into Hell That thy terrors may affright them from those evils which delight them Cause Sin to reign unto Death that Grace may reign unto Eternal Life thro Jesus Christ our Lord. Snatch them as Brands out of the Fire lest they be swallowed up in their own ruins Bring them out of their Spiritual Bondage with a mighty Hand and a stretched-out Arm. The pleasures of Sin the power of Satan and the source of Evil. Custom this three-fold Cord is not easily broken Translate them out of the Kingdom of Satan into the glorious Liberty of the Children of God Bring them from Darkness to Light and from the power of Satan unto God Glorifie thy self by their salvation and not by their damnation Turn their Vices into Vertues Altho now they be afar off make them nigh by the Blood of Christ Bring the Blind by a way they know not Make Darkness Light unto them and Crooked Paths straight O that Christ may be formed in them That the Blind may see the Deaf may hear the Dumb may speak the Lame walk and the Lepers may be cleansed We are all the Work of thy Hands make us all the Sheep of thy Pasture We are all of one common Mold make all of one common Salvation Purge them with Hysop and they shall be clean Say unto the dry bones live Cause the Leopards to change their Spots and the Ethiopians their Hue. For the Broken hearted O God shew thy Grace to them whose souls desire thee in the Night that sigh by reason of their bondage Who thou hast broke in the place of Dragons and covered with the shadow of Death The Spirit of a Man is able to bear his infirmity but a Wounded Spirit who can bear The troubles of the Spirit are the Spirit of troubles Even as the Wind when it gets into the Caverns of the Earth causeth it to quake so Guilt contracted and felt maketh the poor soul to tremble No Lyon roars like that in a Mans bosom If a spark of thy Wrath be so terrible when it flieth into our Consciences what will thy comeing be when thou comest with Flaming Fire to render Vengance to thy Adversaries Their own Guilt hath brought two Hells in their Hearts Horror and Shame Oh sin is of a Toady Complexion After the strong Wind the Earthquake and the Fire cause the Still Voice to come Hear the Cries out of the Deeps Be thou their Pilot in the dark and dangerous Storm Thou healest the Broken in Heart and bindest up their Wounds Let the sighing of the Prisoners come before thee and relieve them according to the greatness of thy Power Bring the Prisoners from the Prison and them that sit in Darkness from the Prison House Say to the Prisoners Go forth to them in Darkness Shew your selves Cause them to â—eed in the ways and their pastures to be in high places Pleasures of Sin merried their Senses for a while but horror followed after and vultures their unconsuming Hearts and those that carried the most pleasing tastes fit them with the largest reluctations Oh sympathize with the weary and heavy laden ones how they long for the Scape-goat to carry their Sins into oblivion They watch for him more than they that watch for the Morning That look thro the Windows and cry thro the Latesses Why is his Chariot so long in coming Why stay the wheels of his Charriot They who are sick with the sense of their misery comfort them with the sweetness of thy mercy They who see their miseries out of Christ cause them to see the light of the glory of God that shineth in the Face of Jesus Christ to the praise and glory of his Grace Loose off their Sack-cloth and gird them with gladness that their glory may sing praise Break their Bonds and they shall sacrifice the sacrifice of praise Bind up the broken hearted proclaim liberty to captives open the prison to them that are bound comfort all that mourn give them beauty for ashes the oyl of joy for mourning and the garment of praise for the spirit of heavinness that they may be call'd Trees of Righteousness That they may be of the ransomed of the Lord that return and come to Sion with Songs and everlasting joy upon their Heads Cause true joy and gladness to possess their souls that sorrow and sighing may fly away Even as the eye of the Servant waiteth upon the hand of his Master or the Maiden upon the hand of her Mistriss so they wait upon thee until thou hast mercy on them Cause them that lift up their souls unto thee to know the way wherein they should walk Lead them to the door of hope opened in the valley of Achor Be a Leader and Commander unto them instruct them and teach them what they should do and guid them with thine eye Guid these prisoners of hope unto the strong holds Remember them with the favour thou bearest unto thy people and visit them with thy salvation They who are stung with the Fiery Serpents give them a sight of the Brazen Serpent The sting of Death is Sin the strength of Sin is the Law give them the Victory thro our Lord Jesus Christ That the great Physician of Souls may heal their Spiritual Distempers Where spiritual sorrow sinketh the heart cause the pully of Faith to raise it They who look towards thee with contrition consolate them with remission They who turn unto thee with humilation and repentance turn unto them with commiseration and forgiveness According to thy promise be with them that are of contrite and humble spirits to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones Be nigh unto them that call upon thee that call upon thee in truth Suffer not all their sighs to wander in fleeting Air. Cause them that sow in tears to reap in joy Turn their mourning into dancing loose off their sack-cloth and gird them with gladness Cause thy Face to shine upon them and they shall be saved They who are afflicted and tossed with tempest and are not comforted lay their stones with fair Colours and lay their Foundations with Saphirs Make their Windows of Agats and their Gates of Carbuncles and all their Borders of pleasant Stones The Vapors of Sin are risen and ingendred into a Cloud which interposeth between them and the Sun of Mercy Grant for the present that some glances from the edges of the interposed body may refresh them Where the stormy Clouds are risen when the distressed ones expect to be over-whelmed with the Deluge of thy Wrath then set thy Bow in the Clouds A discovery of Free Grace will be precious Make them to hear joy and gladness that the bones that thou hast broken may rejoyce Bring them on Eagles Wings from Sinai to Sion Cause them that mourn to be exalted to safety Open the Conduits of Soul-supportation and Soul-consolation Hope deferred maketh the heart sick but when the desire cometh it is a
that offereth Salvation to our Souls be a means to bring our Souls to Salvation Let the Word be transforming that we may be assimulated into Christ's likeness Cause our Affections to receive a Touch from the Word that they may be stirr'd up kindled and inflamed thereby That thy Message unto us may engage us to become a willing People in the day of thy Power Cause the Word to be quick and powerful quicker than a two-edged Sword so quick as to quicken us to every good duty and so powerful to subdue the Old Man of Sin Make it of such force as to make a Division between us and our best beloved Sins That the Sword of the Spirit may cut us off from the Wild Olive of Nature That we may not onely be acquainted with the Grace of Truth but the Truth of Grace Cause the Dew to fall with the Manna That the Dews of Hermon may fall upon the Hill of Sion That we may bring forth Fruits as the Vines of Engedi Cause thy Doctrine to drop as the Rain to distil as the Dew as the small Rain upon the tender Herb and as the Dew upon the Grass Drive the Birds from the Sacrifice When we draw nigh unto thee in Duty draw nigh unto us in Mercy Let not them that wait upon thee be ashamed Open the Doors of our Hearts that the King of Glory may enter Put a holy Fear into our Hearts that we may attend upon thee with Reverence That we may not receive it as the word of a sinful mortal Man but as indeed and in truth it is the Word of an Immortal God Cause the Word to be as a Bank to hinder the Inundation of our Sins Order our steps in thy Word that Iniquity may not have Dominion over us Make the Word to be as a Flaming Sword to keep us from the forbiden Fruit That it may be as a Curb to keep us from the stray of Offence That we may observe to do what the Lord commandeth us not turning to the right hand nor the left That it may be as a Rudder to steer us in our right Course Ingrave thy Counsels on the Frontispiece of our Hearts and cause them to be evermore in an applicative practice That we may grow by the sincere Milk of the Word That as the Bee gathers the Flowers and carrieth them home to the Hive and worketh them into Honey and liveth upon it in times of need so help us that we may gather the precious Truths out of thy holy Word and carry them home unto the Hive of our Hearts and work them into Grace and live upon it in a time of Trial. Lay hold on our Hearts by thy Omnipotent Grace Cause the Influences of thy Grace irresistibly to ingage us to do thy will That the manifestation of thy Grace may be as Showers to parched Grass that our drooping Souls that hang their Wings may revive and leap for joy That the Efflux of Life and power from God may beget in us true and lively Faith That Love may be enticed out of our selves to God Cause Heavenly Ordinances to leave Fruitful Influences That we may not onely enjoy the Gospel of Peace but the Peace of the Gospel We desire to sun our selves in the Light of thy Countenance Cause the Word like the Sun Beams not onely to enlighten us but heat and inliven us Let it be Honey in the Mouth Melody in the Ear and a Jubile in the Heart We see thy Foot-steps in the Creatures but we wait to see thy Face in the Ordinances Ordinances are the Pool of Bethesda that onely heal when the Spirit moveth the Waters The Gospel is the Pen but the Holy Ghost is the Guider of it Suffer not the Tree of Life to be too far from the Tree of Knowledg Cause Divine Truths to be manifested in the Purity of our Hearts and Lives That every Gale of Divinity may drive us nearer to the Haven of Felicity That we may not be all for Speculation but Sensation to taste how good the Lord is Open the Passage between our Heads and our Hearts Convey some warm sprinklings of thy Benediction into our inward parts Suffer not any of us to be like Gideon's dry Fleece Let not the Thirsty Souls that wait for thee as the Rain return like the Troops of Tema with their Heads covered For Vnregenerate Men. IN mercy remember the rebellious Children that take counsel but not of thee and cover but not with the covering of thy Spirit that they may add Sin unto Sin Whose Hearts are harden'd from thy Fear Sin at the first was the cause of Ignorance now Ignorance is the cause of Sin In the greatness of their Folly they go astray Who never peep'd out of the Bondage of Sensual Lust They rebel against the Light they know not the ways thereof neither will they come into these Paths Who walk after the vanity of their Minds having their Understanding darken'd being alienated from the Life of God thro the Ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their Hearts who being past feeling have given themselves over to work all Uncleanness with greediness Their god is their Belly their glory is their shame who mind Earthy things There is a Bridle in their Jaws which causeth them to err Lord pity them for they cannot pity themselves In provoking thee they provoke their own damnation Thou Being of Beings have mercy upon them Interrupt the Process of their Extravagances As they tread the paths of Death let them see the drawn Sword of thy Displeasure As they journey on in their Sins cause a Light to shine from Heaven Amaze them with the apprehensions of their woful and wretched Estate Suffer them not to breath quietly until they find the Fountain opened for Sin and for Uncleanness Set home unto their Consciences the weight and danger of their Sins That Conscience may be as a Scorpion in the Bosom Send the Fiery Serpents to sting and wound them that they may look after the Brazen Serpent A wake them out of their Mortal Lethargy Bring them out of the Womb of Natural Blindness that they may be born again altho they be Old Thou who at first caus'd Light to shine out of Darkness say Let there be Light and there shall be Light That the Day-spring from on high may visit them that sit in Darkness in the shadow of Death Cause the Day to dawn and the Day Star to arise in their Hearts Turn the Shadow of Death into the Morning Let the Spirit of Conviction come upon them and a wake them as a Man that is a waked out of his Sleep Our corrupt Nature is the most inexpugnable Fort in the World Cause the Dead to hear thy Voice and live Of those Stones raise up Children to Abraham Mollifie their hard Hearts that are not penetrable when the Arrows of Conviction are shot against them Cause Hell to enter into them that they may not enter
bail us yet whoever cometh unto thee thou wilt in no wise cast off Tho our Sins be as Crimson thou wilt make them as Snow and tho they be as Scarlet thou wilt make them as Wooll if we are willing and obedient If we confess and forsake our sins we shall find Mercy The Bruised Reed thou wilt not break the smoaking Flax thou wilt not quench Thou despisest not the desires of a Contrite Heart Our Sins shall be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Blessed be God for our Seasons of Grace and Times of Repentance That the Door of Hope standeth yet open in the Valley of Achor That the Lord is yet to be found and that we have a time to seek him And as we praise our God for the Springs above so we praise thee for our Springs below our Health Wealth Peace and Liberty with many other Blessings of this Life We humbly and thankfully acknowledg That we are capable of so much Mercy and Favour only thro the Merits and Mediation of Jesus Christ our Lord. That Name is above every name in which we hide our selves He ever liveth to make Intercession for us Now when we look towards the Place where thine honour dwelleth towards thy Holy Habitation that we hope our Lord will not suffer us to receive Denial or to come off without Favour and Grace Let us be in thy Sight as they that find Favour SVPPLICATION GIve ear unto our Prayers attend unto the voice of our Supplications Suffer not the Sun of Mercy to set lest the dark Night of Wrath over take us Give us not only Sparing Mercy but Saving Mercy Give us not only space to repent but grace to repent In regard the Sun of Mercy shineth so warm upon us cause the fruits of Grace to grow in us Cause thy Rich Attracts to gain the Obedience of our Hearts Bind us to the Good behaviour with the Bands of thy Love that they may charm our Evil Spirits Shed abroad thy Love in our Hearts that Love may beget Love that thy unspeakable Love unto us may beget in us some Love unto thee Fasten thy Goodness so upon us that it may lead us to Repentance That we may not only be thankful for Mercy but fruitful under Mercy Fill us with the Apprehension of thy Goodness that the Sun of Divine Favour may be as the Manna that lieth on the top of all our outward Blessings that our Souls may feed upon it That the glorious Productions of thine Omnipotency may charm our Hearts to Reflect on the Cause of Causes and the Being of Beings God forbid that we should any longer suck poison out of the sweet Flowers of thy Mercy and Goodness The Spider gathers Poison out of the same Flower where the Bee gathers Honey Because Judgment is not executed speedily therefore the Hearts of the Children of Men are wholly set in them to do Evil. But Long-suffering leadeth the Children of God to Repentance The same Heat that softens Wax hardeneth Dirt. We are depraved and base by Degeneration make us worthy by Regeneration We were shapen in Iniquity and in Sin did our Mothers conceive us The Root in which we were conceived and born hath put forth innumerable of Branches they are spread forth into many Actual Transgressions We are conceived born brought up and grown to full Stature in Sin so that now we are under the Chains of an habituated Course of Sin and without help from Heaven those Chains will reserve us to Eternal Chains O Lord break these Bonds in sunder and cast away these Cords from us Separate Sin which thou so much hatest from the Souls thou so much lovest Separate Sin from us else it will separate us from thee Cause the Law of the Spirit of Life that is in Christ Jesus to free us from the Law of Sin and Death Deliver us from the Tyrannical Power of Sin that we may turn unto thee from whom we have deeply revolted Wash away our Filth and purge our Blood by the Spirit of Judgment and the Spirit of Burning Thou who takest away the Sins of the World take away the World of our Sins Cast out the Bond-woman and her Seed Subdue our unruly Inclinations to do Evil. Bridle our Unrestrained Licencious and Distempered Passions Cashier the Turbulent Rout of our Corrupt Affections We have cause with the Men of Jericho to complain of our Stinking Waters throw in Salt to heal them Sin is never kindlily cast out but by the Introduction of Grace Sin reigneth cause Grace to step in and exauctorate and dethrone it Destroy the Weakness and the Moth cause our Corruptions to flee into Hell ever to be forgotten seal up the root of Evil. We want a Touch of the Lord to heal our Bloody Issues Shut up the Womb and dry up the Breasts of Sin Melt down our Lusts and cause them to wither at the Root Thou madest Man upright but he hath found out many Inventions Create in us New Hearts and renew right Spirits within us Frame our Hearts fit for thy own purpose that we may will and do according to thy own good pleasure We have all been Examples of Sin make us all Examples of Reformation That Old Things may pass away and all Things may become New Vassallize our Rebellious Affections Our Iniquities swallow us up alive O break the Bars of Death conquer the Powers of Darkness lead Captivity Captive Deliver us from Sin that great Murderer that let Death into rhe World It bringeth innumerable of Evils to incompass us It keepeth us fast bound in the dreadful Expectation of the Revelation of thy insupportable Wrath and fiery Indignation who art a Sin hating and Sin avenging God Suffer not the God of this World to blind our Eyes but give us a perfect sight of Sin as it is the deadly Enemy of our Eternal Peace That we may hate Sin more than ever we loved it That we may not only dislike Sin but that our dislike may increase and swell into a hatred of Sin That we may not only loath Sin but leave Sin That we may sly from Sin altho robed in Successes and Triumphs That we may not only fall out with Sin but fall off from Sin Secure us from the pernicious Effects of the Devils Malice suffer him not to add poison to our Lusts nor paint to the Objects Suffer us not to be carried away by the heady Stream of any base Affection Strengthen us that when we meet with temptations we may quit our selves like Men and be strong in the Lord and in the power of thy Might Put on thy Armour upon us that we may be able to stand against the Wiles of the Devil That our Loins may be girt about with Truth and having on the Breast-plate of Righteousness and our Feet shod with the Preparation of the Gospel of Peace and the Shield of Faith to quench the Fiery Darts of the Wicked