from my Mother's Womb and thy long-suffering Patience and Compassion that never fail that I have not been long ago consumed swallowed up or swept away with some extraordinary Judgment for those many gross and heinous Sins of my Life my whole Nature is deformed with Original corruption my whole Life my whole Life abounding with the fruits thereof all manner of actual Transgressions My Vnderstanding is full of Blindness Vanity and Infidelity my Conscience Dead and Remorsless my Heart Hard and Impenitent my Affections Disorderly and Violent Vnruly and Masterless my Appetite Sensual and Brutish I have no ability to any good Duty no restraint or moderation in Sinning against thee Yea if I do any Good I am apt to blemish it with Self-love and Hypocrisie if I abstain from any Evil it is many times rather from the Act than from the Love of it I ought to have lived as under covenant with thee but wretch that I am I have broken my Vow falsified my Faith and violated the everlasting Covenant What Commandment of thine is there O Lord I have not transgressed What Grace I have not abused What Curse I have not deserved When I view the wretched course of my Life and consider my weighty and crying Sins what Lord can I say And what confusion should cover me Here confess to God thy secret Sins with the Circumstances of Time Place Person and Manner c. In how many things have I Sinned against Knowledge against Conscience against Light and against many Vows and Promises of better Obedience I have no colour of excuse nothing to plead with thee in defence of my many and heinous Sins if I dispute I must lay my hand upon my mouth and learn to abhor my self in Dust and Ashes for Lord for these my Sins I stand here guilty of thy Curse with all the Miseries of this Life and that to come But O blessed Lord thou art he that Justifies the ungodly and hast sent thy Son to die for Sinners and hast made a general Offer and invited all to come unto Christ that they may be sav'd whosoever will every very one that thirsteth yea and hast most graciously promised John 6.37 That him that cometh shall not in any wise be repulsed or cast out John 3.16,17 Luke 2.10 and that whosoever believeth shall not perish that thou wilt not despise a broken heart Rev. 22.17 John 7.37 John 6.40 2 Cor. 5.20 John 3.23 Nay Lord it is thy Will Desire and Command that I should believe on the Name of thy Son that so I may be saved 1 John 5.10 And thy Word of Truth saith That whosoever believeth not maketh thee a Lyar. O Father of Mercies I am bold in the name of Christ to come unto thee and by the hand of Faith to lay hold upon thy Promises yet feeling my own weakness I beseech thee strengthen my unbelief and what assurance I cannot have by my Faith weakly embracing thee let me have from thy self embracing me who art mighty to save Thou did'st inable thy Servant Jacob to lay hold on thee and not let thee go till thou had'st blessed him Lord give me the same Strength the same Courage and the same Success I beseech thee O Lord who despisest not the sighing of a contrite heart nor desirest the death of a penitent Sinner but delightest by thy Goodness to Reign where Sins have most abounded to pardon and forgive me all my Sins and to wash away the unâ—…leanness of them by that precious Blood of Sprinkling which Christ Jesus my Saviour hath shed I hope for me And seeing he has born the burden of the Curse due for my Transgressions deliver me O Lord both from my Sins and those Judgments which hang over my head as due unto me for the same bury them in the Burial of Christ that they may never have power to rise up against me to shame me in this life or condemn me in that to come And I beseech thee O Lord not only to pardon the Guilt of my Sins but to purge my heart by thy holy Spirit from the Dross of my natural Corruptions that I may feel thy Spirit more and more killing my sins in the power and practise thereof especially my special Sins and Corruptions Let my Flesh be Crucified with its Affections and Lusts And let me find the power of Christ's death mortifying my corruptions and the power of his Resurrection raising me up to newness of life Arm me O Lord with the Furniture of thy Grace and write thy Laws in my inward parts that I may not only be thy Soldier but thy Servant and Subject Set up the Scepter of thy Kingdom in my Conscience subdue my heart to the obedience of thy Commands win my Affections to the Love of thy Statutes conform my Life to the Rule of thy Righteousness and transform me daily more and more into thy Image Bless all the Means of Grace unto me and me with a heart sanctified and set upon the Means for the increase of Grace let thy holy Word be my chief Treasure thy Statutes my Counsellors thy Promises my Comforters thy Sacraments my Delicates thy Sabbaths my best Daies and thy Servants my dearest Companions Renew daily with me the Covenant of thy Peace and now this morning let thy Spirit from Heaven Seal me a new Patent of Mercy that being to meet with thee in the ways and works of this day I may be sure to find thee as a reconciled Father not as an offended Judge As thou do'st add Days unto my Life so good Lord add Repentance and amendment unto my Days and bestow a supply upon me of all those Graces which thou knowest to be wanting in me and necessary for me with an increase of all those Gifts wherewith thou hast already indowed me Give unto me such Spiritual Eye-sight that I may see thee in thy Word and Works Let me live in thy sight and not without thee as the Gentiles do O let me not be cast out of thy presence as Cain nor run against thee as Balaam but walk with thee as Enoch Noah and Abraham in all my ways taking knowledge of thy Presence Promises and Providences Bless me O Lord this day in the Duties of my Calling preserve me from all fraudulent oppressing greedy Courses Draw my Affections from the Love of this World fix my heart upon things above if things succeed according to my mind make me thankful to thee which hast given the Blessing if any Cross comes make me patient and careful to profit by the Chastisement good Lord do thou bless me with such a portion of Health Peace Prosperity and every good thing as may inable and make me Chearful in Duty And because the daily occasions of danger to my Soul are infinite teach me to keep my Heart with all diligence to make a Covenant with my Eyes to keep my mouth as with a Bridle for the avoiding all filthy communication to use
we may make known our desires to him as if he were not acquainted with them for he understands our Thoughts afar off neither that we may move him to accept and grant our desires for with him there is no Change or Shadow of turning but that we may by our Prayers obtain that of him which we believe he is willing to bestow Prayer being a necessary means both for God's Glory and our good 1 John 5.14 This is our Confidence which we have towards God that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us When therefore thou art about to pray First look into your present State and inquire how all things stand between God and you mark whatsoever occurs between your set times of Prayer the Providences of God or Sleights of Satan what sins you have committed what Graces you want and what Fresh Favours God has bestowed Tune thy Thoughts and Affections wind and Screw them up when thou comest to Duty This is that Zophar advises Job 11.13 to prepare the Heart and then to stretch forth the Hands When you are about to address your self to God in Prayer Fix your thoughts upon some particular Subject to inlarge upon There is no question if you observe your condition well but you have somtimes one errand to God somtimes another whether it be to confess some predominant Sin to beg Pardon of and Power against You may have in your Eye some Grace which you stand in more than ordinary need of and observe your own weakness and defect in Run not out into Generals only for you cannot speak to God of all things at one time but consider the Present Case of thy Soul and what business you have to go to God about at that time in a particular manner enlarge your thoughts on that Subject and follow it home till you feel your heart warm'd and affected Implore and expect the Spirit 's assistance and let thy whole heart be engaged in this work See what thou dost be according to Gods will and have a Warrant from his Word A Command is our Warrant a Promise is our Incouragement and an Example our Tract the Footsteps of the Flock wherein we must walk Improve your Advocate This is the Principal part of all our Religion and especially of Prayer to depend wholly upon the Righteousness and Intercession of Christ Jesus for access to and acceptance with God Be not slight formal and cursory in calling your Sins and Duties Cods Favours and Promises into a bare and Fruitless remembrance if the Heart be not affected with Anger Fear Grief and Shame for Sin with Joy and acknowledgment of being beholden to God for his Favours with Hope and Confidence in him in remembrance of his Promises if it be not gain'd to a new Resolution to Reform what is Faulty and to endeavour after more exactness all your preparation is nothing Nay Sin will gather Strength upon you thereby like idle Sturdy Vagrants who when brought before the Magistrate if he either say little to them or only give them threatning words but never makes them smart for their Offences they grow thereby ten times more insolent lawless Keep up Spiritual Frames out of Worship the Fire was to be kept alive upon the Altar when Sacrifices were not Offer'd from Morning till Night from Night till Morning as well a in the very time of Sacrifice One well advises to be such out of Worship as we would be in it any thing that does unhinge and discompose our Spirits is inconsistent with Religious Services which are to be perform'd with the greatest sedateness and gravity All irregular Passions disturb the Serenity of the Spirit and tho they be allay'd yet they leave the heart some while after like the Sea rolling and swelling after the Storm is ceased Ill company leaves a Tincture upon us in Worship Ephraim hath mixed himself with the People Hosea 7.8 He is a Cake not turned This will make our Hearts and Lives half Dough as well as half Baked These and the like make the Holy Spirit withdraw himself and then the Soul lies like a Wind-bound Vessel that can make no way When the Sun departs from us it carries its Beams along with it then Darkness spreads it self over the Earth and the Beasts of the Forest creep out Be much in Secret Ejaculations to God These are the purest flights of the Soul that have more of Fervor and less of Carnality As frequent sinful Acts strengthen habits of Sin so frequent Religious acts strengthen habits of Grace Excite and exercise particularly a Love to God and a Dependance on him The Soul that loves God when it has to do with him can mind nothing else during such Impression Nourish right apprehensions of God in thy mind Consider thou art drawing nigh to God the most amiable Object the best of Beings worthy of infinite Honour and the highest Affections thou canst give a God that made the World by a Word that upholds the great frame of Heaven and Earth a Majesty above the Conceptions of Angels View him in his Greatness and Goodness that your Heart may have a true value of the Worship of so great a Majesty and count it the most worthy employment to attend upon him A Fear of God will make your Worship serious a Joy in God durable your Affections will be rais'd when you represent him in the most reverential indearing and obliging Circumstances We Honour the Majesty of God when we consider him with due Reverence according to the greatness and perfection of his Works And in this Reverence of his Majesty does Worship chiefly consist Preserve a strong Sence of the Omniscience and Omnipresence of God who Judges thy inward Affections and is as really present with thee as if he were Visible Take heed of inordinate desires after the World it dulls the Word and stifles all Spiritual breathings after God in Duty Be deeply sensible of thy present wants and the supplies thou mayest have in Worship It is pardon thou desirest Apprehend then the blackness of Sin with the aggravations thereof as it respects God be deeply sensible of the want of Pardon and the worth of Mercy indeavour to get your Affections into such a frame as condemned Men would be and as you have seen some dying Men have Consider thou art now at the Throne of Gods Grace but must shortly be at the Bar of his Justice indeavour to stir up the same affections now the same fixedness and earnest Pleading for Mercy which thou mayest suppose forlorn Souls will have at Gods Tribunal If thou couldest apprehend God as an angry and offended Judge or didst see the riches of his Mercy and his glorious out-goings in the Sanctuary the blessed Doles he gives out to those that Spiritually attend upon him both the one and the other would make thee perform thy Duty humbly sincerely earnestly and affectionately waiting upon him with thy whole Soul to have Misery averted and Mercy
13.14 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all The Apostles begin their Epistles thus Grace and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ Acts 7.59 Stephen pray'd Lord Jesus receive my Spirit If we exclude the other while we fix our heart upon one our Prayer is Sin if we retain all and mention but one we offend not Lastly we may name the Spirit before the Son and the Son before the Father Revel 1.4.5 and Saint Paul more than once names the Son before the Father Now our Lord Jesus Christ and God even the Father comfort your hearts 2. Cor. 13.14 2 Thes 2.16 Here we may add the Rules we are to observe in calling upon God As first that we call upon him by those Titles by which he has been pleas'd to make himself known unto us in his holy Word That we consider of him in Prayer as an All-sufficient God and see in him the things we desire Ephes 1.17 The Saints still set God before them as having that in him for which they pray Acts. 4.24 We must call upon God by such Names Titles and Descriptions Psal 86.15,16 as are most apt to inflame Desire stir up Reverence confirm Faith or incourage the Heart according as our necessity and disposition do require If many and general requests be to be put up then such Titles and Names must be used as may perswade us we shall be heard in all If particular requests be presented then choice is to be made of such Titles and Names as may help the heart in that particular Gen. 24.12 Acts. 1.24 Ps 94.1 2 Ch. 20 6 Dan. 9.4 Isa 64.8 It is necessary for one that would make a good entrance into Prayer to acquaint himself with the true understanding of the manifold Names and Descriptions of God recorded in Scripture and then to make choice of such to name him by as are specially to be exercis'd in granting his request and most fit to incite Reverence and confirm Faith Lastly the express Command of God forbids to Worship him by any Image or Similitude Deut. 4.16,17 Exod. 10.4 And he himself in many places of Scripture shews how severely he will punish them that give his Glory to dumb Idols Of Family Government I If thou art Master of a Family be watchful over thy Charge with all diligence and faithfulness Instruct thy Children and Servants in the knowledge of God Pray with them and for them Bring them to Gods Ordinances Prevent and remove all occasions of their hearing seeing or doing Evil. But above all be sure to go before them in a good Example If a Master be a Swearer Drunkard or the like 't is madness for himever to expect a Sober Family his House shall be a Den of Swearers Drunkards and Whoremasters c. Augustus his Court is fill'd with Scholars Tiberius's with Dissemblers and Julian's with Apostates Duties relating to our Calling YOur Closet-Devotions and Family-duties being perform'd we are in the next place to set about the work of our Calling The Law impos'd upon Adam binds all his Posterity In the sweat of thy Face thou shalt eat Bread till thou return unto the Ground First then adventure not on any course without good assurance that it be in it self Lawful Acts. 9.25 Ephes 4.20 Make not a Calling of that which was never made to be one There are many things Lawful to do which are not Lawful to Live by Lawful as Delights and Recreations which are not Lawful as Callings Resolve not upon that for thy Calling which is rather hurtful than profitable to the Common-wealth Chuse that Calling which is fittest for thee when thy Inclination Education and Gifts concur in one and the same Calling that is ever so If thou art altogether averse to that Calling for which thou hast been bred up and design'd choose then the nearest of kin to it that thou canst like that so thy education and time may not be lost Thus one bred up for the Ministry may make choice of some other Profession that hath to do with Learning as Law Physick or the like Ever begin and end all thy Works with Prayer begging God's blessing on thy Labours and commending all thy indeavours to him that must either wither or prosper them Likewise upon any unexpected accident or when thou doubtest what to do go to God for direction make known and commit thy Case to him he hath not only wisdom for thy Salvation but for thy outward direction too Carefully avoid all Covetousness whereby men design no farther end than the meer gathering of Wealth and Riches This is the root of all evil Would'st thou remedy it Restrain thy Affections from the World keep thy desires within Compass and as the Scripture terms it without â—…ousness being contented with what thou hast Heb. 13.5 Labour to see a particular Providence of God in all things that come to pass and befall thee Health or Sickness Riches or Poverty Liberty or Bondage He raiseth up and pulleth down he only giveth Power to get Wealth and taketh it away again at his pleasure He Ruleth the Kingdoms of the Earth and giveth them to whom he pleaseth Assure thy Conscience that God is thy Father and Portion and that all things befall thee by his holy Will and Fatherly Providence and Appointment Seek no more than the things which are necessary and sufficient even Food convenient And lastly raise your Affections from the World to better things As carefully shun all Injustice whereby men abuse their Calling to the hurt and hindrance of others Luk. 19.8 For prevention consider this Sin is against the express Word of God 1 Thessal 4.6 Let no man oppress or defraud his Brother in any matter For the Lord is the avenger of all such things * Tit. 2.11 That it makes all our Worship and Service abomination Esay 1.13 to the 17. That the Curse of God it the practice of it Deut. 25.16 Thou shalt not have in thy Bag two manner of Weights a great and a small nor in thy House divers Measures But thou shalt have a right and a just Weight a perfect and just Measure shalt thou have For all that do such things and all that do unrighteously are an abomination to the Lord. Beware of Ambition whereby men think better of themselves than there is just cause become malecontent with their Condition and seek for themselves greater and better Things and Places Examples of this we have in Adam and Absalom c. One of the best Remedies in World for this Disease of the Mind is the serious consideration of our selves what we are in respect of our Bodies but Dust in respect of our dispositions altogether set on Sin and in our Places and Callings at best but weak and worthless Instruments in the hand of God the meanest of ten Thousand Be not evercome with Envy let not thy
may'st run through the whole Day In the next place consider your Religious Duties and carriage in them Your Calling and how you have perform'd the Duties belonging to that your Relations and carriage to them As a Husband Wife Parent Child Master Servant Your particular Corruptions and the Sins you are most inclin'd to together with your Temptations and how you have behaved your self in reference to them Your Talents whether you have wasted and mispent or improv'd and employ'd them for the end they were given Your Providences what they have been and how you have and ought to have carry'd your self under them In short whether you have lived by Faith that is have fram'd your Life according to the revealed Will of God the Object of Faith and whether you have been constant to your own Rules Having thus examin'd your self Reform that which you find amiss Rejoice or be griev'd as you find you have done well or ill and renew and confirm your peace with God committing thy Spirit Soul and Body thy Relations Name and Substance to his Tuition by Prayer and Thanksgiving who alone can keep thee in safety By this daily examination of our Selves we gain these two great Advantages First Our Repentance will hereby be more particular not only of clamorous and more crying Sins but multitudes of other particulars every branch and circumstance of every Action every Word Thought and Affection many Sins which otherwise would have been forgot will by this means be brought to remembrance and repented of by us And again when ever Death seizes us we shall have but one day of our whole Life to Account for The Christian Exercise taken out of a Learned Divine TO keep the Heart in ure with God is the highest Task of a Christian Good motions are not frequent but the constancy of good Disposition is rare and hard This work must be continual or else speedeth not If this Field be not Till'd every day it will run out into Thistles The evening is the fittest for this work when retir'd into our Selves we chearfully and constantly both look up to God and into our Hearts as we have to do with both To God in Thanksgiving then in Request It shall be therefore expedient for the Soul duly to recount to it self all the specialities of God's favour A confused thanks savours of carelesness and neither doth affect us nor win acceptance above Bethink your self then of all these External Inferior Earthly Graces and Favours That your Being Breathing Life Motion Reason is from him and that he hath given you a more noble Nature than the rest of the Creatures excellent Faculties of the Mind perfection of Senses soundness of Body competency of Estate seemliness of Condition fitness of Calling preservation from Dangers rescue out of Miseries kindness of Friends carefulness of Education honesty of Reputation liberty of Recreations quietness of Life opportunity of Well-doing protection of Angels Then rise higher to your Spiritual Favours tho here on Earth and strive to raise your Affections with your Thoughts Bless God that you were born in the light of the Gospel for your Profession of the Truth for the Honour of your Vocation for your incorporating into the Church for the priviledge of the Sacraments the free use of the Scriptures the Communion of Saints the benefit of their Prayers the aid of their Counsel the example of their Lives the pleasure of their Conversion for the beginnings of Regeneration any footsteps of Faith Hope Love Zeal Patience Humility Peace Joy for any desire of more Then let your Soul mount highest of all into her Heaven and acknowledge those Celestial Graces of her Election to Glory Redemption from shame and Death of the Intercession of our Saviour of the preparation of her place and there let her stay a while upon the Meditation of her future Joyes This done the way is made for your Requests Sue now to your God as for Grace to answer these Mercies so to see wherein you have not answer'd them From him therefore cast your Eyes down upon your self and as some careful Justice doth a suspected Felon so do you strictly examin your heart of what you have done that Day of what you should have done Inquire whether your thoughts have been sequesterd to God Strangers to the World fix'd on Heaven whether Just Charitable Lowly Pure Christian whether your Senses have been holily guided neither to let in temptations nor to let out Sins whether your Speeches have not been Offensive Vain Rash Indiscreet Unsavory Unedifying whether your Actions have been warrantable expedient comely profitable whether you have perform'd the particular Dutyes of the day in your Awaking Refreshing Calling Company Pleasures then see if you have been negligent in watching your Heart expence of your time exercises of Devotion performance of good Works resistance of temtation good use of Examples and compare your present State with your former look Jealously whether your Soul hath gain'd or lost lost ought of the heat of her Love tenderness of Conscience fear to Offend strength of Virtue gain'd more increase of Grace more assurance of Glory And when you find Alas who cannot but find either Holiness decay'd or Evil done or Good omitted cast down your Eyes strike your Breasts humble your Soul and sigh to him whom you have Offended sue for Pardon as for Life heartily yearningly injoyn your self careful amendment redouble your holy Resolutions strike hands with God in a new Covenant my soul for your safety Rules for the Night THERE 's not a moment of our time our own The Night brings it's Duties as well as the Day This is a proper Season for Meditation and Prayer as appears by the many Instances we have in Scripture Both of David Psal 42.8 The Lord will command his loving kindness in the Day-time and in the Night his Songs shall be with me and my Prayer unto the God of my life Isa 6.9 Cant. 3.1 And of the Church But 't is then especially our Duty when we are under any heavy and sore Affliction in deep Humiliation or in Suits of great Importance which we would solicite with the greatest earnestness and importunity Colos 4.2 1 Pet. 4.7 2 Sam. 12.16 Est 4.3 1 Kings 2.27 Joel 1.13 In such Cases it has been an ancient Custom for the Servants of God to abstain from their ordinary Sleep that so they might watch unto Prayer As to Dreams tho they are not much to be regarded in respect of any guess can be made by them yet we are not utterly to neglect them because we may gain thereby some knowledge of the temperature of our Body our natural dispositions and the Sins to which we are most inclin'd according to that saying The Night shall teach me what I am the Day what I should be Of Sleep IT is as impossible to give a constant and certain Rule for Sleep as to prescribe the measure of Meats and Drinks Tho we may as well
such words as may administer Grace unto the hearers to be sober in Diet wary in Disports moderate in Apparel choice in my Company and ever to practice that continual Fear which has a promise of Blessing especially watching against those Sins I am most inclined to and those Temptations that are most likely to assault me Plant in me Faith without Presumption Love without Dissimulation Fear without Infidelity Zeal without Hypocrisy Knowledge without Pride Purity without Judging Wisdom joyn'd with Simplicity Courage accompany'd with Meekness Cheerfulness with Sobriety and let every Grace be graced with Humility And be thou pleased so to bless all my Studies and Actions that they may tend to thy Glory the good of others and comfort of my own Soul in that day when I shall make my final Accompt unto thee for them O my God keep thy Servant that I do no Evil unto any man this Day and suffer neither the Devil nor his wicked Angels nor any of his evil Members or my malicious Enemies to have any Power to do me any hurt or violence But defend me from the Power Malice and Multitude of them all both in my going out and coming in with the impregnable defence of thy Providence and Guard of thy holy Angels whom thou hast said should to this end pitch their Tents about those that fear thy Name For into thy Hands I do here O Father commend my Soul Body and all that I have to be guided and protected by thee being assured That whatsoever thou takest into thy Custody cannot suffer any harm seeing thou Rulest all things to thine own Glory and the greatest good of thy Children and because thou hast assured me that thus begging I shall receive that I may set forth thy Glory whereunto I do here bind my self And if at any time I shall this day forget thee my God I beseeh thee do thou in mercy remember me and suffer not Sin to swallow me up or grow strong upon me lest I perish And now may it please thee to receive at the hands of me thy unworthy Servant this my Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving for all thy Mercies both for my Being and Well-being for the Means of Grace and Hopes of Glory c. By thee at first I was fearfully and wonderfully made thou did'st cover me in my Mothers Womb and gavest me the shape of a Man when it was free for thee to have equalled me with the basest Creatures Thou hast made me Perfect in shape and not a Monster Sensible and of understanding not a Fool Thou didst preserve me in the Womb nourish'd me when I hung upon the Breasts provided means of Education fitted me for an honest Employment and compassed me with many particular Mercies which others want That I am now alive that Satan has not had his will upon me that I know the way and the means unto a better Life that I have been protected and refreshed the night past when for the Sins of the Day thou mightest justly in the dead of sleep have called for my Soul and that I have daily access unto thy glorious Presence Whence are all these but from the freedom of thy Grace If thou shouldest have given me my desert I should have perished long ago Father I defire to remember with a thankful heart all thy Mercies at any time bestowed upon me or continued to me My Health Peace Liberty Maintenance Credit Fellowship Success in my Affairs Preservation from Dangers delivery from Troubles Recovery out of Sickness Consolation in Afflictions c. But above all for the magnifying thy Mercy to me in the great work of Redemption and Salvation by Jesus Christ for thy Christ thy Spirit thy Word thy Sacraments thy Sabbaths and the Assemblies of thy Saints with all the helps of Example Instruction Admonition and Fatherly Correction by which thou hast indeavour'd to farther me in the way of my Salvation yea tho' my provocations have been so many and so grievous yet thy Compassions fail not but are renew'd every Morning For all those Testimonies of thy Bounty thy Pity thy Patience towards me I do according to my poverty offer up unto thee the Calves of my Lips confessing thy Goodness and the Due Service of my Soul and Body as a Living and reasonable Sacrifice And now O Lord I come unto thee in behalf of thy whole Church and chosen People and of all my Brethren wheresoever they live upon the Face of the whole Earth Defend them from the rage and Tyranny of the Devil the World and Antichrist give thy Gospel a free and a joyful Passage through the World for the Conversion of those that belong unto thy Kingdom Judge Babylon and Redeem Sion in thy appointed time Call the uncalled and perfect the called raise up the Fallen strengthen the Weak heal the Sick relieve the Needy and Distressed release such as are in Restraint comfort them that are Comfortless either in Body or Mind especially such as mourn for Sin Strengthen the Hands and Hearts of them that stand in the just defence of Religion and Right and confound every Adversary and Antichristian Power and Policy Especially be favourable to all such a suffer any Trouble or Persecution for the Testimony of thy Truth and holy Gospel support them under and give them a gracious deliverance out of all their Troubles which way it shall seem best to thy Wisdom for the Glory of thy Name the further inlarging of thy Truth and the increase of their Comfort and Consolation Give me a compassionate fellow feeling of the Miseries others suffer and prepare me for the day of Trial. Bless with all sutable Mercies this particular Church forgive the publick Sins heal the publick Calamities and Diseases Bless thy Servant Charles our Sovereign adorn him with all Princely Graces answerable to his high Estate especially with a Spirit of Government Prosper the work of the Gospel and make thy Word to grow by the labours of those thou hast appointed to the Service of the Church give them Sufficiency Fidelity and Success in thy Business Increase Wisdom in our Counsellors and stir up Magistrates and men in Authority to seek the advancement of thy Glory and good of thy People contain the Subjects in their due obedience to Authority bring to naught all Tumultuous and Rebellious Practices Visit all my Kindred Relations and acquaintances and all that are committed to my charge and whosoever may claim an interest in this Duty at my hands with such Blessings as they need Reward a thousand fold all who have shown any kindness to thy Servant forgive and have mercy upon all my Enemies and let not one of them ever fare the worse for any wrong done unto me Finally both to my self and all that desire to fear thy Name grant all the Blessings of Mercy and Peace in Jesus Christ to whom with thee O Father and the Eternal Spirit be all Honor Obedience and Thanksgiving throughout all Generations Amen Our