petition for things with Confidence and Faith which will be prejudicial to our selves and God's glory on Earth I cannot think that it is Christ's intent to encourage us to offer up such Prayers with an assurance of obtaining our irregular and inconsiderate desires therefore for the better directions and comfort of a devout Christian let him know that he may safely be confident and fully perswaded that all Prayers tending to the salvation of his Soul for the obtaining of grace forgiveness of his sins strength against temptation God will in his time grant him his Request if he be sincere and affectionate in his Prayer according to our Saviour's Words Math. 7.11 What Man is there of you whom if his Son ask Bread will he give him a Stone or if he ask a Fish will he give him a Serpent If ye then being Evil know how to give good gifts unto your Children how much more shall your Father which is in Heaven give good things to them that ask him And in the Gospel according to St. Luke how much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him As God is as willing to bestow such divine Mercies as Men to ask they may be as certain to obtain them as God is free to grant But for other things relating to our present and worldly Interest we may ask with an assurance that God if he sees them fit for our good will doubtless give them but if otherwise he will make us sensible of his Liberality in another way for it is the manner of God's proceeding with his Children and Servants to send such returns to their Prayers as are most for their advantage not always answerable to their desires He keeps back the Blessings which he knows will be hurtful to them or prejudicial to the publick good and instead of them he heaps upon them others which will prove more really for their benefit Men foresee not the danger of God's inferior Mercies good things may become hurtful to us through the Devil's malice the prevalency of Temptations and our Corruption within As many Diseases are fed and increased by that Food which God hath appointed to strengthen the Bodies of the healthful so likewise many inclinations grow worse by those very Blessings which are granted to some as the rewards of their Piety In things therefore that are not always turned to a good use and that are neither for the benefit of Men nor the Glory of God I would not have a Petitioner gratifie his corrupt Humour so much as to be confident of the grant of his Requests nor to flatter himself in a vain expectation of that which agrees not with the Wisdom and Love of God for us As therefore a devout Christian must offer up such Prayers with this clause If it be God's good Pleasure let him not be too confident of obtaining his Petition in that very manner that he desires it and with that improper limitation of the over-ruling goodness of our God unless he is moved by some extraordinary impulse of his holy Spirit in his Soul to assure him of the grant and unless he can discover the events of the time to come by some unusual Revelation Some pious Souls often receive an answer to their Prayers before they rise up and God is pleased to comfort their drooping Spirits with a speedy and a gracious return As Hannah who petitioned God for a Son 1 Sam. 1.18 rose up with a joyful Countenance and a full assurance that God the Author of Life would give her a Child She had unburthened her self of her sorrows in Prayer and her heart and Countenance were no more so sad because she had received some assurance of a favourable acceptance of obtaining her Petition Eighthly But there is one thing more that a devout Christian must observe in Prayer to God that is the Duty of Perseverance slack not nor be discouraged for the first repulse or for a delay God grants not his Mercies always as soon as we begin to ask His goodness is to be courted by our zealous endeavours for he grants many times to our perseverance what he denys to our Prayers The Woman of Syrophenicia met with a refusal and had not her patience overcome this Obstacle she had never returned with the glad assurance of her Daughters recovery If Jacob had not contended with the Angel he had never been honoured with a Blessing An holy and devout importunity seldom or never departs empty from God's unwearied Bounty He suffers for several causes best known to himself his Servants to live a while in expectation of those Blessings which he intends at last to bestow upon them that his Mercies might obtain with them a right esteem and be more highly valued That their Faith patience confidence in him and all their Graces might be exercised and tryed the more and that their ability for Prayer might be increased by a constanter exercise and all impediments of a Communion with our God may be removed for that purpose it is to be observed that his Providence casts us into the want of many enjoyments that when we seek them from God by Prayer both the endeavour to obtain them and the receiving of them might turn to the everlasting advantage of our Souls and Bodies Let not therefore the devout Christian be discouraged if God answers not his Request as soon as he expects or desires for besides that it is a bold and indiscreet Act for us ignorant Creatures to limit the Wisdom of our Creator's liberality and to prescribe to him the time and place of opening his bountiful hand unto us it is an act of Cruelty to our selves and of impiety towards God to be so impatient for the enjoying of those things which may and doubtless will prove as prejudicial to us as injurious to his honour Take heed of murmuring for the want of Earthly conveniencies It was the great ruin of the Israelites newly escaped out of Pharaoh's Bondage and drew several Plagues upon their heads As perseverance assisted by the vertues of patience and Faith is a blessed means to obtain and sanctifie God's Mercies both Spiritual and Temporal so there is nothing that turns them sooner into Curses than impatiency despair and insolent Complaints against God's Love or Power Lift up always O Christian thine Eyes and thine hands in expectation of God's time as well as of God's Blessings Be not weary to wait for the expressions of his Bounty who is never weary to do thee good he is not so unmindful as thou thinkest him to be his delays or refusals are more for thine advantage than the enjoyments of those mercies would be which thou desirest with so much disrespect and impatience As the knowledge of his power and goodness requires our confidence and reliance upon him his infinite Wisdom demands from us a resignation of our selves and interests to his disposal without distaste or insolent complaints of our proud nature which
and miscarriages of our Lives and to bewail the linfulness of our Natures Our Iniquities are many and our Transgressions are multiplyed every day We feel within us a forward inclination to that which is unlawful we carry about us a Body of Sin and the least Temptation draws us aside from thy holy Ways How negligent have we been of thy Commands How vitious in our Lives How careless in our Duties How unthankful for all thy Mercies We can give no account of the number of our mistakes for they are numberless Therefore we humble our selves before thee in a deep sense of our own sinfulness and unworthiness we cast away all confidence and reliance upon our own Merits But we come to thee with a Confidence upon Christ's Merits trusting upon his promises and gracious invitations For his sake O merciful Father forgive us all our Trespasses magnifie thy Divine goodness by the pardon of our great and hainous Offences Look upon the Atonement made for us and in consideration of the precious Blood of our great Saviour spilt for our Redemption accept of our Persons and Prayers at this time Take not away from us only the guilt but also the Corruption of Sin that we may not continue in our Provocations against thy Divine Majesty As thou hast given us a sense of our Ignorance and Weakness give us the proper Remedies to these two Evils enlighten our Understandings more and more with thy Blessed Truth purifie our Wills from all unregenerate affections sanctifie and change the whole frame of our Souls according to thy revealed Will. For that purpose grant us we beseech thee good God an increase of all our Graces give life and growth to these Seeds of Holiness and Immortality strengthen the Interest of Piety in every one of us with a holy dread of thy Power and Justice and a blessed Love for thee our God who only art lovely Open our Eyes that we may perceive the Beauty and Excellency of Vertue and the filthiness and danger of those sins we have been most inclinable to practise Let the woful circumstances of our Bosom Lusts visible by our own experience and others Examples reclaim us betimes to an Obedience to thy Sacred Laws make us truly sensible both of the shame that attends upon Sin and of the misery that consequently follows it that we may begin the great Work of Repentance betimes and vigorously prosecute it till we have brought under all our irregular inclinations which are so imperious in the Children of disobedience Make us clean Hearts O God and renew a right Spirit within us Purifie our sins from all Infection from all Evil Thoughts wicked Affections and sinful designs above all keep us from the reigning sin of Hypocrisie that we may be sincere in our Profession and that we may not deceive our selves by thinking to deceive others As our great business on this side the Grave is to serve thee our great Creator and prepare our selves for Eternity assist us mercifully in our endeavours relating thereunto direct comfort and succour us against all Temptations give us Hearts and Lives that we may adorn the Gospel of our Saviour Christ Let neither the inticements of Sin nor the suggestions of the Devil nor the allurements and Vanities of the World draw us away from thee our good God nor from the Profession of thy sacred Truth Keep us from evil Examples and wicked Company and Perswasions and from the Corruptions of the time As thou hast been gracious to our Forefathers in this Land in preserving them and their Religion from all bloody designs and attempts continue thy protection to us their Children Preserve thy Gospel in this Nation defend us from Heresie Idolatry and Schism Unite us all in love and affection one towards another and in conformity to thy Will in all things Remove the differences and prejudices that are amongst us that we may embrace one another as Bretheren designed for the same Happiness sanctified by the same Spirit and redeemed by the same Christ O gracious God watch over us we beseech thee let not the Craft and Power of our Bloody Adversaries prevail or overcome the Professors of thy Gospel Defeat all their wicked endeavours against our Prince and his People and discover and disappoint all their Plots Let Religion and Truth flourish in our days and keep us all from Prophaneness and Error Send thy Blessings to this Family here humbled before thee and to every member of it As thou hast received us into thy Protection grant us a continuance of it this Night especially Let the Eye of thy Providence be awake over us to shelter and preserve us when we shall be asleep Keep us all from fearful Dreams and Apprehensions and sinful Fancies Let nothing injure either our Souls or our Bodies bring us safe through the shadows of the Night to behold the Glory of another day and feel again the manifold expressions of thy great goodness to us O Lord we depend upon and trust only in thee Thou alone hast been the Saviour of our Persons that belong to thee defend them we beseech thee from the malice of the Devils and the attempts of Bloody-minded Men and from all accidents and dangers whatsoever that we may yet live to praise and glorifie thee here on Earth and do service to our Generation Send thy Blessing to all Princes and Magistrates especially to our King and Queen and all Governours under them in Church or State preserve them from all Rebellious Designs and Attempts of our Enemies and give them grace to employ their Credit Power and Authority in the maintenance of thy Truth and Honour and in the suppression of Atheism Vice Prophaneness and whatsoever agrees not with sound Doctrine Give success to their pious endeavours Victory to our Fleets and Armies Life and safety to all the Noble Souls that watch over us or fight for us Disappoint all the Wicked designs of Antichrist scatter and subdue all his Bloody Agents and let thy Gospel and will be known to all the Nations under the Sun These and all other Mercies convenient for our Souls and Bodies we humbly beg for the sake and Merits of that immaculate Lamb who is dead for us and now makes intercession at thy right hand and we conclude these our imperfect Prayers with this most perfect Form OUR Father which art in Heaven Hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdom come Thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven Give us this Day our daily Bread And forgive us our Tespasses as we forgive them that Trespass against us And lead us not into Temptation But deliver us from Evil For thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen THE Peace of God which passeth all Understanding preserve our Hearts and Minds in the Knowledge and Love of God and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. The Blessing of God Almighty Father Son and Holy Ghost be with us all evermore Amen An
an immortal Nature to continue for ever as thy self and I am going apace to this boundless Eternity and as I am thine Image and Creature O that I may live with thee for ever cast me not away into endless Torments make me an Eternal Monument of thy Mercy and goodness receive me into thine everlasting Rest for Jesus Christ his sake Amen A Meditation and Prayer upon God's Almighty Power O Dreadful Majesty of Heaven where-ever I cast my Eyes thy Power shines before me clearer than the Sun at Noon-day In the make of this great Fabrick of the World and in the disposal and continuance of all the several Parts how visibly doth thine extraordinary Power appear the Heavens and all the Elements are Witnesses and Trumpeters of thy glorious Power which nothing can oppose or stop The Devils that are revolted from thee do yet own and are subject to thine Omnipotency they are held fast in Chains and are so restrained by thine Almighty Hand that they cannot possibly move without thy permission When I cast mine Eyes upon the Seas and consider the vastness and fury of the Waves When I look up to Heaven and see the many glorious and large Globes of Light some settleed and fixed others rowling in their several Spheres O my God how wonderfully doth thy Power appear to me in all these things And as thou art the only Original of all Virtue and Power I have reason to conclude that all Creatures together cannot stop thine hand and that there is nothing impossible with thee as thou hast been able to Create all things thou art able to govern and rule their unruliness and greatest Fury to the setting forth of thy Glory and whatsoever thou hast promised thou wilt surely perform and art fully able to accomplish O Almighty Creator give me a real sense of thy Power that I may stand in awe of it that I may trust upon it in time of need that I may believe in thy Word and Promises that my Soul may rest and rely upon thee alone and never doubt of thy Protection and of thy Power to save me Amen A Meditation and Prayer upon the Wisdom of God and his infinite Knowledge O Infinite Being thy Wisdom is answerable to thine Almighty Power and hath the same Creatures to manifest and set it forth Wherever I see the one I must needs take notice of the other that is obvious to every Eye in the disposition of all things that are made in their fashion and composition in their Inclinations and tendencies in the design and purpose of their Creation in their mutual Correspondencies and Government and in the Laws and Rules that they observe Is there any of so dull an apprehension that cannot observe a more than ordinary Wisdom in all these particulars Can we see the Sun Moon and Stars observe their appointed and annual Motions and Stations without variation and not think upon thy Wisdom O Almighty God who hast stretched forth the Heavens like a Curtain and rulest over all Well may I cry out with the Blessed David in admiration of all these Blessed Wonders In Wisdom hast thou made them all But what need have I to look at such a distance for the Foot-steps and Evidences of Divine Wisdom In my Body and Soul and in every Member wherein the Great World is Epitomized and the Incomprehensible Attributes of the Unity and Trinity shadowed out here are wonderful and surprising expressions of thy Wisdom that I carry about me Wherefore O my God hast thou opened mine Eyes and bestowed upon me an understanding Nature to observe all these things but that I should meditate and admire thy great Wisdom that shines before me brighter than the Sun O Eternal Wisdom of Heaven as I am thine Image grant me a share of this Wisdom imprint in my Soul such Habits of Wisdom and Knowledge that I may fear and admire thy Divine Majesty and the rather because thine all-seeing Eye is every where to take notice of my behaviour and actions There is no darkness nor shadow of Death where Iniquity may hide or retreat from thy Knowledge All things are naked and open before thee thou hast a perfect insight into all the Inclinations of my Heart and Soul and fore-seest what shall happen in this great World with the several Causes O wonderful Knowledge that comprehends the Sparrows in the Market and the Lillies of the Field and the meanest Beings that owe all to thee a subsistence O wonderful Wisdom and Knowledge that extends it self over all the parts of this great Fabrick and nothing is exempted from the benefits that are procured thereby Give me O my God such an understanding of this infinite Knowledge and of thine All seeing Eye that I may stand in awe of thy Divine Presence that I may fear to displease thee that my Soul may be always in such a disposition as becomes a Creature and a Servant of so Holy so Powerful and such an All-seeing Majesty Amen A Meditation and Prayer UPON THE Goodness of God Manifested in Nature and Providence O Universal Goodness that opens thy Hand to all things that have a Being and furnishest so many Sorts of Creatures out of thine overslowing abundance with so much sweetness and variety of Pleasures How full must be the Stores out of which so many Millions are continually supplyed From what overflowing Ocean of Delight and Joy proceed so many Streams that yield a sufficiency to all and yet there is an overplus left for more O wonderful Goodness that knowest how to supply every Creature with that which is most suitable to its Appetite and Nature and givest a contentment to the several species according to their Capacities and Tempers Through how many differing Channels does this inexhaustible Goodness convey to us the necessaries and conveniencies of Life Man of all sublunary subsistencies seems to be the chief Favourite of the Divine Goodness other things and Creatures have their short allowances in comparison of Man It is upon him that thou dost heap the Riches and Satisfactions of the Earth It is to him thou hast granted thy most signal Favours It is in his Bosom that thou dost empty all varieties of sweetness and Earthly Comforts without any regard to his deservings O Impartial and disinterested Goodness that expects no returns but such as may give thee the Glory and us the Benefit and may be a means to sanctifie and increase our Blessings How ready should we be to comply with this inexpressible Goodness and answer the Expressions of thy Favours with such easie cheap and profitable returns Should we be backward to acknowledge that which every moment we may be sensible of and when the bare acknowledgment will produce unto us fresh Recruits and greater tokens of Love from thine unwearied Bounty O let me never forget thy goodness my good God expressed and experienced in my Creation thy Providence in making me a rational Creature and giving me an immortal Soul with