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 DƲTY.

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.

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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 [Page] 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 [Page] 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 [Page] 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 [Page] 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 [Page] 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.

Its 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 [Page] 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 [Page] 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 [Page] 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 spoken in this Duty to a proportion or scantling of my Conceiving: for I know, how­ever the ignorant and prophane World scoff, the Product of Divine Inspiration, must be a great Sum of Grace and Sanctity, which do not onely ravish the hearts of them that possess them, but expandeth to the inlightening of all about them. It [Page] was the emptiness and insufficiency of too many, that caus'd me to offer this which I call not a Form, but a Sample, Pattern, or Directory. I believe I shall many times perform this Duty, and not vse any of these Expressions, I bless God there's e­nough from whence these came; yet I observe a Method, even this which I shew to the world. I begin with A­doration, then to Confession, from Confession to Gratulation, and so to Petition in general; and afterward descend to particulars, for the Church, for Governours, for the Ministers of the Gospel, for a Blessing upon the Word preached, for Unrege­nerate Men, for Wounded Consci­ences, for others in Affliction; and then conclude, rolling our selves upon God and committing our selves unto his Protection, with some Ear­nest Supplications for his guiding of [Page] us and care over us, &c. In the using of this Method we shall not omit any part of Prayer. This is my way in my Meditations for the preparati­on for the Duty and in performance of it, And my grounds for it are that we ought to fill our Apprehensions and Understandings with [...], the Great things of God, the Infiniteness of the Glory, Soveraign­ty Wisdom, Power Justice, and Purity of God; this will bring a Dread and Consternation upon us; Then come to consider his Grace, Good­ness, Mercy, Truth, Sufficiency, &c. this will temper the Conster­nation that the Consideration of the more awful Attributes brought upon us: So there will be a Gra­cious Mixture of Fear and Love. To have [...], right Opinions and Apprehensions of God, is the Architectonicon, Basis, and Foun­dation [Page] of all Devotion. The Wait­ing upon God with a due sense of the Nature, Attributes, and the Dispensation of his Providences, raiseth our Minds, quickeneth our Affections, and causeth us to take all up the Hill to the Sacrifice. And when we have spent some time in this Exercise, in Adoring, Praising and Glorifying God, then look we in­ward. I believe in Divinity as well as in Phylosophy, The Knowledge of one Contrary bringeth in the Contrary or another: After we have consider'd that all the Prodigies of Greatness and Goodness are in God, then to look upon and into our Selves, and consider we are the Creatutes of the Most High, and what Obligations he hath laid upon us, and what kind of Returns we have made, what Du­ties are incumbent upon us, and how we have perform'd them, &c. These [Page] things done unfraudulently, will bring Confusion upon our Faces; this must humble us, ay to the Earth. These things being truly considered, maketh us sick of our selves, and so to loath our selves, as to vomit up our Sin by Confession; then we shall say in bitterness of Spirit (not in a Thea­trical Manner, as the most do) That we have left undone those things which we ought to have done: And That we have done those things which we ought not to have done. We shall with deep accents and re­sentments say we are miserable sin­ners, for the nearer we draw to God the more light discovereth it self; which will shew that guilt and polu­tion in us that we were strangers to, in respect of the apprehension of it. Then it necessarily followeth that we shall fall upon the Admiring and Praising God's Long-suffering, [Page] Mercy, and Goodness, that the effects of our Sins are not upon us; and acknowledge our Selves the Liv­ing monuments of his Grace, and return Hearty Thanks for all the Blessings We enjoy spiritual and tem­poral; knowing our Selves to be ut­terly unworthy of them, and that 'tis meerly Divine Bounty that be­stoweth them. Then Free-grace will appear more beautiful than the Sun. Then the Lord Christ the great Mini­ster thereof, will be the Chief of Ten thousand: Then precious will the Promises and all the Means of Grace appear: Certainly this is enough to make the Dumb to speak, and en­large every strait heart to give all possible thanks, and to study what they shall render unto the Lord for all his benefits. And by this time we shall be so high, lifted out of Worldly Darkness, that we shall see [Page] what Guilt even the best of us gather and contract day by day; then shall we beg to be washed and purifi'd: Also we shall see our Frailty and In­ability, and be earnest with God for such Graces and Qualifications as shall inable us to run the Race that is set before us; and by considering other Mens conditions by our own, we shall not fail to intercede for them. This is the Method I constantly keep (I can say) with great benefit; but in the words of the great Apostle, If any one can Shew me a more excel­lent Way, Noverint Universi, I am not of them that despise Instructi­on.

The Second Want that I observ'd in the performance of this Duty, is the not having full and weighty Expressions, which is like the want of Wing-feathers to a Bird, or of a Gale of Wind to a Ship under sail. [Page] We ought to use full and significant Words in Prayer, not so much to mo [...] the Mind of God by Rhetori­cal Insinuations, as by rehearsing and considering the Words, to stir up in our selves Attention, Adora­tion, Contrition, Gratulation, Fervent Holy Desires, &c. Sinewy pregnant powerful Expressions, are an Advertisement unto us, and that Advertisement leadeth us unto a Consideration, and the Considerati­on carrieth us to the Understand­ing. Rehearsing of Words are profit­able, if thereto the Mind give heed; then we pray with the Understand­ing, as St. Paul mentions; 1 Cor. 14. 15. I have here provided many hun­dreds of Expressions adapted and fitted for each part of Prayer, I could have placed them so that they might have been more dependant and coherent, but my Intention is not [Page] to teach Forms of Prayer. I have laid them open, that they who have not the Gift of Prayer (for them this is chief­ly intended) may take and choose where they please, and with a little Industry so order their Affairs, that they may ex­press themselves with variety every time they are call'd to the perform­ance of this Duty, to the great inlight­ening and refreshment of themselves and others. I much fear that some of those Raptures are so high and lofty, that they be obscured in the Clouds of some Mens Ignorance; and to such will prove invaluable: But I must, as they that shew their Jewels openly, abide the Curiosity and Censure of every Beholder: And surely by the Ignorant the Richest shall be the least regarded, Judgments being apt to err where they pass upon Things, they under­stand not. We take Unknown Coyn, [Page] suspiciously, and where there is no true Judgment, the heaivest Judg­ment cometh. I observe the Poets many times in their Prologues ear­nestly intreat to be understood, that is, that the Auditors and Specta­tors may not Hiss, untill they have well consider'd and know a reason for it. One of them telleth the peo­ple why he maketh such an Apologi­cal Defence.

Some Critic woudbe's they will rail at the Poet.

For speaking sense (poor souls) and they not know it.

I shew'd my Papers in Manuscript to divers, who I presumed were Intel­ligent and Learned, desiring them to try them, and pass Judgment, and execute them who deserved not to live; To work they went, with Abbington Law: When I came to [Page] see what condition my dear Issue was in, I found the chiefest of my Darl­ings under Bars, being cross'd out, sentenced, ready for Execution. I not having patience to see the Inno­cent barbarously murder'd before my face, Natural Affection (you know will do much) forced me to arrest the Judgment, and by that means pro­cured another Tryal for them: But they being Strangers, spake in a Language that their Judges were not acquainted with, they never having been in the High Countreys, where the supposed Criminals came from: But with much ado I procured some Interpreters that understand both Languages, and causing some auxiliary Lights to be brought in, by and by the Innocents appear'd in great loveliness and beauty; inso­much that their hasty inconsiderate Judges imbraced them and did them great Honour.

[Page] I am well acquainted with the base­ness of the World, Pride and Igno­rance, those inseperable Compani­ons go hand in hand next the Wall; and where ever they meet Divine Wisdom and Humility (who never part) they kick them into the Kennel. I have read of one kind of Serpent, that always hisses at the Light: I know what sort of Men will use more Criti­cism than Ability, another sort that know better things, will look upon my pains and endeavours, as tho they look'd thro the wrong end of a Per­spective, which maketh things seem little, inconsiderable, at great distance, and of little value: Others there are that are so proud that they'll rather sit in the dark than light their Candle at their Neighbours, more I know that will not fail to throw dirt in my face, and endeavour to perswade the World that its my Natural [Page] Complexion; and will strive to blast my Fruits with their poisonous breath: O Tempora! O Mores! I have twenty years together run the Gauntlet, many a blow and thrust I have had, yet (for all) thro mercy I am still on my Leggs, and able to face them. We may know when we see a Tree batter'd, and stones and sticks lying in the Boughs, that good Fruit hath grown there. Yet notwith­standing all the discouragments I have had and am sure to meet with, I determine not to leave any thing undone that is incumbent upon me. It was a humble, but a sweet and gracious Saying of a worthy Divine, I am glad to bring one Pin towards the decking of the Lords Bride. What ever is in my way that tendeth to Edification, or may in the least help the Church of God, I resolve (by Gods help) to break thro the [Page] throngs of Opposition, to hand it to her; and if this be as kindly ac­cepted as it is humbly offered, it will vigorate me in the performance of that which is before me.

Let no one think that I would have them to mutter over any of these Ex­pressions in Prayer without Under­standing, as tho there were some Magical force in them; I intend them not for such: God delighteth not in the Sacrifices of Fools. Surely there is not any that oftner protest­eth against heartless performances than I do. I have often said, yet I find not any reason to recant it, That God is more displeas'd with the unsincere Prayers of the Wicked, than with any other of their Acti­ons. It's an old Saying, Simulata sanctitas est duplex Iniquitas. It's much better not to tread the Lords Courts at all, than in vain. What [Page] a heavy Detestation God pronoun­ceth in the First of Isaiah against Vain Oblations, and against their Hy­pocritical spreading forth their hands. Heartless Operations are hearty Dissimulations. How the Amen, the faithful and true Wit­ness, the beginning of the Creati­on of God, loath'd the Church of Laodicea; Revel. 3. 14, 15, 16. be­cause of her luke-warmness: He wish­ed she were either cold or hot; that is either to serve him in sincerity, or not to pretend to it: but because she was luke-warm, he spew'd her out of his Mouth with strong demonstration of abhorrency: And how far it is from God to return to his Vomit again: God will not be mock'd, Good Words without the heart are but Flattery, yea good Works without the Heart are but Hyprocrisie. I confess Prayer is a Sacrifice, but abominable, except [Page] the Heart be the Altar, whereon it is offered. A Heart without a Sacrifice is better than a Sacrifice without a Heart. Deus magis delectat af­fectu quam effectu; is an Old but true Maxime in Divinity. God calleth for the heart, Pro. 23. 26. He that is all in all to us, will have all in all in us; as the famous Carthaginian Captain was Primus ingressus and ulitmus egressus; so our Hearts must be the first and last in all our Per­formances.

It's sad to consider that the Hea­then should give real honour to counterfeit gods, and that Christi­ans should give a counterfeit ho­nour to the True God. A Sacrifice without a Heart was a sad and Omi­nous Presage in the Superstition of the Roman Augurs. They that give but the Skin of Worship shall have but the Shell of Comfort. He [Page] that accepteth the Heart without any thing, will not accept of any thing without the Heart. I have heard of a Gentlemans Servant, that was such an Ignoramo, that when he heard that his Mother was offended with his negligence in not sending of her a Letter, sent her a Letter that came for his Master; thinking if it were a Letter it was well enough, what ever was in it; which did not onely discover his own folly but affront his Mother. Too many such Ignoramo's have we, that hear God expecteth Sacrifices of Prayer and Praise, and to hear daily from them; then they get some other Mens Letters, such as others have made and directed to God, not considering the substance and con­tents of them, but offer them at a venture, their hearts being strangers to them: which doth not onely shew [Page] their wretched Ignorance, but af­fronteth the Majesty of God; as tho he were not acquainted with all our ways nor pondered all our goings. Vain Prayers are Religiosum Scelus, which indeed are Wickednesses of the First Magnitude.

Therefore in the words of the Wise man Iexhort thee, When thou prayest, prepare thine Heart, and be not as one that tempteth the Lord. He alludeth to an Irreverent Fellow that rusheth inconsiderately into a Princes presence, which tempteth the Prince to order him to be punish­ed. How many in this Kingdom daily thus tempt God, by their inconsiderate entring into this Du­ty, being not so much concern'd as they who worship Idols. How la­mentable it is to go into a Church, when the Minister is at Prayer, and the People about him, scarce one [Page] of them shewing any Respect, Reverence, Affection, or Devotion, their eyes wandering from one part of the Congregation to another, the Men adjusting of their Hair or Peruque, and the other Sex, their Ornaments; some whispering, others in intoler­able Postures, yet will observe their times to give their Responds, and speak to God when they do not think of him. These are they that God complaineth of, That draw near unto him with their lipps, when their hearts are far from him. I plead not for outward Postures and Gestures, yet I am sure if the heart be rightly affected, it commandeth the Body. When the Mind is fill'd with what concerneth us in the per­formance of this Duty, we are far from notifying other Trifles: How many there are that think they have performed their Duty of Prayer [Page] when they have rabbl'd over a many words, altho they have no more sense or knowledg of what they say, then Parrots have.

I have read of one Bolus, an Actor upon a Stage, in the Representation of Grief, he feign'd a Weeping, but at the very time, he remembred the death of his onely Daughter then he weep'd in earnest: I wish that our ordinary Actors, when they say daily, We have left undone those things that we ought to have done, and done those things which we ought not to have done, and that there is no health in us, &c. The words are good, and above ex­ception, as indeed in my Judg­ment is all the Liturgy of the Church of England: I wish that they that daily use it, did but feel the weight of the words, and that their Under­standings did go along with their [Page] Tongues, and remember what they speak is true, they would be sorrow­ful indeed. When we say, We have left undone those things that we ought to have done; We say in effect we have not paid that Fear, Adora­tion, Reverence, Honour, Praise, Love, Obedience, &c. that is due from us to God; nor that Love, Pity, Charity, and Mercy, that is due to our Neighbours. And when we say, That we have done those things that we ought not to have done; that is, we have made unto our selves other Gods; that we have imagined Security in transi­tory things, prophaned the Name of God, and his Saboths; that our lives have been disorderly, in Dis­obedience, Cruelty, Incontinen­cy, Rapine, Perfidiousness, and Coveteousness: and when we say, There is no health in us; We own [Page] that our Brain is the Forge of Wick­edness, our Eyes full of Adultery, our Tongues unruly Evils, full of deadly Poison; our Throats open Sepulchres, our Hearts deceitful a­bove measure, and desperately wicked; yea all our Members the Instruments, of Iniquity: Now if our Consiciences were but as ready, as active as Nathan was to David, and tell us, yea convince every one of us, that thou art the Man, that hath contracted all this guilt, and art so wretched; and God darting in some beams of Divine light, as he commonly doth when we wait upon him in sincerity, this would make us turn our formalities into rea­lities. I must say, I have had many times a warm heart full of Devotion in reading the Common Prayer, by fetching and binding my Under­standing to the sense of the words. I [Page] own their Zeal and Piety that were the Compilers of it, but think it's impossible to perswade me, that they ever intended to blind and oblige Gifted Men so to it, as not to exercise their Indowments. Neither do I find that the Governours of our Church pretend to it.

It was a sweet Admonition of St. Paul to the Corinthians, Neither to give offence to the Jew, nor to the Gentile, nor to the Church of God: God knoweth my endeavors are for Love, Peace, and Unity. I have been very careful in my Studies not to write any thing that could give just offence. If any thing in this Epistle seem to be too severe, and that there are too many grating Reflections, so far as I know my own heart, the Arrows I have shot, I sent them with a good will, not for ruin, but remedy: Why shall I not [Page] meet with a Candid Interpretation? But if otherwise, I determine to be purely passive, and receive all the Scorn, Contempt, or what else can come, with an indeclinable ac­quiescence in the Will of God, that will e'r long discover the secrets of all hearts. In the interim I doubt not but these my labours and endea­vours, will be a Guide and Assi­stance to many, that are hungering and thirsting after Righteousness; that are inquiring, Where Christ feedeth, and where his Flocks rest at Noon day? That wait for Wisdom as they that watch for the Morning. But let no one speak to God by mine or any other Directions, except the heart speak the words, and the words the heart: And that you may so do, I'll but open one Text of Scrip­ture, and conclude this: It is in Joshua 15. 16. And Caleb said, [Page] He that smiteth Kirjath-sepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsach my Daughter to Wife. This Kir­jath-sepher was a City in Canaan, that held out after that the Israelites had got possession of the Land; Caleb, seeing it to be very desirable, and most necessary for them, pro­poundeth his Daughter Achsach, which was very beautiful and wor­thy, as a Reward to any one that should take Kirjath-sepher.

What chiefly concerneth me to open to you, is, What this Kirjath-sepher and Achsach, and how to apply them in a Spiritual Sense; Kirjath-sepher signifieth the Strong-hold of the Letter, and Achsach, the Rending of the Vail; so whosoever smiteth and taketh the Strong-hold of the Letter of the Scriptures, or any o­ther Divine Truths; shall have the Rending of the Vail: That is, Who­soever [Page] shall find out the spiritual Meaning of the things written in Scripture, or else-where, that are Divine; shall have the Vail rent that is between us, and the things that are spiritually discerned, and we shall see into the beauty of Ho­liness.

Reader, Consider the Letter kil­leth, but the Spirit giveth life: Who­ever depends upon the External Per­formances of Outward Ordinan­ces, or the Historical Knowledge of Christ for their Salvation, will surely meet with such disappointment that death instead of life will be their portion. Therefore whatever thou dost, gain Kirjath-sepher, there lieth all the Treasure, then Ach­sach will surely be thine, that Vail which covereth thy Face whilst thou art a Stranger to the Life of Grace, shall be rent, and thou wilt see that [Page] which will make thee cry out, Psal. 84. 1, 2, 10. How aimable are thy Tabernacles, O Lord of Hosts, My Soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord. One day in thy Courts, is better then a Thousand else where, &c. And the Vail that covereth thy Face, shall not only be rent, but the Vail that covereth thy Heart; thou wilt not only see of the Divine Excel­lencies that are in God, and a Pis­gah's Prospect, but thou wilt see that Den and Cave of Uncleaness, the deeps of Filth that is in thy own Heart; which will cause Gods Mercy to be a­mazing, and thee restless until thou be partaker of it: by thy gaining of Achsach thou wilt see the things that are spiritually discern'd. Take one Word of Advice how to go about this great Work, and God speed thee well. When thou readest that God is the [Page] Omnipotent Lord of all Glory and Majesty, make way through thy Thoughts and Considerations, to thy Ʋnderstanding, and entertain the Notion there, and let it be an Inha­bitant with thee, as Solomon saith concerning the Fear of God, I say of the Knowledg of him, Hold it fast, and grow old therein: This will make thee reverence Him, his Name will be great in thy sight; and when thou readest, He's the great Benefactor of Mankind, &c. Observe the former Method in bringing the Notion home, this will exceedingly greaten thy Respect and increase thy Love to him. And when thou readest, That we have prophaned our Af­fections, which are due onely to God, by setting them upon un­worthy things, and that our Adul­teries are between our Breasts: Consider thou art the Man that hath [Page] promised to forsake the Devil, the World, and the Flesh, and thy self only to thy great Lord, to love him with all thy Heart, and Mind, and Soul; and finding thy self guilty, if thou have not an harden'd Whore's fore-head, thou must blush, and be confoundedly ashamed, and acknowledg it Justice to be put away. And when thou readest, That we have continually lived in contempt of God and in the transgression of his Com­mands; breaking his bands in sunder, laying the Reins of our Loyalty upon the Neck of licentious liberty: Consider then what it is for the so much obliged Creature to rebel against so great and good Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer, and Preserver, and reckon thy self in the throng of such Malefactors; then thou canst not be keep'd from judging and ab­horring thy self; and thus apprehending of the Soul of the Letter, taking Kirjath­sepher, thou wilt find so much within the Word which is Divine, that will rightly humble thee; when thou comest to Gratulation, so much sweetness in Mercy, and so much Comfort in Grace, that will take and hold thee; that as Death is swallowed up in Victory, that [Page] thy Miserable Wretchedness is swallowd up in Divine Bounty. And when thou hast taken Kirjath-sepher, and obtained Achsach, thou wilt find that every good and perfect Gift cometh from the Father of Lights, and that thou wantest nothing that he hath not for thee; that he de­lighteth himself in shewing Mercy and doing Good: this will incourage thee to lift up thy head upon the account of thy Redeemer, and with boldness ask Re­lief. And when thou hast taken Kir­jath-sepher and injoy'd Achsach, thou wilt see the State of the Church, her Ruins and Wants, and what is needful for her: Also the Duty of Ministers, what Blessing we want upon the Word Preached; also the Deplorable State of Unregenerate Men, and the Flashes of Hell Fire, that irresi­stibly invade the Wounded Soul; and see others in outward Troubles, bleeding by the Arrows of Gods Fury, and squeez'd in the Press of Adversity, then thou wilt as Elihu, feel thy self full of Matter, the Spirit within thee will constrain thee. When thou art seriously and divinely con­cern'd, forget not thy Director,

NICO. PEARSON.

ON THE AUTHOR AND HIS Elaborate Work.

WHil'st the dull clods of worse informed Earth
Stifle the Spirit in its very birth;
See here the more refined mould aspire
To Heaven which made it, in the Flaming fire
Of Ardent zeal, to Praise, and Pray to him,
That first endew'd the glorious Seraphim:
With Love like his he would not be alone,
But shews the way to others to that Throne
Whose Monarch blesseth all: but yet commands,
His Creatures Prayers to force it from his hands:
And shew'd the piercing Author to dispence
Methods to take even Heaven by violence.
Which if by his Direction we attain,
He hath the trouble, and we have the gain▪
G. H.

THE RAPTURES OF A Flaming Spirit.

ADORATION.

ETernally Blessed, Incom­prehensible, most Migh­ty and most Glorious Lord our God.

The high and lofty One, who inhabiteth Eternity, whose Name is Holy; who dwelleth in the high and holy Place.

[Page 2] The Almighty Maker of Hea­ven and Earth, and of all Things Visible and Invisible.

Heaven is thy Throne, Earth is thy Foot-stool.

Thou art incircled with Millions of Angels, cloathed with Glory and Honour, deck'd with Majesty and Excellency, and arrayed with Beauty and Splendor.

Before thee the glorious Angels cover their Faces, not being able to behold so glorious a Majesty.

Thy Throne is Inestimable, thy Glory Incomprehensible, befor [...] thee the Host of Angels stand with trembling.

[Page 3] The First Cause of Things, the Foundation of the Universe, the Infinite, Invisible, and onely Wise God.

Thou hast no partner in thy Su­pream Soveraignty.

Thou, even thou, art Lord alone.

Who dwellest in the Splendors of that inaccessible Light, unto which no mortal eye can approach.

Who with a powerful hand keep­est an undisturb'd Order in all thy Affairs.

The Invisible Divinity, that can­not be comprehended within the scanty compass of a Created Mind.

[Page 4] We thy poor Creatures with all Reverence desire to lift up our dim eyes to discover some of the light of thy Perfections, to enkindle in our dull Souls some Devotion.

Nothing can be added unto thee to make thee more excellent.

Thou art eternal and infinite in Being and Perfection, who consist­est of thy self alone, without parti­cipation from others; being abso­lute endless, and without all limi­tation of Perfection; who derivest from thy own incomprehensible Infiniteness, certain limited Natures and Perfections to Creatures, which Natures and Perfections in Crea­tures, are nothing else but little Particles and Participations of that Bottomless Sea of Infiniteness that is in thy Self; whereunto they all [Page 5] are to be referr'd and reduced, as the Beam to the Sun, or as the Brook to the Spring.

Thou art Alpha and Omega, and beside thee there is no God.

The Omnipotent Lord of all Glory and Majesty, more high than all that can be imagined and conceived, and all that can be un­derstood and consider'd, with any Created Understanding. More, high and precious than all that can be beloved, enjoy'd, or desired; for the Infiniteness of thy Great­ness doth far pass and exceed all this; for thou art to all Creatures Incomprehensible: no Understand­ing can reach unto thee, nor Ima­gination nor Reason, nor any other Vertue created can comprehend thee.

[Page 6] Thou hast thy Existence from thy Self and not from another; such a Being, as in comparison of thee nothing else hath a being. Who hast no Succession, always the same.

Thou our God, art the Cause of Causes, and the Being of Beings; and in every Degree unspeakable and incomprehensible.

How can we express thy Noble Acts, or speak out all thy Praise.

Thy Name alone is excellent.

Thou incomparably exceedest our best conceptions of thee.

Thou holdest back the Face of thy Throne, and spreadest thy Cloud upon it.

[Page 7] When we endeavour to make Discoveries of thee, we strain our sight, thou betakest thy self to thy heights.

Thy Glory can neither be mani­fested nor increased.

Who hath seen thee, that he may tell us; and who can magnifie thee as thou art?

As thou art of purer Eyes than to behold iniquity, so we are of impurer eyes than to behold thy glory.

As the Heavens are above the Earth, so are thy thoughts above our thoughts, and thy ways above our ways.

Thou art that fix'd and unshaken [Page 8] Entity, that art without the least shadow of variation.

All certainty floweth from thee, from that Original Immutability that is in thy Self.

Thou hast an Independent, an Eternal Certainty, thou beholdest all Beings and Motions of Beings, past, present, and to come.

Thou art the Reason and Order of all Things, that with everlasting Laws do'st govern the World.

Thou from the beginning hast commanded Times to run, accord­ing to their Order, governing them by the Coelestial Bodies, which thou hast placed; obliging them to observe an absolute Harmony and Decorum in all their Motions, [Page 9] to keep time with thy Musical Laws.

Thou composed'st all their Les­sons, and measured'st all their Dances.

Thou art most necessarily and eternally existing, exalted in thy own strength above the highest reach of our imaginations.

In thee are all things, through thee are all things, and to thee are all things; the beginning from which, and the end to which all things do tend.

Thou art Inexhaustible in thy Sufficiency, Infinite in thy Good Will, who canst supply all our Ne­cessities, expecting no return, but is our benefit to give.

[Page 10] Heaven and Earth, and all that in them is, depend upon thee, as the Beams depend upon the Sun.

Unto thee the whole World is infinitely obliged.

Thou art that most Glorious and Super-essential Being of Be­ings, that delightest thy self with scattering of Beams, and in filling all things with th' Expandings and Circumfusions of thy Goodness.

In thy Hand is the Soul of every Living Thing, and the Breath of all Mankind.

Thou art the Life of our Lives, and the Soul of our Souls.

Thy Love is always bubbling and springing out of thy self, and over-flowing out to all.

[Page 11] Thou fannest thy Favors forth, to the Refreshing and Delight of Heaven and Earth.

Thou waterest the Hills from thy Chambers, and satisfiest the Earth with the Fruit of thy Do­ings.

Thou crownest the year with thy Goodness, and thy Paths drop Fatness.

Thou art the Source of the Springs of Lebanus.

All things by a graduate Deri­vation, receive their life, light, and being from thee.

There is no Water in our Ci­sterns but what comes from thy Fountain.

[Page 12] Thou art that high and infinite Spring, that always floweth out and is not impaired.

Thou art the Treasure of Hea­ven and Earth.

Thy over-flowing Favors are not given one by one, but liberal­ly bestowed with an open hand.

There is not any thing that hath any patrimony or being but what it hath from thee.

The Eyes of all wait upon thee, and thou givest them their Meat in due season.

There is nothing Infinite, Eter­nal, and Perfect, but thy Self, who art the Perfection of all things.

[Page 13] Thou art that Essential and Infi­nite Goodness, Good not by Qua­lity, but by Essence; whose Nature is Goodness it self.

In thee are Oceans of Perfecti­ons, being the Perfection of Be­ings.

In thee all Perfections are con­center'd.

All Glory is hatch'd in the Bo­som of God.

All the Beauty, all Excellencies that lie scatter'd about in the Crea­ture, are but drops of thy Ocean, beams of thy Sun, glympses of thy Beauty.

All the worth that is in the Crea­ture, dependeth absolutely upon [Page 14] thee, the highest End of all things whatsoever.

The Rays of thy Goodness inli­vens all things.

Thou incompassest the World with thy out-stretched Arms, and reachest Perseverance, to the hap­piness of the Creation.

Thou fillest all things without inlarging thy self, thou passest thro all things without moving of thy self: Thou dwellest in all things without straitning thy self, thou createdst all things without any necessity, thou governest all things without any travel, thou changest all things without any change to thy self; thou judgest without error, thou punishest with­out passion, and givest to all things [Page 15] continually, without exhausting thy Treasures.

There is nothing so little that declareth not thy greatness, there is nothing so great that must not acknowledge thy Soveraignty, there is nothing so low that lead­eth us not up to acknowledge thy Majesty, and nothing so high that descendeth not down to teach us thy Verity.

Thou our God art every way as full in all Goodness as thou art ex­cellent in Glory.

Thou art not only to be wor­shipp'd and adored for the Excel­lencies that are in thy self, but as the Benign Parent of all things, and the great Benefactor of Mankind.

[Page 16] Every good and perfect Gift cometh from thee the Father of Lights.

All causes of Love and whatso­ever can excite Desire are in thee.

We cannot desire any thing that is Good that our God hath not for us.

Thou that satisfiest the immense desires of the Angels, canst answer all the desires of our Souls in a most eminent manner unto all Perfecti­on.

Thou art the most Soul-suitable and Soul-satisfying Good.

If we strain out the Quintessence of the Creature, or if we extract the most Exquisite Spirit, it turns [Page 17] into froth; but in thee is unspeaka­ble Satisfaction.

If we ask Bread of the World, it gives us a Stone; if we look for a Fish, we shall have a Serpent; and when we wait for an Egg, we shall not fail of a Scorpion: We come not only off with Vanities of Va­nities, but with Vexation of Spirit; but in thy Favour is Life. Thy Loving Kindness is better than Life it self.

In thee is all possible Good what­soever: All Good Things are in thee originally, essentially, equal­ly, purely, immutably, infinitely, and eternally.

Thou hast All sufficiency in thy Self, for thy Self, and for all thy Creatures.

[Page 18] The Inexhaustible Fountain of all Consolations.

In thee are Oceans of Comfort, thou hast Light to inlighten us, Wisdom to counsel us, Power to support us, Mercy to pardon us, Glory to ravish us, and Fulness to fill us.

When thou art absolutely con­sider'd, thou art immeasurably lovely. The most attractive Ob­jects of Insatiable Love and all Aimable Excellencies, are emi­nentiy and transcendently trium­phant in thee eternally.

There is no end of thy Good­ness, no numbring of thy Wis­dom, nor fathoming thy Bounty.

Thou art the Spring of Being, [Page 19] the Root of Life, the Father of Wisdom, the Fountain of Plea­sure, and the Haven of Desire.

Thine is the Greatness, the Ex­cellency, the Glory, and the Vi­ctory.

Thou art most worthy to be known, because thou art the high­est Truth; most worthy of our love, because thou art the chiefest Good; most worthy of our fear, because thou art most powerful: most worthy of our obedience, be­cause thou art the most righteous Lawgiver, and most worthy of our trust and confidence, because thou art immutably Faithful.

The Mountains shall depart, and the Hills shall be removed, but thy Kindness shall not depart from [Page 20] thee; the Covenant of thy Peace shall not fail.

It is better to trust in God, than to have any confidence in Man. It is better to trust in God than to have confidence in Princes.

Thy Faithfulness is well-known in the Congregation of Saints.

They that know thee, put their trust in thee, because thou forsa­kest not them that seek thee.

Thou art the Hope of Israel, and the Saviour thereof in a time of trouble, the Strength of their Heart, and their Portion for ever.

Thou art known for a Refuge in the Palaces of thy City, for thou art their mighty Protection and [Page 21] strong Ground, a Succour from Stumbling, and a Help from Fal­ling.

Thou fulfillest the Desires of them that fear thee, thou hearest their Cry, and art a present Help in trouble.

Thou art the best Refuge in the midst of Storms, and the best Sup­port to all afflicted Spirits.

How excellent is thy loving-kindness, O Lord, therefore thy people put their trust under the shadow of thy Wings.

As the Heavens are above the Earth, so great is thy Love unto them that fear thee: Thou art their God for ever and ever.

[Page 22] Who is God save the Lord? Who is a Rock save our God? Good and plenteous in mercy to all them that call upon him.

Thou ridest upon the Heavens in thine Excellency for the help of thy people; thou art their refuge, and underneath them are his ever­lasting Arms.

As the Mountains are about Je­rusalem, so the Lord is about his people, even for ever and ever.

Thy way O God is in the San­ctuary, who is so great a God as our God; thou art a God that do'st Wonders; thou hast declared thy Strength among tha people.

There is none like unto thee O Lord, whose Name is great in Might.

[Page 23] Thy Name alone is excellent.

The Lord is above all Gods, the only Potentate, King of Kings and Lord of Lords; the absolute Mo­narch, who hath a boundless and infinite Supremacy.

Thou deservest to receive from every Understanding Nature Ne­ver-ceasing Praises, and perpetu­ally to be worshipp'd with the most humble Prostrations.

Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the Gods? Who is like un­to thee among the Gods, glorious in Holiness, fearful in Praises, do­ing Wonders?

Thou rulest by thy power for ever, of old thou hast laid the Foun­dations of the Earth. The Hea­vens [Page 24] are the Works of thy Hands, they shall perish but thou shalt en­dure; yea all of them shall wax old like a Garment; and as a Ve­sture shalt thou change them; they shall be changed, but thou art the same, and thy years have no end.

Thy Throne, O God, is for ever and ever; thy Kingdom is an e­verlasting Kingdom.

O Lord thou art worthy of all Honour, Glory, and Power; for thou hast created all things: and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

The glorious Productions of thine Omnipotency, they speak thee to be infinitely Excellent. They are the Evidences and De­monstrations of thy Infinite [Page 25] Wisdom, Power, and Provi­dence.

Thou hast garnished the excel­lent Works of thy Wisdom, and art from everlasting to everlasting▪

Thy Works praise thee, and are honourable and glorious, and are to be had in remembrance to all generations.

They are thy Witnesses that thou art God.

The Heavens declare thy Glory, and the Firmament sheweth thy Handy-work.

The Operations of thy Hands are Testimonies of thy Glory, Glasses of thy Beauty, Preachers of thy Wisdom, and Provokers of Love.

[Page 26] O Lord, how manifold are thy Works, in Wisdom hast thou made them.

Thou formedst the Earth by thy Power, established the World by thy Wisdom, and didst spread forth the Heavens by thy Under­standing.

By thy Word thou didst hang the Earth upon the Waters.

Thou createst all things, thou bringest out their Host by number by the greatness of thy Might.

Thou tellest the number of the Stars, by thy Word they are esta­blished.

Thou hast appointed the Moon for Seasons, and the Sun knoweth his going down.

[Page 27] Thou hast builded thy Stories in the Heavens, and founded thy Troops upon Earth.

Thou dost greater things than these are, for we have seen but a few of thy Works.

Thou do'st great things, un­searchable marvellous things with­out number.

With thee is Wisdom and Strength, Counsel and Under­standing.

The Consideration of thy Works are Entertainments worthy of the best and most raised Minds.

Honour and Majesty are bfore thee, Strength and Beauty are in thy Sanctuary.

[Page 28] Glory and Honour are in thy Presence, Strength and Gladness are in thy Place.

In thy presence is fulness of Joy, and at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

Thou humblest thy Self when thou beholdest the things that are done in Heaven and in Earth.

Even as the Clay is in the hand of the Potter, so all the Nations of the Earth are at thy disposal.

The Kingdom is the Lords, thou art Governour among the Nations.

Thou art great in Wisdom and mighty in Power, and beholdest all things continually.

[Page 29] Thou seest from everlasting to everlasting, there is nothing that is wonderful unto thee.

The great Orderer and Disposer of all Things.

There is nothing so high that is above thy Providence, there is nothing so low that is beneath thy Providence.

There is nothing so large but it is bounded by thy Providence, there is nothing so confused but thou canst order it, there is nothing so contrived but thou canst disap­point it.

Thou keepest every thing upon the right Wheel, for the managing of thy most righteous Affairs both in Heaven and Earth.

[Page 30] Thou turnest the way of the Wicked upside down, the Decei­ver and the Deceived are thine.

The Lord bringeth the Counsel of the Wicked to naught, he ma­keth the Devices of the People of none effect.

Thou disappointest the Devices of the Crafty, so that they cannot perform their Enterprize.

Thou takest the Wise in their own Craftiness, the Counsel of the Froward thou carry'st head-long.

Thou hast power of Life and Death, thou leadest down to the gates of Hell and bringest up a­gain.

Before thee the Nations are but [Page 31] as the Drop of a Bucket, or as the Small Dust of the Ballance.

Thou guidest the Stars, thou thunderest in the Clouds, and turn­est the hearts of Kings as Rivers of Water.

Thou treadest upon the Circle of the Earth, and all the Inhabi­tants are but as Grashoppers.

Thou stretchest out the Heavens like a Curtain, and foldest them up as a Tent to dwell in.

Thy Blessed Will the power of man is not able to with-stand, the Eternal Decrees no conspiracy is able to impair.

Thou increasest the Nations, and destroyest them; thou enlarg­est [Page 32] the Nations, and straitens them again.

When thou stretchest out thy Hand who can restrain it.

Thou weakenest the strength of the mighty, thou powrest con­tempt upon Princes.

Thy Counsels stand sure, thou dost all thy Pleasure.

The Lord hath his way in the Whirlwind, the Storm and the Clouds are the Dust of his Feet.

Thou dost whatsoever thou pleasest both in Heaven and in Earth.

Thy Will cannot go beyond thy Power, who can speak the World into nothing.

[Page 33] It's God that bringeth down the high, and exalteth the low.

That drieth up the Green Tree, and that causeth the Dry Tree to flourish.

God is Judg, he setteth up one and pulleth down another.

Thou art the great Rewarder and Punisher of Good and Evil.

Thou fillest Heaven and Earth with thy presence.

Thou art acquainted with all our ways, and ponderest all our goings.

Thou sittest upon the Thrones in the Heavens, and from thence beholdest the bottomless places.

[Page 34] There is not any Creature that is not manifest in thy sight.

All things are naked before thine Eyes with whom we have to do.

He that planted the Ear shall he not hear, and he that formed the Eye shall he not see.

Thou discoverest Deep things out of Darkness, and bringeth to Light the Shadow of Death.

Thou declarest the things that are past and for to come, and re­vealeth the steps of hidden things. No thought escapeth thee, neither is any word hidden from thee.

The ways of good men and the goodness of their ways, and the ways of evil men, and the evil of [Page 35] their ways, are not hidden from thee.

The Lord is in his Holy Tem­ple, the Lords Throne is in Hea­ven, his Eyes behold, his Eye lids try the Children of Men.

Thou searchest the Heart, thou triest the Reins, that thou may'st give unto every Man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

Thou watchest over the Wick­ed to pluck them up and to destroy them; but thou watchest over the Righteous to build them and to plant.

We own thy absolute Sove­raignty over us, and although thou art girded with Strength, and [Page 36] who can say, What doest thou? Yet thou doest nothing but what is equal and right.

Thy ways are always full of righteousness, tho not always full of clearness to mortals.

Thou art righteous in all thy Ways, and just in all thy Judgments.

As thou art known to be King of Nations by thy works of Provi­dence abroad in the World, so thou art known to be the King of Saints, because the Scepter of thy Kingdom is a Scepter of Righte­ousness.

Thou lovest Righteousness and Judgment, and takest pleasure in Uprightness.

[Page 37] All the Works of the Lord are good, he giveth every one in sea­son, and when need is; so that a man need not say this is worse than that, for in due time all thy doings will prove worthy of praise.

Our God one day will bring forth all the grounds of all his Dispensations towards Man, and all the Proceedings with him, in such a demonstrative and undeni­able Consonancy, even to the ve­ry Reason of Man, that every Mouth shall be stopped.

Its far from thee to do wicked­ness, its far from the Almighty to commit iniquity.

Thy Counsels of old are Faith­fulness and Truth.

[Page 38] Thou sittest upon the Throne of Holiness.

To thee Cherubim and Sera­phim continually do cry, Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of Sabbaoth.

Righteousness and Judgment are the Habitations of thy Throne.

Thou keepest the Paths of Judg­ment.

According to thy Name, O Lord, so are thy praises to the ends of the Earth; thy right hand is full of Righteousness.

Thou exercisest Loving Kind­ness, Righteousness, and Judg­ment in the Earth, for thou excel­lest therein.

[Page 39] They that honour thee thou wilt honour, but they that despise thee, shall be but lightly esteemed.

The righteousness of the Up­right shall deliver them, but the Wicked shall be caught in their own naughtiness.

The Lord loveth the righteous, but the wicked and him that loveth violence, his Soul hateth.

The Lord is known by the Judgment that he executeth, the wicked is snar'd in the work of his own hands.

The foolish shall not stand in thy sight, thou hatest all the workers of iniquity.

He that will not bow to thy [Page 40] Scepter of Mercy, shall be crush­ed in pieces by the Rod of thy Wrath.

With thee is terrible Majesty.

Thou canst shew thy strength at all times, and who may with-stand the power of thine Arm.

At thy wrath the Earth shall tremble, the wicked shall not be able to abide thine Indignation.

Thou who build'st the World, can'st easily destroy the wicked.

Thou art wise in heart and mighty in strength, who hath harden'd himself against thee and prosper'd.

The Pillars of Heaven tremble and are astonish'd at thy reproof.

[Page 41] Thro the greatness of thy pow­er shall thy enemies submit unto thee.

We adore thy righteousness, O God, when thou punishest the wicked, because they trample up­on thy most righteous Edicts.

When thou judgest, 'tis not out of Soveraignty but Justice.

Thou never did'st command Man to do any thing, but what was conducible to his own happi­ness.

Thou madest the World for Man, thou madest Man to obey thee; and the reason thou com­manded'st Man to serve thee, was that thereby he might be eternally blessed.

[Page 42] If we had walk'd in thy Coun­sels, they had before this time led us out from under the Curse we are now labouring under.

One day in thy Courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. It's better to be a Door-keeper in the House of God than to dwell in the Tents of Wickedness.

We taste and relish the joys of Heaven, when we contemplate thy Attributes, which are the No­tifications of thy Nature, so far as is knowable.

The Demonstrations that thou hast given of thy self in thy Attri­butes, is sufficient, if we did but rightly consider, to make us both fear and love thee.

[Page 43] Thy Holiness, Justice, and Power, well consider'd, would put a Bridle in our Jaws, to keep us from rushing into Sin as a Horse rusheth into the Battle.

And thy Mercy, Truth, Good­ness, and Sufficiency well learn'd, is enough to make us love thee, and to be a willing people in the day of thy Power.

Confession of Sin.

OUR Guilt flasheth in our Faces, wo unto us, for we have sinned.

We have not kept the way of the Lord, but perfidiously depart­ed from our God.

In the greatness of our Folly we have gone astray.

We have Prophan'd our Affecti­ons, which are due onely to God, by setting them upon base and contemptible Objects.

[Page 45] The Spirit of Fornication is in the midst of us.

According to the multitude of the Fruit we have increased the Altars, according to the goodness of our Land we have made the Images.

We have gone a Whoring after our own Inventions.

Sin like a strong Byass, hath drawn our hearts from God.

We have run after other Lovers, our Adulteries are between our Breasts.

We have tempted Temptation to deceive us.

How hotly we have follow'd the Chase of our own Delusions.

[Page 46] We are guilty of the two Old Evils, we have snatch'd at the Shadow but let go the Substance: VVe have forsaken the Fountains of Living Water, and have hewn unto our selves broken Cisterns that hold no VVater.

Instead of trusting in God that giveth good things, we have trusted in the good things that God hath sent.

Instead of rejoycing in God that giveth us Blessings, we re­joyce in the Blessings that God hath given.

We have gaz'd upon the bright­ness, but consider'd not the britle­ness: We have look'd upon their glory, but forgot the frailty.

[Page 57] Wordly Lusts hath abused our Sight, and cozen'd our Under­standing.

The Earth is thy Foot-stool, we have made it our Throne; Heaven is thy Throne, we have made it our Foot-stool.

We have been for this World as tho it would never have an ending, and for the VVorld to come as tho it would never have beginning.

Instead of laying up our Trea­sure in Heaven, we have laid up our Heaven in our Treasure.

We have been gross Idolaters, in paying Adorations to earthy things.

We have pawn'd Heaven for a [Page 48] few trifles, and given infinite of years purchase for them.

We have taken our Egyptian Jewels, those Temporal Blessings thou hast so plentifully cast a­mongst us, and have made a Gol­den Calf of them; adoring and trusting it, and have fallen off from the Cause of Causes.

We have set up Idols in our Hearts that destroy our Happi­ness.

The VVise Man trusteth in his VVisdom, the Strong Man in his Strength, and the Rich Man in his Riches: Thus we have brought our selves under the Curse, by trusting in the arm of Flesh.

The Ballances of Deceit are in our hands.

[Page 49] We have wrought a deceitful Work.

We have walk'd in a Fool's Pa­radise, surveying the fading Flow­ers of Imaginary Felicities, catch­ing at the Apples of Sodom, that vanish away in Smoke.

We have been serious about Trifles, and trifl'd about Serious Things.

We have furied our selves in the pursuit of the fugitive Toys of this life, which if they were put in­to the Ballance, would prove alto­gether lighter than Vanity.

We have spent our Money for that which is not Bread, and our Labour for that which satisfieth not.

[Page 50] We have wandr'd at random in the vast emptiness of the Crea­ture.

What we find most perfect in this World, is rather meerly Ficti­tious and Imaginative, than Real and Substantial; the best Condi­tion of this Life, being but a Vari­ety of Vanity.

We have wildr'd our selves in our own Mazes, and wearied our selves with meer Vanity.

We have sold our selves for naught.

With Esau we have despised our Birth-right.

With Cain we have gone out from the presence of the Lord.

[Page 51] With the Prodigal we have gone into a far Countrey.

Every step we have set forward in Sin, hath been a step backward from thee.

Our Habitation hath been in the midst of Deceit, 'tis thro Deceit that we refuse to know the Lord.

We have drawn the Worlds two Brests Profit and Pleasure, and fallen asleep at them, but have neglected the Things that concern our Everlasting Peace.

We have neither delighted in the Law of God, nor the God of the Law.

The Thefts and Wiles of Pro­sperity hath not only stoln us a­way [Page 52] from our selves but from God.

Our Desires and Affections have been journeying we know not where.

We have cause to be ashamed because of the Oaks that we desi­red, and the Gardens that we have chosen.

We have trusted unanchor'd Hope in fleeting Streams.

We have pitch'd our thoughts and the restless desires of our Souls upon the Creature, as tho there were nothing beyond the Crea­ture.

We have stretched out our wi­den'd Arms beyond their Dimen­sions, [Page 53] and our Hands have grasp'd beyond their Distance, to incom­pass this inferiour Orb, but we are forc'd to come off, not only with Vanity of Vanities but with Vexation of Spirit.

We have sought the Living among the Dead, Happiness where 'tis not to be found.

We have sought Strength in Weakness, Riches in Poverty, Gloryin Shame, and Life in Death; and in this course we have forsa­ken our own Mercy.

We find by woful experience that all Wordly Enjoyments stand upon two lame Legs, Insufficiency, Uncertainty.

The end of all our Earthly Com­forts [Page 54] eateth up the pleasure we had in them, like Pharaoh's lean Kine.

We have sown the VVind to reap the VVhirl-wind.

The Magnetic Power of the VVorld hath drawn our Counte­nances downward, which thou madest erect for the Contemplati­on of Thee and thy VVorks; but now the Curse of the Serpent is upon us, upon our Bellies do we creep, and Dust do we eat all the days of our lives.

We are deeply sunk in the VVorlds Quicksands.

The Earth hath swallow'd us up alive.

Our Affections the Feet of our [Page 55] Souls, have stuck fast in the mire and clay of the VVorld, so that we have been hindred from running the race that hath been set before us.

We have wearied our selves in the way of VVickedness, but the way of Truth we have not known.

The bewitching of VVordly tri­fles have obscured and hid from us the good things.

We have rather chosen to go astray, than to walk in the sweet Rules of thy Commands.

Our Rest and our Lusts have shared our Time.

VVe are strangers to the life of Grace thro the Ignorance that is in us.

[Page 56] We have taken bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter: What Poison or Gall so bitter as Sin? Yet we have delighted our selves therein. VVhat more sweet than thy Testi­mony? More to be desired than gold, yea than much fine gold; sweeter also then the honey and the honey-comb, yet we nauseated them.

Damn'd Satan with his Or­phean Aires and dexterous VVar­bles, with Masques and Triumphs hath inticed us along in the paths of Death.

Sin hath betray'd us with a Kiss.

Pleasure merrieth our Senses for a while, but Horror followeth af­ter, and vultereth our unconsu­ming Hearts.

[Page 57] Sin is sweet in the commission, but bitter in the recollection, in the Mouth 'tis as sweet as honey, but in the Belly as bitter as gall.

Sinful Pleasures have been the Thieves that have train'd us out of the way and robb'd us.

With Ahab we have sold our selves to work wickedness.

We have made hast in the paths of Death.

We have not onely woven the Spider's Web, but we have hatch'd the Cockatrice Egg.

Our Actions have not onely been vain and unprofitable, but dangerous.

[Page 58] We have not onely not been for thee, but against thee.

We have not onely not gathered, but scattered.

We have desp'rately invaded the most equal Rules of the Go­spel.

We have broken thy Bonds in sunder, and cast away thy Cords from us.

We have laid the Reins of our Loyalty upon the Neck of Licenti­ous Liberty.

We have proceeded from Evil to Evil, not considering thy Purity and Justice.

We have drawn Iniquity with the Cords of Vanity.

[Page 59] Every thought and imagination of our hearts have been evil, and that continually.

The frame of our hearts have not onely been evil continually, but our hearts have framed that which hath been evil continually.

Altho thou hatest iniquity with a perfect hatred, yet even as a Fountain casteth forth her water, so have we cast out our iniquities before thee.

Heaven and Earth testifie against us that thou as an indulgent Father hast brought us up as dear Chil­dren, but we have rebell'd against thee.

We have be-leaper'd our selves with Sin, and like drunken men [Page 60] have stagger'd in our own vomit.

VVe have wrought abbomina­tion before thee.

As a Mill-wheel is continually turn'd round, and ever drench'd with a new stream: so are we con­tinually 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 [Page 61] 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.

[Page 62] 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 [Page 63] 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 [Page 64] 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 [Page 65] 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.

[Page 66] 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.

[Page 67] 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.

[Page 68] 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.

[Page 69] 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 [Page 70] 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.

[Page 71] 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.

[Page 72] 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.

[Page 73] 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.

[Page 74] 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 [Page 75] 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 [Page 76] 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 [Page 77] 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 Market­place, 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.

[Page 78] 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 [Page 79] 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.

[Page 80] 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.

[Page 81] 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, 'tis 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 [Page 82] 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, [Page 83] 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.

[Page 84] 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.

[Page 85] We have ripen'd our selves for Vengeance.

Its 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.

GRATƲLATION.

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.

[Page 87] Its 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 [Page 88] should we rise in Thankful Praises?

Its 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.

[Page 89] 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.

[Page 90] 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.

[Page 91] 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.

[Page 92] 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.

[Page 93] 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.

[Page 94] 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 Chastisement [...] 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.

[Page 95] 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.

[Page 96] 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 [Page 97] 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 [Page 98] 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.

Its 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.

Its unspeakable Mercy that thou hast not commanded the Clouds that they rain no more rain upon us.

That thou hast not pronounced [Page 99] 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.

[Page 100] 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 Market­place, 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 [Page 101] 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 [Page 102] 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.

[Page 103] 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.

SƲPPLICATION.

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.

[Page 105] 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.

[Page 106] 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 [Page 107] 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 [Page 108] 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.

[Page 109] 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.

[Page 110] 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.

[Page 111] 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.

[Page 112] 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.

[Page 113] 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.

[Page 114] 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 [Page 115] of the Gospel of Peace, and the Shield of Faith to quench the Fiery Darts of the Wicked with the Helmet of Salvation, and the Sword of the Spirit in the Inner Man, then we shall be more than Conquerors.

One Deep calleth to another, the depth of our Weakness to the depth of thy Strength, the depth of our Folly to the depth of thy Wisdom; the depth of our Po­verty to the depth of thy Riches, the depth of our Miseries to the depth of thy Mercies.

Suffer not thy Displeasure to kindle and break out into a Flame against us.

Turn from us that Wrath that as a just recompence of our Provo­cations are due unto us.

[Page 116] Spare us according to the mul­titude of thy Mercies.

Lord Jesus thou art the hope of Israel, with the Lord there is mer­cy, and with thee there is plente­ous redemption.

Let thy Obedience recompence our Obstinacy, thy Abstinence our Superfluity, thy Meekness and Patience our Pride, Irefulness, and Enmity: Let thy Charity re­compence our Malice, thy Devo­tion our Dulness, Love our un­kindness; thy holy and precious Death our wretched & sinful Lives.

But forasmuch as thou resistest the Proud but give [...] Grace to the Humble, thou fillest the Hungry with good things, but the Rich thou sendest empty away.

[Page 117] Therefore empty us of our La­odicean Riches, discover our Spi­ritual Poverty, and set home to our Consciences the weight and danger of our Sins.

Suffer not our Consciences to let us be quiet until they have drawn us before thee in all Humi­lity and Brokenness of Spirit in Bit­terness, as one is in Bitterness for the loss of their First-born, and confessing our selves loathing the Persons as well as the Actions: With Detestation and Self-abhor­rency, and with indeclinable Re­solves of Amendment of Life.

In regard there must be a Resur­rection of our Actions as well as of our Persons, if our Sins rise not again in this World to bring us to shame and confusion of face and [Page 118] unfeigned and sincere Repentance, they will rise again in the World to come, and be as so many Ghosts and Devils, and torment us for ever and ever. We had better judge our selves than put God to judge us.

Therefore, O God, by thy powerful voice raise our Sins that are graved in oblivion, and set them in order before us, that we may break them down by repent­ance.

Thou canst teach us to gather Grapes of Thorns and Figgs of Thistles, because all things are pos­sible unto thee. There is no Evil so great, but thou canst bring good out of it.

We turn Gold into Dross, but [Page 119] thou canst turn Dross into Gold again.

Therefore be intreated, thou Al­mighty One, that in regard we are such miserable Sinners, that our Sins may make us humble, for humility is in the sight of God of great price.

And in regard we are so evil, that we may be more charitable in judging of others, let our own unworthiness hang so in our light, that we may not be too busie in medling with others.

And in regard we are such great Debtors to Divine Justice, that we may be more charitable in for­giving others: That we may take heed of taking our Brother by the Throat, lest thou call us to an ac­count, [Page 120] and cast us into prison, un­til we have paid the utmost far­thing.

And in regard we are such no­torious Criminals, that we may adore the light of the glory of God that shineth in the face of Jesus Christ, to the praise and glory of his grace.

And in regard we have spent so much time in rebellion, and yet thou art ready to shew mercy, that therefore we may look upon our selves in future as persons ingaged to walk before thee in righteous­ness and holiness all our days.

Spiritualize our Affections eve­ry day more and more.

Irradiate our Souls with high ap­prehensions, [Page 121] and so elevate us un­to thy self, where true Riches are to be had.

We stand as poor Beggars with­out, but in consideration how thou feedest thy people with deli­cacies, in the perfection of righ­teousness, peace, and joy.

O God we have heard with our ears, and our Fathers have decla­red unto us the noble works that thou dost in Heaven and Earth. O Lord arise, help and deliver us for thine honour.

Bring us out of the Land of E­gypt and out of the house of Bon­dage, that thou maist feed us with Manna from Heaven, and that we may offer unto God acceptable Sa­crifices.

[Page 122] Make out unto us that thou art our God and we thy peculiar peo­ple.

That we may live in absolute resignation, subjection, and love unto thee.

Discover unto us the things be­yond the World, that our Affe­ctions may be taken off from the World.

The wise man trusteth in his wisdom, the strong man in his strength, and the rich man in his riches.

The ship-wrack'd man catcheth hold on what is next him.

Adam ship-wrack'd us all, and we are floating in a Deluge of Ca­lamity: [Page 123] Man is born unto trouble, as the Sparks flie up ward; and in this wretcheduess we naturally catch hold on something; Self-pre­servation being a clear Dictate of Nature: But our ignorance and misapprehension make us to catch at deceitful things, that fill every one that trust in them with disap­pointment: some on Honour, some on Pleasure, some on Riches: And here they abide until God shew them a more excellent way. What ever the Objects of our Souls are, we shall not desert them until bet­ter Objects be discovered unto us.

Altho it be an unsatisfied satisfa­ction that we enjoy by any sublu­nary thing, yet when we know of no better, we hold fast by what we have.

[Page 124] Therefore we pray for some Dis­coveries of that glory that shall af­terward be revealed; of those ne­ver-dying comforts for our never-dying souls.

'Tis but an unquiet quiet and a restless rest, that we enjoy from the Creature: We pray for the Contentment above the World, which is better than the World without that Contentment.

Ever since thou dravest out the Man, we have been seeking rest, but have found none.

As Noah's Dove could find no rest for the sole of her foot until she return'd into the Ark again, neither is there any rest for us un­til we return and center in our God.

[Page 125] Now when we turn our faces towards thee, for we know not what to do, but our Eyes are to­wards thee; take us into the Ark of the Covenant.

We are very much foil'd with walking after the sight of our own eyes and desires of our own hearts; take us into thy protection, that we may lay us down in peace, for thou makest thy people to dwell in safety.

Embrace us in the arms of thy mercy.

Hide us under the Covert of thy Wings, cover us with the Canopy of thy Love, that we may feel thy Power supporting us, and thy Goodness supplying us.

[Page 126] That we may rejoyce in thee as our Treasure, and rest in thee as our Center.

In this far Countrey we thought to have met with great matters, when we ran away from thee; but we find nothing but Husks which Swine feed upon; and gladly we would fill our Bellies with them, but cannot: Here is no soul-suitable nor soul-satisfying good, 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 [Page 127] 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, [Page 128] 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.

[Page 129] 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 [Page 130] 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.

[Page 131] 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.

[Page 132] 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 [Page 133] 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.

[Page 134] 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.

[Page 135] 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 [Page 136] 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!

[Page 137] The World lieth in Wickedness, Vice hath invaded the Common­wealth 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, [Page 138] 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.

[Page 139] 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 CHƲRCH.

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.

[Page 141] 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 gene [...]al­ly ruled by the Malicious Prince [Page 142] 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.

[Page 143] Pull down the Strong Holds of Satan, build up the Walls of Jerusa­lem, and gather together the Out­casts 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.

[Page 144] 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 [Page 145] 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 [Page 146] 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 [Page 147] 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.

[Page 148] 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.

[Page 150] 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.

[Page 152] 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 [Page 153] 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, [Page 154] 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 [Page 155] 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.

[Page 156] 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.

[Page 157] 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.

[Page 158] 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.

[Page 159] 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.

[Page 160] 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.

[Page 161] 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.

[Page 162] 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.

[Page 163] 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 [Page 164] 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.

[Page 165] 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 [Page 166] 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 [Page 167] 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 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.

[Page 169] 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, [Page 170] 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.

[Page 171] 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.

[Page 172] 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.

[Page 173] 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.

[Page 174] 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 [Page 175] 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 [Page 176] 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, [Page 177] 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.

[Page 178] 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 [Page 179] 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.

[Page 180] 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.

[Page 181] 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.

[Page 182] 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.

[Page 183] 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.

[Page 184] 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 [Page 185] 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.

[Page 186] 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, [Page 187] 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.

[Page 188] 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 Ʋnregenerate 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.

[Page 190] 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 [Page 191] 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, [Page 192] 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.

[Page 193] 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 [Page 194] 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.

[Page 195] 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.

[Page 196] 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 [Page 197] 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.

[Page 199] 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.

[Page 200] 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.

[Page 201] Say to the Prisoners, Go forth, to them in Darkness, Shew your selves. Cause them to [...]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, [Page 202] 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.

[Page 203] 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 [Page 204] 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 [Page 205] 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.

[Page 206] 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.

[Page 207] 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.

[Page 208] 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.

[Page 209] 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.

[Page 210] 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 over­power'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.

[Page 211] 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.

[Page 212] 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.

[Page 213] 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.

[Page 214] 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 [Page 215] 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.

[Page 216] 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 [Page 217] 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.

[Page 218] 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.

[Page 219] 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.

[Page 220] 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 [Page 221] 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.

[Page 222] That they may be satisfied that all the miseries of this life is not worthy to be compared with that glory that shall afterward be re­vealed.

That all the thoughts of misery may be drowned in the precious deeps of Eternity.

For the Afflicted.

O Lord be Gracious to all them that are under the Wring of Sorrow and in the Press of Adver­sity.

That are Wounded with the Weapons of thy Indignation, and cast down with the Evidences of thy Displeasure.

That are sunk into Inconsolable Afflictions, captivated and fetter'd in the Darksom Prison of Discon­tentedness, and hurried upon the Shelves and Rocks of Infelicity.

[Page 224] We humbly own thou mightest justly have made us Examples un­to them, our sins was in the Cry that brought down Vengeance.

We are not spared because we are more righteous, but because to us thou art more gracious.

Thou dealest with us as with Princes Children, others are beaten for our faults, but 'tis intended for our amendment.

Thou hast distributed sorrows in thine anger, and hast broken them with breach upon breach.

Thou reapest that glory in their calamity, that they robb'd thee of in their prosperity.

Thou hast builded against them [Page 225] and incompassed them with Gall and Travel.

Thou hast fill'd them with Bit­terness, and made them drunken with Wormwood.

Thou hast spoken against them in thy Wrath, and vex'd them with thy sore displeasure.

Thy Wrath lieth hard upon them, thou hast afflicted them with many waves.

Thou hast spread thy Net up­on them, and hast brought them down as the Fowls of Heaven.

Terrors are turned upon them▪ they pursue their Souls like the Wind, the days of affliction have taken hold upon them.

[Page 226] With thy strong hand thou op­posest thy self against them.

Thou hast lifted them up to the Wind.

Thou hast wrote bitter things a­gainst them, and caused them possess the Sins of their Youth.

Thou hast seal'd up their trans­gressions in a Bagg.

Their Foundation is over-flown with a Flood.

Black Clouds have darken'd their day, Gall and Wormwood hath bitter'd their Cup.

Afflictions are Stinging Ser­pents.

[Page 227] We humbly own Sin is both the Mother and the Nurse of all Calamity.

There's some of the Golden Calf in all our Suffering.

They have betray'd themselves into the Hands of Sorrow.

Afflictions spring not out of the dust nor trouble out of the ground.

They have largely contributed to their own ruin.

They have made Wings for thy Judgments, which made them come so swiftly upon them.

Their Sins have been sure Pullies to draw on unexpected Wrath.

[Page 228] Sin is the Venemous Root out of which springeth all Calamities.

Vengeance like a Blood-hound, hunteth and findeth out the Guilty.

Their Life spendeth in Grief, and their days in sighing; their Strength faileth because of their Iniquity.

They have trodden the Paths of Death, else they had not met with the Drawn Sword of thy Displea­sure.

They have necessitated thee to chastise them.

Their Sin hath burned hot, and hath set on fire the Train of Gods Wrath.

[Page 229] They have strung Gods Bow with the Cords of Iniquity.

Their own Wickedness hath corrected them, and their own Backslidings have cast them down, as Trees and Garments are eaten up with Moths and Worms which they breed themselves.

The Vapors of Sin have ascend­ed, that have made such thunder­ing in the Clouds.

Like Thunder-bolts and such fearful Meteors, that fall upon the Earth from whence they had their original.

Their Iniquities are gone over their Heads like a heavy Burthen.

The Deluge of Impiety drown­ed the Old World.

[Page 230] The Fire of Lust fetch'd fire from Heaven upon Sodom.

The Stinking Coruption of Manners breed the Plague.

They have broken the Hedge, therefore the Serpent hath bit them.

They have eaten the forbidden Fruit, therefore the Curse is upon them.

Their Quails are sauced with thy Wrath.

Sin hath been the Herauld that hath gone before, therefore Affli­ctions are th' Attendants that fol­low after.

They have made paths in Sin, [Page 231] therefore thou hast made paths in Judgment.

They are eating the Fruit of their own Ways, and are intang­led in their own Devices.

They have rewarded Evil unto themselves.

The Steps of their Strength are straitned, their own Counsels have cast them down.

The Effects of their Transgressi­ons are heavy upon them.

Is not their Condition heavier than their Complaint, and their Stroke heavier than their Groan­ings?

O Lord our God their Sores are [Page 232] not so great but thou canst salve them.

The Lord upholdeth all them that fall, and raiseth up them who are bowed down.

In regard that Sin hath been a means to bring them into Suffer­ing, grant that Suffering may be a means to bring them out of Sin.

Write their Sin legible in their Sorrows.

Cause their Chastisements to be remedies not ruins to them.

Cause the Arrows of Vengeance to wound the Old Man of Sin.

Let the Rod beat out the Moths.

[Page 233] Cause the rough File to take a­way the Rust.

Make the bitter Pills, take a­way the peccant Humours.

Let their be no worse conse­quences of their Afflictions than the purging away their Iniquity and the taking away their Sin.

That the Waters of Affliction may so season their Earthen Ves­sels, that they may be freed from all tincture of Sin and Corrupti­on.

The more Correction the less Corruption we beseech thee.

If the Furnace be seven times hotter, cause it to make them seven times better.

[Page 234] In regard thou do'st bring them thro the Fire, refine them as Silver is refined, and try them as Gold is tryed.

That they may learn Obedience by the things that they suffer.

Cause the pollishing of those Stones to make them fit for the Building of the Temple.

That their Chast'ning may yield unto them the peaceable Fruits of Righteousness.

Open their Ears to Discipline.

That all the Black Lines of Affli­ction may lead to the true Center of Happiness.

That thy Rods may become Sermons.

[Page 235] That they may hear the Rod and who hath appointed it.

Put Wisdom into their Inward Parts, and Undestanding into their Hearts.

Add Instruction to Correction, that they may be corrigible by the Rod, lest thou send thy Axe.

That they may learn by Corre­ction, lest thou bring them to Destruction.

That they may be as Sea-marks unto them, that they in future beware of the dangerous Rocks that lie hid under the smooth Wa­ters of Sin.

Cause them to feel the weight of their Sin, as well as the weight of their Punishment.

[Page 236] [...]ake them to know their Trans­ [...]on and their Sin, that they [...] be truly humbled, that thou, [...]vest put an end to all their Tra­ [...]dies and turn away thine Anger and comfort them.

Deliver them that are big with Grief.

Tho they have lain among the Pots, that they may be as the Wings of a Dove cover'd with Silver, and his Feathers of Yellow Gold.

Cause the Night of Sorrow to vanish by the appearance of the Sun of Mercy, like the Sun of Righteousness with Healing in his Wings.

That their Afflictions may be [Page 237] Preparatives for future Blessings, and better Hearts to enjoy them.

That thou may'st make them glad according to the days where­in thou hast afflicted them, or the years wherein they have seen Evil.

Thou hast watehed over them to break them down, to root them out, and to destroy them; now watch over them to build and to plant.

In the interim help them to take up their Contentment in they Ap­pointment.

That they may say Amen to Gods Amen.

If they cannot read Love in the Hands and Face of God, by reason [Page 238] of Frowns and Strokes, teach them to draw by the Vail, and read Love in the Heart of God; and cry out the Thoughts of God are Thoughts of Love and Peace

That they may trust in the Name of the Lord, and stay upon their God.

They 'ave lost the Comforts which they could not keep, give them to keep the Comforts which they cannot lose.

In regard their Cisterns are bro­ken, lead them to the Fountain.

Remember thy Footstool in the day of thine Anger.

Oh set bounds to those Seas.

[Page 239] Don't always Chide, keep not thine Anger for ever.

Don't triumph in farther Exe­cutions.

Let thy Compassions say, It is enough.

Plow not all the day to Sow.

Their strength is not as the strength of Stones.

Neither is their Flesh of Brass.

Thou knowest their Frame, re­member they are but Dust.

If thou should'st be extream in marking what is done amiss, who is able to abide thy Wrath.

[Page 240] Let it not be long before thou heal the Stroke of their Wound.

Regard their Affliction when thou hearest their Cry.

Doth the Wild Ass bray when he hath Grass, or loweth the Oxe over his Fodder?

Deep calleth unto Deep at the noise of thy Water-spouts, thy Waves and thy Billows are gone over them.

Wilt thou break a Leaf driven with the Wind? Wilt thou pur­sue the dry Stubble?

Remember them in their low e­state, for thy mercies endure for ever.

[Page 241] Tho thou Chasten them sore, give thm not over unto Death.

Tho thou take Vengeance of [...]heir Inventions, yet forgive them: Psal. 99. 8.

Be their Defence and Refuge in [...]he day of their Trouble, that they may sing of thy Power.

Give Power unto the Faint and [...]hem that have no Might.

Break the Yoke from their Neck, burst their Bonds, command De­ [...]iverance for them.

Let not the Needy always be forgotten, let not the Expectation of the Poor perish for ever.

Raise the Poor out of the Dust, [Page 242] and the Needy out of the Dung­hill.

Set them high from Affliction and make them Families like a Flock.

Bring back their Souls from the Pit, and enlighten them with the Light of the Living.

The Conclusion.

GRant that all thy Dispensati­ons to us may be a means to further us in that great Work; in making our Calling and Electi­on sure.

That in this our day we may improve our Talents, get Oyl in our Lamps, Grace in our Hearts; that we may be own'd by the Bridegroom at his coming.

Make us live Spiritually before we die Naturally.

[Page 244] That the Temple of Grace may be raised before the Tabernacle of Nature be taken down.

That our Souls may be fit to be taken into Heaven, before our Bo­dies be fit to be put into the Earth.

That the second Birth may have place in us, least the second Death have power over us.

Let our Prayers be as Incense and the Lifting up our Hands as an acceptable Sacrifice.

Lord kindle our Sacrifice from Heaven.

That our Prayers may be as a Key to unlock the Bowels of Mer­cy.

[Page 245] Return Answers of Peaec into our own Bosoms.

That the Trade we drive in Prayer may increase our Stock of Grace.

We depend upon thee, for we of our selves can do nothing.

Our Strength is never so un trusty, as when 'tis most trusted.

Thou know'st what we have to do and suffer before our course be finished.

All Futurities are treasured up in God.

Thou knowest Sin hath cut the Lock where our Strength lay.

[Page 246] We have lost the Rudder of Free Will.

Oh whither will the turbulen [...] Waves of our Corrupt Affections carry us, if thou do not come to us and help us, and stay the rage­ing of the Sea, and command [...] Calm?

If thy Presence go along with us we shall have Rest.

Let thy everlasting Arms be un­der us.

Put thy Left Hand under our Head, and let thy Right Hand em­brace us.

If thou do'st not provide us a Pillar of a Cloud by Day, and a Pillar of Fire by Night: If thou [Page 247] do'st not fight our Battles and make our Way plain before us, we shall never reach Canaan.

Cover thou our Heads in a day of Battle, and teach our Hands to War and our Fingers to Fight.

Our Souls have broke their Wings, thou only canst restore us, therefore inable us that we may mount up with Wings as Eagles, that we may run and not be wea­ry, that we may walk and not faint.

If the Heavenly Bodies did not move, there would be no Motion here below.

When thou didst not lead Israel on they took up their Standings.

[Page 248] Inlarge our Steps under us, that our Feet do not slide.

Gird us with Strength, for thou art our Rock, our Fortress, our Deliverer, the Strength in whom we will trust, our Buckler, the Horn of our Salvation and high Tower.

If the Face of the Sun be inter­cepted, the Moon loseth her Light; when thou hidest thy Face we are in Darkness.

Because thou art our Strength we will wait upon thee, for God is our Defence.

Unto thee our Strength will we sing, for God is our Defence, the God of our Mercy.

Stir up thy Strength and come and save us.

[Page 249] That the Place of our Defence may be Munition of Rocks, that Bread may be given unto us, that our Waters may be sure.

Advance and confirm all our Resolutions for doing Good, give a Prevailing Issue to all our En­deavours, and cause Blessed Suc­cess to attend all our good Enter­prizes.

If there be any good Desires in us, thou hast begun them; per­form them until the day of Jesus Christ.

Send Auxiliary Graces to actu­ate the dull Habits of Inherent Graces.

That the Buds of our Good De­sires may blossom into Resoluti­ons, [Page 250] and that those Blossoms may come to such perfection as to pro­duce the Fruit of good Actions.

That we may not only purpose to be religious, but religious to purpose.

That we may not only desire but endeavour, and give thou that blessing to our Endeavours, that they may be successful, that we may do that which is well plea­sing unto thee.

When we press forward to­wards the high Price of our Calling, suffer not any discouragment to fa­sten upon us.

Suffer us not to unbend our Resolutions for Heaven.

[Page 251] Suffer not the Earth to put out the Fire.

Let not the things of the World choke our Zeal, nor stifle the Motions of the Spirit.

Tho all the Instruments sound, suffer us not to fall down to the Image that Nebuchadnezzar hath set up.

Suffer not Secular Proviso's to blunt the edge of our Zeal, nor the things of the World to eat out the Heart of Religion.

Suffer not the Worlds Silver Trumpet to sound a Retreat, to call us off from the Pursuit of Hea­ven.

Let not the Musick of the World charm us asleep.

[Page 252] Keep Satan from cuting the Sinews of our Endeavours.

Suffer not the Darts of Tem­ptation to pierce thro the Armour of our Resolution.

Suffer not our good Resolutions to be vanquished by the Impetu­ousness of our base sensual Affecti­ons.

Go thou along with us thro the Crowd of Opposition.

Keep us from being worried with the power of Sin.

Altho we cannot be kept alto­gether from falling, keep us from falling altogether.

[Page 253] Keep us from being carried in­to any ways that shall dishonour the Gospel.

Hold us by the Right Hand, thou art the Lord our God, there­fore encourage us and help us.

Direct us in this Maze of Life and in the Buffle of the World.

Let the Spirit of Truth guid us in all Truth.

Give us a Safe Conduct thro all Casualty, hide our lives with Christ in God.

Keep us by thy Power thro Faith unto Salvation.

In large our Hearts, that we may run in the Way of thy Command­ments.

[Page 254] Suffer us not to truck our Faith for our Liberty.

Confirm us unto the end, that we may be blameless in the Day of our Lord Jesus.

In regard our Impatient and Im­moderate Desires after Carnal Pleasures always return laden with an Intolerable Burthen of Grief and Sorrow, and that Sin loseth what Repentance gains, therefore Caution us.

Put thy Fear in our Hearts, that we may not depart from thy Sta­tutes.

Sins Gilded Pills are the Fore-runners of Bitter Potions, there­fore work in us a dislike of them.

[Page 255] Keep us from catching at the Bait of Pleasure, lest we hang up­on the Hook of perpetual Perdi­tion.

Order our Steps, and uphold us with thy Free Spirit.

Cause Faith and Fear to go hand in hand, that Faith may keep us chearful, and that Fear may keep us serious; that Faith may keep us from sinking in Despair, and that Fear may keep us from floating in Presumption.

Why should we despair, God can help us? Why should we pre­sume, God can cross us?

That a holy Alacrity may be temper'd with a gracious Humi­lity.

[Page 256] Keep our Feet from falling, that we may walk before thee in the Light of the Living.

Let us hear the Still Voice be­hind us, when we turn to the Right hand or the Left.

The Lord is our Shepherd.

The Shepherd when he sees his Sheep straying out of their Bounds, he calls out unto them.

Our Shepherd is the Living Lord, who is acquainted with all our Ways, and pondereth all our Goings.

When thou O Lord feest us Wandering out of our Gospel Rules, lift up thy Voice; either the voice of thy Word or the voice [Page 257] of thy Messengers, or the Voice of our Consciences; or the Voice of thy Spirit: That we may return to the green pastures and to the still waters.

Give Light unto our Under­standings, Order in our Affecti­ons, Pliableness in our Will, that we may be exemplary in our Lives.

Deliver us not onely from the Sins of the Times; but from the Times of Sin.

That we may be found always moving in the Orb of Obedi­ence.

Make us so Honourable as to be born of thee, so Wise as to know thee, so Beautiful that we [Page 258] may bear thy Image, so Rich as to be rich in Faith, so Victorious as to overcome the World, so happy as to enjoy thy self, so blessed with peace as to have the peace of God, which passeth all understanding; then we shall be sure of true joy, the joy of the Holy Ghost.

Work our Names in the Frame of thine own Glory.

Make us blessed in this Life, hap­py in Death, and glorious after Death.

Make out unto us that thy Mer­cy is ours to pardon us, that thy Blood is ours to cleanse us, thy Merits ours to justifie us, thy Righ­teousness ours to cloath us, thy Spirit ours to lead us, thy Grace ours to inrich us, and thy Glory ours to crown us.

[Page 259] Make us Masters of so much Consideration, that we are swim­ming down the Stream of Time, and it will not belong before we lanch into the Ocean of Eternity.

Teach us so to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto Wisdom.

That we may live in thy fear and die in thy favour, rest in thy peace, arise by thy power, and re­main in thy glory for ever and e­ver.

This and whatsoever else we should ask for our selves or any other, let it be granted unto us and to them, upon the alone ac­count of our great Lord and ever blessed Redeemer, who was given for us, who was made a Curse for [Page 260] us, who inexpressibly suffer'd for us, who satisfied Divine Justice for us, who was made reconcilia­tion for us, who died and rose a­gain for us: Who prepared glory for us, and ever maketh Inter­cession for us. For him we give all praises, in him we ever desire to be found, rendering unto the most glorious Majesty of Heaven, as we for ever will acknowledge most due, all Honour, Glory, Power, Might, Reverence, Fear, and Obedience, World without end. Amen.

The Blessing with which the Author used to dismiss his Congregation.

THe Almighty Power of God the Father vanquish and o­vercome whatsoever may hinder you from him, and give you strength to do his acceptable Will in all things: The most Bright Wisdom of God the Son inlighten you and lead you to all things which may bring you forward to him. The Ʋnspeakable and Super-abounding Love of God the Holy [Page 262] Ghost pierce thro all the Oppositi­ons in you, kindle and unite your love to him with a most ardent and pleasing turning, all your Powers and Strength, that you may follow his sweet Calling and most amorous drawing: Whereun­to the more than Most Glorious Tri­nity hath called you: Namely, From the Love of this Deceitful World to the Injoyment of God and his Riches, and Unspeakable Blessedness; so that by Grace you may be that which you are not nor can be by Nature. To whom be all Honour, Praise, Obedience, and Reverence. Amen.

FINIS.

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