Judgment and Mercy, Prayer 3
Prayer after Sermon.
VVEE returne unto thy Majeſty, O Lord our God, moſt humble and hearty thankes for all thy mercies moſt plentifully beſtowed upon us, as election creation, redemption, preſervation, vocation; for the time and means thou haſt given us of repentance, whereas thou mighteſt have took us away in the middeſt of our ſins. O God, what are we, or what is our fathers houſe, that thou ſhouldeſt bee thus mercifull to us, to prevent and to follow us with thy kindneſſe? we are leſſe then the leaſt of thy mercies; yet ſuffer us to take the cup of ſalvation, and to praiſe thy Name: accept of our poor acknowledgement; adde one mercy more, deare God, to the common heap; grant that we may expreſſe our thankfulneſſe in a godly care of all holy obedience.
Bleſſe that part of thy word that we have heard delivered at this time; Good Lord, make it effectuall to our ſouls to ſalvation, grant that it may bring forth fruit, in ſome twenty, in ſome thirty, in ſome ſixty, in ſome a hundred fold; though in ſome more, and in ſome leſſe yet in all ſome, to the henour of thy Name.
Bleſſe with us thy whole Church, whereſoever diſperſed, or howſoever diſtreſſed on the face of the earth; and proſper O God, the cauſe of the ſame where ever it is maintained in all the world, as may be for the confounding of the Kingdom of Sin and antichriſt, and for the encouragement of all ſuch as profeſſe thy Goſpel in ſincerity.
Bleſſe us in theſe Kingdomes; continue to us our liberty, forgive our crying ſinnes, turne away thy judgements, open our eyes at laſt to ſee the day of our viſitation. Bleſſe thy ſervant our Sovereigne, Charles, by thy Grace, King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, in all cauſes, and over all perſons, as well Eccleſiaſticall as Civill, next and immediately under thy Son ſupreme governour. Bleſſe the Queens moſt excellent Majeſty, Prince Charles, the Princeſſe Palatine, and her iſſue. The Lords of his Majeſties moſt honourable Privy Councell. The whole Nobility. Bleſſe thine owne inheritance, the Tribe of Levi, by what names or titles ſoever they be called. And for a ſupply of Davids Towers with Worthies, bleſſe all Schooles of Learning, the two Vniverſities of this Land, Cambridge and Oxford. Bleſſe all Congregations, this committed to my charge.
Remember all that are in affliction in mercy, whether outwardly in body, or inwardly in minde, or for the teſtimony of a good conſcience. Lord draw neare to every of them according to their deſires. Receive us, Deare God, and all ours, and all thine into thy love and favour, and protection, thereſt of this day, and for ever. Let thy holy hand protect us, let thy bleſſed Spirit direct us; vouchſafe, good God to goe in and out before us. Keepe in us a purpoſe never to ſin; confirm it more and more: and upon every ſuggeſtion to ſin, let us call to minde our vowes, and promiſes of better obedience; and though we have dealt falſely before, now make them more powerfull to reſtraine us. If we fall by infirmity, let our hearts ſmite us ſpeedily; reſtore us by repentance immediately; evermore keep us from impenitencie, hardneſſe of heart, and preſumption, the power of Satan, and a downfall into ſin.
Grant us all other things that thou in thy wiſdome knoweſt better that we want, then we to aske; not for any merits of ours, we diſclaime them; nothing belongs to us but ſhame and confuſion: but even for thy Names ſake, for thy promiſe ſake, for Ieſus Chriſts ſake the Sonne of thy love, and our Saviour, in whoſe Name, we further call upon thee, as he hath taught us, ſaying, Our Father which art, &c.