and here make me a way to escape, as thou hast so often been my help.

I confess, O Lord, thou mightest justly use them to provoke me as thy scourge to chastise me for provoking thee: and I know not but such now may be thy pleasure. O help me then patiently to bear the indignation of the Lord God of Heaven, because I have so greatly sinned against thee and however I am persued and struck at, O let me not render evil for evil, nor railing for railing, but contrariwise, blessing; considering him that endured so great contradiction of sinners against himself, that I be not wearied and faint in my mind. If the man after thy own heart had so many bitter implacable enemies, that not only traduced his name, but sought his life; if thy holy apostle was called a babble and troubler of the world, and a pestilent 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 sinners, a deceiver of the people, and a dealer with the devil; if he that deserved so well of men, fared so ill at their hands; if he that did no sin was persecuted as if he had been the chief of sinners; if he suffered so much evil, who never deserved any, O why should such an unworthy sinful wretch as I, to whom belongs confusion of face, and the worst punishment, so heinously resent it as unsufferable, to be set at nought, and but to endure the correction of my own wickedness! Though I deserve it not from them, yet, O how much worse do I deserve from thy heavenly Majesty, offended by my

sins, who mayest justly pay me by their hands. Let men then say or do what they can against me, O let me be as a deaf man that heareth not, and as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth; little regarding the anger of man, if I can be happy in the favor of my God. O Lord, keep back thy. servant from giving any just provocation, and let me not suffer as an evildoer, nor let the woe be to me, because of fence cometh by me; and then, when persecuted for righteousness sake, I shall rejoice and bless thy name, and give thee thanks and praise for all thy grace and goodness to me in Jesus Christ. Amen.

A Prayer under Infamy and Disgrace.

LORD, righteousness belongs to thee, but to me confusion of face, as it is this day. Shame is the portion of my sins, and I deserve no better than to be slighted and despised myself, who have so slighted thy laws, and despised the glorious Majesty of heaven.If I had been innocent, I might have been confident to lift up my face without spot; but woe is me that I have sinned, to make myself vile, and fit only to be trampled on. As far as I am obnoxious and guilty, I take shame to myself, as the reward of my folly and wickedness, And O that I may so feel it here, that I may not hereafter awake to shame and everlasting contempt. And let not any that wait on thee, O Lord God of hosts, be ashamed for thy sake: yea, where I suffer wrongfully, yet Lord help me to take it patiently.. Though I

am reproached for the name of Christ, and persecuted for righteousness sake, let me not droop under the censures and scorns of men, if I can but find acceptance and favour in thy sight.Seeing it is not men's applause or reproach that can make us happy or miserable, tho' we have their good opinion and commendation, we are never the better when out with heaven: and though we have lost ourselves with them, we are never the worse when we approve ourselves to him that searches our hearts. Thy words, O Lord, give us encouragement, suffering as Christians, that we should not be ashamed, but glorify thy name on this behalf. Thy Apostles who were made as the filth of the world, and the off-scouring of all things, rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Jesus. Though I pass through evil report, as well as good, O what a small thing it is to be judged of man! and if thou, my God, wilt have me to be low in the world, yea, even a hissing and proverb of reproach in the world, let me bear thy indignation, and submit to thy correction: not so much concerned for the disgrace, as to remove the cause; and be more careful and diligent to please the Lord, and to seek the honour that is God.

If men speak evil of what they understand not, and perverse scoffers, walking after their own lusts, oppose and deride me, contradict ing and blaspheming thy truths, O let not thy holy religion ever sink in my thoughts for any of their hard speeches, or course usage; looking unto Jesus, the Sun of Righteousness,

but

that once lay under clouds, the Lord of glory who bore such reproach and infamy, who heard ill from the world, though he never did evil in his life; and was despised and rejected of men, though he deserved so much better than ever any did from them; let me little regard what names they call any of his household, who can call the master of the house, as bad. But may I still follow my blessed Saviour, in meekness and patience; having my eyes and dependence upon the great Author and Finisher of our faith; who, first despising, and then surmounting the shame, art now set down at the right hand of the Majesty on high: and from thence shall come in greatest glory to judge the world;whose name be ever blessed, world without end. Amen.

A Prayer for our Enemies.

LORD of Love, the Prince of peace, thou hast told us, that thou camest to send a sword and fire upon earth, and that it must be that offences come. Even the best of men, in passing through this tumultuous world, are of ten jostled and evil entreated. And if it be the lot of thy own holy followers to have hatred and tribulation in the world, O what am I, vile sinner, that I should look to be exempted from this common portion! such as I have made my enemies, by my folly and miscarriage, Lord incline and enable me to appease and gain them and so direct my ways to please thee, that thou mayest make them be at peace with me. Such as are my enemies wrongfully, Lord lay not

this sin to their charge, but forgive them, and open their eyes, and pacify their minds, and turn their hearts, that they may see their error, and first be reconciled to God, and then live with their brethren in unity and godly love; and that, at last, I may meet them in the arms of Jesus Christ; and those that will not cease from hating, Lord prevent them from hurting me; or, though they do me hurt, let me endeavour to do them good; and not hate, but love my enemies, for thy sake, who hast commanded us to love them; and who didst express the highest love to us in dying for us, even when we were thy enemies. Let me consider them as thy rod, and the staff of thy indignation, in all that I suffer from them, that instead of striving to avenge myself, I may submit to thy

hand.

O good Lord! mortify in all of us the carnal mind, that is enmity against God, and those lusts that war in our members, from whence Turn all come wars and fightings amongst us.

our enmity against the common enemies of our souls; and join all our hearts to thee, in thy true fear and love, that we may not meditate revenge, but study to be quiet; nor foment and pursue our quarrels, but follow after the things that make for our peace; and with one mind, and with one mouth, glorify our God, through Jesus Christ.

A Prayer under Crosses and Disappointments in our Affairs

MY LORD! I live by thee, and do continually depend upon thee, for life and