hast promised thy gracious forgiveness. And though sin has abounded, yet when we forsake our wicked ways and thoughts, and return to the Lord our God, thou hast promised to have mercy upon us and abundantly to pardon. It is thine own most true and faithful word, O Lord, that whosoever believeth in Christ shall not perish, but have everlasting life; and, that he who confesseth and forsaketh his sins shall have mercy. Though therefore I cannot find such mercy now at man's tribunal, yet I may, and will, ask it of thee, the Father of all mercies, who dost not reject the cry even of the vilest in their distress, but rememberest us in our lowest estate, and encouragest us to trust in that mercy of thine which endureth for ever. O thou that hast promised to forgive every penitent sinner, make me, Lord, I beseech thee, one of that number. O touch my heart with true remorse, that it may melt and bleed for my sins, and become such a broken, contrite heart, as thou wilt not despise

O that the distressing circumstances which I am in, may be turned (through the riches of thy grace), into a happy occasion of converting my soul, and of furthering my everlasting salvation! This is a time of shame and sorrow with me; but help me gracious God, so to repent and be converted, that my sins may be blotted out, and that a time of refreshing may come to me from the presence of the Lord. For thy name's sake, O Lord, pardon my sin, for it is great; too great for any but the God of infinite goodness and love to pardon. And that thou mayest have the glory, and my soul the blessed fruit, of thy mercy, O Lord, prepare me for it, by such a deep and serious repentance as thy holy word requires, and such as thy goodness in Christ Jesus

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will mercifully accept. What is past I cannot recall; but thou, Lord, canst remit it, and give me grace to repent of it. O strike my rocky heart, that the tears of penitence may flow down like a river; and enable me so to humble myself for my sins, that they may be blotted out from the book of thy remembrance. O blot them out as a morning cloud: blot them in the blood of thy beloved Son, who came to seek and to save that which was lost; and who suffered and died once that we might not suffer and die eternally. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin; wash me in that fountain that was opened for sin and for uncleanness, even in the precious blood of that Lamb of God, that was slain to take away the sins of the world.

My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: O most gracious Lord! grant that my sorrow may be a godly sorrow. Let me not merely sorrow for the bitter consequences of my sin, but for my sin itself, and for all the offences which I have ever committed against thy divine Majesty. O blessed Jesus, who camest to call sinners to repentance, and thyself didst hang upon the cross, and show compassion to the poor malefactor, who suffered with thee; remember me now in my last hours, and show mercy unto me for thy own mercy's sake. O Son of David, have mercy upon me. Both now and ever vouchsafe to hear me, O Christ; graciously hear me, O Lord Christ. And let thy mercy be showed upon me, as I do put my trust in thee. O glorify thy mercy in my salvation, and not thy justice in my destruction.

Though confusion is now my portion, yet help me, Lord, to bear thine indignation, as it becomes

me; and so to improve the humiliating circumstances into which my sins have brought me, that I may not hereafter awake to shame and everlasting contempt. And though I am now under the sentence of a temporal death; yet spare my soul, 0 most merciful Lord, and deliver me not into the bitter pains of eternal death. O that I may have all my shame, and sorrow, and evil things, in this life, and not be removed from this dungeon to that infinitely more tremendous prison, where I shall want even a drop of water to cool my tongue, and be confined in chains of everlasting darkness to the judgement of the great day. Be merciful unto me, O merciful Lord God: and show forth in me all the wonders of thy grace, and power, and mercy, to prepare me for, and support me under the deserved punishment, which I am about to suffer: and to give me hope in my death (even in this infamous death); and after death, a happy mansion (the least and lowest mansion) in the house of my God. I humbly ask this, for the sake of thine own tender mercies, and for the infinite merits of the great Redeemer of the world, my only Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen. Amen.

A PRAYER FOR THE ENLARGEMENT AND PROSPERITY OF THE CHURCH.

O GOD of all grace, who hast called out of this present evil world, a chosen generation to know thy will, to seek thy face, to follow thy ways, and to inherit thy glory, pour out thy blessings upon those who are yet in darkness and the shadow of death: make bare thine arm and exert thy power,

that all the ends of the earth may remember themselves, and turn to the Lord, and that all flesh may see the salvation of God. Call home to thee again thy once favoured people the Jews: and take the veil from their hearts, that they may see and own their Messias. Let that blood of Christ, which they so profanely imprecated upon their own heads, cleanse them from the guilt of shedding it: yea, let it cleanse them from all their sins. Bring in, O God, the fulness of the Gentiles: and give thy Son the heathen for his inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for his possession. O give thy gospel a free and effectual course throughout the world; let it be propagated where it has not yet reached; and let the joyful sound be heard, even where Christ is not yet named. Give success to it, where it shines already; let all who have received it, sincerely obey it: cause every one that names the name of Christ, to depart from iniquity; and grant that all who make a profession of godliness may be constrained by the love of Christ to live unto thee, and to adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.

Convince and convert both the avowed enemies of Christ, and also the enemies of his own house. Beat down all anti-christian powers, both in the false church, where Christianity is so foully corrupted; and also beyond the borders of Christendom, where it is openly opposed. Show unto all of them the light of thy truth; that they may know it, as it is in Jesus: expel their prejudices, together with their darkness; and bring them to receive thy truth in the love of it, that they may be saved. O that the true religion of our Lord Jesus may prevail powerfully, and gain more proselytes daily throughout the world: Ŏ that Jerusalem may soon become

FOR THE REFORMED CHURCHES ABROAD.

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the joy and praise of the whole earth: and that we may see the good of it all the days of our life! O thou Father of lights, grant that all errors in doctrine, and all ungodliness in practice, may be more and more exposed and suppressed, till they be utterly abolished! Let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but let truth and holiness increase in credit and authority till they reign and flourish even to the ends of the earth: grant this, we most humbly beseech thee, through the abundant grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

A PRAYER FOR THE REFORMED CHURCHES ABROAD.

BLESS, O Lord, in an especial manner, all the churches that profess thy holy and eternal truth. Protect them from the enemies that have evil will at Sion; preserve them in the faith; and restore peace unto them, wherever they be in trouble; and wherever they enjoy peace, O cause them to know the day of their visitation, and so to improve this mercy that they may be edified and multiplied. Thou hast showed thy people hard things! thou hast made them to drink the wine of astonishment; O how long shall thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture! make them glad according to the time wherein thou hast afflicted them, and wherein they have suffered adversity. Lord, how long shall the wicked triumph! how long shall they utter and speak hard things, and take crafty counsel against thy people, and consult against thy hidden ones! Arise, O God, plead thine own cause: remember how the foolish man blasphemeth thee daily. Help, Lord, for the godly man