The Countess of Morton's daily exercise: or, A book of prayers, and rules how to spend the time in the service and pleasure of Almighty God.

Prayer the II.

O Most gracious Lord who dost not afflict willingly, nor grieve the childrenof men, whosmi∣test

not till the importu∣nity of our sins enforce thee, and then correctest in measure, we thy un∣worthy Creatures hum∣blyacknowledge that we have abundantly tasted of this patience and leni∣ty of thine. To what an enormous height were our sins arrived, ere thou beganst to visit them! & when thou couldest no longer forbear, yet ma∣stering thy Power, thou hast not proportion'd thy vengeance to our crimes, but to thy own gracious design of reducing and

reclaiming us. Lord had the first stroke of thy hand been extermina∣tings, our guilts had justi∣fied the method; but thou hast proceeded by such easie and gentle degrees, as witness how much thou desired'st to be interrupted, and shew us, that all that sad weight we have long groaned under, hath been accumulated only by our ownincorrigibleness. Tis now, O Lord, these many years that this Nation hath been in the furnace, and yet our

dross wastes not, but in∣creases; and it is owing only to thy unspeakable mercy, that we, who would not be purified, are not consumed; that we remain a Nation, who cease not to be a most sinful and provoking Na∣tion. O Lord, let not this long-suffering of thine serve only to upbraid our obstinacy, and en∣hance our guilt; but let it at last have the proper effect on us, melt our hearts, and lead us to re∣pentance. And O that this may be the day for

us thus to discern the things that belong to our Peace! that all who are (yea, and all who are not) cast down this day in an external humiliati∣on may by the operation of thymighty Spirit have their souls laid prostrate before thee in a sincere contrition! O thou who canst out of the very stones raise up Children unto Abraham, work our stony flinty hearts into such a temper as may be malleable to the impres∣sions of thy grace, that all the sinners in Sion may

tremble; that we may not by a persevering obstina∣cy seal to our selves both temporal and eternal ruine, but in stead of our mutinous complainingat the punishments of our sins, search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord. O be thou pleased to grant us this one grand fundamental mercy, that we who so impatiently thirst after a change without us, may render that possible and safe by this better and more necessary change within us; that our sins

may not, as they have so often done, interpose and eclipse that light which now begins to break out upon us. Lord, thy Dove seems to approach us with an Olive Branch in her mouth; Oh let not our filth and noisomness chase her away; but grant us that true repen∣tance which may attone thee, and that Christian Charity which may re∣concile us with one ano∣ther. Lord, let not our breach either with thee, or among our selves, be incurable, but by making

up the first, prepare us for the healing of the latter. And because, O Lord the way to make us one Fold is to have one Shepherd, be pleased to put us all under the conduct of him to whom that charge be∣longs; bow the hearts of this People as of one Man, that the only con∣tention may be, who shall be most forward in bringing back our Da∣vid. O let none reflect on their past Guilts, as an Argument to persevere, but repent, and to make their return so sincere as

may qualifie them, not only for his but thy Mer∣cy. And, Lord, be plea∣sed so to guide the hearts of all who shall be in∣trusted with that great Concernment of setling this Nation, that they may weigh all their deli∣berations in the Balance of the Sanctuary, that Conscience, not Interest, may be the ruling prin∣ciple, and that they may render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's; that they may become healers of

our breaches, and happy Repairers of the sad Ru∣ines both in Church and State: And grant, O Lord, that as those sins which made them are become National, so the repen∣tance may be National also, and that evidenc'd by the proper fruits of it, by zeal of restoring the rights both of thee and thine Anointed. And do thou, O Lord, so dispose all hearts, and remove all obstacles, that none may have the will much less the power, to hin∣der his peaceable resti∣tution.

And, Lord, let him bring with him an heart so intirely devoted to thee, that he may wish his own Honour only as a means to advance thine. O let the Precepts and Example of his bles∣sed Father never depart from his mind; and as thou wert pleas'd to per∣fect the one by suffering, so perfect the other by acting thy will; that He may be a blessed Instru∣ment of replanting the power in stead of the form of Godliness among us, of restoring Christian

vertue in a profane and almost barbarous Nation. And if any wish him for any distant ends, if any desire his shadow as a shelter for their riots and licentiousness, O let him come a great, but happy defeat to all such, not bring fewel, but cure to their inordinate appe∣tites; and by his example as a Christian, & his Au∣thority as a King, so in∣vite to good, and restrain from evil, that he may not only release our tem∣poral, but our spiritual bondage, suppress those

soul and scandalous Vice•• which have so long Captiva∣ted us, and by securing out inward, provide for the per∣petuating our outward peace Lord, establish thou his throne in righteousness, make him a signal instrument of thy glory and our happiness, and let him reap the fruits of it in comfort here, and in bliss hereafter; so that his earthly Crown may serve to enhance and enrich his hea∣venly. Grant this, O King of Kings, for the sake and intercession of our Blessed Mediator Jesus Christ.