Mr, Cradecot's Prayer. 413 op/gimp/ire Anddifpofe our unprepared, and indifpofedfouls, for holy ab- fervation ofthis thine own holy day : will the Lord vouchfafe us the in- comes of his frrit, and influences ofhisgrace, whereby we may be Ind- bled to offer up fpiritualfacriflces, which may be acceptable by 3-eftts aril?. Lord, thou requireft praying hearts, but thou haft not com- manded us to safe Prayer books, and if thou wilt give us the fpirit of Prayer, we fhall not need them. Lord, give sta,,praying hearts at this time, les us find by experience, that thy Sabboth ts a day of fouls oppor tranity ; that thine Ordinances arefull ofmarrow ; that thouhag not faid unto thy children, thefeed ofJacob, feekmy face in vain. We acknowledge we are unworthy to lift up our eyes, to Heaven, we have caufe enough tocry out God be merciful to us fanners, tsndeferving, all deferving men and women ; we acknowledge our natures are blots of all wickanefes we are by nature enemies to thy Majefly, heires of death, children of darknefe, (laves to fin, captives to luft, dead in fins and trefpares ; how are our underfiandings darkened, and our hearts hardned what are our hearts but a flare-boute of malicious thoughts ? a brothel -h. of adultery ? a Mace of pride ? we are by nature wholly fle (h ' totally oppoflte to the holy Lames of thy Majelly, and were it not forth , renewing, or reftraining grace, we Ihould breakforth into as vile abominations as thevileft ofmen. Our lives have been a continual piece ofrebellion againft God, who didfl make us, and doeftfeed and cloath us; all thy paths have been paths of mercy to us, but we have requited thee evilfor thy good, andhatredfor thy love : 0 foolifh men and women that we have been ! we acknowledge our gofeel fins are of a deep dye ; thou hall not been a wildernejj'e, or a land ofdarkneffe to us ; we have been ex- alted to Heaven in the means of falvation, but oh how (hart do we come of knowledge to the time and meanes we have enjoyed, and our obedie, ce comes (bort ofour knowledge ; we have not walkedup to that light which thou hag given us. We defire to lay our (elves low before thee, oh do thou open our eyes, and prefent us to our likes, (hewus the vileneffe of our live c : Blered be thy name, that thou haft laid help upon one that is mighty, to fave all that come to thy (...7krafefy. by him ? and thou haft promifed all that lieve on him (hail not pertflo, but have everlafling life : Oh help us to re- ceive him in all his offices , in our hearts ; help us to give him the keys ofour hearts ; and help us to live and dye to him that dyed for us, and let our fouls be united to thee by him, that his death may be ours, and his life ours, and his intercefflon ours : oh let our unity to Chr:g be demonfirated to us by our communion with him,andcon- formity to him, ingrace and holineffe. And pray thee, dwelt Lord, pardon our (ins in the Court of .plea- . veto, and in thecourl offur CONIC-i&tices, bofprinkle our conicienes in the
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=