The fourth part of the true watch containing prayers and teares for the churches. Or A helpe to hold up the hearts and hands of the poorest servants of God, untill our Lord Iesus Christ shall have rescued his glorie, kingdome, and people in all the world, and fully prepared the way to his most glorious appearing.

TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE AND VERTVOVS Ladies, the Ladie ZOVCH, wife to the Right Honourable the Lord ZOVCH, with her Noble Sisters, Ladie DVDLEY, and Ladie WINFIE•…•…D, all Grace and hap∣pinesse.

IT is too well knowne (Right Honoura∣ble and Worthie Ladies) how both in Court and Countrey the hearts not onely of poore simple women loaden with sinnes, bu•…•… of our chiefe Ladies and of all

other, are stollen away (so much as the Lord permite) from all true allegeance and obedience to our Lord Iesus Christ and his Anoinced, to ioyne themselves to the Church of Rome, to the endlesse perdition both of their soules and bodies. This also is as evident, that this is wrought principally by this subtiltie of the old Serpent: That they in that Church haue moe holy de∣votions, and doe also spend much more time therein, than wee in ours.

By this enchantment amongst others, Satan and his instru∣ments seeke to deuoure not wi∣dowes houses alone, as those did in the dayes of our Sauiour; but in time to swallow us all up quicke unlesse our mightie God stid deliver us from their iawes, as hither to he hath done.

Considering therefore how the Romish Seducers swarme in everie place, to the present in∣dangering of all the Churches and people of the Lord, & even this our nation amongst the rest; and having heard more∣over (by one of speciall note in* 1.1 the Church of God, for his lear∣ning able to silence the proudest Adversarie) that some of our most Honourable and chiefe Ladies, have in these & the like respects, earnestly desired that some amongst us would more seriously labour herein, that we might match them even in this kinde, not as theirs in blinde & vaine superstitions, but in true, sincere and holy devotions; I haue thought it my bounden du∣tie, to tender for the good of all sorts, such meditations and prayers as the Lord hath in his

mercie beene pleased to vouch∣safe unto me in this behalfe.

This also the rather, for that he having long agoe put this verie same care into my heart, to seeke hereby as much to save us all, as they doe to destroy us all, hath now much more enfla∣med it, with an ardent studie hereof: upon this religious mo∣tion, and most honourable desire of those great Personages, men∣tioned to me againe and againe, and that in Gods speciall provi∣dence, as I have taken it, to stir me up more earnestly hereunto. Let me therefore herein (right noble and worthie Ladies) hum∣bly beg pardon, if I presume up∣on your truly renowned courte∣sie, and tender and compassio∣nate affection, to be more than ordinarie in this my dedication to your Honours, upon this im∣portant

and extraordinarie oc∣casion, from this intolerable in∣sulting of the common Adver∣sarie, and the pitifull deluding and destroying of multitudes of poore unstable soules, and also the endangering of us all, to lie open daily more and more unto the butcherly cruelties of Rome, when they have thorowly pre∣pared the way, by drawing enow unto their part, through this and other their cunning stratagems and strong delusions. Grant me leaue (deare Ladies) I beseech you (though a thing unusuall in such dedications, which are wont usually to bee verie briefe; yet (to manifest my long studie and earnest de∣sire for the sauing of such of our brethren and sisters, as are en∣dangered* 1.2 to be destroyed by this and the like subtilties of Satan)

to helpe hereby, and by our in∣stant prayers for them, to pull some of them backe againe from the subtill Serpent, unto our Lord Iesus Christ; and withall to keepe others from falling away from him, even so many of them as belong to the election of grace, and to leave the rest of them more without excuse. Now is the time that Michael and his Angels strive specially* 1.3 against the Dragon and his An∣gels, about the whole bodie of his Church. Now is the time, that our Lord Iesus lookes for us all to helpe him and his poore Church, to remember our Bap∣tisme vow in a speciall manner, to •…•…ight manfully under his ban∣ner, and to stand for him, for our selves, & for our brethren.

I haue therefore presumed upon the occasion of that their

right Christian and tender com∣miseration, to write a generall Epistle to all the plaine and sim∣ple-hearted people of our land, seduced by those deceiuers, or in danger thereof: and not onely to them, but to all sorts: That all may take the better notice of the delusions of Poperie, the difference betweene the devoti∣ons of the Romish Synagogue, and of the true Church of Christ, and to make fully known unto them all, that they must all either renounce Poperie, and professe the Gospell with us, or else professe themselues therein to be of Satan, and to stand for his religion against our Lord Iesus Christ. That thus all may get out of Baby•…•…on, seeke to save themselves, and helpe to pull out and save all others.

And so much the rather, for

that this verie service hath beene required of me particu∣larly by a truly religious, wor∣thie and ancient professour of Christs Gospell, in the behalfe of a great and honourable La∣die, who hath beene drawen away by this same delusion prin∣cipally; to wit, That they have moe holy devotions in their Church, than wee in ours, and doe spend more time therein. Whereupon hee requested mee to write some Epistle, to helpe to reclaime her, and to bring her backe againe unto us. Which service or a greater I could not well denie, as God should bee pleased to vouchsafe mee abilitie and op∣portunitie, especially hauing beene long obliged by his anci∣ent loue, though the unablest of thousand others.

And moreouer, for that I have likewise stood for many yeeres (after a sort) bound by promise, for the verie like ser∣vice in effect unto a Gentle∣man, much respected generally of all that are affected to that Romish Religion, for his speciall devotion in that superstitious kinde; one worthie indeed to be duely respected of all, in re∣gard of his good parts of na∣ture, learning, and also descent, if the Lord shall bee plea∣sed to shew him that mercie to reclaime and bring him backe into the bosome of his owne true Church and people againe.

This have I therefore more heartily wished to accomplish, not onely for that I have remai∣ned long thus bound by my par∣ticular promise unto himselfe

(as after shall more fully ap∣peare) but likewise for that I was specially obliged in dutie, both to his father, being a wor∣thie Iudge of our Land, and in love to his eldest brother, who was a rare hope in his time, even in his tender yeeres (as the Com∣mons house of Parliament could then have borne witnesse) if our God had beene pleased to have prolonged his daies. And this the more cheerefully also, for that the Lord had formerly shewed mercie on that his hope∣full brother, vouchsafing me, a poore and weake instrument, to helpe to pull him from Satan to Christ; out of deepe despaire, whereunto he had fal•…•…e by rea∣ding some part of their devoti∣ons, even of Parsons Resolu∣tion of the paines of hell, and to bring him to much assurance

and comfort in Iesus Christ, by the right use of a little part of ours, viz. of the practise of some directions in the first part of the True Watch. My trust is therefore that your Ladiships and all others will iudge my boldnesse to bee borne withall, though I thus presume, because I know assuredly, that you will not onely ioyne your hands, but your hearts to the reclaiming and saving of them both, and of all other so deluded, and even enchaunted with their sorce∣ries, and that they themselves will most praise the Lord for this service, if ever hee shall thorowly open their eyes; wher∣as otherwise without unfained turning and speedie preven∣ting it, they will undoubtedly fall into a farre more forlorne and irrecoverable despaire,

when it will bee too late.

And who knoweth how far this service may prevaile, being both thus requested and also promised; and now thus un∣dertaken in all dutifull and lo∣ving affection, and also in up∣rightnesse and singlenesse of heart towards them, and to∣wards all other, as before our blessed God, who hath ever beene wont not onely to worke by the weakest and unlikeliest meanes, that himselfe alone may have all the glorie, but also to doe the greatest good to his Church, by the extremest rage, yea by the deepest and most mis∣chievous plots of the Adversa∣ries against it. Who knowes, whether his goodnesse may not make it an instrument, through your instant prayers, with the prayers and teares of many of

his people furthered by this oc∣casion, to pull not them two a∣lone, but with them likewise many thousands, yea hundred thousands from hell, and to bring them to heaven, & with∣all to keepe innumerable soules from ever declining from the Lord. Yea, what knoweth any one, whether he may not make it a meanes amongst others, to helpe to save us all, and with us, all Christs true Churches, from that common calamitie and de∣struction, which Satan and his Agents doe fully assure them∣selves in time to bring upon them all, and upon all the peo∣ple of the Lord. Our bloudie enemies, having so resolved never to rest, untill, under the name of Heretiques, they have utterly rooted us all out, from off the face of the earth. My

trust is therefore (Right Ho∣nourable) that all who unfai∣nedly love Christs Gospell, and the soules of these our deluded brethren and sisters, and desire the saving of the Church of God, will thinke it an acceptable service, to set before the eyes of all the world, the palpablenesse of this most notorious delusion: and to take away that forged imputation and shame from the true Church of Christ, and from all the Israel of God; viz. That our Adversaries of Rome have moe holy devo∣tions than we, and also doe spend more time therein, than we in ours.

Accept then, I beseech your Honours, this poore service here now in this entrance into this fourth part of this Watch thus undertaken chiefly upō the occa∣sion

of that most Christian desire of those great Ladies, to whom yet I durst not presume to dedi∣cate it, being unknowne unto them: albeit I have heard much good concerning them, & hearti∣ly pray that all heavenly graces may be ten times more resplen∣dent in them, to their everla∣sting praise & happines. Accept it as one speciall use and appli∣cation of all the three former parts of it, to the helping of the poorest and weakest Christians in all the land, that everie one herein may have the benefit of all the former, that all in pray∣ing may learne to watch, and everie one in watching may learne to pray, & each in watch∣ing and praying, may not onely helpe to save themselves, but also their owne native Coun∣trey, with all the true Churches

of our Lord Iesus Christ, and to pull all Gods Elect out of the mouth of the roaring Lion.

All may see (so farre as I am able to coniecture) that to bee true, which was mentioned, That the battle of the great day is come; That Satan hath open∣ly, and even visibly entred the field with his armies to fight against the Lords most glorious Maiestie and his Armies, even against all his poore Church at once; for that this spirituall warre is set on by his principall Commanders, the Pope and his Cardinals, with their chiefe Agents the Iesuites, and other Seminarie Priests, and mana∣ged and foughten by his most deadly weapons, lying and mur∣der.

Wee are therefore ever to keepe in memorie, that wee are

not now so much to labor to fight against flesh & bloud, as against* 1.4 principalities and powers, the Princes of the darknesse of this world, and to that end to be ar∣med* 1.5 with all the complete ar∣mour of God, both defensive and offensive.

To this end, like as I have long travelled to helpe all our poore Countrey Schooles, and all of the inferiour sort, that the meanest of them, who will suf∣fer themselves to bee directed, might not need to feare the in∣sulting of any, or of all the proudest Iesuites, in regard of laying a sure foundation of all good learning in our Grammar Schooles (with all sweet delight both to Master and Schollars) neither doth it repent me, but I blesse the God of heaven, that gave me a heart so to abase my

selfe; so have I here for all the poore people of the land, labou∣red to prepare and fit them weapons against this great day. Which day all my labours will witnesse for me, that I have long feared, seeing the malice and rage of the Adversarie dai∣ly growing more and more, with the increase of our iniquities to provoke the Lord to send it up∣on us, like as upon all the other Churches; to the end to make us all to seeke him by unfained repentance, & that euerie one of u•…•… may turne from our evill way unto his Covenant. That thus seeking him unfainedly, he may take our cause into his owne hand, fight his owne battles, and save us from these our merci∣lesse enemies. The better in∣structed sort of Christians, who are able to pray better of them∣selves,

need them not, I have therefore endevoured to fit them chiefly for all the younger and weaker sort, who would as faine learne to pray, to save themselves and the land with all the Churches, and long as much to be helpers in this worke, as any of those who are best in∣structed.

Wherefore (deare Ladies) as you have so much reioyced in the former parts of this Watch, and to doe all things which may tend not onely to the saving of your selves, but also of our na∣tive Countrey, and to make us a happie people; so I assure my selfe, that you will not disdaine these poore helps, though they bee composed in a plaine, easie, and homely stile; so as to leade the poorest by the hand, and to support their weaknesse, to

helpe to confirme weake hands and wearie knees, that all here∣in may helpe together. It is not any painted (much lesse Players) eloquence, that will pacifie our blessed God, and defend us, or put to flight our proud Adver∣saries. Wee have had a great while too much experience of that, in too many both of our Sermons and Prayers; no, no, it must bee the evidence and power of the word of the Lord, sent forth by the sighs and groanes of his holy Spirit, though all heavenly eloquence rightly used, be his most graci∣ous gift, and if ever, now speci∣ally to be wished. Thus have I studied to fit weapons, as hee hath enabled mee against this time of need, meet for all sorts; that old and young, noble and ignoble, yea our most honourable

Ladies may have their wea∣pons from his Armourie; so as all, from the chiefe of them to the verie poore woman that grindes at the mill, may in this* 1.6 battle helpe the Lord against the mightie, and so keepe that bitter curse from all our land. That Iael may strike the naile into the* 1.7 temples of Sisera. And that thus in the •…•…ud, shee that sits at home may have part in the spoile, and all of us ioyntly toge∣ther, when we shall see the Lord to have got himselfe the victo∣rie with his owne right arme,* 1.8 may sing the song of Deborah* 1.9 and of Miriam, yea of all the host of heaven, saying; Praise,* 1.10 and honour, and glorie, and power, be unto him that sits upon the throne, and unto the Lambe for evermore.

Pardon me (worthie Ladies)

I humbly againe beseech you, if so much presuming upon your Ladiships patience, according to my assurance of your tender commiseration, and true Chri∣stian humilitie, I have so farre passed the bounds of an ordina∣rie Epistle in this matter of such extraordinarie moment and im∣portance, so nearely at this pre∣sent concerning the safetie and happinesse of your Honours, and of all the people of the Lord. If I may (by the worthy ensamples of your honourable Ladiships) provoke other of your noble ranke and condition (as who have most leisure and best op∣portunitie) and so others of his servants and children to a holy emulation, seriously to meditate hereof, and to put all these in practise, onely so farre forth as his heavenly Maiestie cals all

hereunto, and expects these du∣ties at the hands of everie soule, I shall have an abundant reward of all my poore travels. Or if I may but helpe to awake such of his servants, as to whose view they shall be presented, to labour to be for all the rest, as the Angels for Lot, to pull all from Satan to our Lord Iesus Christ, and chiefly those of our owne native Countrey, who are so seduced by Antichrist, and by those who are sent abroad by him into the world to deceive, and to draw all to his part.

Reade and consider, and so farre as your Ladiships shall clearely see our Lord Iesus Christ leading you by the hand, so farre follow him, doing as he directs you. So you shall not onely be sure to save your owne soules, but also helpe to save all

sorts, and more specially all the Honourable, and others; who either shall looke at, or heare of your worthie ensamples; yea, your native Countrey (as was said before) and all the true Churches of Christ, and shall in like manner be helpers, to ga∣ther in all the remainder of his Elect, both Iewes and Gentiles, so to prepare the way to his most glorious comming. Thus shall you increase your owne eternall honour and happinesse, and shall shine more and more in all hea∣venly graces and good works, and in greater glittering before the Lord, his Saints and An∣gels, than by being adorned with all the gold, pearles and dia∣monds, which the whole earth can afford.

In which humble desire, I take my leave, and commend

your Ladiships unto that Cele∣stiall grace, which performeth all the holy desires of them that feare him and trust in his mercie, and so shall ever re∣maine

Your Ladiships in all service and intire affection, Iohn Brinsley.

Notes

• * 1.1

  D. Wh.
• * 1.2

  Rom. 9 2. 2 Sam. 5. 1.
• * 1.3

  Apoc. 12. 7.
• * 1.4

  Ephes. 6. 12.
• * 1.5

  Vers. 11.
• * 1.6

  Iudg. 5. 23.
• * 1.7

  Iudg. 4. 21. 5. 26.
• * 1.8

  Iudg. 5. 1.
• * 1.9

  Exod. 15. 21.
• * 1.10

  Apoc. 5. 13.