Infinite without all limit of thought let our Hearts Adore a Spiritual Majesty which we cannot comprehend but yet know to be let us think of him as one whose Wisdom is his Justice whose Justice is his Power whose Power is his Mercy and whose Wisdom Justice Power Mercy is himself As Good without Quality Great without Quantity Everlasting without Time Present every where without Place containing all things without Extent and when our thoughts are come to the heighth let us stay there and be content to wonder in silence and since we cannot reach to conceive of him as he is let us be careful we conceive not of him as he is not But besides this awful apprehension of the Deity we are to conceive of three Persons in one Essence not divided but distinguish'd There is nothing wherein the want of Words can grieve us but in this here alone as we can Adore and not conceive so we can conceive and not utter Think here of one Substance in three Subsistences one Essence in three Relations one Jehovah Begetting Begotten Proceeding Let our thoughts here walk warily the path is narrow and the conceit either of three Substances or but one Subsistence is Damnable Yet all this will not avail us if we take not our Mediator with us if we apprehend not a true Manhood gloriously united to the Godhead without change of either Nature without mixture of both whose Prisence and Merits must give passage acceptance and Vigour to our Prayers Thus in Prayer God is to be known and consider'd of the distinction of Persons Father Son and Holy Spirit and Ordinarily our Prayers must be directed to the Father by the Son through the help of the Holy Ghost John 16.23 Whatsoever you ask the Father in my name he will give it you Ephes 5.20 Rom. 8.15,27 We call God Abba Father by the Spirit which makes Intercession for us For such is the Divine dispensation of God the Father Son and Holy Spirit that tho' they are but one indivisible Essence and whatsoever any one does out of himself the very same do the others also yet they sustain different Persons and Offices as we may say and do the same things in different and distinct Order yet so as the naming of one does not exclude but necessarily include the other In Prayer the Father sustains the Person and Place of him that is offended by sin that must be appeas'd and does hear and grant Requests 1 John 2.1 If we sin we have an Advocate with the Father The Son supplies the Place of a Mediator and Intercessor by whom Requests ascend and become acceptable to the Father John 16.23 Revel 8.3 He is the Golden Altar upon which the Prayers of all Saints are Offer'd and ascend as Incense John 14.6 No man can come to the Father but by me He is appointed of God to us and being both God and Man is a fit and all-sufficient Mediator between God and Man without him no man's Person or best Actions by reason of their many Imperfections can be acceptable The Holy Ghost does supply the Office of a Teacher and Assistant to help our Infirmities and in us to make our Intercessions and Requests for us that they may be Offer'd to the Father by the Intercession of the Son Rom. 8.26 We know not what to pray for as we ought If the Spirit do not work together with our Prayers there would be no goodness at all in them no not so much as Truth and Uprightness without which Christ will not offer them to his Father for us therefore Prayers must be made in the Spirit and through his help And thus Christ by the Office of his Mediation and Intercession is an Advocate to his Church and does in Heaven apply his Merits and further the cause of our Salvation with his Father And the Spirit also is an Advocate by Energy and Operation by Instruction and Assistance by his Counsel and Inspiration inabling us to manage our own business and plead our own Cause he does not indeed interceed nor appear before God in Person for us as Christ does but makes Intercession in and by our selves giving us access unto the Father imboldening us in our Fears helping us in our Infirmities and bringing those things which were blotted out and forgot into our remembrance Ephs 2.18 Hebr. 10.15.19 Admonishing and Directing us John 14.26 how to order and solicite our own business what Evidences to produce what Witnesses to prepare what Offices to attend what preparations to make against the time of hearing And lastly he makes up Failings by his Wisdome and gathers Arguments to further our Suit which we our selves observ'd not So when we know not what to Pray nor what to do when in our own apprehensions the whole business of our Peace and comfort lyes a bleeding the Spirit does then help our Infirmities presenting Arguments by secret intimations by deeep and unexpressible groans unto him who is the Searcher of hearts and who knows the mind of the Spirit which we our selves cannot express Thus as an Infant cries and complains for want of sleep and yet knows not that it is sleep which he wants as a sick man goes to a Physician and complains that some Physick he wants but knows not the thing he asks for So the soul of a Christian by the assistance of the Spirit is incourag'd to request things of God which yet of themselves do pass the knowledge and understanding of those that ask them Rom. 8.26 Ephes 3.19 Phil. 4.7 1 Cor. 14.13 Hence the Holy Ghost call'd another Comforter because he supplies the Corporal absence of Christ Joh. 14.16 brings him down to a Christian Forms him in his heart evidences him and the Virtue of his Passion and Resurrection in the powerful dispensation of his Holy Ordnances therefore when our Saviour speaks of sending the Holy Spirit he adds I will not leave you Comfortless I will come to you when the World sees me not you see me John 14.18,20 Now because of this Order of the Deity the Father being first and because of the different Places they sustain in the work of our salvation the Counsel and Will of all three is That the Father should be Pray'd unto and Worshipp'd in the only Mediation of the Son through the Holy Spirit and therefore the Father is fitly nam'd alone because the Son by Voluntary dispensation has the Part of a Mediator and the Holy Spirit the Office of an Instructor teaching us what to Pray In Wishing the effecting of things it is not necessary to name any Persons 1 Chron. 4.10 Oh that thou would'st bless me indeed and inlarge my Coast Somtimes 't is lawful to name indefinitely Acts 4.24 Lord thou art God who hast made Heaven and Earth It is lawful also Act. 22.24 when we name Persons to name only one or two provided we name not one as excluding the other two nor two as excluding the third 2 Cor.
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
bestow'd Christ does not present any Man's Case and Duties without a sense of his wants and shall we our selves have none of our own Affect thy Heart with what supplies thou hast had in former Worship The Israelites would not have been at leisure for Idolatry had they preserv'd the Sense of the Majesty of God discovered in his late Thunders at Sinai If any thing intrudes that may choke thy Worship cast it speedily out We cannot hinder the Gnats from buzzing about us when we are in our Business but we may prevent them from setling upon us Lay hold on the most melting opportunities when thou findest thy Heart in a more than ordinary Spiritual Frame look upon it as a call from God to attend him Such Impressions and Motions are God's voice inviting us into Communion with him in some particular act of Worship and promising Success in it Psal 27.8 Be not always pouring out Words in Prayer Pause reflect upon and indeavour to affect thy Heart with all thou sayest in silence wait for the elapses of the Spiriti Examine thy self at the end of Worship and chide thy self for any Carnality thou perceivest review thy Duty and examine the reason why thou wert so low and Carnal If any unworthy Frames have surprised thee in Worship seek them out afterwards call them to the Bar make an exact Scrutiny into the Causes of them and let thine Anger and Indignation be raised against them that thou mayest prevent their incursion another time Apply the Blood of Christ by Faith for thy Cure and draw strength from his Death for the Conquest of them Also be humble for them for God will lift up the humble Daily examination is an Antidote against the Temptations of the following day and constant examination of our selves after Duty is a Preservative against vain incroachments in following Duties Labour especially after these two things To see the wants and imperfections that are in thy best Prayers and abhor them and in thy greatest defects see if thou canst not find somewhat of Gods Spirit that so thou mayest be truly persuaded in both That God will through the Merits of Christ pardon thy Wants and accept the Work of his own Spirit 'T is a dangerous thing to think that God likes our Prayers well when we do so seeing they have unseen defilements which pollute them or on the other hand to be perswaded that God rejects them when we dislike them In short Diligently watch and keep thy self from all Sin especially Surfeiting and Drunkenness Luk. 21.34 and 53. Which make the Heart dull and heavy Indeavour to grow in all God's Commands and Faith in all his Promises Keep in thy heart a Catalogue of thy own Sins Wants and Infirmities together with the sins and wants of the Land with the Tokens of God's wrath due thereto Look at God's Holiness and what Holiness he requires in Thee and then at thy own unworthiness of those things thou beggest of him thy Necessity and Danger For sins that thou art in danger of because strongly inclined to them ask the overcoming of them using all the means thereto and avoiding the occasion so for any Grace you want Importune God after the same manner Never trust so much to thy Prayers as to neglect any other means ordain'd by God for the obtaining of what thou desirest But use them still more conscionably neither ever trust so much to other means as to neglect Prayer And thus having offer'd up thy Prayers to God and committed thy self and Cause to him quietly rest in his good pleasure according to the Example of Hannah 1 Sam. 1.18 and David 2 Sam 12.20 Doubt not but God hath heard thy Prayer and in due time will grant what shall be most for his Glory and thy Good This is the meaning of the word Amen Look after thy comings in and gettings by Prayer I will direct my Prayer saith David and look up How we are to conceive of God in our Devotions HOw to conceive of the Deity in our Prayers and Meditations is both the deepest Point of all Christianity and the most necessary So deep that if we wade into it we may easily drown but can never find bottom So necessary that without it both our Persons and services are Profane and Irreligious We are all born Idolaters naturally prone to fashion God to some Form of our awn whether of a Humane Body or of an admirable Light or if our mind have any other more likely and pleasing Image There are as many carved Images of God as there are Minds of men and as Monstrous shapâ—s as those corruptious into which they would Transform him Hence all Idolatry sprang Men set up vain Images of him in ther Fancy before they set up Idolatrous Representations of him in their Temples The likening of him to Idols of Wood and Stone and various Metals was the fruit of an Idea erected in their own minds Hence also all Superstition receiv'd both its Rise and Growth When we Mint a God according to our own complexion like to us in mutable and various Passions soon angry soon appeas'd 't is no wonder we invent ways of pleasing him after we have offended him and think to expiate the Sin of out Soul by some Melancholy Devotions and self-Chastisements Superstition is nothing else but an unscriptural and unrevealed dread of God When men imagin'd him a rigorous and severe Master they cast about for ways to Mitigate him whom they thought so hard to be pleas'd All the Superstition this day living in the World is built upon this Foundation So natural it is for men to pull down God to their Imagination rather than raise their Imaginations up to God Hence arises all the diffidence of his Mercy tho' they Repent measuring God by the contracted Models of their own Spirit as tho' his Nature were as difficult to pardon their Offences against him as they are to remit wrongs done to themselves And hence also all Presumption the too common Disease of the World springs All the Wickedness that is in the World is nothing else but a presuming upon God arising from the ill interpretation of his Goodness breaking out upon them in the Works of Creation and Providence God's Patience is apprehended to be an approbation of their Vices and from the consideration of his Forbearance they fashion a God that they believe will smile upon their Crimes Psal 50.20 A God they Fancy like themselves that would do as they would do not be angry for what they count a light Offence How does the unclean person represent him to his own thoughts but as a Goat the Murderer as a Tiger the sensual Person as a Swine while they Fancy a God indulgent to their Crimes without Repentance First then away with all these wicked thoughts these gross Devotions and without any mental Reservation conceive of God Purely Humbly Spiritually as of an absolute Being without Form without Matter without Composition yea as
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
Father c. Evening Prayer O Lord God Almighty the Great and Supream Being before whom the Blessed and Glorious Angels cover their faces thou art a God terrible in Wrath and Vengeance against all obstinate wicked men but infinite in Mercy and endless in Compassion to all poor sinners that with unfeigned Repentance truly turn unto thee thou keepest Covenant and Mercy for ever for all who desire to fear thy great Name and walk humbly before thee I Vile Earth and Ashes miserable Creature laden with Sin might justly fear to lift up my Eyes to Heaven but since thou art so far from despising and driving from thee a Weak and Vile Sinful Wretch as I am that thou callest and drawest such unto thee I am bold to approach the Throne of thy Grace in the name of thy dear Son my Lord Jesus Christ whom thou hast given for Sinners not only a Saviour but also an Advocate and Intercessor to put up our Suits and make our Prayers accepted Through him Lord admit me into thy Presence and hold forth unto me the Golden Scepter of thy Grace let not thy Power dismay but strengthen my Weakness thy Glory not confound but cover my Vileness thy Purity not pursue but purge my Wickedness I can plead nothing but Misery in my self to make way unto thy Mercy from thee alone must all motives unto compassion be drawn I beseech thee O Lord be not ashamed of my Poverty be not weary of my Importunity but as the Sense of my misery leads me unto thee so let the Pity and Commiseration of the same incline thy Merciful Heart towards me I brought with me a World of Sin into this thy World I have derived from my first Parents not only the Guilt of their Sin but also the Corruption of their Nature that Leprosy of Adam cleaves unto me and has overspread all the Powers and Parts both of Soul and Body darkening and misleading my Vnderstanding benumming and abusing my Conscience inthralling and hardening my Will disturbing and disordering my Affections and making my Bodily Senses and Members either as Porters to let in Sin or as Instruments to execute it And from this cursed Root have sprung all those Actual Transgressions which in Imitation of Adam's Sin I have committed and multiply'd against thy Majesty by breaking every one of thy Commands in Thought Word and Deed even from the beginning of my life unto this present time So that there is scarce any Sin but I have been guilty of it one time of my life or other nay this very day how miserably have I departed from thee how frequently and sadly have I backslid in what Liberty have I allow'd my self how heedlessly have I conversed I have walked at a meer peradventure with thee my God And here O Lord I desire to confess with shame unto thee not only the Sin of this Day but those great and notorious Offences of all my sinful life past with all those heinous Circumstances whereby my Sins have been made out of measure sinful as the abuse of thy Patience the quenching thy Spirit despising thy Gospel unthankfulness for thy Mercies unfaithfulness in thy Covenant These and many more are the Mischiefs with which my Nature is blemished my Life filled my Conscience hardned and thy heavy Wrath most justly deserved yet because thou hast out of thy free Grace given thy Son Jesus Christ the Lord a means of Propitiation in whom thou reconcilest the World to thy self I humbly beg of thee through him Grace and Pardon O let his sufferings satisfie thy Justice for all my Sins and procure favour and forgiveness from thee let thy Christ be my Jesus to save and deliver me from wrath to come And whereas thou hast not only promised to deal thus with me but commanded me to believe that promise of thine Lord I desire to obey thy Command and Seal to thy Truth yet privy to the weakness of my Faith I pray thee help my unbelief Behold not my Iniquities O Lord as a severe Judge to be avenged of them but as a Sovereign Physician to cure and heal them Shew me my Pollutions by Sin in the Glass of thy World and by the Lamp thereof help me to search and know how wicked I am that Judging and condemning my self I may avoid thy Judgment and heavy Sentence and may so hate abhor and be avenged of my self as that I may avoid thy Wrath and Punishment O let Sin be as bitter to me in the attempting as in the repenting at leastwise more bitter in the repenting than ever it was sweet in the committing Grant me thy Grace to overcome my special Lusts at least alwaies to strive against them Subdue my proud haughty and vain Thoughts and straiten my crooked and distorted Affections Let me look on the Pleasures and Profits of life not only as thy liberal allowances unto me but also as Satan's Baits avoiding all excess and abuse and using them with thankfulness moderation and as things that must shortly leave me or I them Let me not value Pleasure Honor Profit Ease or any thing whatsoever at so high a rate as for the love thereof to make shipwrack of a good Conscience Let me measure my self not by what others Judge me or I feel my self to be but by that I desire and labour to be Teach me to keep a diligent account of what I receive from thee remembring there will be a day of Reckoning and grant me so to manage and employ thy Talents that thou mayest receive thy own with advantage Let my whole Life be a preparation to Death And the Meditation of Death the Rule of my Life Vnto my old and gray head O Lord forsake me not and let thy Fear keep me from forsaking thee let me be amongst those that are planted in thy House and flourish in thy Courts who bring forth most fruit in their old age Help me often to consider the danger I stand in through the Multitude Power and Subtilty of my Spiritual Enemies And to my Faith in thee let me always joyn Fear not only of Satan with whom I am continually to Fight but also of the slippery paths of this sinful World and the Frailty and Treachery of my deceitful Heart and Sinful Nature ever running after Satan's allurements and conspiring with him my utter ruin Let me ever remember how Satan shews only the fair side of Sin and chooses the fittest Instruments to deceive and knows how to sute his Temptation and also of the Scourges which follow after Sin the bitter Fruits thereof how it unfits me for any Service makes me miserable what ever my condition be And how thou wilt most certainly make those that belong to thee to feel the smart thereof especially if it be against Conscience Lord let me never forget Satan's deadly malice against thy best Servants how few of them have ever escaped to the end of their lives without some grievous Wounds Let me not O Lord be drowsy