use thy good Creatures to those Ends for which they were designed; and not, like Esau, prefer a Morsel of Bread before thy Blessing that I may hunger and thirst after Righteousness, and account it Meat and Drink to do thy Will, O God: Grant, O good Lord. That I may carefully abstain from all Appearance of Evil; have Grace to own my Saviour Christ and his Religion, in the midst of a sinful Generation; and a sober, righteous, and godly Life, to adorn my Christian Profession: Grant, O good Lord. That I may strive manfully against the Flesh, the World, and the Devil; and preserve my Soul and Body in Holiness; and have a Love of thy Honour and Glory, above all the Riches, Honours, and Pleasures of the World: I beseech thee to hear me, good Lord. That under all the Afflictions of this Life, which thou sendest either as a Punishment for my Sins, or for the Trial of my Faith, whether they be Poverty, Sickness, Sickness, Reproach, or Slander, I may patiently subunit to thy divine Will: Grant, O good Lord. That my Heart may not be inclined to any evil Thing, but that I may resist every wicked Inclination, when it first arises, and not consent unto it; and that my Soul and Body may clean, and a fit Habitation for thy Holy Spirit: be pure and Grant, O good Lord. Since by my Words I shall be justified, and by my Words I shall be condemned, that no profane Swearing nor Cursing, no obscene Words that may corrupt the Mind, no angry nor injurious Expressions, may proceed out of my Mouth: Grant, O good Lord. That all my Actions may tend to thy Honour and Glory, that I may perform the Duties of divine Worship with Devotion and Fervour, that I may with Diligence perform my honest Labour, do Justice, love Mercy, and walk humbly before thee: Grant, O good Lord. 1 5 That That it may please thee to give us true Repentance, before we are overtaken by thy Judgments; to turn to thee with our whole Hearts, with all Lowliness and Meekness; And do thou of thy gracious Goodness, so make haste to help us in this World, that we may ever live with thee in the World to come : I beseech thee to hear me, good Lord. That I may diligently and faithfully instruct all those whom thy Providence hast ́committed to my Care [name Children and Servants;] that I may use my best Endeavours, the Lord being my Helper, to save the Souls of those for whom Christ died; that by thy tender Mercies in Christ Jesus, I with them, and they with me, may be numbered among thy Saints in Glory everlasting : Grant, O good Lord. That I may with Honesty and Diligence perform the Duties of that Station thy Providence hath placed me in, and ever follow the good Motions of thy Holy Spirit; resisting the Temptations of the World, the Flesh, and the Devil, laying O Lord, save thy Servant: Who putteth his Trust in thee. WHERE, and to whom can 1 flee for Succour, and for Pardon, but to thee, O Lord, who art merciful, long suffering, and abundant in Goodness, keeping Mercy for Thousands, and pardoning Iniquity and Sim: vouchsafe therefore, O gracious God, for thy Name's Sake, for thy dear Son's Sake, whom thou hast set forth as a Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World, to look upon me with an Eye of Pity and Com1 6 passion, passion, and blot out as a thick Cloud my Transgressions, and as a Cloud my Sins; be merciful to my Unrighteousness, and my Sins and Iniquities remember thou no more : Lead me to that Repentance unto Salvation, not to be repented of, which may bear some Proportion to the Greatness of my Offences. O gracious Lord, pity, cleanse, and forgive me for thy Mercies Sake. Accept, in thy abundant Compassion my unfeigned Sorrow for all my Sins past! and grant that I may never so presume on thy Favour, as to despise the Riches of thy Goodness; but that thy Forbearance and Long-suffering may lead me to Repentance and Newness of Life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. I AM grieved, O my God, I am grieved that I ever should sin against thee; that I, the Work of thy Hand, should sin against thee, my Maker, my Father, and my Judge; that I should have sinned against thee, O blessed Jesus, whom thou hast redeemed with thy most precious Blood: That I should have defiled the Temple of thy Holy Spirit, and sin so grievously against him who sanctified me : For this, O merciful God, do I grieve and mourn, |