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
THE RAPTURES OF A Flaming Spirit BEING A Directory Wherein Methodically is contained the several Parts of PRAYER With Select Expressions for the Performance of the DVTY As the Author useth to Express himself before and after his SERMONS By NICO PEARSON c. HOS 14. 2. Take with you words and turn to the LORD say unto him c. LONDON Printed by Tho. James for the Author and are to be sold by Robert Clavel and Richard Jones at the Peacock in St. Paul's Churchyard and the White Horse in Little Britain 1682. THE PREFACE OR INTRODUCTION IT was uncharitably ungratefully and indeed enviously said of Eliab David's Eldest Brother when he saw David so vigorous and zealous in the Lords Work That he came from home to the Camp in Pride and Naughtiness of heart to exalt himself leaving the Sheep under his charge exposed to danger Eliab not knowing that the thing was of God and not considering he was sent by his Father and not Vacuis Manibus but brought a Present to their Captain and Sustenance for himself and brethren I am sure to meet with such misinterpretation and suspect from my Anti-ingenious Brethren of whom I say as St. Paul said of Alexander the Copper Smith altering the Deprecation not the Complaint God forgive them for they have done me much harm Envy that dark Shadow always waiteth upon Shining Merit being an inseparable Attendant of all good things and where she cannot find a hole will be sure to make one I am sure in regard I venture to stand up in this Sycamore Tree to be charg'd with Pride Presumption and Arrogancy Calumny and Conjecture may abuse Innocency her self But if God justifie me in this Matter as I believe he will I fear not Mans Judgment If I fall in with God I care not who falls out with me David was obedient to his Father's Commands and took a great deal of pains to bring a Gift to the Captain to infavour his Brethren with him and an Ephah of Parched Corn and ten loaves for their subsistance When he had quit himself of that Burden they laden him with another much harder to be born Cruel Censures and Contumelious Words I fear not that my Obedience to God will be in vain but for my Care Industry and Kindness to my Brethren I shall have Instead of Grapes Thorns and for Figgs Thistles I have here provided and brought some Weapons which are not Carnal not onely to oppose the Enemies that defie the Armies of the Living God and exalt themselves against his Kingdom but such as are Instrumental for the gaining it for our selves and for them that are under our charge Matt. 11. 12. and also some Instructions how to manage them I am sure there is need enough but the hearts of the needful I am affraid are too proud to accept of assistance but will be ready to ask as the Captains that was with Jehu did concerning he Prophet Wherefore came this mad fellow hither 2 Kings 9. 11. I can find no better Answer for these Ingrato's than David gave his Brother What have I now done Is there not a Cause 1 Sam. 17. 29. How many are they and what is most lamentable who have taken upon them the Ministry the Dispensation of God's Word and Sacraments to be Agents between God and his People and to stand between the Porch and the Altar who by presuming to do what they are uncupable of prostitute the Solemnity of this Duty of Prayer which being duly performed is the Sun of Spiritual Exercises the Center of Christian Religion the Heart of Devotion and the very Soul of Piety but hy an undue performance of it and by trifling in it they render it inconsiderable and contemptible either by making a Set Form according to their weak apprehension of Things or else which is more intollerable to venture to pray extempore not having the Gift nor any tollerable Requisites or Qualifications towards it This ensuing Work is principally intended for those that pray in publick and are as it were the Mouth of all that joyn with them Notwithstanding every one may inform themselves for the performance of Private Devotion by the following Instructions I have observed two great defects in Publick Extempore Prayer the one Want of Method and the other the Want of apt and elegant Expressions which even forc'd me upon this adventure I own that the life of Prayer is from infusion from above and is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ministration of the Spirit But Method is the Organ and Rhetocal Sweet-charming and Pathetical Expressions are the Harmony and where these all combine together there 's a Heavenly Melody It s well known that the Spirit of God generally worketh in the Use of Means And when the Heart bath indited a Good Matter causeth the Tongue to be like unto the Pen of a Ready Writer I have found that the Spirit is more assistant in Method than otherwise for Confusion in the Mind and Thoughts hinder the Operation thereof Method and Matter ought to be studi'd and observed by all Publick Persons as Ministers Chaplains Masters of Families c. because we are to work upon the Affections of them that joyn with us I shall first speak to the Method of Prayer In want of Method there must necessarily be great Irregularity and such a Wandering and Wildering flat and baffle Devotion and withal many times as I have observed some of the Essential Parts of Prayer omitted Yea by able Ministers and they who were accounted extraordinarly gifted for this performance for want of Method have abruptly stepp'd out of one part of Prayer into another and presently hedg'd back again and have been guilty of Notorious Tautology and sometimes being at Non-plus rather than continue silent pronounce that which they would be ashamed to see in Writing and in this hurry and disorder forget the Confessing of Sin Thanksgiving or the Afflicted or some other Things which ought not to he left out These faults and neglects are not so considerable in Private Devotion nor intermission which is intollerable in Publick They say they pray by the Dictates of the Spirit of God and that Praying in Method is not much different from a Set Form and that Set Forms are dull heartless lifeless For my part I find no Authority to condemn Set Forms of Prayer neither will I judge or reproach any that pray onely by them those that are not gifted must do as they can But Method and Form in my eye are two distinct Things as in this my Design you will find My Hearers know I constantly keep a Method altho I take liberty to vary Expressions every day which I find much refreshing to them as well as to my self I am so far from being obliged or obliging to a Pack of Words that I would not have any to think me so vain as to endeavour to bind any to keep to my Expressions far be it from me to reduce all that may be
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
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
all prove such Predominant Lights that the People cannot but chuse us for Direction That we may be as Tutular Angels to our Flocks And that we may make all good to Heavens Eye that we shew to the World For a Blessing upon the WORD preached O Lord cause thy Word to run and be glorified Ingrave thy Counsels in our Hearts The fruitfulness of the Seed dependeth upon the Sun and the Rain Let us not onely have the presence of Ordinances but thy presence in the Ordinances Let us feel the inward Sweetness and Deliciousness that truly are in Divine Truths Confirm the Words of thy Servants and perform the Counsel of thy Messengers Shall our Lipps drop Honey and they taste no Sweetness Cause the Entrance of thy Word to give Light and Understanding to the Simple that thy Statutes may be our Songs in the House of our Pilgrimage That the efflux of Life and Power from God may beget in us a true and lively Faith The Law of the Lord being perfect cause it to convert the Soul the Testimonies of the Lord being sure that they may make Wise the Simple that the Testimonies of the Lord being right may rejoyce the Heart and the Commandments of the Lord being pure may inlighten the Eyes Imprint thy Word in Living Characters upon the Vital Powers of our Souls Cause the blind to see out of Obscurity and out of Darkness Our Sins are fast rooted in us the Branches are wide and large lay the Axe close to the Root of the Tree Let thy Call not onely reach our Ears but our Hearts That our Ears may not onely be tickl'd but our Hearts touch'd That thy VVord may not onely dwell with us but in us That we may not onely learn what to do but do what we learn That we may not onely talk like Christians but walk like Christians A good Profession and a good Conversation these two who God hath joyned together let no Man put assunder That we may be Companions of all them that fear thee and keep thy Commandments That we may not onely be Verbalists but Realists That our Heads may not onely be full of Notions but our Hearts full of Graces That Christ Jesus may not onely be the Subject of our Tongues but the Object of our Hearts That we may make it our Business yea our Meat and Drink to do the Will of our Lord. Cause the Word to prevail among us that we may meet with something that may meet with us That the Word of Christ may dwell in us in all Wisdom that his Testimonies may be our Delight and our Councellors that it may be unto us the Power of God unto Salvation Suffer not the Word to return void but that it may accomplish that which thou pleasest Quicken our Apprehensions strengthen our Memories let us not be like a Man beholding his Natural Face in a Glass and goeth away forgeting what manner of Man he was but grant that the Secret of the Lord may be with us that we may know his Covenant When the Watchmen sound the Lords Trumpet that we may take alarm with stout resolutions to follow the Lords Banner That the Words of thy Lips may keep us from the Paths of the Destroyer That the Gospel may not onely come unto us in Word but in Power in much Assurance and in the Holy Ghost Suffer not the Word to be intomb'd but inshrin'd in us That the Leaven may be hid within us until the whole be leavened that all the powers of our Souls may relish of it That we may be abundantly satisfied with the Fatness of thy House and that we may drink of the Rivers of thy Pleasure Cause thy Word to be an Engine to effect our Repentance Cause it to be as a Fire to consume our Lusts and as a Hammer to break our hard Hearts upon the Cushion of thy Mercy Bore our Ears that we may hear when thou speakest in Mercy otherwise thou wilt force us to hear when thou speakest in Wrath. That we may bow to thy Septer of Mercy lest thou break us in pieces with the Rod of thy Wrath. Grant that our Eyes may be inlightned by tasting of the Honey of the Gospel Open our Eyes that we may see the Worth and Excellency of the Pearls that are cast before us that we may gather them to inrich us that we may be known by the Bridegroom at his coming by the Gold that we have bought and the White Rayment we have put on Cause the Word of Reconcilation to make such a Conjunction betwixt Christ and our Souls that they may never be separated Grant that we may hear in thy House of Instruction lest thou bring us to thy House of Correction That we may hear thy Word lest we bear the Rod. That we may turn at thy Reproof that thou may'st pour thy Spirit upon us and make known thy Words unto us lest thou hedg up our Way with Thorns and make a Wall that we cannot find our Paths Thou art the Lord that must teach us to profit that must lead us the way that we should go for thy Commandments are a Lamp and thy Law a Light and Reprooss of Instruction are the Way of Life Grant that the same Spirit that wrote the Word may teach us to understand it That through thy Precepts we may get Understanding and by Understanding hate every false Way Open our Eyes that we may see the wondrous Things that are in thy Law That we may follow the Star until we find Jesus the Christ to worship him When the Scriptures are opened to our Understandings then open our Understandings to the Scriptures That we may discern what the Spirit saith unto the Churches Quicken us with thy Precepts that we may never forget them That they may make us wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus That the light in the Golden Candle-sticks may so illuminate us that we may walk in thy paths without stumbling Cause thy Word to take Root downward that it may bear Fruit upward that we may have respect unto all thy Commandments Make the VVord to be as a Remora to stay our Carnal Desires which are Voyaging in the Ocean of VVorldy and Sinful Pleasures Make us not onely constant but conscionable Hearers That thy VVord may be in us that Incorruptible Seed that liveth and abideth for ever When we meet for the better make us better for the Meeting They that serve the Lord let them be accepted with favour that their Prayers may reach unto the Clouds Let the Eye of the Lord be upon them that fear him and that hope in his mercy Let the heart of them rejoyce that seek the Lord. That they may be satisfied with the goodness of thy House even with the goodness of thy Holy Temple Dart in some Beams of Irresistible Light into our Minds That the Word may be a savour of Life unto Life and not of Death unto Death Cause that Word
that offereth Salvation to our Souls be a means to bring our Souls to Salvation Let the Word be transforming that we may be assimulated into Christ's likeness Cause our Affections to receive a Touch from the Word that they may be stirr'd up kindled and inflamed thereby That thy Message unto us may engage us to become a willing People in the day of thy Power Cause the Word to be quick and powerful quicker than a two-edged Sword so quick as to quicken us to every good duty and so powerful to subdue the Old Man of Sin Make it of such force as to make a Division between us and our best beloved Sins That the Sword of the Spirit may cut us off from the Wild Olive of Nature That we may not onely be acquainted with the Grace of Truth but the Truth of Grace Cause the Dew to fall with the Manna That the Dews of Hermon may fall upon the Hill of Sion That we may bring forth Fruits as the Vines of Engedi Cause thy Doctrine to drop as the Rain to distil as the Dew as the small Rain upon the tender Herb and as the Dew upon the Grass Drive the Birds from the Sacrifice When we draw nigh unto thee in Duty draw nigh unto us in Mercy Let not them that wait upon thee be ashamed Open the Doors of our Hearts that the King of Glory may enter Put a holy Fear into our Hearts that we may attend upon thee with Reverence That we may not receive it as the word of a sinful mortal Man but as indeed and in truth it is the Word of an Immortal God Cause the Word to be as a Bank to hinder the Inundation of our Sins Order our steps in thy Word that Iniquity may not have Dominion over us Make the Word to be as a Flaming Sword to keep us from the forbiden Fruit That it may be as a Curb to keep us from the stray of Offence That we may observe to do what the Lord commandeth us not turning to the right hand nor the left That it may be as a Rudder to steer us in our right Course Ingrave thy Counsels on the Frontispiece of our Hearts and cause them to be evermore in an applicative practice That we may grow by the sincere Milk of the Word That as the Bee gathers the Flowers and carrieth them home to the Hive and worketh them into Honey and liveth upon it in times of need so help us that we may gather the precious Truths out of thy holy Word and carry them home unto the Hive of our Hearts and work them into Grace and live upon it in a time of Trial. Lay hold on our Hearts by thy Omnipotent Grace Cause the Influences of thy Grace irresistibly to ingage us to do thy will That the manifestation of thy Grace may be as Showers to parched Grass that our drooping Souls that hang their Wings may revive and leap for joy That the Efflux of Life and power from God may beget in us true and lively Faith That Love may be enticed out of our selves to God Cause Heavenly Ordinances to leave Fruitful Influences That we may not onely enjoy the Gospel of Peace but the Peace of the Gospel We desire to sun our selves in the Light of thy Countenance Cause the Word like the Sun Beams not onely to enlighten us but heat and inliven us Let it be Honey in the Mouth Melody in the Ear and a Jubile in the Heart We see thy Foot-steps in the Creatures but we wait to see thy Face in the Ordinances Ordinances are the Pool of Bethesda that onely heal when the Spirit moveth the Waters The Gospel is the Pen but the Holy Ghost is the Guider of it Suffer not the Tree of Life to be too far from the Tree of Knowledg Cause Divine Truths to be manifested in the Purity of our Hearts and Lives That every Gale of Divinity may drive us nearer to the Haven of Felicity That we may not be all for Speculation but Sensation to taste how good the Lord is Open the Passage between our Heads and our Hearts Convey some warm sprinklings of thy Benediction into our inward parts Suffer not any of us to be like Gideon's dry Fleece Let not the Thirsty Souls that wait for thee as the Rain return like the Troops of Tema with their Heads covered For Vnregenerate Men. IN mercy remember the rebellious Children that take counsel but not of thee and cover but not with the covering of thy Spirit that they may add Sin unto Sin Whose Hearts are harden'd from thy Fear Sin at the first was the cause of Ignorance now Ignorance is the cause of Sin In the greatness of their Folly they go astray Who never peep'd out of the Bondage of Sensual Lust They rebel against the Light they know not the ways thereof neither will they come into these Paths Who walk after the vanity of their Minds having their Understanding darken'd being alienated from the Life of God thro the Ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their Hearts who being past feeling have given themselves over to work all Uncleanness with greediness Their god is their Belly their glory is their shame who mind Earthy things There is a Bridle in their Jaws which causeth them to err Lord pity them for they cannot pity themselves In provoking thee they provoke their own damnation Thou Being of Beings have mercy upon them Interrupt the Process of their Extravagances As they tread the paths of Death let them see the drawn Sword of thy Displeasure As they journey on in their Sins cause a Light to shine from Heaven Amaze them with the apprehensions of their woful and wretched Estate Suffer them not to breath quietly until they find the Fountain opened for Sin and for Uncleanness Set home unto their Consciences the weight and danger of their Sins That Conscience may be as a Scorpion in the Bosom Send the Fiery Serpents to sting and wound them that they may look after the Brazen Serpent A wake them out of their Mortal Lethargy Bring them out of the Womb of Natural Blindness that they may be born again altho they be Old Thou who at first caus'd Light to shine out of Darkness say Let there be Light and there shall be Light That the Day-spring from on high may visit them that sit in Darkness in the shadow of Death Cause the Day to dawn and the Day Star to arise in their Hearts Turn the Shadow of Death into the Morning Let the Spirit of Conviction come upon them and a wake them as a Man that is a waked out of his Sleep Our corrupt Nature is the most inexpugnable Fort in the World Cause the Dead to hear thy Voice and live Of those Stones raise up Children to Abraham Mollifie their hard Hearts that are not penetrable when the Arrows of Conviction are shot against them Cause Hell to enter into them that they may not enter
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