good time put an end to their Sufferings: Let thy Correction be that of a loving Father, for their amendment, but not for their deftruction; and fanctifie all thy Vifitations tousin particular: Let us not repine at thy good pleasure, if thou with-holds any thing we want, or deprive us of any thing we already poffefs, let us ftill fay, the Lord is righteous, but we are less than, and unwor thy of the leaft of his Mercies, the Lord gives, and the Lord takes away, and blessed be the Name of the Lord. Make us of a holy and humble Temper let it be our chief care to glorifie thee, knowing that thofe that love and fear God are fure to want no good thing, which he finds, to be meet and convenient for them.

Teach us, O Lord, to order our Conversation aright: Let us daily prefs after the price of the High Calling that is in Chrift Jefus, fo that at the laft we may attain to that bleffed place of Reft, where we fhall have no more Want or Sorrow, but to all Eternity fing Praises and Hallelujabs with the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft; to whom for ever be afcrib'd, as is molt due, all Honour, Glory, Might, Excellency, and Dominion, both now and for evermore. Amen.

H Eternal Lord God, thou art holy, juft, and upright, and of purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity with the least approbation, how then hall we dare to presume to lift up our Eyes or Hands unto thee, which are fo full of all manner of Defilement and Uncleanneß? Our ways have been perverfe and crooked before thee, and the Thoughts and Imaginations of our Hearts have

been

been evil, only evil, and that continually, with the ungrateful Lepers we have neglected and forgotten to return thee praise and thanks for thy Mercies and Benefits, which thou with fo open and plentiful a hand haft beftowed upon us: We have not been careful to improve, to thy glory, the opportunities and talents that thou haft put into our hands; we have forgot our vows and promises of better obedience, have dealt deceitfully with thee in thy Covenant, and ftarted afide like a broken Bow, by all which we have forfeited all the right and title that we might otherwife have laid claim to in thy favour, and have rendred our felves the objects of thine eternal wrath and difpleafure.

But thou, O Lord, who hast declared thy felf to be a God pardoning Iniquity, and to delight in Mercy, not willing that any thould be damn'd, but that all (hould come and be faved, regard us, we beseech thee, not as we are dead in Trefpaffes and Sins, but look upon us in and through the Merits of our Saviour Chrift Jefus, who has paid' a fufficient price for the Offences and Tranfgreflions of us and of all the World, having redeemed us by his most precious Blood; give us fuch a fteddy Faith in him, that we may with confidence approach the Throne of Grace: oh, pardon our Sins, and do away our Offences for his fake we acknowledge we have offended, and done that which is exceeding finful in thy fight, yet be not extream to mark what we have done amifs, and enter not into Judgment with thy Servants, but in Mercy confider whereof we are made, and remember that we are but Duft encompafs'd with Frailties and Infirmities, and fo

prone

prone to Evil, that of our selves we are not able fo much as to think a good Thought; therefore cleanse and purifie us both in Body and Mind, that we may be able to do that which is acceptable in thy fight: take away the reigning power of Sin, that our Wills and Affections may be brought into obedience to the Law of Chrift; and let the time paft fuffice us to have wrought the will of the Flesh: raise up our thoughts and defires Heaven-wards, and convince us of the emptiness and vanity of these fublunary Enjoyments, that we may not be drawn afide by them: let us use this World as if we used it not, and confider it but as a Paffage into Eternity: let us ever be mindful of the Snares and Temptations that lye in our way, and that the Devil, as a roaring Lyon, walks about continually seeking whom be may devour; that he is crafty and fubtile, and knows how to fuit his alurements and wiles to the temper and inclination of every one of us give us Grace to relift him, and Power to withstand and conquer all his Devices: ftrengthen us with Grace in the inward man, that we may be able to prefent our felves before thee at the great day of account, holy and acceptable in thy light.

And to that end let us be daily fearching and trying our ways and doings, that we may find out our weakneffes and infirmities, and discover the Sin that does the moft easily beset us, and then let us meekly and carneftly beg thy gracious affiftance against them; and be thou found of us, we humbly pray thee, oh moft merciful Lord

God.

Let

Let us be daily making an even reckoning with thee by Repentance, and let it be fincere, and from the Heart: convince thou us of the danger of a late or Death-bed Repentance: make us mindful of our short and uncertain ftay and abode here; let us be ever mindful that the young dyes as well as the old, the healthy as well as the difeased: let us not prefume upon our Conftitution or Youth, but remember that the time of our departure is fet, and that after death there remains no more atonement for Sin. Therefore, O Lord, we entreat thee to make us wife unto Salvation, that at what hour foever the Mafter comes, we may be found doing his Will, and then receive the Reward which thou haft promised to thofe whom thou shalt find so doing.

Look down in mercy upon this poor Nation, prevent thofe Judgments which our Sins and Tranfgreffions have called loud for against us, and cause thy Face to fhine upon us; and to that end be merciful to the King, that he may fee his true Intereft, and let all his Defigns and Confultations be directed to the advancement of thy Glory and fetling the Peace of this Land: let no weapon formed against this ancient Government profper, and turn the defigns of all those who have Evil to our Sion, upon their own Heads with fhame and confufion, to the manifeftation of thy Glory, and the Comfort of those who with her well: and to all those whom thou shalt call out to have a share in the administration of affairs, give them Understanding to see what they ought to do and fay, and Courage to reveal what thou shalt put into their Hearts, and do it with an honeft and upright intention, that they may have cause to hope for Ecce

thy

thy Bleffing upon their Endeavours, and let us all learn to fear thee, and in our greatest difficulties to look up unto thee, and not to depend on an Arm of Flesh: make us a People zealous of good works, and let Holiness to the Lord be engraven

upon us.

And blefs us alfo of this Family, all those that are related unto it, and those for whom any of us may be in a particular way concerned for: give us Grace to walk humbly and with obedience before thee; let us in our feveral employments and ftations ftudy to do our duty conscientiously, fetting thee before us in all our Actions: add unto us the good things of this Life, blefs our Basket and Store, and fo thankfully receive and carefully bestow them, that they may be Bleffings and not Soares to us: let us, whilft we are here, live to thy praife and glory, and be fuch eminent Pat terns of upright living, that others feeing our righteous converfation, may also glorifie thee our Father which is in Heaven.

And remember, we beseech thee, all the Sons and Daughters of Affliction, vifit them with thy Kindness as their feveral wants and neceffities do require, fupport them under thy Hand, lay no more upon them than they fhall be able to bear, and let the chaltisement of their Bodies turn to the health of their Souls; and enlarge thou our bowels and charity to every Object that needs it, let us give without grudging, and bless thy Name that we are not in their ftead.

And now, O Lord, from the bottom of our Hearts we return our praise and thanks for all the Mercies and Favours we have received at thy hands, we acknowledge, that we are unworthy of

the