prayers, they may pass them over; but at the present moment especially, and in the approach of the ensuing national solemnity, we think them well worth transcription. "It had been best for us, O most righteous Judge, and our most merciful Father, that in our welfare, health, and quietness, and in the midst of thy manifold benefits continually bestowed upon us most unworthy sinners, we had of love hearkened unto thy voice and turned unto thee our most loving and gracious Father, for in so doing we had done the parts of good and obedient loving children. It had also been well, if at thy dreadful threats out of thy holy word continually pronounced unto us by thy servants our preachers, we had of fear, as corrigible servants, turned from our wickedness. But, alas! we have shewed hitherto ourselves towards thee neither as loving children (O most merciful Father), neither as tolerable servants, O Lord most mighty. Wherefore, now we feel thy heavy wrath, O most righteous Judge, justly punishing us with grievous and deadly sickness and plagues, we do now confess and acknowledge, and to our most just punishment do find indeed, that to be most true which we have so often heard threatened against us out of the Holy Scriptures, the word of thy eternal verity, that thou art the same unchangeable God, of the same justice that thou wilt, and of the same power that thou canst, punish the like wickedness and obstinacy of us impenitent sinners in these days as thou hast done in all ages heretofore. But the same thy Holy Scriptures, the word of thy truth do also testify, that thy strength is not shortened, but that thou canst, neither thy goodness abated, but that thou wilt, help those that in their distress do fly unto thy mercies; and that thou art the same God of all, rich in mercy towards all that call upon thy name, and that thou dost not intend to destroy us utterly, but fatherly to correct us; who hast pity upon us, even when thou dost scourge us, as by thy said Holy Word, thy gracious promises, and the examples of thy saints in thy Holy Scriptures expressed for our comfort, thou hast assured us. Grant us, O most merciful Father, that we fall not into the uttermost of all mischiefs, to become worse under thy scourge; but that this thy rod may, by thy heavenly grace, speedily work in us the fruit and effect of true repentance, unfeigned turning and converting unto thee, and perfect amendment of our whole lives; that as we through our impenitency do now most worthily feel thy justice punishing us, so by this thy correction we may also feel the sweet comfort of thy mercies, graciously pardoning our sins, and pitifully releasing these grievous punishments and dreadful plagues. This we crave at thy hand (O most merciful Father) for thy dear Son our Saviour Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. "O Lord, we have sinned, we have sinned, and multiplied our abominations in thy sight; the wanton provocation of lust in our meats, the unclean pollution of whoredom like that of Israel is on our tables and in our tents; and we have magnified ourselves in the multitude and mightiness of our nation as did David, and thy wrath is incurred, and the plague is great amongst us: just art thou (O God) in thy judgments, and it is thy mercy that we are not utterly consumed. And yet (O Lord) such is the hardness of our hearts, and so great is our security in the custom of sin, as that we are not truly touched in our souls and consciences either with that feeling apprehension of thine indignation against us, or with that fearful expectation of further calamities, as might direct and cast us down before thee with that consternation and confession as becometh such miserable and wretched sinners as we are. Notwithstanding (O Father of pity and much mercy) deal not with us according to our sins, neither reward us according to our ini quities, but sanctify unto us this thy visitation; wound our flesh with thy fear; possess our souls with an awful dread of thy power, thou which hast the hearts of all men in thy hands to prevent and prepare as it shall please thee. Convert us, and we shall be converted; turn us, and we shall be turned unto thee; take our wickedness from us and thou shalt find But being pleased to be reconciled again unto us in the name and mediation of our only Advocate and Saviour Jesus Christ, burying those great and grievous sins of our nation in the grave of that thy Son; heal us again, O Lord, thou that hast wounded us; let the voice of joy and health be in our dwellings; so shall we give thanks unto thee in the great congregation, and record thy mercies for ever and ever. "Thou hast smitten us, O Lord! thou hast plagued us, and scattered the noisome pestilence in our chief cities, and in our habitations round about; and we cry unto thee, O Lord! but the sore runneth and ceaseth not. Yet is not thine ear heavy that thou canst not hear, neither is thine arm shortened that thou canst not help; but our sins have made a separation between thee and us. Teach us, therefore, O Lord! truly to repent us of all our wickedness, that thou also mayest repent thee of the evil intended against us. And as the loathsome savour of our sins hath ascended up into thy nostrils, to provoke thy wrath and procure this plague against us, so let our humble supplications, testified with our tears and sighs poured forth before thee, sanctified through faith in the intercession of our Saviour, and thy Son, Jesus Christ, come up into thy sight, as did the incense of Aaron when he stood between the living and the dead, to turn away thy wrathful indignation from us. Oh, let us live, and we will praise thee, and thy judgment shall teach us and inform us in thy fear, that we may frame the rest of our life in all holy obedience according to thy will; and in the end of our days may be received CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 362. through thy mercy and compassion, into thy eternal glory without end. Amen. O Lord our God, most gracious and merciful, we most miserable wretches humbly beseech thee in mercy and compassion to behold our grievous affliction; for thine indignation lieth hard upon us, thine arrows stick fast in us, and the venom thereof doth drink up our spirits, and thy terrors do fight against us. We confess, O Lord! that these thy judgments are just; for we have multiplied our transgressions like the sand of the sea, and the cry of them hath been so great that it hath pierced the heavens, and called for vengeance against us. But yet we beseech thee, O Lord! forget not thou to be gracious, and shut not up thy loving kindness in displeasure: turn thee again at the last, and be gracious unto thy servants. Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: O deliver us, and be merciful unto our sins, for thy name's sake; take thy plague away from us, for we are even consumed by the means of thy heavy hand: cause thine angel to sheath his sword again, and preserve thou those which are appointed to die. to die. O satisfy us with thy mercy, and that soon; so shall we rejoice and be glad all the days of our life. Comfort us again now after the time that thou hast plagued us; so shall we, that be thy people and the sheep of thy pasture, give thee thanks for ever; and we will always be shewing forth thy praise from generation to generation. Grant us, O Lord! we beseech thee, these graces, for Jesus Christ his sake, thy only Son and our only Saviour. Amen. "Almighty God and heavenly Father, whose justice and judgment is most severe and fearful against those that wittingly and willingly transgress thy holy commandments, and stubbornly continue in their sins and wickedness: whose mercy again is infinite, and most ready to pardon and succour all such as in true repentance turn from their sins unto righteousness, and come unto thee in the faith and mediation of Jesus Christ. We, thy humble servants and miserable sinners, now visited and sore afflicted with this grievous plague and pestilence, most worthily sent amongst us for our iniquities and transgressions, in true acknowledgment of our manifold wickedness, and thy just judgment upon us for the same, in unfeigned repentance and hearty sorrow for our sins, with a full purpose and promise, by thy gracious assistance, of a better life hereafter, do now come unto thy throne of grace, in the name and mediation of thy dear Son (in whom thou art well pleased, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ) in assured faith of atonement purchased for us by his blood, and full confidence of thy general pardon proclaimed unto us in the Gospel; most humbly beseeching thee, for his sake, to pardon and forgive us all our sins past, in thought, word, and deed, any ways committed against thy Divine Majesty and holy laws: to give unto us every day more earnest and unfeigned repentance for the same; to plant in our hearts, by the grace of thy Holy Spirit, a settled fear of thy name, and full resolution to lead the rest of our life in the careful obedience of thy holy will in our callings and faithful hope of a better life to come: and so to remove from us speedily this heavy plague and grievous affliction which now reigneth and rageth amongst us, lest we be utterly consumed. Grant us, good Lord, of thy grace and mercy, all means needful hereunto; seasonable weather and good air, wholesome meats and medicines, and whatsoever else thou knowest profitable for us; together with a due care and conscience in ourselves to use the same accordingly; that neither we tempt thy Majesty by presumption, in contemning of the contagion, or neglecting the means of avoiding, removing, and repressing the same: neither despair of thy goodness or murmur against thy providence, if we be not so soon eased and delivered as we desire; but that we may, submitting ourselves in all things to thy good will and pleasure, seek thy merciful favour for our release and succour, by true faith and repentance: use the means for ease which thou givest us with care and diligence: help the afflicted, and preserve the whole, with compassionate pity and charity and finally depend upon thy providence, and wait for thy gracious deliverance with constant hope and patience. Hear us, and help us, O Lord God of mercy and Father of compassion, in the name and for the sake of thy dear Son, our most gracious Mediator and Redeemer, and most glorious Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen." It pleased God to hear and to answer the prayers of his servants; so that some time after, in the same year, we find set forth "a short form of thanksgiving to God for staying the contagious sickness of the plague, to be used in common prayer on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays." The preceding form of humiliation which was, as we have stated, very long, and took in both Morning and Afternoon Service, was confined to Wednesdays. This form of thanksgiving is printed with peculiar neatness; the copy before us being as smooth as if hot-pressed, and a beautiful specimen of black-letter type, with a frontispiece containing pictures of faith, humility, and other allegorical representations. We copy the first collect as a specimen of the composition. "Almighty Lord, the Father of mercies, and God of all consolation, we do with all humbleness confess that, as our sins have surpassed the number and measure of the transgressions of our fathers; so thou hast most justly and deservedly laid upon us thy heavy hand, by sending a plague more dreadful than hath been felt in their days. Yea, in the very time of thy visitation, whilst thy angry countenance was bent against us, we have not performed that degree of repentance and humiliation, which so sharp a scourge did call for at our hands; but rather in the midst of that danger did hold on the same our former course of carnal security and neglect of thy commandments. vice, and a Homily or Exhortation, is not accompanied by an order for fasting. Much of it relates to the subject of the war in which the nation was then engaged; and services of this nature are always apt to jar upon a sensitive Christian mind, however patriotic, as breathing something of a spirit of imprecation. But, our present topic being pestilence, we shall confine our notice to that, presenting our readers first with a portion of one of the prayers, and next with some passages from the Exhortation. Yet now (O gracious Lord), to thy glory and our comfort we acknowledge thy unspeakable mercy in staying the hand of thy destroying angel, and restoring suddenly, beyond expectation, the voice of joy and health in our habitations. It is thy goodness, and mere favour to us, that thou hast rather chosen to glorify thy mercy in saving us, than to magnify thy justice in our destruction. Go on, merciful Lord, we beseech thee, continue and perfect this thy blessed work of preservation throughout every congregation and family of this kingdom: enlarge thy favours to thy church, our king, and state; enrich them with all inward and outward blessings; and give us such effectual grace, that we, looking every of us into that plague of his own heart, may abhor our own corruptions, and turn from our evil ways, evermore acknowledging that thy long suffering calleth us to repentance; that the prolonging of our days should be the breaking off of our sins; and that this restoring of health and safety unto thy people, is to work in us a perpetual thankfulness, both in word and obedience to thee, by the merits and intercession of thy blessed Son, by whose stripes we are healed of the wounds and infection both of soul and body. To Him, our only Saviour, with Thee and the Holy Ghost, be all praise and glory. Amen." Human life is a chequered scene; and in the aspirations of the Christian towards his God, prayer and praise, the cry of affliction and the voice of joy, are blended, or rapidly succeed each other. And thus it was on this occasion; for the very next year after the above thanksgiving-namely, in 1626-we find issued another " form of prayer necessary to be used in these dangerous times of war and pestilence." The plague (so called in the service) had re-appeared, or rather, after leaving the metropolis, had visited other places in the country. This form, which consists as usual of the whole Morning and Evening Ser The following is a portion of one of the prayers, which we do not recollect seeing in any former service, and which was probably composed for the occasion. The fluctuation of the pestilence from place to place, is in close parallel with the history of the passing moment; and we doubt not that the prayer will be offered to the Throne of Grace by many of our readers from the heart, as the lines meet their eye or echo from their lips. "Look down, O gracious King of glory, look down from the habitation of thy holiness, and behold us with the eye of pity, that lift up our hearts and hands unto thee for mercy. At the footstool of thy throne of grace we prostrate our souls and bodies, with fasting, with tears, and supplications, beseeching thee, for the death and passion of our blessed Saviour, to accept this our unfeigned submission. To thy glory, O Lord, and to our own shame, we confess that thy favours and blessings have made this kingdom to be admired by our friends, and envied by our enemies; but the sins thereof have called for such punishments upon us, as may make us to be pitied by all. Grievous it is, and even a part of this our humiliation, to remember the waste of late made in the principal parts of this kingdom by the devouring pestilence. And this thy scourge, though ceasing now to smite where it struck deepest before, yet making still further entrance into other parts of this land, it reviveth · our sorrow, and redoubleth our humiliation before thee; that thou mayest hear the groans of thy afflicted children, and bind up the wounds of our dear brethren. Stop the course of thy destroying angel, O Lord, and for the stinting of this dreadful infection of our bodies, cleanse, by thy purifying grace, the sinful stains of our souls." The Exhortation is also, so far as we can discover, original; by whom composed we know not, and we are not aware that it has ever been reprinted. We shall extract a portion of it, chiefly relative to the pestilence, omitting the interwoven topic of war. It contains important spiritual instruction; and much of it applies with striking appropriation to the affairs of the present moment, What Christian can read without deep emotion, the passage beginning O but some will say," &c. It is not long since (as you know) that Almighty God, who justly scourged us with his chastening rods of famine, and the latter by pestilence, did, after that his fatherly correction, upon our public humiliation, both satisfy our hungry souls with plenty, and likewise so miraculously deliver us from the jaws of death, in the principal part of this kingdom, as if we had heard him command his destroying angel, saying, Stay thy hand, it is sufficient, and immediately the plague ceased. As, therefore, the sense of his fiery indignation may terrify us from all further provocation of his wrath, by custom of sinning; so ought the experience of his exceeding mercy challenge from us an humble thankfulness and constant obedience to his will. Notwithstanding (O the perfidiousness of the carnal heart of man!) who seeth not that God hath discovered our hypocrisies, by his plague yet remaining in divers parts of this realm; seeing that we cannot but know that these coals of his fierce wrath had not further burned, except they had been kindled by our rebellious affections, which are set on fire of hell. For what else are the visible judgments of God, but real reproofs of our sins and expressions of his wrathful displeasure against us; wherefore we may much suspect ourselves, that we, by God's late affliction, were rather humbled, than truly humble; being, as it were, forced to that our outward humiliation, more by a slavish fear than by any filial sorrow for our transgressions of his will, and for abuse of his patience; much less by love of that his mercy towards us in our marvellous deliverance. Yet may you not understand this so spoken of us, as thereby to condemn all outward humiliation in fear, whensoever we are under God's hand of correction. No; for the Holy Ghost noteth such obstinates, who being stricken of God, grieved not at all, nor trembled at his presence, nor said in their hearts, Let us serve the Lord; and condemneth them as foolish and ignorant of the ways of the Lord and the judgments of their God, and accordingly denounceth God's just vengeance against them. For what greater affront and irreverence can be done to the Majesty of God than not to quake and tremble when they see God's hand of vengeance present before them; or how can they conceive that God will compassionate their miseries, whose hearts are so hard that the furnace of God's wrath cannot melt them. Know ye therefore, beloved, and let it be printed in your souls, as a necessary truth, that the greatest cause of fear, is our not fearing of the visible judgments of God. This God himself sheweth, by binding himself with an oath, that they who give themselves to eating, drinking, and rejoicing, in the days of mourning and weeping, should certainly die and perish. (Isa. xxii. 12.) "Nevertheless, all they that would truly understand themselves, that their conversion unto God is sincere and unfeigned, let them not be contented to be driven to a religious walking before God, only by fear of punishment; but contend especially by all holy means, to be animated with that love of the goodness of God, whereof the Apostle speaketh, saying, (Rom. ii.) “The goodness of God leadeth to repentance: the root |