Thou didst, O God, shew mercy to Nebuchadnezzar, and gavest to him the heart of a man, after he had sinned, and fallen into the lot of beasts and wildness; and thy hand is not shortened, that thou canst not help; but let thy mercies and lovingkindness return upon thy servants as at first, that thou mayst rejoice in thy mercies and Salvation, because thou hast pleasure in the prosperity of thy servants. Grant this, Almighty God and Father, for Jesus Christ's sake, our Lord and dearest Saviour. Amen.

A Prayer in behalf of Heretics, and seduced

Persons.

O MOST blessed, most gracious Saviour Jesus, who art the way, and the truth, and the life, thou that art a light to them that sit in darkness, the light that lightneth every man that cometh into the world; preserve thy Church in peace and truth, in love and holiness to thy second coming: reduce every misbeliever to the fold of thy Church; instruct every ignorant person in the ways of godly wisdom; subdue the pride of man, and bring every understanding to the obedience of thy sacred Law. Let no man's vanity or ignorance divide the Church; let not any holy truth be sullied with the mixture of impure and heretical doctrines; nor evil principles disorder the beauties of Religion and godly living; nor any doctrines of men be taught as the comT 2 mandment

mandment of God; but grant that the truth of God may be publicly maintained, constantly taught, humbly believed, zealously practised by all men in their several stations; that in the Church of God there be no contention but in giving honor to each. other, and glory to God in all the ways of faith and charity, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Bless the ministry of thy holy word in its ordinary dispensation; grant it may prevail, mightily, for the convincing of them that have no faith, for the reproving of the errors of them whose faith is not pure; for the confirming them who are weak in faith; for the perfecting them who are novices in faith; open the hearts of all gain-sayers, take from them all their prejudices and all their passions, their secular interests and confident opinions, that they may, humbly and meckly, attend to the voice of God in the mouths of thy servants, in the pages of Scripture, in the doctrines of the Spirit; that they may do nothing against the truth, but for the truth; that they may not quench the Spirit, nor despise prophesying, nor shut their eyes against the light, and their hearts against the love, of God: but grant that, in all things being obedient to the heavenly calling, they may receive the blessings of truth and peace in this world, and in the world to come, exalting the kingdom, and partaking the glories, of our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

[These

[These three last prayers may be used upon any of the great festivals of the year; especially Easter-day, Ascension-day, Whitsunday, and upon eight days after these festivals; or upon Good Friday.]

For Grace to spend our Time well.

O ALMIGHTY God, who from all Eternity dost behold and love thy own glories and perfections infinite, and hast created me to serve thee in this generation according to my capacities; give me thy Grace, that I may so prudently employ my time, as best to prevent or resist all temptation, and be profitable to the Christian commonwealth; and by discharging all my duty, may glorify thy name. Take from me all slothfulness, and give me a diligent and an active spirit, and wisdom to chuse my employment, that I may do works becoming my person, and worthy of a Christian, and may fill up all the spaces of my time with actions of Religion and charity; that my dearest Lord, at his sudden coming, may find me busy in lawful, necessary, and pious actions, improving the talent with which thou hast entrusted me, that I may enter into the joy of my Lord, to partake of his eternal felicities, even for thy mercies sake. Amen.

A Prayer

A Prayer for holy intention in the beginning and pursuit of any considerable action, as study, preaching, &c.

O ETERNAL God, who hast made all things for man, and man for thy glory, sanctify my body and soul, my thoughts and my intentions, my words and actions, that whatsoever I shall think, or speak, or do, may by me be designed to the glory of thy name, and, by thy blessing, it may be efficacious and successful in thy work, O God, according as it can be capable of being so. Lord, turn my necessities into virtue, the works of nature into the works of Grace, by making them orderly, regular, temperate, subordinate and profitable to ends beyond their own proper efficacy: and let no pride, no covetousness, or revenge, no impure mixture, or unworthy purposes, no little ends and low imaginations pollute my spirit, and unhallow any of my words and actions: but let my body be a servant of my spirit, and both body and spirit servants of Jesus; that doing all things for thy glory here, may be partaker of thy glory hereafter, through Jesus our Lord, Amen,

I

For the Church.

O ETERNAL God, thou preserver of men, and the great lover of souls, have pity and com

passion

passion on the established Church. Thou humblest us for our pride, and chastisest us for our want of discipline. O forgive us all our sins, by which thou hast been provoked to anger and to jealousy, to despise our sorrows, and to arm thyself against

us.

Blessed God, smite us not with an exterminating judgment; call not the watchmen off from their guards, nor the angels from their charges; let us not die by a famine of thy word and Sacraments. If thou smitest us with the rod of a man, thou canst sanctify every stroke unto us, and canst bring good out of the evil, and thou delightest to do so; but nothing can bring us recompence if thou hatest us, and sufferest the souls of thy people to perish.

Unite our hearts and tongues, take away the spirit of error and division from among us, and so order all the accidents of thy Providence, that Religion may encrease, and our devotion may be great and popular, and truth may be encouraged and promoted, and thy name glorified, and thy servants comforted and instructed, that thy holy Spirit may rule, and all interests may yield and obey, publish and advance the honor of our Lord Jesus. Amen.

For