we rise in Thankful Praises It s great Condescension in thee to be content to be prais'd or beloved by such miserable Creatures of uncircumcised hearts and lips Eternity it self is little enough to praise thee Blessed be the Majesty of Heaven for our Creation and that we are Men and not Beasts Blessed be God for our Immortal Souls that are capable of Communion with thy own self for ever and ever Let our never-ceasing Praises wait upon thee for our Redemption the great Work which the Angels desire to look into Everlastingly praised be our God for the light of his Glory that shineth in the Face of Jesus Christ to the praise and glory of his Grace Our Praises wait upon thee for Free Grace that unlimited Treasury of the highest Love and Bounty Thy precious Love is from Eternity to Eternity That hath prevented the Lion from coming out of the Thicket and hath kept the Destroyer out of sight That hath stopp'd the Mouths of the Lyons of thy Judgments so as they have not torn in pieces when there was none to deliver us Our Praises wait upon our God for Free Grace that Blessed Root out of which springeth all the pleasant and precious Mysteries of the Gospel The most Beautiful Womb out of which Christ Jesus with all his Heavenly Treasures the unspeakable Priviledges Prerogatives Graces and Comforts that are to be had in him and by him do come forth The Blessed Cause that is sufficient to produce the Blessed Effects of the Salvation of our Souls thro Jesus Christ our Lord. The Blessed Fountain that continually sends forth Streams of Comfort to refresh the dejected disconsolate weary and heavy loaden ones The Bow thou hast set in the Clouds of Spiritual Sorrow to assure the Contrite Ones that thy Wrath shall not over-flow them Were it not for thy Grace what should we do when our Sins testifie against us but call for the Mountains to fall upon us and the Hills to cover us from the Presence of the Lord. Thy Grace hath kept many Thousands from following Judas into Despair When we know not what to do then we turn our Eyes towards thee and find there is yet hope for Israel It was Free Grace that our great Lord Christ lived and died to declare We adore the great Minister of Grace Jesus Christ our Lord the Ark that saveth us from perishing in the Floods of our Iniquities Who was given for us who was conceived and born for us who lived and died for us who rose again for us and who ever liveth and maketh Intercession for us Who trod the Wine-Press alone The Son of God became the Son of Man that the Sons of Men might become the Sons of God Who was made like unto all that all might be made like unto him Who sought us in sharp ways and bought us with a dear price Who came from Heaven to Earth that we may go from Earth to Heaven The Brightness of the Fathers Glory and the Express Image of Person paid the Price of our Redemption to discharge us Rebels who were in our Filthiness in our Blood Our Jesus leap'd into a Sea of Wrath to save us from perishing He waded thro a Sea of Sufferings to procure a Pardon for our Transgressions Who made himself Sin for us who knew no Sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him He suffer'd our Cross that we might wear his Crown He died our Death that we might live his Life Who endured our Hell that we might enjoy his Heaven He bore our Griefs and carry'd our Sorrows He was wounded for our Transgressions and bruised for our Iniquities The Chastisementâ— of our Peace was upon him and by his Stripes we may be healed We all like Sheep have gone astray but on him was laid the Iniquities of us all Adored be Christ Jesus who hath done what we ought to have done and suffered what we ought to have suffered This is the solid Basis of our Comfort The Lord of Life is the Way to escape Eternal Death Altho we have turn'd our Backs on Grace and with the Israelites loath'd the Manna and hath so little regarded what the Lord Christ hath done and suffer'd for us and that Blessed Treasure that he at so dear a rate bought for us and hath been daily offer'd unto us yet he pleadeth for us stoppeth Judgment and stayeth Divine Vengeance Altho the Earth was thought too good for him he thinketh not Heaven too good for us Our Praises wait upon the Majesty of Heaven for the continuance of the Gospel the Wisdom of God ordained before the World unto our Glory the Power of God unto Salvation unto every one that believe That mighty Efflux and Emanation of Life and Spirit freely issuing from an Omnipotent Source of Grace and Love That true God-like Vital Influence whereby Divinity derives it self into the Souls of Men inlivening and transforming them into its own likeness and strongly imprinting upon them a Copy of its own Beauty and Goodness Blessed be God that thy Precepts are yet our Heritage in the House of our Pilgrimage The Light without which the whole World would be but a dark Chaos Our Praises wait upon our God because we are within the sound of his Trumpets Because the Sun of the Gospel shineth upon the Lot of our Inheritance Our Praises wait upon thee because the Holy Spirit is still ready to bear witness to our Spirits the Truth of thy Holy Word which transcribeth thy Heart and Mind unto us Thy Judgments thou hast laid before us and the Way of Truth whereby we may be kept from the Paths of the Destroyer Our Praises wait upon thee our God for all the faithful Dispencers of thy Word and Sacraments It s great favour that thou hast not removed them into Corners and that their Tongues do not cleave to the roofs of their Mouths Jonah was sent from Samaria to Nineveh doubtless we have turn'd as deaf an Ear as ever did Samaria It s unspeakable Mercy that thou hast not commanded the Clouds that they rain no more rain upon us That thou hast not pronounced against us They that are filthy let them be filthy still and they that are unrighteous let them be unrighteous still Our Praises wait upon our God for all the great and precious Promises ratified by the Oath of God the Father sealed by the Blood of God the Son testified by God the Holy Ghost and deliver'd by the hand of Mercy Those Breathings of Divine Love The Breasts of the Gospel out of which we draw forth so much Consolation Those firm Foundations to build upon Great and precious Promises To the Chief of Sinners To them that have been prodigalizing all their days and spent all upon Lust To them that have all the day been standing idle in the Market-place even until the Eleventh hour Altho we have run so much upon the score that if thou shouldst arrest us all the Angels of Heaven could not
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
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
Tree of Life Sin hath over-laid their hopes O raise them from the dead Let down a beam of Comfort to temper their Despair Contend not for ever be not always wroth then the spirits will fail and the souls which thou hast made Teach them to feed on the Promises as Sampson did of the Honey-comb Out of the Eater came forth Meat and out of the strong came forth Sweetness That they may be justified by Faith and have peace with God thro our Lord Jesus Christ Hang forth the White Flagg of Mercy and lift up their Heads that they may see their redemption drawing near Display the Ensign of thy Compassions then shall they run to thy Standard Help them that are under the pains and pangs of the New Birth guid them in the way that leadeth to Everlasting Life Open unto them the Gates of Righteousness that they may go in and praise thy Name Let the Lords Compassions reach to all that are wrastling with and tossed in the Sea of their Corruption and are violently carried on with temptations and over-power'd by their licentious Affections in the Straits of Repentance that have much ado to keep off from the Rocks of Despair and afraid to be swallow'd up in the Gulph of Perdition When they pass thro the Waters be thou with them When they go thro the Rivers suffer them not to over-flow them When they walk thro the Fire suffer them not to be burned nor the flame to kindle upon them Consider their trouble for thou knowest their souls are in adversity Turn the Bruised Reed into a Golden Pillar and the Smoaking Flax into a Triumphing Flame Be thou their Arm every morning and their salvation in a time of trouble Bring them from the depths of Death Glorifie thy self in their Deliverances Redeem Israel from all his iniquities Swallow up Death in Victory Wipe away tears from their Faces and take away their Rebuke Let the times of refreshing come from the presence of the Lord. Execute not the fierceness of thy Wrath for thou art God and not Man Cast them not away from thy presence but uphold them with thy free spirit Bind up the breach of thy servants and heal the stroke of their wound For thy Names sake defer thine anger and for thy Praise refrain Guid them with thy Counsel in order to their Reception into Glory And comfort just Lot that is vex'd with the unrighteous Conversation of the Sodomites from day to day How the second Man the Lord from Heaven the New Man is plagued with the Hittites the Hivites and the Jebusites The small beginnings of Grace are preserved by the powers from Heaven The Sojourner is opposed and despised because of the contrariety between them Damn'd Satan the World and the Flesh combine to extinguish that which thou hast kindled The Flesh Iusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the Flesh these two are contrary the one to another Relieve thy Servants who are ingaged in the Holy War When they walk thro the midst of trouble do thou revive them stretch forth thy hand against the wrath of thine enemies that thy right hand may save them Support them with the Spirit of Power and the power of the Spirit Perfect that which concerneth them thy mercy O Lord endureth for ever forsake not the Work of thine own hands It is the Lord that bringeth forth his People from their Enemies and lifteth them up on high above them Corruption is always strong enough to keep Grace low Grant 〈◊〉 Grace may prove strong enough to keep Corruption low Suffer not their Corruptions to worry and devour the Fruits of the Spirit Take the Foxes that spoil the Vines for the Vines have tender Grapes Fill every one that hunger and thirst after Righteousness Deny not those ardent desires of the blissful fruition of thy Self which the lively sense of thy own Goodness hath enkindled those breathings and gaspings for an eternal participation of thee The Soul is depressed with an unpassable thicket of hinderances the frailties of the Body the current of the World and the spiritual Enemies that continually war against Goodness they are ever checking the production of those good motions she is pregnant with Oh send a spring of auxilliary Grace to actuate the dull habits of inherent Grace Thou knowest their wo because they dwell in Mesech and are constrained to dwell in the Tents of Kedar Lead forth thy people whom thou hast redeemed and guid them with thy strength to thy holy Habitation Open the Rivers in high places and Fountains in the midst of the Valleys Make the Wilderness a Pool of Water and the dry Land Springs of Water The whole World cannot satisfie their Spiritual Longings give them Soul-suitable Returns The Good that they would do that do they not the Evil that they would not do that do they because of the Law of the Members that war against the Law of the Mind They would gladly be with thee but they cannot get near because of the Croud Their Souls thirst upon the Cross but Gall and Vinegar is their Drink Shall not the good Angel minister unto them Help them who are troubled with vexing Scruples and reduced to dark Perplexities When they go forward thou art not there and when they go backward they cannot perceive thee Oh manifest thy self unto them Cause thy Grace to guid their slippery steps And unto them who thou hast in some measure given Victory to make the Habitation of their Righteousness prosperous Cause the Righteous to hold on his Way and he that hath clean Hands to be stronger and stronger That they may grow in Grace and from one degree of Grace unto another Cause the Light of the Righteous to shine more and more unto perfect Day Suffer not Pharaoh and his Host to over-take them Suffer them not to look back to Egypt nor to long after the Garlick and the Onions That they may rather think of the burden and bondage and the woful circumstances and consequents of Sin than the vain pleasures of it Suffer them not to be plagued with Satans return or any fresh invasions or revolutions of their old Sins Thou who settest them up and makest them holy keep them up and make them steady Keep them from lapses and prevarications Let them not want the Pillar of a Cloud by Day nor the Pillar of Fire by Night Let the Blessed Spirit which was the Pre-operator be the Co-operator lest they return to the borders of Egypt Fight their battles and supply their wants Give them a clear sight of the Crown of Immortality that the joys of that which is set before the eyes of their Faith may still refresh them that they may endure unto the End Give them a Sample of what they are pressing toward and sometimes a Taste of the Fruits of Canaan that they may resolve to fight with the Sons of Anack Fraught them so with hope that they may venture into any storm That they may
therefore we find it absolutely necessary to return to our Fathers House where there is Bread enough and to spare there being infinite Treasures and Mansions at thy right hand With thee is that River of Pleasure in which our Souls may bathe with infinite delight even for ever and ever Take us into Favour and receive us with a Fatherly Affection When we cry unto the Lord with our voice let him hear us out of his holy Hill Doubtless thou art our Father thou art the Potter we are the Clay it is thou that hast made us and not we our selves We are thy people and sheep of thy pasture Where is thy Zeal and the sounding of thy Bowels and of thy Mercies are they restrained Abraham is ignorant of us and Israel acknowledgeth us not We cannot have confidence in Saint or Angel but thou art our God in thy Word is our hope therefore we lift up our eyes to the Hills from whence cometh our hope Our help cometh from the Lord who made Heaven and Earth Cause thy Providences and thy Promises to meet together and kiss each other in opening to us that knock in being found of them that seek thee Lord separate us from the common condition of incapacity and indisposition Disband and loosen our Affections from all Terrene Beauties Convince us how good it is to draw nigh unto thee We erre in our hearts because we do not know thy ways We esteem not our God as we ought because of the ignorance that is in us Lighten our eyes lest that we sleep the sleep of death Purge our minds enough from the earthy dregs of Sense and Passion Bring thy Ark into our Hearts that Dagon may fall down Cause Aaron's rod to swallow up the Egyptians Rods. That the Stone cut out with hands may pound Nebuchadnezzar's Image to dust Cloath us with the Sun and we shall tread the Moon under our Feet That the Priviledges we may enjoy by our Lord Christ our most blessed Redeemer and Saviour may melt all our other Enjoyments into Nullities and implanr in us a disestimation of all the Endearments that we use to feed upon here below We have lost thee by Pride we hope to find thee in Humility we have lost our God in Luxury we hope to find thee in Abstinence we have lost thee by Oppression we will seek thee in Restitution Enlarge our Understandings that the Diamond of Grace may hinder the Loadstone of the World from drawing our hearts after it That we may be gain'd upon so much by Heavenly Things that Earthy Things may have no power on us That the Lustre of the Pearl of Price may make the Worlds glory to disappear Open our Eyes that we may see the Banner of the Gospel that we may become Voluntiers and run to Christ's Standard That we may account all things but loss and dross and dung in comparison of the Excellency of Jesus Christ our Lord. Wean us from the World that we may look towards our Maker and have respect to the Holy One of Israel Cloath us with a holy Indifferency and Neutrality in having or wanting Earthy Things That we may have a steady composure and an uninterrupted serenity of mind thro an unshaken submission to acquiescence in and conformity to the will of God in all Occurrences even in the greatest Storms to say Amen to God's Amen Instruct us and teach us what we should do and guide us with thine Eye Be thou as the Dew unto us that we may grow as the Lilly and cast forth our Roots as Lebanon that our Branches may spread and our Beauty as the Olive Tree and our smell as Lebanon that we may say with Ephraim What have we to do any more with Idols And that our Fruit may be found from thee Make us all Obedience by an infallible Resignation without Exception Reservation or Limitation That thy Will may be our Rule thy Spirit our Guide thy Precepts the Rule of our Practices and thy Decrees our Delight Our own Strength is never so untrusty as when it is most trusted therefore stay our steps in thy paths that our feet slide not Fill our Resolutions with the hope of Glory that we may press forward towards the high price of our Calling with facility and alacrity Set open the Gates of thy Treasures and Favours to us Draw us with the Favours of thy good Oyntments for it is therefore the Virgins love thee That we may be always in conjunction with God That we may every day learn a Vertue and damn a Vice Hide not thy Face from us lest we be found amongst them that go down into the Pit In regard that Christ our Lord is gone to prepare a place for us that we may prepare our selves for that place In regard that Jesus was crucified for our Sins sake help us to mortifie our Sins for Jesus's sake Bestow some tastes of thy Divine Love upon us the Earnest of the Spirit Then shall we be convinced that all the miseries of this life are not worthy to be compared with that glory that shall afterwards be revealed Inrich our Souls with all the Moveables of Heaven Bestow upon us the Spirit of Obedience and Fidelity too bey all the adored Commands of our Amiable Redeemer that we may answer all the inspiring Calls of Piety Give unto us all those degrees of Grace and Sanctity those Efficacious Movements towards the Kingdom of Glory that we may arrive at the unspeakable Consolation of thy Eternal Vision which is Essential Happiness of such Excellency and Super-eminent Perfection containing all Wisdom all Learning all Knowledge all Beauty all Fulness and Satisfaction and all other Causes of Love Joy and Contentation wherein our Souls may rest for ever and ever Let our Vertues and Graces be acquainted with no other Season but a Spring and let nothing skreen us from those Beams that should ripen all our good Desires into Enjoyments Father of Mercies do good unto all Mankind Oh the Bondage the Burden the Guilt that the World hath contracted The World lieth in Wickedness Vice hath invaded the Common-wealth of Man The Giants of Sin are grown to full stature Oh how Iniquity hath advanced her self in the hearts of Men. The height of Iniquity is come to the top the Fruit thereof is ripe and ready to drop upon us Sin is rampant The World goeth awry to damnation The paths of Sion do weep and wail for want of passengers What is become of Charity Truth Sincerity Humility and Piety Oh they are flown to Heaven from whence they came and have left the dangerous Successors Falshood Cruelty Pride Hypocrisie and Prophaneness Religion is in its last Period decaying by little and little entring the Cold Chillness of Dying Age. Not one in Forty thousand in whose hand a Spear or Shield is found Even all are imbarked in the Bold Adventure for Hell Pride Oppression and Prophaneness ride in Prosperous Triumphs without Controul and cover the face of the
Earth Vice braves it with a bolden'd Face Sin is in its Power Corruption is upon its Throne Take away the Covering that covereth the face of all People For the CHVRCH WE have had a long Summer but small Harvest Increase the precious Sons of Sion Call thy Sons from far and thy Daughters from the ends of the Earth that they may be called by thy Name Let all the Nations of the Heathen become the Kingdom of the Lord Christ Take in the Heathen for thine Inheritance and the Utmost Parts of the Earth forthy Possession Let all the People praise thee O God yea let all the People praise thee Cause all the Kindred of the Nations to worship before thee and lead them in the Paths of Righteousness for thy Names sake Cast thy Net into the Seas and gather of all Kinds That the Sun of the Gospel may rise to such an Altitude that it may inlighten every Dark Corner of the Earth That the World that is geneâ—ally ruled by the Malicious Prince of Darkness may now receive and obey thy Holy Laws in the Beauty and Harmony of Holiness Search thy Sheep and seek them out as a Shepard seeketh out his Flock in the Day that he is among his Sheep and deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark Day Feed them upon Lebanon by the Rivers that they may lie them down in peace Seek that which is Lost Bring again that which is Driven away Bind up that which is Broken and strengthen that which is Sick Cause thy saving health to be known among all Nations Pull down the Strong Holds of Satan build up the Walls of Jerusalem and gather together the Out-casts of Israel Lamentable are the breaches and ruins of thy Church scarce one stone left upon another Thou art the Owner thereof and able enough therefore repair it Thy Vineyard looks very wild and instead of Grapes it bringeth forth Wild Grapes Oh prune it and fence it cleanse away the Impurity Sinfulness and Defilements of it Suffer no Root of Schism Slip of Error or Fruit of Disobedience to grow in thy Garden Cause the North Wind to arise and the South Wind to blow that the Spices may flow out Adorn the Profession of Religion with an Accession of a Blessing That the Sun of Righteousness may inliven the Church to a higher pregnancy That the Innate Power of the Gospel may prove so Victorious that Paganism Mahumatism Judaism Atheism and Papism may melt under the powerful Influences of it Oh feed thy Flock and fold them Thou who commandest the Clouds from above and openest the Windows of Heaven remember and refresh thine Inheritance with Showers of Divine Favour least it prove like a Heath in the Desart Open the Coelestial Casements and showre down Gospel Blessings If our Root be not Rottenness Heavenly Waterings and Influences will make it sprout forth into Fruits of Obedience Send down the spirit of Obedience and Fidelity that the adored Commands of our aimiable Redeemer may be obeyed Reform those parts of thy Church that are dark'ned and defiled Cast down that Tyranny Heresie and Schism which keepeth out Truth Holiness and Peace that Truth may triumph over Errour That the Streams of Truth in the Banks of Unity may make glad the City of God That Right may be restored Worth prized Vertue honoured Vice degraded and Honesty and Godliness encouraged Set Bounds to our Passions by Reason to our Errors by Truth to our Seditions by Laws to our Schisms by Charity that the Church may be as a City at Unity in it self Cause the Fire of Divine Love to burn up and consume all Roughness Hatred and Cruelty that a Willing and Peaceful Obedience may be-calm the World That Ephraim may not envy Judah nor Judah vex Ephraim Shew thy Compassions unto them who are upon the Mountains of Gilboa where there are no Dews and in Egypt where there are no Showres thou art sufficient for them Shew Pity and Favour unto them who are tossed to and fro upon the Main of Ignorance with every Wind of Doctrine Bring them under a powerful Spiritual Teaching from the Heart to the Heart from the Conscience to the Conscience from Experience to Experience Especially favour this Part of thy Church in this Kingdom that it may be a Paradise of Pleasure the Garden of God that the Valleys may be like Eden the Hills like Lebanon the Springs like Pisgah and the Rivers like Jordan and the Defence thereof the Lord Jehovah Cause thy Spirit as a mighty East Wind to disperse the Locusts That our Nation may be as a Field which the Lord hath blessed For the KING IN a most Eminent Manner give Demonstrations of thy Favour unto our Most Dread Soveraign Lord CHARLES by thy Grace of England Scotland France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith and in all Causes and over all Persons as well Ecclesiastical as Civil in these His Majesties Realms and Dominions Supream Head and Governour Let him be precious in thy Sight Watch over him for Good Cause all Designs that are against him to prove abortive Make his Enemies to be as Dagon was before the Ark fallen down and broken in pieces having neither Heads to plot nor Hands to fight against Him As thou hast placed him on high above us make thy Blessings suitable to his Exaltation and Dignity Let not the Sun of his Prosperity decline but when his Course is finished here below he may ascend into the Unchangeable Glory and be cloathed upon and be a Star of the First Magnitude ever shining in the Heaven of Heavens For the Ministers of the GOSPEL PLace in every one of us an Over-flowing Fountain that we may not onely be constant but abundant in the Work of the Lord. That we may be a Means to mollifie their hard Hearts and bespeak their Love to God Let us be more and more under the Influences and rich Pourings of thy Spirit Make ut Masters of great Judgment and Experience in Soul Affairs That we may weild the Weapons of our Warfare which are not Carnal to the beating down of every high and towring Imagination that shall exalt themselves against the Kingdom of our Lord Christ That with sweet Insinuations and a holy Importunity we may compel them to come in that thy House may be filled and thy Feast furnished with Guests Inspire us with Zeal and Industry That we may partake of the Fountain of Wisdom and drink of the River of Knowledg that in us may be the Vein of Understanding Impregnate us with Divine Notions in such abundance that we may have teeming Wombs to inrich the World Adorn and Beautifie us with such a Brightness of Wisdom and Understanding that we may sparkle with ravishing heat of Love and Piety That the Divine Image may fairly be reflected on us that it may shine brightly in the Faces of Others Fill us with Prudence and Advice Mould many and Wise Resolutions
Mature Determinations deep Notions holy and pious Counsels for the Teaching and Carrying on of thy Flock That we may be as precious Jewels to inrich the World Communicate unto us the Sublime Mysteries of Divine Revelation That our Lips may drop the Words of Life And that our Tongues may be as a Tree of Life whose leaves are Medicinable Give unto us the Light of Divine Knowledge in the Purity of Divine Truth Inrich us in all Knowledg in all Utterance and in all Workman ship Inlighten our Eyes that we may see quite through the Depths of Divinity Reveal unto us by thy Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God Give us leave to plow with thy Heifer and we shall find out the Riddls Great is the Mystrey of Godliness Who is sufficient for these things Attract our Minds by thy Spirit that our Flight may be high and we shall sing more sweetly Suffer not the Sun to go down over the Prophets let it not be dark over their Heads Fill us with the Spirit of God in Wisdom in Understanding in Knowledg and in Workmanship that we may undeceive many Make us Pastors according to thy own Heart that we may feed thy People with Wisdom and Understanding Furnish us with all the Requisites that should belong to Gospel Ministers So qualifie us with Ability and Integrity that Envy her self may be forced to confess that we are Workmen that need not be ashamed Suffer us not to be as Clouds without Rain like empty Clouds that deceive thirsty Souls Bless our Labours to great Meassures To whom hath the Arm of the Lord been revealed Who hath believed our Report Shall the Trumpet beblown and the People not affraid Shall the Lyons roar and the Beasts of the Forrest not tremble Cloath us with a great deal of Mind that we may distil many wholsom Notions and rectified Apprehensions into the Minds of Men. That we may bring Truth which is so far absent home into Mens Bosomes That we may use both the Harp and the Arrows that our Speech be sweet and piercing That we may feast the hungry Ears with Delicious Dainties Give unto us the Tongue of the Learned that we may speak a Word in due season The Grace of God and the mighty Spirit of Jesus work in us that we may be inabled to instruct the Weak to confute the Obstinate to reclaim the Erroneous to confirm the Faithful and to comfort the Dejected and Disconsolate Make us happy Instruments of much Glory unto thy Name and of much good unto thy People Suffer not the Fruits of our Understanding to fail Give a Blessing to our Endeavours Paul may plant and Apollo may water but thou onely givest the Increase Except the Lord build the House they labour but in vain that build it except the Lord keep the City the Watchman watcheth but in vain Cause our Words which we speak from thee to be as Goads and Nails fasten'd by the Masters of the Assembly Suffer not our Knowledg to be without Zeal nor our Zeal with out Knowledg Make us not onely Voices crying but Lights shining That we may not onely be Trees of Knowledg but Trees of Life in the Paradise of our God Give unto us to know the Misteries of of the Kingdom of God Teach us to find much of the Treasure hid in the Field Make us useful and successful That we may gather many under the Triumphing Wings of Jesus Inable us to unmask and unvail Heavenly Truths that each eye may see their Beauty That we may set such a lustrre upon the Pearl of Price and so present Divinity in her graceful Jewels that every one may be inamour'd with her That we may lead Affection by the hand and with a sweet facility slide some Divine Truths into the Hearts of our Hearers Grant that in all things we may approve our selves as Ministers of God That our Lights may so shine before Men that they may see our Good Works and glorifie thee our Father which art in Heaven Suffer us not to be Strangers to that Holiness We press upon others Make us feed by Doctrine and feed by Example Suffer not the Salt to lose its Savour Suffer not the Curse to come upon us like Priest like People Suffer us not to pull down with one hand what we build with another lest the Sons of Levi cause the Offering of the Lord to be had in abomination Dead Files causeth the Ointment of the Apothecary to send forth a stinking Savour so doth a little Folly he that is in reputation for Wisdom and Honour therefore stay our steps in thy Paths that our feet slide not That the Purity of Divine Truths may be unfolded in our hearts and lives We have our Treasure in Earthen Vessels purifie and cleanse them lest thy Word have a tincture of our Uncleanness That we may not sound the Lords Trumpet with a Stinking Breath Cloath us with Righteousness the Garments of Praise and the Saints shall shout for joy Grant that we may Credit the Gospel with Examplary Conversation That our Lives as well as Doctrine may continually teach Lessons of Faith Knowledg Temperance Patience Brotherly Kindness and Charity That there may be seen whatsoever things are true lovely pure vertuous or praise worthy That every one of us may be as a Torch on a Hill to inlighten all about us Make us as Wise as Serpents but as Innocent as Doves They who are call'd to the Work give them Grace to work in their Callings that we may be true Servants and Friends of God That we may lay up and lay out O Lord help us that we may live above the Dependance and Gratuities of this vain World That our Aim may be higher than the Eating of a Piece of Bread That we may be free from the Blood of all Men give us Grace to warn all Men and to teach every Man in all Wisdom that we may present our Flocks acceptable before Christ Whilst our Tongues run at the service of the Altar God forbid that our Eyes should squint at the Fat of the Sacrifice Grant that we may not seek our selves but thee Let our Endeavours be rather for the profit than the pleasure of the People Strengthen us to live above Discouragements yea above Incouragements That we may chiefly mind our Duty and depend upon thee as our onely but our sure Reward Give us a strong and clear sense of what we speak Let nothing come out of our Mouths but what is to good purpose Suffer not the Stars of the Church to shed black and malignant Influences Suffer not our Trumpets to give an uncertain Sound then who shall prepare themselves for the Battle Make us all of one right mind that we may speak the same thing that there may be no Divisions among us that we may be perfectly joyn'd together in the same Mind and Judgment That we may all always be in Conjunction with Truth That we may
hurried with the Successions of our various Sins We have progress'd in the ways of Vice and spacious fields of deadly Luxury and have been constant in nothing but perpetual offending We have offered violence to thy patience and long-suffering extorting severities from thee by the audacious Importunities of our Notorious Impieties as tho we would wrestle a Fall or fight a Duel with the Almighty We have run upon him even upon his Neck upon the thick Bosses of his Buckler We have plow'd iniquity and sow'd wickedness We have continually lived in contempt of thy Majesty and transgression of thy Commands We have stream'd out our days in Riot and Excess We have revell'd in a Shoreless Excess in the ungirth'd Solaces of Sensual Liberty Our longing for the Forbidden Fruit sheweth us all to be the Children of Eve Oh how abominable and filthy is Man that drinketh up iniquity like water VVe have laid our hearts in Carnal Pleasures forgetting what will be in the end thereof VVe have swum down the temporizing Torrent of these last and lewdest days against the secret Wasts and Counter-blasts of Reclaiming Consciences We have gone in the common track and waved with the wanton train of the VVorld Our Judgments have been bribed to misapprehension and we seduced to bad actions VVe have given to our will the reins and have yielded to all that Sense requires VVe have hood-wink'd our Souls with presumption Sin and Sin hath gone hand in hand and blood hath touched blood Opportunity and our Nature like two inordinate Lovers they seldom meet but they sin together We have run carelesly in Sin not being aware of the Stabbing Shams that await us in a Killing Ambush our own purblind sight leaving them undiscovered Charming pleasures sing us into Lethargies while Damnation stealeth insensibly upon us they dandle us into Flames We have confronted thy unspeakable Kindness with unspeakable Unworthiness Atheism hath possessed our Hearts and luxurious Lewdness hath polluted our Bodies We have bathed our selves in the muddy Streams of Luxury and Riot Altho we have known the way of the Lord and the Judgments of our God yet we have altogether broken the Yoke and burst the Bands Our Impieties are of the largest Dimensions we have taken pains to make our selves the heirs of Darkness We have prodigally contributed to our own ruin We have been as active in working out our Damnation as we should have been to work out our Salvation Instead of arming our selves against the day of wrath we have armed the day of wrath against our selves The Oil of Mercy hath made us more active in the feats of Impiety VVe have look'd upon all thy favours thro the contracting Opticks of Ingratitude The fresh and green Pastures have made us fat and proud and with Jesurun spurn against our God Thou hast filled our Cup but thro carelesness and an uneven hand we have spill'd most of it It 's a wonder thou hast not shrunk thy descending favours We have fought against God with his own weapons If thou hadst not been so kind to us we could not have been so unkind to thee The warmth of Prosperity hatcheth up Luxury We are the Wonders and Spectacles of Unthankfulness The worldly Blessings thou hast so plentifully bestow'd upon us have been the causes of our Pride Riot Tyranny and Excess It 's pity that fair weather should do any harm Our Halcyonian days our Health our Peace our Liberty our Plenty hath brought forth Spiders and Caterpillers Pride and Prophaneness therefore we provoke God to send showers of wrath to cleanse them away The cry of our Sins hath invaded Heaven Our Impieties stare Heaven and Earth in the face and beat the Air for Vengeance Our Sins have ripen'd us for destruction From the Crown of the Head to the Sole of the Foot there is nothing but bruises and wounds and putrifying Sores Our Eyes being full of Adultery our Tongues being unruly Evils full of deadly Poison our Throats open Sepulchres our Hearts deceitful above measure and desp'rately wicked the Dens and Caves of Uncleanness Our Hands full of Mischief our Feet ready in the Paths of the Destroyer Yea all our Members are the Instruments of Unrighteousness We have every day rais'd Monuments to our own Shame If the Beasts could speak they might say that Really that God spake once Ironically Man is become as one of us yea like all of us For we have of the Fox the VVolf the Tyger the Swine and the Dog yea some of the evil of every Beast Our wickedness is condemn'd by its own witness Our Sins testifie against us The guilt of our own misguided Souls condemn us We have brambl'd our way to Vertue We have spun Cords of Iniquity out of our own bowels and Satan bound us with them so that now we are under the Chains of an habituated course of Sin and except God help those Chains will reserve us unto everlasting Chains We have fitted our selves for wrath and are the Procurers and Artificers of our own ruin We have inclosed our selves in a Den of Thraldoms We have laid wait for our own Blood and lurked privily for our own Destruction VVe have destin'd our selves to misery VVe have posted with precipitant and winged haste towards our own destruction Like Rivers we have run hastily to lose our selves Atheism and Infidelity hath bewitched us with a desperate senslesness VVe are Children of Infidelity Our hearts have been the Habitations of Unbelief Our Incredulity have eclipsed Gods Sufficiency Wisdom hath cry'd and Understanding hath lift up her Voice Thou hast set before us Life and Death Blessing and Cursing Yet we have been like deaf Adders not hearkening to the Voice of the Charmer charm he never so wisely We have shut the Windows of our Souls against the Light of the Gospel The Foxes have holes the Birds of the Air have Nests but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his Head We have room enough for crafty and subtil Inventions and Contrivances and high and soaring Thoughts but the Lord Christ is kept out We have hated Knowledg we have contemned thy Counsels and despised thy Reproofs A Frozen Stupidity hath benum'd us Plainness hath not made us understand Serious piercing Warnings have not made us afraid the greatest matters wrought upon us the sweetest things have not enticed us the most dreadful things have not terrified us Truth and Sincerity have not convinced us The God that made us the Christ that redeem'd us the Holy Ghost that would sanctifie us prevail not with us Our Disobedience is rooted in Folly and Ingratitude Thou hast pursued us with Sermons and follow'd us with close Convictions yet we are Pilgrims and Strangers in the Knowledg of God We have stopp'd the Organs of our Mind with Earthy Oppilations We have broke a thousand Bonds that should have kept us to our Duty Thou hast given us the means of Grace thy Word thy Messengers our Consciences Threatnings from Mount Ebal to
stop us in our Career of Sin Promises from Mount Gerizzim to allure us into the paths of life The Examples of Holy Men to guide us that we may follow the Foot-steps of the Flock and thy Holy Spirit attending upon these and many other Assistances in our Course to Heaven but we hate to be reform'd and make all our Returns in Ingratitude Altho thou hast made out unto us thy Wisdom Holiness Greatness and Goodness Mercy and Long Suffering Power and Justice And altho thou hast proclaimed Free Grace unto all those that are a willing People in the day of thy Power but Tribulation and Wrath unto the Disobedient And notwithstanding the Divine Authority that unlimited Supremacy that thou hast over us and notwithstanding the Righteousness of thy Scepter yet we have so degenerated from Reason and apostatized from all Ingenuity that we have not kept the way of the Lord but wickedly departed from our God We are like to the Wild Ass that snuffeth up the VVind at her pleasure in her occasion who can turn her away In the height of our Prosperity we say with Pharaoh Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice but in her Month they 'll find her So Extremities and Death-Bed Pangs will seize us the time is coming that we must fall into the hands of the Living God Thou hast given us space to repent but we have not found the place of Repentance We have had line upon line precept upon precept Thou hast hearken'd and heard no man speak aright saying What have I done Every one turn'd to his course as the Horse rusheth into the Battle carelesly fearlesly and desperately the Stork of the Heavens knoweth her appointed time the Turtle the Swallow and the Crane know the time of their coming but we have not known the Judgments of the Lord. Those Irrational Creatures know by instinct of Nature to avoid such intemperate Weather as would be destructive to them yet we notwithstanding many Warnings have not flown from the wrath to come We have wrestled with thy patience and urged thee to swear in thy wrath that we shall never enter into thy rest Well may we be compared to Children sitting in the Market-place calling one unto another and saying We have piped unto ye but ye have not danced we have mourn'd unto ye but ye have not wept We have been inflexible to Promises and Threatnings Neither th'acute Demonstrations of Terror not the Ponderous Inductions of Interest have prevailed with us Thou hast many times beat up for Voluntiers amongst us and hast proclaimed the Priviledges Prerogatives Graces and Comforts that belong to thy Followers but we have turned our backs And thou hast warn'd us to flee from the wrath to come yet we have come in the very face of that wrath which thou hast warn'd us to flee The Trumpets have sounded and the Lions have roared upon us and yet we have hardened our hearts We have made thee to serve with our sins as tho thou wert bound to indure our abominations We have offered Violence to thy Law and have made such large Breaches in our Duty as tho thou wert forc'd to abide our Contempt We have been Professors of Piety but Practisers of Iniquity How little have we advanced in Religion The Faith of Christians have been in our Mouths but the works of Infidels in our Hearts We have been meer Promisers of Obedience We have betray'd our Lord Jesus with a Kiss Our Actions Religious have been meerly Theatrical and done in Subornation to some other Interest Our Goodness is but like the Morning Dew VVe have delighted more in the Theatre than in the Closet VVe have often bound our selves unto thee but we have forfeited our Indentures That which we have verbally detested we have actually embraced We have look'd Heaven-ward in our Profession but Hell-ward in our Conversation VVe have covenanted against Sin yet we have sin'd against Covenant We have been rather Superficial than Fundamental Christians The Heathen give real honour to counterfeit gods but we give a counterfeit honour to the true God Our Devotion to God our Love to our Brethren 't is a Measuring Cast hard to determine which is the Colder but both ready to faint and fall down dead We have put on the Sheep's Coat upon the Wolfs Back the Velvet Plaister of Profession upon the Stinking Ulcer of Corruption Our Righteousness is so imperfect that it can claim no Blessing and our Wickedness so great that it deserves nothing but Cursing We have the Spots and Tokens of the Plague of Plagues we sin and see it not therefore neither care nor fear nor repent nor amend Our Spot is not the Spot of thy People We have hired thy Plagues as Israel did the King of Assur Our Sins are envenomed with many hainous and hellish Circumstances We despise thy Authority we break righteous Laws we contemn precious Promises we give more credence to Satanical suggestions than we do to the Infallible Word of God We weave the VVeb of our own Woe and spin the Cords of our own Thraldom and every Sin breaketh the Sacred Covenant between Christ and our souls Thou mayst justly pronounce Lo-ruhamah against us We have been Traitors to our own Peace We have daily multipli'd our own Calamities Our own Inventions have intwined us and bewray'd us into many troubles and inclosed us in a Den of Thraldoms We day by day alarm Divine Justice We have cause to fear there are many in Hell cursing our Examples We know not how many we have infected with the plague that is upon us If thou should'st lay Judgement to the Line and Righteousness to the Plumb-line thou mayst righteously make thy Wrath to smoke against us We have provoked thee to feed us with Wormwood and to give us Gall to drink Our Sins have laid us most naked to thy Wrath. We have ripen'd our selves for Vengeance It s unspeakable forbearance that thy fury is not kindl'd and broke out into a Flame against us That the Water-flood hath not over-flown us that the Deep hath not swallow'd us up that the Pit hath not shut her mouth upon us GRATVLATION LEt our never ceasing Praises wait upon thee our God because thy wrath is not kindl'd and broke out into a Flame against us We are the Living Monuments of thy Mercy Thy Patience suspendeth Judgment If thou shouldst with-draw thy Patience and Long-suffering we should drop into Hell It s unspeakable Mercy that we are not invelopp'd in the revenging Flames of Hell Altho thou hast not look'd upon our Sins approvingly yet patiently If thou hadst but the Patience of Men and Angels we should spend it one day thou couldst not hold thy tongue and hands one hour The life of our Souls is wrapp'd up in the life of Grace All Sacrifice is too little for a sweet savour all Fatness is too little for a Burn'd Offering How low should we fall in adoration of thy Grace and how high should