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GRacious God, who art a God of peace, and hast pronounced a blessing upon those who make peace, give mee that which thou blessest, that I may enjoy what thou lovest, embrace that which thou approvest, affect that which thou com∣mendest, possesse that wherin thou delightest. Thou know∣est that debates, variance, and contention doe distract our devotion, distemper the
affection, disquiet every good motion, disturbe every pious intention. Grant ther∣fore, I beseech thee, that these differences to which I am ingaged, or may hereafter bee intangled or inthralled, be to the glory of thy great name, the preservation of mine honest repute and fame, and quiet of my af∣faires, peaceably composed. Cut out of mee towards my family all severity, towards my familiars all disloyalty, towards my Neighbours all extremity. Grant mee peace of mind in my living, peace of conscience at my dying, and after death that peace which passeth all understan∣ding. Cause all tumults of the flesh to cease in mee, all
immoderate affections to de∣crease in mee, all inordinate motions to dye in mee. San∣ctifie my heart, purifie my mind, direct my spirit, erect my faith, correct my life. Re∣move from mee all occasions of difference, that I may find quietnesse of conscience. Grant that I may sow the seed of righteousnesse, walke in the wayes of holynesse, make profession of my faith with all singlenesse, that I may come to the possession of happinesse. Let mee seeks peace and ensue it, Love thy Law and pursue it, reforme thine Image and renue it. Suffer not the tempests of this world to dismay mee, the errors of this life to per∣plex mee, or the terrors of
death to appall mee. I know, O Lord, affliction to bee bit∣ter to him that suffers it im∣patiently; but sweet to him that suffers it constantly. Thou provest those thou lo∣vest, and afflictest those thou affectest. Affliction then can∣not be bitter, when it maketh us better. What though dis∣grace obscure mee, wrongs inure mee, reproach impeach mee, injuries presse thicke upon mee? I am made strong through him to beare them, who bore the Crosse for me, suffered all dishonour for mee, shed his bloud for mee, lost himselfe to finde mee, be∣came sold to redeeme mee, racked upon the Crosse to reach mee a Crowne, climing Mount Calvarie, to mount
mee to glory. O make mee then ready in my suffering to imitate thee my Saviour! Though warre assaile mee without, give mee peace within. Humble my Spirit, that I may bee of that tem∣per, as I may still reflect up∣on the Image of my Saviour, that living in his feare, I may dye in his favour, Amen.