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O Eternal God, thou alone rulest in the Kingdoms of men, thou art the great God of battels and recompences, and by thy glorious wisdom, by thy Almighty power, & by thy secret providence, doest determine the e∣vents of war and the issues of humane counsels
and the returns of peace and victory, now at least be pleased to let the light of thy counte∣nance, and the effects of a glorious mercy, & a gracious pardon return to this Land. Thou seest how great evils we suffer under the power & ty∣ranny of war, & although we submit to, & adore thy justice in our sufferings, yet be pleased to pity our misery, to hear our complaints, and to provide us of remedy against our present cala∣mities: let not the defenders of a righteous cause go away ashamed, nor our counsels be for ever confounded, nor our parties defeated, nor re∣ligion suppressed, nor learning discountenan∣ced, and we be spoiled of all the exteriour or∣naments, instruments and advantages of piety, which thou hast been pleased formerly to mi∣nister to our infirmities, for the interests of learning and religion. Amen.
WE confesse dear God, that we have de∣served to be totally extinct and sepa∣rate from the Communion of Saints, and the comforts of Religion, to be made servants to ignorant, unjust and inferiour persons, or to suffer any other calamitie which thou shalt allot us as the instrument of thy anger, whom we have so often provoked to wrath and jealousie. Lord we humbly lye down under the burden of thy rod, begging of thee to remember our infirmities, and no more to remember our sins, to support us with thy staff, to lift us up with thy hand, to refresh us with thy gracious eye▪ and if a sad cloud of temporal infelicities must still encircle us, open unto us the window of Heaven, that with an eye of faith and hope we may see beyond the cloud, looking upon those mercies which in thy secret providence and
admirable wisdom thou designest to all thy servants, from such unlikely and sad begin∣nings. Teach us diligently to do all our duty, and cheerfully to submit to all thy will; and at last be gracious to thy people that call upon thee, that put their trust in thee, that have laid up all their hopes in the bosome of God, that besides thee have no helper. Amen.
O Almighty and most merciful Father, who hast promised children as a reward to the Righteous, and hast given them to me as a te∣stimony of thy mercy, and an engagement of my duty; be pleased to be a Father unto them, and give them healthful bodies, under∣standing souls, and sanctified spirits, that they may be thy servants, and thy children all their dayes. Let a great mercy and providence lead them through the dangers and temptati∣ons and ignorances of their youth, that they may never run into folly, and the evils of an unbridled appetite. So order the accidents of their lives, that by good education, careful Tutors, holy example, innocent company, prudent counsel, and thy restraining grace, their duty to thee may be secured in the midst of a crooked and untoward generation: and if it seem good in thy eyes, let me be enabled to provide conveniently for the support of their persons, that they may not be destitute and miserable in my death; or if thou shalt call me off from this World by a more timely summons, let their portion be, thy care, mer∣cy, and providence over their bodies and souls: and may they never live vitious lives,
nor dye violent or untimely deaths; but let them glorifie thee here with a free obedience, and the duties of a whole life, that when they have served thee in their generations, and have profited the Christian Common-wealth, they may be coheirs with Jesus in the glories of thy eternal Kingdom, through the same, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
O Almighty God, merciful and gracious, have mercy upon my Family [or Pupils, or Parishioners, &c.] and all committed to my charge: sanctifie them with thy grace, pre∣serve them with thy providence, guard them from all evil by the custody of Angels, direct them in the wayes of peace and holy Reli∣gion by my Ministery and the conduct of thy most holy Spirit, and consigne them all with the participation of thy blessings and graces in this World, with healthful bodies, with good understandings, and sanctified spirits to a full fruition of thy glories hereafter, through Je∣sus Christ our Lord.
O Eternal God, thou Fountain of justice, mercy and benediction, who by my edu∣cation and other effects of thy providence hast called me to this profession, that by my industry I may in my small proportion work together for the good of my self and others: I humbly beg thy grace to guide me in my intention, and in the transaction of my af∣fairs
that I may be diligent, just, and faith∣ful: and give me thy favour, that this my la∣bour may be accepted by thee as a part of my necessary duty, and give me thy blessing to as∣sist and prosper me in my Calling, to such mea∣sures as thou shalt in mercy choose for me: and be pleased to let thy holy Spirit be for ever present with me, that I may never be given to covetousnesse and sordid appetites, to lying and falsehood, or any other base, indirect and beggerly arts, but give me prudence, honesty and Christian sincerity, that my trade may be sanctified by my Religion, my labour by my intention and thy blessing, that when I have done my portion of work thou hast allotted me, and improv'd the talent thou hast intrust∣ed to me, and serv'd the Common-wealth in my capacity, I may receive the mighty price of my high calling, which I expect and beg, in the portion and inheritance of the ever bles∣sed Saviour and Redeemer Jesus. Amen.
O Almighty God who art rich unto all, the treasure and Fountain of all good, of all justice, and all mercy, and all bounty, to whom we owe all that we are, and all that we have, being thy Debtors by reason of our sins, and by thy own gracious contract made with us in Jesus Christ: teach me in the first place to perform all my Obligations to thee, both of duty and thankfulnesse; and next enable me to pay my duty to all my friends, and my debts to all my Creditors, that none bee made miserable, or lessened in his estate by his kindenesse to me, or traffick with me.
Forgive me all those sins and irregular actions by which I entered into debt further then my necessity required, or by which such necessity was brought upon me: but let not them suffer by occasion of my sin. Lord reward all their kindnesse into their bosomes, and make them recompence where I cannot, and make me very willing in all that I can, and able for all that I am oblig'd to, or if it seem good in thine eyes to afflict me by the continu∣ance of this condition, yet make it up by some means to them, that the prayer of thy servant may obtain of thee, at least to pay my debt in blessings. Amen.
LOrd sanctifie and forgive all that I have tempted to evil by my discourse or my ex∣ample: instruct them in the right way whom I have lead to errour, & let me never run further on the score of sinne; but do thou blot out all the evils I have done, by the spunge of thy passion, and the blood of thy Crosse; and give me a deep and an excellent repen∣tance, and a free and a gracious pardon, that thou mayest answer for me, O Lord, and en∣able me to stand upright in judgement; for in thee, O Lord, have I trusted, let me ne∣ver be confounded. Pity me, and instruct me; guide me and support me, pardon me and save me, for my sweet Saviour Jesus Christ his sake. Amen.
O Almighty GOD thou Fountain of all good, of all excellency both to Men and Angels, extend thine abundant favour and loving kindnesse to my Patron, to all my
friends and Benefactors: Reward them, and make them plentiful recompence for all the good which from thy merciful providence they have conveyed unto me: Let the light of thy countenance shine upon them, and let them never come into any affliction or sad∣nesse, but such as may be an instrument of thy glory and their eternal comfort. Forgive them all their sins; let thy Divinest Spirit preserve them from all deeds of Darknesse. Let thy ministring Angels guard their per∣sons from the violence of the spirits of Dark∣nesse: And thou who knowest every de∣gree of their necessity by thy infinite wis∣dom, give supply to all their needs by thy glorious mercy, preserving their persons, sanctifying their hearts, and leading them in the wayes of righteousnesse, by the wa∣ters of comfort, to the land of eternal rest and glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.