serve, then sendest thow adversitie, graciously correctinge all thy
chyldren whome thou receyvest into thy howshold. Wherfore we, wretched
and miserable synners, render unto thee most humble and hartie thankes,
that yt hath pleased thee to call us home to thy folde by thy Fatherly
correction at this present, wheras in our prosperitie and libertie we
dyd neglect thy graces offered unto us. For the which negligence, and
many other grevous synnes whereof we now accuse our selves before thee,
thow mightest moste justly have gyven us up to reprobate mynds and
induration of our hartes, as thow haste done others. But such is thy
goodnes, O Lord, that thou semest to forget alt our offences, and haste
called us of thy good pleasure from all idolatries into this Citie most
Christianlye refourmed, to professe thy name, and to suffer some crosse
amongest thy people for thy truth and Gospell's sake; and so to be thy
wytnesses with thy Prophets and Apostles, yea, with thy dearely beloved
Sonne Jesus Christ our head, to whome thow dost begynne here to fashion
us lyke, that in his glorie we may also be lyke hym when he shall
appear. O Lord God, what are we upon whome thowe shuldest shewe this
great mercye? O moste lovynge Lord, forgyve us our unthankfulnes, and
all our synnes, for Jesus Christ's sake. O heavenly Father, increase thy
Holy Spirit in us, to teache our heartes to cry Abba, deare Father! to
assure us of our eternal election in Christ; to revele thy wyll more and
more towards us; to confirme us so in thy trewthe, that we may lyve and
dye therein; and that by the power of the same Spirit we may boldlely
gyve an accompts of our faith to all men with humblenes and mekenes,
that whereas they backbyte and slaunder us as evyll doers, they may be
ashamed and once stopp their mowthes, seinge our good conversation in
Christ Iesu, for whose sake we beseche thee, O Lord God, to guide,
governe, and prosper this our enterprise in assemblinge our bretherne,
to prayse thy holie name. And not only to be here present with us thy
children according to thy promesse, but also mercifullie to assist thy
like persecuted people, our Bretherne, gathered in all other places,
that they and we, consentinge together in one spirite and truethe, may
(all worldly respectes set a part) seke thy onely honor and glorie in
all our and their Assemblies.

SO BE IT.

THE TESTIMONY OF THE ROCKS.

LECTURE FIRST.

THE PALAEONTOLOGICAL HISTORY OF PLA