so that I may finish my course with joy, and at last rest from all my labours and troubles, with the redeemed and blessed of the Lord; which I wait and beg for at thy good hands, O my gracious Father, for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen. A Prayer for Preparation and Readiness to Die. : ap ORD, what is our life but a vapour that pears for a little time, and then vanisheth away! even at the longest, how short; and at the strongest how frail! and when we think ourselves most secure, yet we know not what a day may bring forth, to turn us out of all; nor how soon thou mayest come, before we are aware, to call us to our last account. Quickly shall we be as water spilt on the ground, that cannot be gathered up again quickly snatched away from hence, and our place here shall know us no more for ever; our days, one after another, are spent apace, and we know not how near to us is our last day, when our bodies shall be laid up in the grave, and our souls called to appear at the tribunal of God, to receive our standing doom, for bliss or woe eternal. Yet, O good God, how have I lived in this world, as if I should never leave it! how unmindful of my latter end! how improvident of my time! how careless of my soul! how negligent in my preparation for my everlasting condition! so that thou mayest justly bring my last hour as a snare upon me, to surprize me in my sins, and my unpreparedness to appear before thee. But, O dear Father of mercies, remember not my sins against me; but remember thy own tender mercies, and thy loving kindnesses which have been ever of old. O remember how short my time is, and spare me, that I may recover my strength before I go hence, and be no more seen; make me so wise as to understand and consider my latter end, and to remember also myself, the shortness of my time: and teach me so to number my days, that I may apply my heart to the true wisdom. Lord, what have I to do in this world, but to make ready for the world to come. O that I may be mindful of it, and intent upon it, to finish my work before I finish my course! In the days of my health and peace, and prosperity, O that I may remember, and provide for the time of trouble and sickness, and death, when the world's enjoyment shall shrink away from me, and prove utterly unable to support and help me. O let me never allow myself in any course of living wherein I would be loth or afraid to die; but let me see my sins die before me, that they may never rise up in judgment against me, and enable me so to die unto them daily that I may not die for sin eternally. Instruct me, good Lord, and assist me in my great work of preparation for a dying hour, that I may not then be dreadfully surprized, but meet it with courage and comfort. O gracious God, shew me how to do it; quicken me into a serious concernment about it, and help me with good success to perform it, that I may be fitted for heaven ere I leave this earth, and may have the sound peace with God, through Jesus Christ, before I depart hence into the state, where I must abide for ever. O my Lord, make me so ready to meet thee at thy coming, that thy coming may be the matter of my hopes and desires, and joyful expectations, that I may love the appearance of Christ, who is my life, and long for that blessed time, when thou wilt put an everlasting period to all my sins and troubles, and temptations here, and exchange my present being in the body, to be ever with the Lord. O my strength, help me so to live, as, at the hour of death, I shall wish that I had lived, and so to make ready for death all my days, that at my last day I may have nothing to do but to die, and cheerfully resign my spirit into thy gracious hands, O my Father, and find a merciful admission to thy favour and to thy kingdom, for the sake of my only Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen. A Prayer in Public Commotions and Distractions. LMIGHTY Lord, the righteous God! thy A judgments are in all the earth; and it is no wonder if this wicked world should be also a troublesome world, where wars and rumours of wars are abroad, and the sword is making havoc among the nations; and though we have hitherto been kept from such wasting calamities as have swept away multitudes of our brethren, yet thou, for our sins, hast now broken our nation, and made it tremble: O heal the breaches of it, for it shaketh. We have no sanctuary to fly to for refuge, but that mercy of thine, O good God, which we have so much and so often abused and despised; nor any help from trouble, but what we seek at thy hands, who for our sins art justly displeased. Ŏ thou that waitest to be gracious, and whose mercy endureth for ever, have compassion on us, and spare us, good Lord; spare thy people whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood, and still signalized with thy wonderful mercies; and turn us again, O Lord God of hosts; cause thy face to shine upon us, and we shall be saved. O make us a way to escape out of those fears and dangers wherein our sins have involved us, that peace may be restored, and the gospel of R peace in much mercy continued to us in our posterity, as long as the world endures. O that we may learn righteousness by thy judgments, and not dare to go on in our trespasses and rebellions against thee, when thou hast a controversy with us, and art making inquisition for blood amongst us; but let us so turn to thee in the way of our duty, that thou mayest turn to us in a way of saving mercy; and seeing this is not our rest, and little but alarms and commotions, and one deep calling to another, is to be expected in this uncertain tumultuous world, O that we may have our eyes further than the ends of the earth, and lift them up to the Lord, from whom cometh our help, and seek the continuing city to come, and lay up our rest and our treasure in that kingdom which cannot be moved; that we may choose the good part which shall not be taken from us, and flee from the wrath to come, and have peace in our Lord, and hope in our death; even the hope of that eternal life, which is thy promise and gift, O blessed God, through Jesus Christ. Amen. G A Prayer in time of threatening Dangers. REAT God, holy and just! I am amazed and terrified to think of the dreadful wages which my sins have deserved; fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and my spirit is overwhelmed, and my heart fails me for fear, so that I know not what to do; but my eyes are upon thee, my great Saviour, and mighty Deliverer, to give me that help which from man it is vain to expect; and this time that I am afraid, I will trust in thee; and under the shadow of thy wings make my refuge, till these calamities be over-past. O my Lord, take me to thy fatherly care, and thy almighty protection, and save me from the hands of my enemies, and from feeling the evils which I fear to come upon me: O dispel the clouds, and turn away the storms, and clear up the face of heaven, so blackened now over our heads. Thou, O Lord, that knowest how to deliver, and never art at a loss to effect what thou wilt, command deliverances for me, I beseech thee; and be not far from me, when trouble seems so nigh to me,but let me find thy help at hand, in this time and case of my need. O my God, thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower of defence from the enemy; and though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt receive me; thou wilt stretch forth thy hand upon my enemy, and thy right hand shall save me. my Saviour, I fly to thee to hide me; be thou pleased to defend me from them that rise up against me: consider the trouble that I suffer of them that hate me, and lead me in thy righteousness because of my enemies; make thy way straight before my face. Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil and violent man, and from my persecutors that are stronger than I. O let not any that are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me; but shew me some token for good that they who hate me may see it and be ashamed, because thou Lord hast helped and comforted me. O fortify me against that fear of any men which would terrify me out of my duty to thee, my God; let me never be so awed by them as to make bold with thee, and trespass upon thee to escape them, or to ingratiate myself with them. Thou hast been my help, be thou pleased to come in now to my succour, and shew thyself graciously and powerfully on my behalf. Do it, Lord, for the glory of thy name, for the merits of thy Son, and for thy own mercy's sake, that I may see thy hand, and |