A PRAYER FOR OUR PARENTS.

O LORD, GOD, my heavenly Father, I here prostrate myself before thee, to beg thy blessing, grace, and mercy, upon my earthly parents. Cast them not away in the time of their old age, forsake them not when their strength fails them; but have compassion, Lord, on their infirmities, and help them in all their weakness. O remember not against them any of their former iniquities; but according to thy mercy remember them, for thy goodness' sake in Christ Jesus. O that the true wisdom may be in them, and abundant grace upon them; that their hoary heads may be found in the way of righteousness, and their souls be ever precious in thy sight. Let goodness and mercy follow them all the days of their life. Let their last days be their best days; and the longer they live in this world, make them the fitter to die, and to dwell with thy blessed self, in life everlasting. O be thou their guide until death, and in death their support and comfort; and, when heart and flesh, and all here shall fail them, O do thou never fail them; but be the strength of their hearts, and their portion for everAmen.

more.

A PRAYER FOR OUR ENEMIES.

O LORD of Love, and Prince of Peace, who hast told us, that thou camest to send a sword and fire upon earth, and that through much tribulation we must enter into thy kingdom; what am I, vile sinful creature, that I should hope to be exempted from the common portion of all thy followers? If I

have raised up enemies to myself by my own misconduct, Lord, incline and enable me to appease and gain them: and so direct my ways to please thee, that my enemies may be constrained to be at peace with me. As for such as are my enemies wrongfully, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge: but forgive them; and open their eyes; and pacify their minds; and turn their hearts, that they may see their error; and, being first reconciled unto thee, may learn to dwell with their brethren in unity and godly love. If, while I study, as much as lieth in me, to live peaceably with them, they still render evil for good, enable me to requite them with nothing but good; and evermore to love my enemies, according to thy command, and according to that example which thou hast showed us in dying for thine enemies. Let me in all that I suffer from them, consider them as thy rod, and the staff of thine indignation: that instead of striving to avenge myself, I may humbly submit to thy fatherly

corrections.

O good Lord! mortify in all of us the carnal mind, that is enmity against God, and those lusts that war in our members, from whence come wars and fightings amongst us. Turn all our enmity against the common enemies of our souls. And unite all our hearts to thee, in thy true fear and love; that we may not meditate revenge, but study to be quiet; nor foment and pursue our quarrels, but follow after the things that make for peace; and with one mind, and one mouth, glorify our God, through Jesus Christ. Amen.

A PRAYER FOR THE UNCONVERTED.

O LORD GOD, gracious and merciful! thou art good to all; and thy tender mercies are over all thy works. And thou hast assured us, that thou hast no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that he should turn from his way and live. Yea, thou that didst convert Zaccheus the publican, and Saul the persecutor, hast power over all hearts to fashion them as thou wilt; and canst, even out of stones, raise up children to Abraham! and make eminent saints out of the very vilest sinners. O Father of mercies! have pity on those who have no pity on themselves; open their eyes, to see the error of their ways and the danger of their state. Soften their hearts into a penitent concernment for their sins; and awaken them to a timely care for their souls. O let thy Spirit convince them what is the wages of sin, and how dreadful is the portion of ungodly men and make them to know where their help lies, and what they must do to be saved. And the Lord make them faithful to their convictions; that they may not hold the truth in unrighteousness, but may quickly do what they are convinced is necessary to be done for their souls before it be too late.

O merciful God! give to such as have opposed themselves, repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth; and recover out of the snare of the devil, those who have been taken captive by him at his will. Let thy mercy be glorified in their conversion and salvation, and not thy justice in their abandonment and destruction.

Behold, O Lord, how many there are, who con

tradict and blaspheme thy truth, and hate and abuse the followers of Jesus, and not only resist the means used for their salvation, but turn again and rend thy servants, who seek their welfare; O God, our heavenly Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. Let them no longer stumble at thy word; but do thou stop and turn them, as thou didst the persecuting Saul, when he was mad against the saints, and verily thought with himself, that he ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus. Put them in fear, O Lord, that they may know themselves to be but chaff and stubble before thee, who art a consuming fire. And bring down their high looks, subdue their stiff necks, and break their hardened hearts, that they may submit themselves to thee, before thou hast sworn, that they shall never enter into thy rest.

And such as think they are rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing, and know not that they are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked, O Lord, discover them to themselves, and show them the perilous condition of their souls: that they may be truly penitent for their sins, and thoroughly concerned to flee from the wrath to come.

Such as are ignorant and out of the way, and to do good unto their souls have no knowledge, Lord, have compassion on them: and call them out of darkness, into thy marvellous light; that they may not perish for lack of knowledge. O let them be taught of God to know thee and themselves, and the things belonging to their peace, before they be hid from their eyes. O thou that commandest the light to shine out of darkness, be pleased to shine into their hearts: show them thy ways, and lead

them in thy truth; that they may not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Such as are in pernicious errors, and damnable heresies, departed from the faith once delivered to the saints; having their minds corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ; perverting the truth, as it is in Jesus; and not only swerving from the pure doctrine of the gospel themselves, but also lying in wait to seduce and deceive others; O Father of lights, take away the veil which is upon their hearts; that they may see wherein they have erred, and come to receive the truth in the love of it, and earnestly contend for the faith, which they once destroyed.

The prosperous worldlings and secure sinners, who are settled upon their lees, and at ease in their possessions, and admire and dote upon their worldly good, as if it were the chief and only good, applauding themselves in their portion that they have in this life, as if they had no need of God, or of heaven; O dear Father; show them how base is their choice, so to go a whoring from the Lord: and how sandy the foundation, on which at present they stand. O make them to know, that the friendship of the world is enmity with God; and that all this world can never either satisfy the desire, or compensate for the loss of an immortal soul. Yea, open their eyes, O Lord, to see, how the fashion of this world passeth away; and how soon all that, wherein they trust and delight, will be utterly gone, as if it had never been. Show them what multitudes, by forsaking God and cleaving unto mammon, miscarry and are lost for ever; drowned in that destruction and perdition, from whence there is no redemption. Discover to them

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