as Abraham found a Ram intangled in a Bush, likewise in the midft of the sharpest Storms of Affliction, and in the most intricate Difficulties that you dread, you shall find unexpected Sweetness and Comforts. And as feveral Colours of the beautiful Rainbow, appear upon the Cloud, whence proceed the Storms and the Rain, likewise thus, in the greatest Afflictions God will give you fome Teftimonies of his Fatherly Care, and of his Divine Love. The Confidence that you shall have in God, shall never be confounded; for the Love of God is fpread in your Hearts by the holy Spirit, that he hath given you. The hotter the Fire of Affliction shall be, the more and greater Miracles it shall bring forth. The higher the Waters of your Flood shall rife, the nearer they will approach your Souls to God, and the nearer you will draw to Heaven, the Place of your Soul's everlasting Reft. Comfort therefore your felves, my dear Children, and affure your selves, that by the favourable Affistance of God's Grace and Mercy, we shall speedily fee one another again. I shall not return to you, but you shall come to me; for I am going to that fpacious and magnificent Dwelling, whither our Lord and Saviour Jesus Chrift is gone before, to prepare a Place for us, and where he will embrace us all. I am going up to my Father and your Father, to my God, and to your God. A Meditation and Prayer for such as are in any Command, who prepare for Death, by trusting upon God's good Providence. of the World! of Kings, and Sovereign Lord King I adore thy Divine Majesty, with areal Sense of thy special Favour, for having placed me in this honourable Station, advanc'd me to this Command and Empire, which I am now ready to resign into thy Hands; Suffer me not to be puffed up with Pride, or to forget my mortal Condition in the midst of all this outward Splendor and Glory. While I continue bere, grant that I may study to promote thy Honour and Service, and treat such as are under me as my Fellow-Creatures, and thy Servants. Grant that I may behave my self as in thy fight, and in all my Actions be ready to give up an Account to thee, mygreat Judge of my temporal Administration: Grant that Death may never surprise me, but that I may be always prepared to entertain it with Joy, to lay down this Crown and Scepter, to cast off this Purple Robe, and all these Marks of my Authority, to yield them into thy Hands. Wean my Heart and Affections from their temporal and deceitful Vanities, that I may be willing to part with them at thy Command. Let me look up to thy heavenly Kingdom, meditate upon those Divine Excellencies of Eternity provided for me, from which Death will have no Power to remove me. I Submit my self wholly with all the Riches, Grandeur, and Power that thou hast bestowed upon me, unto thy Di vine Pleasure, to dispose of me as thy Wisdom shall judge convenient. But I beseech thee, good God, take into thy Protection the Subjects that Ileave behind. Continue thy Truth and Gospel to them and their Posterity. Grant that my Succeffor may have the same Zeal, Love and Care for Religion, that he may be a Support to it, and cause it to flourish more and more. Give to all thy People Grace to fear and love thee, to be united among themselves, and obedient to Authority. And now, Lord, receive me into thine eternal Mercy, and into that Kingdom, where I may glorifie thee for ever. A Prayer and Meditation for a Minister of the Gospel, who looks upon Death with Joy and Comfort. Universal Shepherd and Bishop of Souls! I cannot Sufficiently acknowledge and value the Graces, and Mercies, with which I find my self blest, and thy Favour in calling me to an Office which the Angels esteem an Honour to be employedin, and in which thou hast been active during thine Abode in the World. Thou hast been pleased to appoint me a Minister of thy People, and to commit to my Trust the dearest and most precious Thing of the World, namely, thy Church, for which thou hast expreffed so great a Love as to give thy self and life to redeem it. I am fenfible, O Lord, of my Weakness and Insufficiency for fo weighty a Charge; fince I am to encounter with the World's Hatred and Cruelty, the Devil's Wiles and Malice, and many Hardships besides, from those who should encourage me. I expect therefore from thy Power and Goodness the Assistance needful to support me under all temporal Difficulties, while thou art pleased to continue me in this Employ. Open a wide Gate to the Gospel of thy Grace, that all People may see the Salvation of God. Dif appoint all the Counsels of thine Enemies, and grant that I may neither be frighted nor corrupted in the Discharge of my Duty. Subdue Satan under our Feet, and grant that thy Truth may be always victorious over Error and Heresy. I am now, Lord, to appear before thee, and give thee an account of my Stewardship. I appeal therefore to thine infinite Knowledge, that can witness for me, how faithfully and fincerely I have endeavoured to perform the Duties of my Calling, and my Conscience can testify for me, that I have declared nothing, but what is agreeable with thy Divine Oracles. I have endeavour'd to instruct the Ignorant, to discourage Vice and Profaneness, to comfort the troubled in Mind, and in all things to promote Religion, Piety, thy Glory, and the Good of thy Church in the World. I have A I have prefer'd thy Will, and thy heavenly Treasure to all worldly Advantages. I have taken a fingular Pleasure in declaring the wonderful Councils of thy Wisdom, and the Mysteries of thy Kingdom. I have delighted and endeavoured to save Souls, so that I may say with David, The Zeal of thine House hath eaten me up. But for all this, I pretend not to be justified before thee. In all Humility I caft my self at thy Feet, to implore the Pardon of my frequent Imperfections, Neglects, and Miscarriages, which I know I have been guilty of in thy Service. I confess, I have been wanting in my Zeal and Charity, too remiss in the Reproof of Vice, too much concern'd for my self, and too affectionate for my worldly Intereft. O Lord, if thou should'st now treat me according to the Severity of thy Justice, and require from me the Souls perifb'd by my Negligence, or evil Example, I should expect the Doom of the unprofitable Servant. But there is Mercy referved for me with thee, O my God! Accept therefore my Repentance for all the Errors and Omissions of my Life past; and lay 'em not to my Charge; but comfort me with thy Salvation. Strengthen my Faith, increase my Hope and Assurance in thee. And when Death Shall come to make a Diffolution, give me Strength and Grace to welcome it as thy Messenger, sent to remove me from my Station, to free me from my Pains and Labour, and to convey me to thine eternal Rest; where I shall be no longer sensible of the Viciousness and Impieties of the Age. Gracious God, preserve thy Church and People from all ravenous Wolves, and mercenary Souls; andraise up a faithful, folid, wife, and learned Clergy. Bring in our Diffenting Brethren, and give a Check to the Spirit of Divifion, that we may all ferve thee in the Unity of the Spirit, in the Bond of Peace. But now I am call'd to another Ministry, where I shall meet with no Trouble, nor Resistance; no Weariness, Grief, Pain, Sorrow, or Displeasure; where I shall be received into the Embraces of my blessed Saviour, who will lead me to the Fountain of living Water, and wipe away all Tears from mine Eyes, Amen. A Prayer A Prayer and Meditation for the Father of a Family. : Atber Ather of of Eternity, I yield unto thee my unfeigned Thanks, because thou hast made me an happy Inftrument, to put into the World, Children out of whose Mouths thou mayest accomplish thine own Praise, and who may serve thee here below, and worship thee for ever in Heaven, amongst the Thousands of Angels. Whilst I have been in the World, I have brought them up in thy Love and Fear. I bave caused them to fuck from the Breast the Milk of Piety; and when they were come to an Age of Understanding, I have taught them to walk in thy Precepts. I have laboured to shew them a good Example, and to guide them in thy Truth. And now that I am ready to return unto thee, who art the Author of my Life and Being, the only Source of my Happiness, I leave them in thy merciful Hands, beseeching thee to look down upon them with the Eyes of thy Compaffion. They are thine, O Lord, acknowledge thine own Image and Handywork. Thy Finger hath fashioned these Bodies, where so many Wonders are to be Seen. And these Souls that animate and move them, are the Breath and Beams of thy Divinity. Thou hast engaged to be our God, and the God of our Posterity after us. Thy great and precious Promises have been made to us, and to our Children. O heavenly Father, I defire not that thou Shouldest take them out of the World, but that thou shouldest keep them from evil. Cover them under the Shadow of thy Wings, and preserve them from those Miseries and Calamities, which thou hast threatned to send upon the Inhabitants of the Earth for their Sins. If thou chastisest them, let it be with the Rod of Men, and with the Scourges of the Sons of Men; but withdraw not from them thy Grace and thy fatherly Compassion. Let the Flames of Affliction render their Faith more pure, their Lives more holy, and their Zeal more fincere and earnest; and let it prepare them for thee and thine eternal Bliss. O holy Father, thou seest that the Age in which we live, is extreamly corrupt, that the Earth is inclined to Vice, and that Sin reigns Q2 |