A Prayer before Sermon. Chriftians ; and grant that all thofe who profefs thy Name and the holy Religion of our bleflèd Saviour, may live as it becomes the Gofpel, and may depart from all iniquity. In a particular manner we pray thee to be gracious to thefe finful Nations to which we are related; to pardon our great and crying fins, to prevent thofe Judg- ments which our fins have juftly deferved, and to fpare us according to thy great Mercy. In a moreefpecial manner, we pray thee to pour down thy bleftings upon thy Servant and our Sovereign, , by thy grace King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland,. Defender ofthe Faith , and in all Caufes and over all Perfons in thefe his Dominions Supreme Governour. Preferve him in his Perfon; make his Government a publick bleffing to thefe Nations ; let Religion and Righteouf- nefs flourifh under the influences of it, and let there be abundance ofPeace inhis days. Biefs him in his Royal Relations, and all the Royal Family. And thou who art the Wife God and govenieft all the Affairs of the World, be pleas'd fo to biefs and dire& all publick Counfels and Affairs atnongft us, as that they may tend to the advancement of thy Glory, the prefervation of Religion, and the Peace and Happinefs of thefe Kingdoms. Biefs, we pray thee, all Ranks and Orders of Men amongft us, and make them all, in their feveral Places and Stations, ufeful and ferviceable to thy Glory and to the publick good. Biefs thofe to whom thou haft committed the care of inftruêing and governing thy Church, by what Titles foever they are diftinguifh'd, Arch-Biftops, Bifhops, and all others that Minifler in holy things. We pray thee to make them faithful to that Trutt which thou haft committed unto them, and to grant that by their dili- gent labours, and prudent carriage, and holy and exemplary lives, they may gain many unto Righteoufnefs. Biefs the two Univerfities of this Land ; grant that they mayanfwer the ends oftheir Inftitution, that Religion and Learning andVir- tue may be the Glory of thofe Places. We pray thee to biefs ùs thine unworthy Servants, who at this time are afiem- bled and met together in thy Name 5 to be prefent in the midft ofus, and to affift us in the Work and Service which we are about g and to grant that thofe truths which (hall be delivered to us out ofthyword, may have a due effe& and influence upon our hearts and lives: All which the humbly beg of thee for the fake ofour Lord Jefus Chrift, in whofe holyName and words, &r. 67>< A Prayer, which (as the Publifher conjeUures) he ujed before his corn= pofing his Serinons. OLord God of Truth, I humbly befeech thee to enlighten my mind by thy Holy Spirit, that I may difcern the true way to eternal Salvation : and tó free mefrom all prejudice and paffion, from everycorrupt afte&ion and intereft that may either blind me or feduce me in my fearch after it. Make me impartial in my enquiry after truth, and ready whenever it is difcove- red to me, to receive it in the love of it, to obey it from the Heart, and to pra- Life it in my life, and to continue ftedfaft in the profeffion of it to the end of my days. I perfe&ly refign my Pelf, O Lord, to thy Condu& and dice&ion, in confidence that thy mercy and goodnefs is fuch, that thou wilt not fuffer thofe who fins cerely delire to know the truth, and rely upon thy guidance, finally to mif- carry. And if in any thing which concerns the true Worfhip and Service of thee my God, and the everlafting happinefs of my Soul, I am in any errour and miftake, I eameftly beg of thee to convince me of it, and tò lead me into the way of truth ; and to confirm and eftablifh me in it daily more and more. And I befeech thee, OLord, always to preferve in me a great Compaífon and fincere Charity towards thofe that are in errour, and ignorance ofthy truth g be- 4 leeching
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