peace! difpofe our hearts to hearken to all peaceable counfels, and to comply with all healing defigns. And fo allay the beats which our diffentions have raised, that amidft the variety of apprehenfions, we may yet keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace; and evidence our relation to the Prince of Peace, by following after thofe things that make for peace.

O Lord, rebuke the ftorms of our animofities and debates; and fay to thofe winds and waves, Peace, be fill; and they will obey thee. wilt thou heal our breaches, and give us first the true peace with God, as the foundation for a firm and lafting peace with one another. 0 that the uniting fpirit of Chrift Jefus may fo far prevail upon us, as to draw and knit us together in the bleffed communion of thy faints; that we may with combined wills and intereft; as one man, put forth ourselves to advance the glory of thy name, the public good, and the common falvation of all our fouls, through thy rich mercy to us in our bleffed Peace-maker, Jefus Chrift. Amen.

A Prayer for Meeknefs and Peaceableness.

ALMIGHTY God, who alone canft order the unruly wills and affections of finful men wilt thou be pleafed to regulate my exorbitant paffions, and fupprefs in me that pride from whence cometh contention; and beat down every rebellious motion that exalts itfelf

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itself against peace and patience, and gentleness and meeknefs of fpirit! O help me to put away all bitterness and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil fpeaking, with all malice. And however I am tempted and provoked, O that I may poffefs my foul in patience; and not be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good And enable us, O God of Patience, to bear one another's burdens, and to forbear one another in love, that we may not contend but for the faith of Chrift; nor ftrive but to enter in at the ftrait gate; nor provoke one another, but unto love and good works.

O if thou the great God shouldst enter into judgment with me, and break out in fury upon me, as I have been ready to take fire at affronts, and to fall with rage upon my antagonifts, Lord, how foon fhould I be confumed, and fink under the faddeft misery, past recovery; O may I ever dread to be rigid and cruel, who know the extreme need that I have of mercy! And thou the God of peace and love, forgive me, I beseech thee, all the fins that ever I have committed against peace and love. O let the peace of God rule in my heart; and thy wonderful long-fuffering of me be ever an engagement upon me to fhew all meekness to all men; and bear the ignorance and weakness, the follies and mistakes, the wrongs and indignities of my fellow-creatures; feeing I myself am undone, without the forbearance of God, and have nothing to hope for, and to comfort myfelf in, but the finding of fuch favour at thy hands. O teach

O teach and help us all to live in peace, and to love in truth; follow peace with all men, and walking in love as Chrift loved us, that we may be united and knit together as fellowmembers of the fame body, whereof he is the glorious head; who, tho' extremely wronged and provoked, yet did not cry, nor lift up, nor caufe his voice to be heard in the streets. Of whom let me learn fuch meekness and lowliness of heart, that in him I may find rest for my foul. O my God! fupprefs all bitter refentments in my mind; and let the law of kindness be in my tongue, and a meek and quiet spirit fhewing itself in all the conduct of my life. And, Lord, make us all fo gentle and peaceable, and eafy to be intreated, and hard to be provoked, that we may be followers of God, as dear children; and that thou, the God of Peace, mayeft be with us, and delight to dwell amongst us, and rejoice over us, to do us good, for thy mercy's fake, in Jefus Chrift.

Amen.

A prayer under Abufes and Provocations.

MOST high and wife, holy and righteous Judge of all the earth, the great author and lover of peace and truth; thou knoweft my foolishness, and my fins are not bid from thee. How far I have been acceffary to pull down thefe troubles and mifchiefs upon my own head; and how much worfe than any of thefe, I deserve at thy hands, is all naked and open to thine eyes. I fubmit, Lord, to thy correction,

who doft often ufe fuch inftruments of thy dif pleasure. And O that the ill-will of men may quicken me the more to examine myself for that which is offenfive in thy fight; and make me more careful to have my heart right with God; and to ingratiate myself with heaven: which will more than recompence for the lofs of any one's favour in the world.

But feeing my heart condemns me not in the prefent cafe, for being the cause of all this wrath and clamour, and malice and vengeance; and herein I apprehend myfelf now to fuffer wrongfully, being flanderously reported, falfely accused, thamefully and despitefully used, and hated without a caufe; I take the boldness to pour out my complaint before thee, O God, and to fhelter myself under the shadow of thy wings. Plead my caufe, O Lord, with them that rive with me; and fave me from those that rise up against me. Though for my love, they are my adverfaries, let me give myself to prayer ; and not avenge myself, but give place unto wrath, and commit my caufe to thee that judgeft righteously. O convince my adverfaries of the error they are in; and turn them from the illway they are upon: And the remainder of their wrath, O do thou refrain, and here make me a way to escape, as thou haft fo often been my belp.

I confefs, O Lord, thou mighteft juftly use them that provoke me, as thy scourge to chaftife me, for provoking thee; and I know not but fuch now may be thy pleasure. O help me then patiently

patiently to bear the indignation of the Lord; because I have fo greatly finned against thee; and however I am pursued and ftruck at, O let me not render evil for evil, nor railing for railing, but, contrary wife, bleffing; confidering him that endured fo great contradiction of finners against himself, that I be not wearied and faint in my mind. If the man after thy own beart had fo many bitter implacable enemies, that not only traduced his name, but fought his life; if thy holy Apoftle was called a babbler and troubler of the world, and a peftilent fellow, not fit to live; yea, if the Son of thy eternal love had the report of a wine-bibber, a friend of publicans and finners, a deceiver of the people, and a dealer with the devil; if he that deferved fo well of men, fared fo ill at their hands; if he that did no fin was perfecuted, as if he had been the chief of finners; if he fuffered fo much evil, who never deferved any, O why should fuch an unworthy finful wretch as I, to whom belongs confufion of face, and the worst punishment, fo heinously refent it as infufferable, to be fet at nought, and but to endure the correction of my own wickedness; though I deferve it not from them, yet, O how much worse do I deferve from thy heavenly Majesty offended by my fins, who mayeft juftly pay me by thy bands; let men then fay, or do what they can against me; O let me be as a deaf man that heareth not; and as a dumb man that opens not his mouth; little regarding the anger of man if I can but be happy in

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