SECT. X. Acts of charity by way of prayer and ejaculation, which may also be used for thanksgiving, in case of recovery.
O My soul thou hast said unto the Lord, thou art my Lord: my goodnesse ex∣tendeth not to thee: But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent in whom is all my delight.* The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and of my cup, thou maintain∣est my lot.
As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried, he is a buckler to all those that trust in him. For who is God save the Lord? or who is a rock save our God? It is God that girdeth me with strength, * and ma∣keth my way perfect.
Be not thou far from me O Lord: O my strength, haste thee to help me.
Deliver my soul from the sword, my dar∣ling from the power of the dog, save me from the lions mouth: and thou hast heard me al∣so from among the horns of the Unicorns.
I will declare thy Name unto my brethren, in the midst of the Congregation will I praise thee.
Ye that fear the Lord, praise the Lord ye sons [of God J Glorifie him and fear before him all ye sons [of men. For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the af∣flicted, neither hath he hid his face from him, Page 239 but when he cryed unto him he heard.*
As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so longeth my soul after thee O God.
My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God, when shall I come and appear before the Lord.
O my God, my soul is cast down within me; all thy waves and billows are gone over me: as with a sword in my bones I am reproached: yet the Lord will command his loving kind∣nesse in the day time, and in the night his song shall be with me,* and my prayer unto the God of my life.
Blesse ye the Lord in the congregations, even the Lord from the fountains of Israel: My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousnesse and thy salvation all the day, *for I know not the numbers thereof.
I will go in the strength of the Lord God, I will make mention of thy righteousnesse, even of thine onely. O God thou hast taught me from my youth. And hitherto have I de∣clared thy wondrous works. But I will hope continually, *and will yet praise thee more and more.
Thy righteousnesse, O God is very high, who hast done great things. O God who is like unto thee? thou which hast shewed me great and sore troubles shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depth of the earth.
Thou shalt encrease thy goodnesse towards me,* and comfort me on every side.
My lips shall greatly rejoyce when I sing unto thee. And my soul which thou hast re∣deemed. Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only doth wondrous things. And Page 240 blessed be his glorious name for ever; and let the whole earth be filled with his glory.* Amen. Amen.
I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice, and my supplication. The sorrows of death compassed me, I found trouble and sorrow. Then called I upon the name of the Lord, O Lord I beseech thee deliver my soul. Gracious is the Lord and righteous,* yea our God is merciful.
The Lord preserveth the simple, I was brought low, and he helped me. Return to thy rest O my soul, the Lord hath dealt boun∣tifully with thee.* For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints; O Lord, truly I am thy servant,* I am thy servant and the son of thine handmaid, thou shalt loose my bonds.
He that loveth not the Lord Jesus, let him be accursed.
O that I might love thee, as well as ever any creature loved thee. He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God. There is no fear in love.
The prayer.
O Most Gracious and eternal God and loving Father, who hast powred out thy bowels upon us, and sent the son of thy love unto us to die for love, and to make us dwell in love, and the eternal comprehensions of thy divine mercies, O be pleased to in∣flame my heart with a holy charity; towards thee and all the world. Lord I forgive all that Page 241 ever have offended me and beg that both they and I may enter into the possession of thy mer∣cies, and feel a gracious pardon from the same fountain of grace: and do thou forgive me all the acts of scandall, whereby I have provo∣ked or tempted, or lessened, or disturbed any person; Lord, let me never have my por∣tion amongst those that divide the union, and disturb the peace, and break the charities of the Church, and Christian communion; And though I am fallen into evil times, in which Christendom is divided by the names of an evil division, yet I am in charity with all Christians, with all that love the Lord Je∣sus, and long for his coming: and I would give my life to save the soul of any of my bre∣thren; and I humbly beg of thee that the publike calamity of the severall societies of the Church, may not be imputed to my soul, to any evil purposes.
II.
LOrd preserve me in the unity of the holy Church, in the love of God, and of my neighbours; let thy grace inlarge my heart to remember, deeply to resent, faithfully to use, wisely to improve, and humbly to give thanks to thee for all thy favours, with which thou hast enriched my soul, and supported my e∣state, and preserved my person, and rescued me from danger, and invited me to goodnesse in all the dayes and periods of my life. Thou hast led me thorow it with an excellent con∣duct: and I have gone astray after the man∣ner of men: but my heart is towards thee. O do unto thy servant as thou usest to do unto Page 242 those that love thy Name: let thy truth com∣fort me, thy mercy deliver me, thy staffe sup∣port me, thy grace sanctifie my sorrow, and thy goodnesse pardon all my sins: thy Angels guide me with safety in this shadow of death, and thy most holy Spirit lead me into the land of righteousnesse, for thy Names sake which is so comfortable, and for Jesus Christ his sake, our Dearest Lord and most Gracious Saviour. Amen.
