portrait of a man John Ashton Gent: AN OFFICE FOR PENITENTS. OR, A FORM of PRAYER Fit to be used in Sinful and Distracted TIMES. LONDON, Printed in the Year 1691. TO THE Devout Reader. THis short Office was drawn up with true and sincere Intentions to promote the Interests of decayed and despised Piety and Religion; the Forms are for the most part taken out of the holy Scriptures, because we cannot speak to God in more acceptable terms than those which his blessed Spirit hath dictated; and it is divided into several Sections, so as the penitent Suppliant, when he is hindered from using the whole Office at one and the same time, may, as his Needs engage him, or his Prudence shall direct, use such Collects as his Mind shall inci●●e him to, or his leisure will permit; and what cannot be performed at once, may give employment to the several caconical Hours of Prayer; in which space of Time the Prayers may be once, or oftener used, as God shall influence the Soul by his holy Spirit; and may that blessed Spirit, that preys in us, and for us, assist us in all our holy Performances, till we change this World of Sin and Misery for the Society of our only Mediator and Advocate in Heaven. Amen. Amen. SECT. I. Adoration § 1. Of God's Majesty. BLessed, O Lord, Nehem. 9.5, 6. be thy glorious Name, which is far exalted above all blessing and praise. Thou, even thou, art God alone; thou hast made Heaven, the Heaven of Heavens, with all their Host, the Earth, and all Things that are therein, the Sea, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them, and all worship thee. All that is in Heaven, 1 Chron. 29.11. and in Earth, is thine: Thine is the Kingdom, and thou art exalted as Head above all. For this thy greatness thou art to be adored, Nahum 1.4. and had in reverence; which is such, that the Mountains quake, and the Hills melt, at thy Presence; that Heaven and Earth fly away from thy Face, Rev. 20.11. and there is no Place for them. § 2. Of God's Justice. Upon this Consideration our Flesh trembleth, Psal. 119.120. and we Sinners, who have so many ways provoked thy Wrath, are afraid of thy Judgments. For who can stand in thy sight when thou art angry? Psal. 76.7. Who can stand before thine Indignation? Nahum. 1.6. Who can abide the fierceness of thine Anger? Who shall not fear, Rev. 15.4. for thou art holy? Our loins are filled with pain, our Hearts pant, being very sensible, Heb. 10.31. that it is a fearful Thing to fall into the Hands of the Living God; and being very apprehensive that justly we may, because we have grievously offended him. § 3. Of God's Mercy. But there is Mercy with thee, Psal. 130.4. as well as Greatness, Justice, and Power, that thou mayst be feared. So feared as at the same time we may love thee, and hope in thee. In confidence of finding this Mercy, which is always open to Sinners imploring it,( if withal they humbly confess their Sins, utterly loathe and abhor them, and firmly resolve to forsake them) we come at this present to spread our Sins before thee, from whom they cannot be hide, and with shane covering our Faces earnestly to beg of thee, that thou wouldst blot them out of thy Remembrance, and hid thy Face from them, cast them behind thy Back, Mic. 7.19. cast them into the depths of the Sea, never to rise up against us. SECT. II. Confession of Sins. RIghteous art thou, O Lord, Jer. 14.20. but we have rebelled against thee. O Lord, Dan. 9.5, 6. great and dreadful God, we have sinned and dealt wickedly, and have rebelled by departing from thy Precepts, and thy Judgments. Our Kings, our Princes, Neh. 9.34, 35. our Fathers, our Priests, and all the People of the Land. With our own Wickedness we aclowledge that of our Forefathers, Neh. 9.29. that neither they nor we have obeied the Voice of the Lord our God, but have dealt proudly, and hardened our Necks against thy Word. O Lord, Dan. 9.7. Righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us Confusion of Face; to our KINGS, our PRINCES, our FATHERS, our PRIESTS, and all the People of the Land, because we have sinned against thee. Isa. 1.6. We are full of Bruises, and putrefying Sores, from the Crowns of our Heads to the Soles of our Feet, so that there is no sound part in us. Our Hands are defiled with blood, Isa. 59.3, &c. and our Fingers with Iniquity: Our Lips have spoken lies; our Tongues have muttered Perverseness; our Feet have run to Evil, and made hast to shed innocent Blood; Wasting and Destruction have been in our Paths, our Works have been Works of Iniquity; the act of Violence hath been in our hands. Instead of loving thee, our Lord and God, with all our Mind, with all our Heart, with all our Soul, with all our Strength, which is our reasonable Duty, we have industriously offended against thee with our Faculties, Powers, Affections, Senses. Our Thoughts have been Thoughts of Iniquity; Isa. 59.4, &c. we have conceived Mischief, and brought forth Iniquity. We have done Evil earnestly with both Hands; we have drunk Iniquity like Water; we have run into Sin with fierceness, even with that fierceness as the Horse at the sound of the Trumpet, or the rattling of the Spear rusheth into the Battle, so that nothing hath been able to stop us in our career; neither the Voice of thy Word sounding in our Ears, nor of thy Rod lying on our Backs. Though thou hast lifted up an Ensign, Isa. 18.3. and blown the Trumpet, we have neither seen nor heard; Amos 3.8. when the lion hath roared we have not been afraid. Neither the Monitions of thy good Spirit, nor the Checks of our own Consciences have been of any force to turn us out of the way of Wickedness. Our Provocations have been and are many, and enormous; Professed Atheism, Open profaneness, Customary Swearing, Solemn and Deliberate Perjury, Pharisaical hypocrisy, contenting ourselves with the external Form of Godliness while we deny the Power thereof, Isa. 29.13. drawing near to thee with our Lips while our Hearts are far from thee; Ezek. 33.31. coming before thee as thy People cometh, and sitting before thee as thy People doth, and hearing thy Words, but not doing them; Pride, Ambition, Disobedience to our Lawful Superiors, Rebellion against thy Anointed ones, Bloud-guiltiness; Lam. 4.13. the blood of the Just hath been shed in the midst of us, the blood of the Innocent hath been shed in our Skirts: Adultery, Jer. 5.7, 8. Assembling ourselves by Troops in Harlots Houses, and like fed Horses neighing after our Neighbours Wives; Luxury, Rom. 13.14. making provision for the Flesh to fulfil the Lusts thereof; Rapine, Oppression, Job 24.10. grinding the Face of the Poor, causing them to go Naked, taking away the Sheaf from the Hungry, keeping back Hire of the Labourer, Jam. 5.4. perverting of judgement; Defamation speaking evil of Dignities, slandering the Footsteps of thi●… Anointed; Psal. 89.51. making lies our Refuge; judgement hath been turned backward, and Justice hath stood afar off. Truth hath fallen in our Streets, Isa. 59.14. an●… Equity hath not been able to enter. Discontent with our Condition; murmuring and repining against thy good Hand of Providence, even while ou●… Lines have fell to us in a pleasant Place, and thou hast given us a goodly Heritage. Envy at the prosperity of our Neighbours: Covetousness, removing their Land-marks, seizing on their Inheritance, lading ourselves with thick day, making Riches our God, and ou●… Hope. Many of these have been the Sins of our Rulers, Lam. 4.13. our Prophets and our Priests. Our Heads have judged for Reward, Micah 3.11. our Priests have taught for hire, our Prophets have divined for money, our Teachers have transgressed against thee. Our Prophets have seen vain and foolish Things: Lam. 2.14, &c. They have not discovered to thy People their Iniquities: They have daubed with untemper'd Mortar: The Priests have profaned holy Things; the Princes have been like Wolves ravening the Prey; the People have used Oppression, and exercised Robbery. For these our Wickednesses which are gone over our Heads, Psal. 38.4. and are a sore burden to heavy for us to bear. For these our Transgressions which have been multiplied before thee, Isa. 59.12. and these our Sins which testify against us; For these Presumptuous and Crying ones which we have represented unto thee, and those Secret ones which we have so long striven to conceal from thee that they are hide from ourselves, and we cannot call them to remembrance; Jer. 3.25. we lye down in shane, and Confusion covereth us. For they have separated between thee and us; Isa. 59 2. they have hide thy Face from us. And the yoke of them is by thy Hand bound upon us; Lam. 1.13, 14. they are wreathed about our Necks. SECT. III. Deploration §. 1. Of the public Calamities of the Nation. In just Revenge and Punishment of these, Habak. 3.12. Thou hast marched through the Lands to which we belong in Indignation, and threshed them in thine Anger; Thou hast trod us down in the winepress of thy Wrath. Lam. 1.15. Thou hast bent thy bow like an Enemy; Lam. 2.3, 4. thou hast stood with thy Right Hand against us, like an Adversary. Thou hast burnt against us like a flaming Fire, which devoureth round about. Thou hast broken us down Jer. 14.17. with a very great Breach, our Breach is like a Sea; Thou hast poured out thy Fury like Fire, Lam. 2.4, 6. and accomplished thine Indignation upon us. In the Indignation of thine Anger, thou hast despised the King and the Priest. The King mourneth, Lam. 5.16. the Crown is fallen from his Head, the Prince is clothed with Desolation. Our Priests and our People sigh, Lam. 1.4. &c. our Virgins are afflicted, our Nobles and our Counsellors sit upon the ground and keep silence, they hang down their Heads. Horror covers, Ezek. 7.18. shane is upon all Faces. Thou hast fed us with the Bread of Wormwood, Jer. 9.15. and made us drink of the Water of gull. Thou hast given us( the People of these Lands) a Cup of deadly Wine; Jer. 13.13, 14. Thou hast filled the Inhabitants with Drunkenness, and dashed them one against another. The Earth on which we dwell is dissolved: Isa. 24.19. it is moved exceedingly, it reels to and fro like a drunken Man. And with the aggravation of this our Calamity, Psal. 44.13. thou hast made us a Scorn to our Neighbours, a Reproach to them that are round about us. They clap their Hands, Lam. 2.15. they hiss and wag their Heads at us; our Enemies open their Mouth, and gnash their Teeth against us. §. 2. Of the Calamities of the Church. Thou hast also covered the Church as well as the Kingdom with a Cloud in the day of thine Anger: Lam. 2.1. Thou hast covered it in thine Anger. Thou hast cast down her Beauty from Heaven to Earth. Thou hast cast off thine Altar, Lam. 2.6, 7. and abhorred thy Sanctuary: Thou hast taken away thy Tabernacle, thou hast desolated the Places of Assembly. Thy holy Mountain of Sion is desolated, Lam. 5.18. the Foxes walk upon it. Thy Jernsalem, once the Joy and Praise of the whole Earth, now sits in the Dust. She is become a Byword and a Proverb of Disgrace to her open Enemies; and the Grief, of her Children, seeing her in this despised and scorned Estate. And yet for all this thine Anger is not turned away from us, Isa. 5.25. O Lord, but thy hand is stretched out still. Reflecting on these thy Judgments, and our Sins which brought them on us,( our Private and public, our Particular and National Sins) we thy Servants visit thee, Isa. 26.16. and pour out a Prayer unto thee, desiring thee, who once madest the hard Rock become a springing Well, so to soften our stony hearts with the sense of our Punishment, and that which merited it, that our eyes may weep sore, run down with tears for the greatness of the Iniquity and Calamity of our People; We dare not say thine, since we seem wholly to have forgotten thee, and thou to have forsaken us; yea, run down with tears day and night, Jer. 9.1. like a River, because thou hast taken us up, and cast us down, that we might pour out our hearts like Water for the Desolation of the Lord's Sanctuary. SECT. IV. Confession §. 1. Of God's Justice. BUT amid the bitterness of our Souls for what hath befallen us, our Church and Nation, we give Glory unto thee, confessing that thou art Just in bringing it, and that all this is come upon us for our evil Deeds and great Transgressions. Psal. 119.137, &c. Righteous art thou, O Lord, and Just is thy judgement; Of very Faithfulness thou hast caused us to be troubled. §. 2. Of God's Mercy. And with the glory of thy Justice, we give thee that of thy Mercy likewise: Exod. 34.6. Thou art a gracious God; and not only slow to Anger, not willingly afflicting, nor grieving the Children of Men; Lam. 3.33. but art withal of great kindness, and repentest thee of the Evil. Though thou causest Grief, Lam. 3.32. thou wilt have Compassion according to the multitude of thy Mercies. Thy Mercy rejoiceth against, Jam. 2.13. and triumpheth o'er thy judgement. Thou retainest not thine Anger for ever, Micah 7.18. because thou delightest in Mercy. Thou art abundant in Goodness, Exod. 34.6, 7. and Truth, keeping Mercy for Thousands, forgiving Iniquity, Transgression, and Sin. And who is a God like unto thee, Micah 7.18. who so pardoneth Iniquity, and passeth by Transgression? To thee, O Lord our God, Dan. 9.9. belong Mercies and Forgiveness, though we have rebelled against thee; neither have we obeyed thy voice to walk in thy Laws which thou hast set before us. It is of these thy Mercies, Lam. 3.22. O Lord, that we are not utterly consumed, because thy Compassions fail not. SECT. V. Supplication. IN firm belief of them, and full confidence, that thou wilt turn again, and have Compassion on us, while we are become Penitents, and Supplicants; We offer up at present unto thee our most earuest Supplications in the behalf of ourselves here assembled before thee, and all the Inhabitants of these sinful Lands to which we belong; O let not the Lord of Heaven and Earth be angry, Gen. 18.30. that we who are but Dust and Ashes, yea sinful Dust and Ashes, should speak unto thee. For shall our Sins cry for Vengeance, and shall not we cry for Pardon? Have they brought down heavy Judgments upon us, and shall not we entreat thee to set those far out of thy sight, and to remove these? Remember not, O Lord, our Sins; neither the Sins of our Forefathers, nor the Sins of us their rebellious Children: Psal. 25.7. But according to the greatness of thy Mercies, think thou upon us for thy goodness sake. O our God, the Mighty, the Terrible One, Dan. 9 4. but yet withal a God, who keepest Covenant of Mercy; let not all the Trouble seem little before thee, which hath come upon our King, our Princes, our Pastors, our Prophets, and on all thy People. O do not despise, and utterly abhor us, for thy Mercies sake: Psal. 38.1. But if thou shalt see it fit to correct us further for our manifold Transgressions; Jer. 10.24. O rebuk us not in thine Anger, neither chasten us in thy heavy Displeasure, correct us, but with judgement, Hab. 3.2. lest thou bring us to Nothing. O Lord, in Wrath, remember Mercy. Remember thy Mercies, Psal. 25.6. and thy Loving-kindnesses, which have been ever of old. Though we have greatly sinned against, and displeased thee, and have deserved to receive from thy hands more than what we suffer; yet do thou, who art our Father, and our Redeemer, Return, and look upon us with the yearning Bowels, and melting eye of a Father, and a Redeemer. Thou art our Father; Isa. 64.8, 9. we are the day, and thou art our Potter; we are all the work of thine Hand: Be not wrath therefore very sore, neither remember Iniquity for ever. O Lord, Jer. 14 17. though our Iniquities testify against us, yet do thou it for thy Names sake, for thy great Names sake, which thou proclaimedst before thy Servant Moses, Exod. 34.6. the Lord God, Merciful and Gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in Goodness and in Truth, keeping Mercy unto Thousands. Though our Iniquities prevail against us, Psal. 65.3. yet be thou merciful unto our Sins. Forgive the Iniquities of thy People, and cover their Sins. Psal. 32.1. Look upon their Afflictions, Psal. 25.18. and forgive them their Sins. O Lord, long suffering, and of great mercy, forgiving Iniquity and Transgression, as well as by no means clearing the Guilty; Pardon, we beseech thee, the Iniquity of this People according unto the greatness of thy Mercy, and as thou hast forgiven them until now. Turn us, O our Saviour, and let thine Anger cease from us; Turn us from the Sins we have already committed, by an unfeigned bitter Sorrow for them; and from those we may be in danger of committing, by an utter loathing and abhorrence of them: And turn us unto thyself by a holy Love, and fear of thy great Name. Turn thou us, O Lord, from the Evil of our Ways, and the Violence that is in our Hands: And then we may be sure since thou thyself hath told us so, that thou wilt turn and repent; Jon. 3.9. Thou wilt turn away from thy fierce Anger, and we shall not perish. Turn us, O God of all Purity, who canst not behold Evil, nor look on the least Iniquity, from all that is displeasing in thine eyes, to all which is gracious in thy sight. Turn thou us unto thee, Lam. 5.21. O Lord, and so we shall be turned; Then we shall by thy Judgments which have been and are abroad on the Earth, Isa. 26.10. learn the Righteousness, they were designed to teach us; we shall search and try out our Ways, and turn unto the Lord; we shall lift up pure hearts and hands to our God which is in Heaven. And when thou hast thus turned and instructed us, turn thou again unto us, O Lord, at the last, and be gracious unto thy Servants. O satisfy us with thy Mercy, and that soon. Psal. 90.13, 14. Be not angry with us for ever, neither draw out thy Wrath to all Generations. O remember the Affliction thou hast afflicted us with: Lam. 3.19. and have Compassion on us, and do us good. Remember us, O Lord, Psal. 106.4. according to the Favour thou bearest unto thy People; O visit us with thy Salvation. Comfort us again now after the time, Psal. 90.15. that thou hast plagued us, and for the Years, wherein we have suffered Adversity. O Lord, Habak. 3.2. revive thy work in the midst of the Years: Raise us up out of a state of Misery, which resembleth Death: in the midst of these Years, make known thy Power, and thy Goodness, What thou canst, and what thou wilt do for us. O thou who hast been justly displeased at us, Isa. 51.22. and in thine Anger moved the Land, and divided it, heal the Sores thereof for it shaketh; Take out of her hand the Cup of Trembling, even the Cup of the Dregs of thy Fury, that she no more drink it again. O deliver us from all our Trouble and Oppression, Psal. 108. for we do not trust in the Arm of Flesh: 1 Sam. 2.9. Vain is the help of Man, and by strength shall no Man prevail: But our Souls trust in thee, Psal. 57.1. and under the shadow of thy wings shall be our Refuge, until this Tyranny be overpass'd O Lord, Isa. 52.10. make bare thy holy Arm, and let us see the Salvation of our God. Awake, awake, Isa. 51.9. put on strength O Arm of the Lord. Awake up as in the ancient Days. SECT. VI. Expostulation. O Lord, Zech. 1.12. how long wilt thou not have mercy on the People of these Nations, against whom thou hast had Indignation? How long shall the Land mourn for the wickedness of them that dwell therein? O Lord, Hab. 1.2. how long shall we cry unto thee of Violence, and thou wilt not hear? even unto thee of Violence, and thou wilt not save? Why dost thou show us Impiety, Habak. 1.3. and cause us to behold Grievance? for Spoiling and Oppression are before us. Why hast thou smitten us, Jer. 14.19. and there is no healing for us? Why do we look for Peace, and there is no Good? for the time of Healing, and behold Trouble? Why do we wait for Light, Isa. 59.9.& 11. but behold Obscurity? Why do we look for Salvation, but it is far from us? Why is our Pain perpetual, Jer. 15.18 and our Wound incurable? O God, Psal. 74.1. wherefore art thou absent from us so long? And why is thy Wrath so hot against the Sheep of thy Pasture? How long wilt thou be angry with thy People that prayeth? Psal. 80.4. How long wilt thou hid thy Face from us, for ever? Psal. 79.5. Shall thy jealousy burn like Fire for ever? Wilt thou utterly reject us? Will thy Soul loathe us? Wherefore hidest thou thy Face, Psal 44.24. and forgettest our Affliction and Trouble? O thou our Hope and Saviour in the time of Trouble, Jer. 14.8. why shouldst thou be as a Stranger in our Land, or as a wayfaring Man, that turneth aside to tarry for a Night? No more concerned for our Welfare, than Travellers are for those places thro' which they pass? Why shouldst thou be as a Man astonied, quiter tired out? as a mighty Man that cannot help, or whose assistance falls short of their Needs, he comes to succour? Where is thy Zeal and thy Strength, Isa. 63.15. the sounding of thy Bowels, and thy Mercy towards us? Where are thy former loving Kindnesses, are they restrained? Righteous art thou, Jer. 12.1. O Lord, when we pled with thee, yet let us talk with thee of thy Judgments; Wherefore doth the way of the Wicked prosper? Wherefore are they all happy that deal very treacherously? Wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously? Habak. 1.13. At length, O Lord, Isa. 63.15. look down from Heaven, the habitation of thy Holiness, and thy Glory, and behold us with an Eye of Pity. Awake, why sleepest thou, Psal. 44.23. O Lord? Arise, and be not absent from us for ever. Arise to our help; and redeem us for thy Mercies sake. Arise thou Judge of the World, Psal. 94.2. and reward the Proud after their deserving. Lord, Ver. 3. how long shall the ungodly, how long shall the ungodly triumph? How long shall they speak so Ver. 4. disdainfully, and make such proud boasting? Let them talk no more so proudly, 1 Sam. 2.3. let not Arrogancy come out of their mouths. O Lord God, Psal. 94.1. to whom Vengeance belongeth: O God to whom Vengeance belongeth, show thyself. SECT. VII. Intercession. O Lord God of Hosts, Isa. 37.16, 17. thou that art God, even thou alone, of all the Kingdoms of the Earth, incline thine Ear, and hear; open thine Eye, O Lord, and see, and hear all the words that they have despitefully spoken to reproach thee the living God. Surely, O Lord, Hos. 6.1. though thou hast torn us, thou wilt heal us: Though thou hast smitten us, thou wilt bind us up. §. 1. For the Church. But especially, O Lord, Dan. 9.16. according to all thy Righteousness, let thine Anger and thy Fury be turned away from Jerusalem thy holy Church, this in particular, and cause thy Face to shine upon thy Sanctuary which is desolate for the Lord's sake. O thou who hast forsaken her, Isa. 54.7, 8. with great mercies gather her. O thou who hast hide thy Face from her, with everlasting kindness have mercy on her. O be favourable and gracious unto Sion, Psal. 51.18. build thou the walls of Jerusaler. Arise and have mercy upon Zion; Psal. 102.13.46.4. for it is time, that thou have mercy upon her, yea, the time is come. Let it pity thee to see her in the dust. Though she be fallen, Micah 7.8. yet do thou raise her up; though she sit in darkness, yet be thou her light, that her Enemies may not rejoice against her. And then let thy Salvation be for Walls and Bulwarks unto her. Isa. 26.1. Lay her Stones with fair Colours, Isa. 54.11, 12. and her ●●●●dations with sapphires: Ma 〈…〉 ndows of agate, her Gates of Carbuncle, and all her Borders of pleasant Stones. And let no Weapon formed against her prosper. Isa. 54 17. Let Zion awake, Isa. 52.1, 2. and put on strength; let Jerusalem shake her self from the Dust, and put on beautiful Garments. Think upon thy Congregation, Psal. 74 2. which thou hast purchased and redeemed of old, and Mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelled. Comfort her, Isa. 51.3. comfort her waste Places; make her Wilderness like Eden, and her Desert like the Garden of the Lord. Return, we beseech thee, O Lord God of Hosts, Psal. 80.14, 15. look down from Heaven, and behold, and visit this thy Vine; and the Vineyard which thy right hand hath planted. O give not thine heritage over into the hands of her Enemies: Jer. 12.7. O suffer not thy Vineyard to be destroyed, thy Portion to be trod under foot, thy pleasant Portion to be a desolate Wilderness. O be merciful unto Jerusalem, Eccles. 36.14, 15, 16. the place of thy Rest. Fill Zion with thy unspeakable Oracles. §. 2. For the Pastors of the Church. Raise up Prophets to her in thy Name, and let them be found faithful: Such as may not follow their own Spirit, Jer. 23.16. nor speak a Vision out of their own hearts, seducing the People, and saying Peace, when there is no Peace. As may not pollute thee among them for handfuls of Barley, and pieces of Bread, Ezek. 13.19. slaying the Souls that should not die: And saving alive the Souls that should not live, making the hearts of the Righteous sad, and strengthening the hands of the wicked. O give her such Pastors, as may not feed themselves( eating the fat) but thy Flock; Ezek. 34.3.& 4. who may strengthen the diseased, heal the Sick, bind up the Broken, seek that which is lost, and bring back that which is driven away; and may lay down their Lives for their Sheep, if occasion requires. Let her Priests be clothed with Righteousness, Mal. 2.7. their lips preserve knowledge, and the People seek it at their mouths. Purify, Mal. 3.3. and purge them as Gold and Silver, that they may offer unto thee an offering of Righteousness. Give those holy ones thy Thummim and thy Urim; Deut. 33.8. sand fort thy Truth and thy Light into their hearts, whereby they may be able to teach thy People thy judgement and thy Law. Set such Watchmen upon her Towers and Bulwarks as seeing thy Sword, Ezek. 33.6. &c. the Sword of thy Judgments drawn, may blow the Trumpet, and warn thy People; such who at all times may cry aloud, and show them their transgressions; to the end that they may depart from them, and fear, and do no more wickedly. Appoint such Ministers over thy Church, 1 Tim. 4.16. who taking heed to their Lives, and Doctrine,( the Exemplariness of the one, and Soundness of the other) may bring many to Righteousness; and save others who shall see their good Conversation, and hear their sound words, as well as themselves. Such, who may never square their Consciences according to the corrupt, and changeable Models of the Times, to serve an Interest; nor smooth their Tongues, and make them pliant to please wanton, and itching Ears; but may live in a constant practise of those great Lessons of Denying themselves, and taking up the across; stand always prepared in a firm resolution of mind, to follow the great Shepherd of the Flock and Bishop of Souls to Mount Calvary, to die for the Testimony of Jesus, as he did for them. Being thus disposed to suffer, animate them continually with thy good Spirit, one of whose seven-fold Gifts is Courage that being raised above the Threats of the Rulers, and Rage of the People, they may with all boldness speak thy Word, Acts 4.25, 29. sharply reprove 'vice without respect to Persons, and so by their zealous Labours turn the hearts of the Fathers together with their Children to each other, Mal. 4.6. and both to the wisdom of the Just, as thou mayst not come and smite the Earth with a Curse; a more dreadful one than any it hath hitherto felt. §. 3. For the KING. BEhold, Psal. 84.9. O God our Defender, and look upon the Face of thine Anointed. Thou hast cast him off and abhorred, Psal. 89.38. thou hast been wrath with him. Thou hast profaned his Crown by casting it to the ground. Psal. 89.39. Thou hast set up the right hand of his Adversaries, Psal. 89.42. thou hast made all his Enemies to rejoice. The Troubles of his heart are enlarged; Psal. 25.17. O bring thou him out of all his Troubles. O consider his Trouble, Psal. 31.7. and know his Soul in Adversity. Consider his Adversity, and deliver him: Avenge thou his Cause. O God of Knowledge, by whom Actions are weighed; 1 Sam. 2.3. who judgest the ends of the Earth; Consider the Justice of his Cause. Unto thee he hath made his Solemn Appeal. Deal with him according to the Innocency he hath protested to be in him, with regard to the foul Crimes his Enemies have slanderously charged him with. Thou hast seen his Wrong; Lam. 3.59. Judge thou his Cause: Judge him, O God, and pled his Cause against an ungodly and unmerciful Nation. Deliver him from the deceitful and unjust Man. Psal. 43.1. O what great Troubles and Adversities hast thou formerly shew'd him, Psal. 71.20. and yet didst thou turn and refresh him, and broughtest him from the deep of the Earth again. O remember thy loving kindness, Psal. 25.6. and thy mercies that have been ever of old, and work the same Miracle of mercy for him afresh. Thy Righteousness is very high, Psal. 71.19. and great things are they that thou hast done: And that is not minished, nor thy hand shortened, that thou canst not do the same works anew. Thy hand is not shortened, Isa. 59.1. that it cannot save; neither thy Ear heavy, that it will not hear. O prepare thy loving mercy, Psal. 61.7. and thy faithfulness, that they may preserve him. O thou who killest and makest alive; 1 Sam. 2.5, 6. who bringest down to the grave, and bringest up; who makest poor, and makest rich; bringest low, and liftest up; lift up his Head again, replace him on the Throne, and establish him there, that on his Head, and on the Heads of his Posterity in due order after him the Crown may for ever flourish. Do thou this, 1 Chron. 29.11. O Lord, whose is the Greatness, and the Power, and the Glory, and the Victory, and the Majesty. Give strength unto the King, Psal. 21.6. the wholesome strength of thy Right Hand, exalt the Horn of thine Anointed. Be thou the strength, Psal. 28.8. the sasaving strength of thine Anointed. Be pleased, Psal. 40.13. O Lord, to deliver him; make hast to help him. Be thou his Helper, Psal. 40.17. and Deliverer; make no long tarrying, O our God. Deliver him from the strivings of the People; Psal. 18.43. let the Sons of Violence be no longer able to oppress him. sand down from Heaven, Psal. 57.3. and save him from them who would swallow him up. Change and soften, if it be thy gracious Will, the hearts of his most obstinate Adversaries, towards him; But if they shall persist to harden them against him, and will not relent, break them in pieces, and out of Heaven thunder upon them. Cast forth thy Lightning, Psal. 144.6. and tear them; shoot out thine Arrow, and consume them. Destroy thou them, O God, Psal. 5.10. let them perish through their own imaginations; cast them out in the multitude of their ungodliness, for they have rebelled against thee. Up Lord, Psal. 17.13. disappoint them, and cast them down. Smite through the loins of them that rise against him, Deut 33.11. and of them that hate him, that they rise not again. §. 4. For his faithful Subjects. But do good, Psal. 125.4. O Lord, unto them that are good and true of heart. Help, Psal. 12.1. Lord, for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful are diminished from among the children of men. For the way of the wicked prospers, Jer. 12 4. and all they are happy that deal very treacherously. The Wicked doth compass about the Righteous: Habac. 1.13. He devoureth the Man that is more Righteous than he. He among us who departs from Evil, or endeavours so to do, Isa. 59.15. makes himself but a Prey. O let not the Rod of the Wicked come into the Lot of the Righteous, Psal. 125.3. lest the Righteous put forth their hands unto wickedness. Let the sighing of the Prisoners come before thee, Psal. 79.11. all who are in Bonds for Righteousness sake; according to the greatness of thy Power preserve thou those, that are appointed to die for the testimony of Truth and Justice. Be thou a Refuge, O Lord, Psal. 9.9. unto all who are any ways oppressed, a Refuge in these times of Trouble. Remember their Trouble, Psal. 41.1. O Lord, and in due time deliver them out of it all. O let not the oppressed go away ashamed: Psal. 74.21. But remember, O Lord, the Reproach of those thy Servants, how they do bear in their Bosoms the Reproach of all the mighty People; wherewith they have reproached them; wherewith they have reproached their adherence to the Cause of thine Anointed. Remember how in this these foolish ones reproach thee: Psal. 74.22. And do thou arise, O God, and pled thine own Cause with them. In thine own proper Season turn away this Reproach from them, and turn it to their glory. In the mean time uphold them with thy free and principal Spirit, while for Conscience towards thee they suffer Grief wrongfully. Keep them in perpetual peace, Isa. 26.3. and stay their Minds on thee. Assist them in considering that they were called unto Sufferings of one kind or other, and that these are inseparably connexed with Piety, and that the across is the very Badge of their Christianity; That the Author and Finisher of their Faith so suffered before them to leave them his Example, 1 Pet. 2.19, 21. that they might follow his steps; That the Captain of their Salvation was perfected through Sufferings, Hebr 2.10 to the end he might bring many Sons unto Glory: And thus looking up to him and his Example, Hebr. 11. let them glory in their Afflictions which are his, and prefer them before all the pleasures of Sin; count his Reproach greater Riches, than the Treasures of the world; and suffering on his account, all Joy. Enable them while they thus regard him as their mark and pattern, Hebr. 12.2, 3. to run the Race which is set before them with patience, even without weariness and fainting, till they have finished their course; To fight the good fight of Faith, though it be with resisting unto Blood, that having run and striven lawfully, they may be crowned. O Lord, Dan. 9.18, 19. incline thine Ear and hear, open thine Eye and see: For we do not present our Supplications before thee in behalf of ourselves, our Church, our Pastors, our KING and the People of these Nations, for our own Righteousness; but for thy great Mercies. O Lord hear, O Lord forgive, harken and do for thine own sake, O our God. Help us, Psal. 79.9. O God of our Salvation, for the glory of thy Name. Behold our Desolations and Misery: And deliver us, Dan. 9. Psal. 79.9. and purge away our Sins for thy Names sake. O Lord, Jer. 14 7. though our Iniquities testify against us; for our Backslidings are many, do thou it for thy Names sake. Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, who are most vile and unworthy. But unto thy own great Name give the glory of this Redemption; for thy Mercies, and thy Truths sake. Our Soul hath patiently tarried for thee we have hoped in thy holy Name. Psal. 33.22. Let thy merciful kindness be upon us, like as we do put our trust in thee. We depend upon thy Mercies for the doing of this, O God, which are infinite and everlasting. Upon thy Goodness, which is an inexhaustible Fountain and Store. Upon thy Long-suffering, which is not to be wearied out with our Iniquities, if at any time we turn from them. Upon thy Promises which are without Repentance, are Yea and Amen, and stand fast for ever. Upon the satisfaction of thy Beloved Son; whose offering up of himself through the Eternal Spirit, was an All-sufficient Atonement for the Sins of the whole World, and therefore of ours. Upon his most powerful Mediation and Advocation which he now dischargeth, sitting at the Right Hand of the Throne of thy Majesty; there ever living, and ever interceding, and pleading for us. Upon his holy Word, one tittle of which shall never pass away, in which he hath told us, That whatsoever we should ask of thee our Father in his Name, thou wouldst give us. In confidence of all this, we sum up these our imperfect Supplications in his most absolute Form of Prayer; We offer up these our sinful ones in and through his complete Merits to be pardoned, accepted, and answered as it may be best to thee, and may be best for us, saying Our Father, &c. FINIS. THE CONTENTS. SECT. I. Adoration §. 1. Of God's Majesty. Pag. 1 §. 2. Of God's Justice. Pag. 2 §. 3. Of God's Mercy. Pag. 3 SECT. II. Confession of Sins. Pag. 5. SECT. III. Deploration §. 1. Of the public Calamities of the Nation. Pag. 13 §. 2. Of the Calamities of the Church. Pag. 16 SECT. IV. Confession §. 1. Of God's Justice. Pag. 19 §. 2. Of God's Mercy. ib. SECT. V. Supplication. Pag. 21 SECT. VI. Expostulation. Pag. 30 SECT. VII. Intercession §. 1. For the Church. Pag. 35 §. 2. For the Pastors of the Church. Pag. 38 §. 3. For the KING. Pag. 43 §. 4. For his faithful Subjects. Pag. 48 FINIS.