouldst thou be so severe,
As, but to heed how bad, the best men are;
Among us all, there could be found out none
Who might be called Righteous; no, not one
Of whatsoever Calling, or Degree,
Whether, Priest, Prophet, or a King it be,
Or of the common Rank; Lord, naytheless
In Mercy, and in thy Sons Righteousness
Vouchsafe to look upon us; and, to cure
Our single, and our joynt distemp'rature.
At this time, to those Lustings put an end,
Which makes us more then brutishly contend
For trifles; and to brawl, curse, lye and swear;
Like Dogs, for bones, to scramble, scratch and tear;
Fight, wound and kill each other, without heed
Of what we do, or of what may succeed.
Yea, so inhumanely, as if, now, here
The Devils, clothd with Humane bodies were;
Hell, as it were, broke loose, and, they come hither
With purpose, to bring Hell and Earth together.

That, which this may portend, secure us from:
Hallow thy Name, and let thy Kingdom come.
Thy will be done on Earth, as tis in Heaven:
Give us the bread of Life; and, that forgiven
Our sins may be, let us forgive each other;
And, henceforth, live in Amity together,
On us, let not temptations, then prevail,
When thou permittest any to assail
Our persons; that, we may in our Probations
Be constant, and enjoy our expectations.
Let neither present, past, or future evil,
(The temptings of the World, the Flesh or Devil)
Have powre to harm, or fright us any more,
With Plagues and Wars, as now, and heretofore;
Especially, let them not us insnare
With those sins, whereof these the wages are.
Wholly, to thee, our selves let us resigne;
Confess the Kingdom, Powre and Glory thine
Without a partner; and henceforth, forbear
To seek our Kingdom, Powre and Glory here.

Whilst that time lasts, wherein things yet remain
Undone, which to thy Glory appertain,
And, wherein we must further be imployd,
Before the Man of Sin shall be destroyd,
(Who very oft, usurps a lodging, where
Thy Kingdom is, although he Reigns not there)
Him to resist, vouchsafe Assisting Grace
To every one of us, in his own place:
Preserve us blameless, in that Dispensation
Whereto, a Conscentious inclination
(Without self-ends) hath joynd us; so to use
Our Liberty, that, we do not abuse
The Christian Freedom, by intruding on
Thy Right; or, by imposing that upon
Anothers conscience, by usurped powr,
Which, we would not should be imposd on our.
And, so incline those also, to do thus
To whom thou givest power over us,
That none, may to obey them forced be,
By being disobedient unto thee;
But, let our Duties be performd in Peace
To thee, and, to all men, in Righteousness.
And, that both We, and our Superiours too,
May be the more kept heedful what to do;
Make them to know, that, if in what relates
To Thee, the humane Laws, or Magistrates
Must be obeyd in all they shall command,
However they, or we shall understand
Thy Word reveald; then, if the Kingdom be
The Turks or Popes, we must believe, as he;
And, thy Will and thy Deity, thenceforth,
Stand for a Cypher, or, for what's less worth:
For that, will be the consequence thereof,
Though Polititians, at this Truth will skoff:
Me therefore, unto what thou callst me to,
Keep firm, in spight of all the world shall do.

The single, and the joynt Humiliation
Of King and People, bless with acceptation,
Although, what hath been done, prayd, or confest,
Will not abide thy Sanctuary Test;
For, hope of an acceptance, none there is,
If thou shouldst mark all things that are amiss:
And, sav'd from what's deserved, here, would neither
Be Good or Bad men, but, sink altogether.

Let, in one Duty, none be so employd,
That, all the rest be sleighted, or made void.
So let us Hear, that, we aswel may Do
As Hearken, what thy word perswades unto.
So let us strive to Do, that having done
The best wee can, wee trust not thereupon;
And, so Believe too, that wee may improve
Our Faith still more, both by Good works and Love;
Remembring, it is Love, that doth fulfil
The Law, the Gospel, and thy total will.
Let thine own Spirit help us so to pray,
That, wee may minde Thee, more then what we say.
Since to Speak words, less needful is to thee,
Then telling our own hearts, what our thoughts be;
And, chiefly used, that we might discern
Or, heed the better those things which concern
Our selves, and Brethren; because, none can show
That unto thee, which thou didst not foreknow.
Words, oft are spoke to others, with intent
To counterfeit that which was never ment.

To such ends, as we ought to make Addressings
To thee, are all my Prayers and Confessings;
To such ends, I now offer here in words,
Those Musings, which my narrow heart affords;
And, which drawn, and prest out of it, have been
By those great streights, we still continue in.
To such ends, I implore thee in this mode;
Accept of this Oblation, my dear GOD:
Give us his Righteousness, who took our Guilt;
Love us, and then, do with us, what thou wilt.