A progresse of pietie. Or the harbour of heauenly harts ease to recreate the afflicted soules of all such as are shut vp in anye inward or outward affliction. By Iohn Norden.

The Prayer against false Prophets, errors and Schismes, and for increase of Chri∣stianitie.

FOrasmuch, good Father, as the ••atter times of the ••orlde are come vpon vs, and we

are by thy diuine prouidence, alot∣ted 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 Mini∣sters into the forme of thy Sonne Christ, and his Apostles, wherby hee endeuoureth to continue his kingdome, and to hinder the pas∣sage of thy diuine word, to exalt errour, & to stop the truth, to con∣firme vanitie, and to blemish thy word. And forasmuch also, good fa∣ther, 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 Mini∣sters to seduce such as haue not sufficient taste of thy worde, and whome thy grace directeth not, to beware of his wicked practises. Graunt (oh mercifull God) that we may through the assistance of thy diuine spirite, be wise in thee, and be so guided by thee, that the

deceiuing deuises of these lying spirits, withdraw not our minds, hearts and soules, from the true imbracing of thy sacred worde. Grant (O Lord) that wee wander not from the path of thy heauenly kingdome, but may constantly and firmely perseuere in thine infalli∣ble trueth vnto the ende, and may banish all errors and shew of fals∣hoode, 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 ma∣ny, so are they in many sorts dan∣gerous, 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 main∣tayned,

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 spi∣rit, 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 ga∣ther vs together in one sound pro∣fession: enable vs to conceiue a∣right the things that belong vnto saluation, and keepe vs from such as come into the Church in sheeps clothing, but are inwardly raue∣ning wolues, which spare not thy flocke, but cruelly deuoure thy be∣loued sheep, with the poyson of er∣ronious doctrine: and roote out the tares, cockle, and darnell of error, already sowne, from the good seed of thy word.

And forasmuch (good father) as the case standeth so, that who so will professe thy name, and seeke

to sanctifie the same in a sincere and right course of life, not bending his affections, or yeelding liking to the wicked course of this world, in whose proceedinges standeth but the shadow without the substan∣ciall fruite of sinceritie, cannot wade through this vale full of confused corruptions, but he shall fall into the hands of such as car∣rie the titles of Christians, & will yet seeke Antichristianlie, to im∣pose 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 ser∣uice of thee. And this (deere Fa∣ther) 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 inui∣olable 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 car∣ried

away into vanitie and er∣rour.

And according vnto thy pro∣mise, vouchsafe that whensoeuer any of thy children, for the testi∣monie 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 lite∣rature, 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 know∣ledge 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 world∣ly foolishnesse, and in the ende bee crowned with the diademe of eter∣nall

felicitie, with thy Saintes in blisse. Amen.

O Lord increase our faith.