The Prayer collected out of the One hundred and thirty ninth Psalm.

SO great is thy knowledge, [Ver. 1] providence, and perspicality, O Almighty God, [Ver. 2] that nothing can be hid from thy eye, Thou hast searched and known my actions, [ 3] my thoughts, my motions, and my intentious: There is not a word in my tongue, [ 4] but thou know'st it altogether. Whither then shall I go from thy Spirit? [Ver. 7] or whither shall I go from thy presence? Could I ascend to Hea∣ven, [ 8] Thou art there? should I make my bed in Hell, Thou art there also? Nor East, nor West, nor Sea, nor Land, nor Night, nor Day, are able to conceal us from thée; for thou knowest all, and art present at all our secrets: So awe us then, O God, nay, over-awe us by the presence of thy eye, that in fear and reverence we may walk before thée, as wary to offend the eye of holiness, and to provoke the ear of jealousie.

I never cast my eye seriously upon my self, but I find matter of wonder and fear; [ 13] for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Thou wert present with those seminal vessels, [ 14] when I was framed in secret, and fashioned in my mothers womb. [ 15] Thy work then was curious, the formation strange, the symmetry wonderful, [ 16] the harmony admirable, the proportions sutable; in thy Book, were all my members written, which in continuance were fashioned; from an im∣perfect Embrio, Thou brought'st me to the shape of a perfect child, and gavest me life and being. [ 17]

O how precious are all thy thoughts unto me, [ 18] O God? how great is the sum of them? If I should go about to count them, they pass my capacity; for they are more in number than the Sand; and therefore so often as I take thy wayes and works into consideration, I awake out of the lethargy of a secure and careless mind, and am present with thée in my thoughts and meditations, as desirous only to live to thée, and to please thée alone.

Thy wisdom, [ 19] thy knowledge, thy presence doth over-awe me in all my wayes; [ 20] for I am assured, that thou looksst into the very secret recesses of the heart, and that thou wilt slay the wicked, and all them that speak against thee wickedly, and who take thy Name in vain: These thou countest for thy enemies, and they never shall be estéemed for my friends: Depart therefore from me you bloody men. [ 21] Thou, Lord, which knowest all things, and searchest the secrets of all hearts, [ 22] art my witness, That I hate them that hate thee, and that I am grieved with those that rise up against thee; yea, I hate them with a perfect hatred; because they are enemies to thée, therefore I count them my enemies.

They lay to my charge many grievous crimes, for I am a man of contenti∣ons, they charge me as a pestilent Fellow, a son of Belial, a troubler of Israel: But' Lord, Thou knowest my Innocency, and integrity of my heart; to thée there fore I appeal, [ 23] who art an infallible Witness and Iudge of my Conver∣sation. Search me then, O my God, and know my heart; try me, and examine my thoughts; and see if there be any wicked way, any action, or progress of any wickedness in me: And if (as by the testimony of a good conscience I am firmly perswaded) no such guilt can be found upon me, [ 24] leave we not then to perish with wicked men, but lead me constantly in the way of Virtue and Re∣ligion (in which, without thy conduct, I cannot walk) lead me, I say, in that way, by thy Word and Spirit, which will bring me to everlasting life, through the merits of Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen.