The Practice of Piety

And when anon, I shall with the rest of the holy Assembly, appear before thy presence in thy house; to offer unto thee our morning sacrifice of praise and Prayer: and to hear what thy Spirit, by the preaching of thy Word, shall speak unto thy Servant: Oh let not my sins stand as a Cloud to stop my Prayers▪ from ascending unto thee; or to keep back thy Grace from descending, by thy Word, into my heart. I know O Lord, and tremble ⟨p. 586⟩to think, that three parts of the good Seed falls upon bad ground. O let not my heart be like the High-way, ¹which through hardness, and want of true understanding, receives not the Seed, till the evil one cometh, and catcheth it away: nor like to the stony ground, which hearing with joy for a time, falleth away as soon as persecution ariseth for thy Gospels sake: nor like to the thorny ground, which by the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choketh the Word which it heareth, and makes it altogether unfruitful: but that like unto the good ground, I may hear thy Word, with an honest and good heart; understand ⟨p. 587⟩it, and keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience, in that measure that thy Wisdom shall think meet for thy glory, and mine everlasting comfort.² Open likewise I beseech thee O Lord, the door of utterance unto thy faithful Servant, whom thou hast sent unto us to open our eyes that we may turn from darkness to light, ³and from the power of Satan, unto God; that we may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by Faith in Christ. And give me grace to submit my self unto his Ministry, as well when he terrifieth me with judgements; as when he comforteth me with thy Mercies. And that I may ⟨p. 588⟩have him in singular love for his works sake; because he watcheth for my soul as he that must give an account for the same unto his Master.⁴