PRAYER before SERMON.

ALMIGHTY GOD, Maker of all things, Judge

of all men, graciously receive the fupplications and prayers of this congregation, for themselves and for all eftates and conditions of men.

and unto all

Lord, in mercy, grant unto us, finners, a true fenfe of our errors, and grace to amend whatever we have done amifs, that iniquity may not be our ruin. Let not thofe judgments fall upon us, which our fins have juftly deferved: and grant that thy great mercy and forbearance may oblige us to bring forth fruits meet for repentance.

Have mercy upon the work of thy hands, that all the world may come to the knowledge of Thee, and of thy goodness in Jefus Christ;-that all who are weary with the burthen of their fins, may know where to find reft unto their fouls.

Preferve thy church in the midst of this uncer tain world, and prepare her for what thy providence fhall bring forth, that neither profperity may corrupt thy faithful fervants, nor adverfity discourage them from profeffing the truth.

Keep this church and nation in the peaceable enjoyment of thy word and facraments; and grant

VOL I.

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that

that we may all live answerable to the means of grace which thy providence hath afforded us.

Blefs all the reformed churches; keep them from all wicked and dangerous errors; and bring into the way of truth all fuch as have gone aftray; that thy kingdom, and the name of our Lord Jefus Chrift, may be glorified..

O God! whose kingdom ruleth over all, bless these nations to which we belong; that peace, and truth, and justice, that true religion and piety, may be fecured and countenanced; that all ignorance and profaneness, and whatever elfe oppofeth thy divine will made known to us, may be effectually difcouraged.

To this end we pray God to hear us, for the King's Majefty, that his days may be many, his government happy, his commands juft and equal, and his people faithful and obedient:—for the Royal Family, that we may be bleffed with a fucceffion of princes fearing God:--for all fuch as are in council and authority, (and especially for the high court of parliament) that they may confult the honour of God, the true intereft of his church, and the welfare of the people:-for the bishops and pastors of Christ's flock, that they may constantly speak the truth, boldly rebuke and oppofe vice, and be living examples of thofe graces and virtues which they recommend to others: and the Lord Jefus Christ be always with them açcording to his promife; and grant unto the people of their flocks, that they may profit by them daily. Bleffed

Bleffed God and lover of fouls, preferve, by thy grace, thofe that are in the way of life; enlighten the minds of the ignorant; awaken the consciences of the careless; filence the gainfayers; convert the profane; and bring them all to thine everlasting kingdom.

For the Isle of Man.]-Blefs the lord and government of this ifle; continue to us the bleffings of peace and unity, in church and state, which we enjoy; preserve us from all falfe doctrine and every false way, and root out all growing vices, that there may ever be in this place a generation fearing God and working righteousness.

In time of War.]-Preferve this land; and, in thy own good time, deliver all chriftian countries from the miseries of war; fcatter the people that delight in it; and grant that such as fall, die not in their fins unrepented of.

For City, or Corporation.]-Bless the magiftrates and government of and the lawful industry of its inhabitants. Let brotherly love and charity increase amongst them; and root out out all growing evils.

Seu.]-Receive into thy almighty and gracious protection the perfons and the ships of those that are abfent; preserve them from the dangers of the feas, from the violence of enemies, and from all fad accidents; that they may return in fafety to enjoy the fruits of their labours, and to praise the Lord for his mercies to them.

At a Funeral.]-Make us all mindful of our latter end, that death may never overtake us unawares; teach us, in the many fpectacles of forrow, fickness, and mortality, which we behold, to fee how frail and how uncertain our condition is, that we may seriously apply our hearts unto that holy and heavenly wisdom, whilft we live here, which may in the end bring us to life everlasting. For Plenty.]-Vifit the earth and the feas with thy bleffing; and open the hearts of those upon whom thou fhalt bestow these favours, that they may do good and distribute: and give us all grace, that we may not be corrupted by thy bleffings.

We

We commend unto the tender mercy of God, all fick and dying perfons, all that are in affliction of mind or body, or under any preffing calamity; all that are poor, and have none else to help them; and especially all such as suffer perfecution for a righteous cause.

Lord, pity and fanctify the miseries of this life, to the everlasting benefit of all that fuffer; that the tears of the oppreffed, the pains of the afflicted, the wants of the poor, may all help forward, and end in the falvation of their immortal fouls.

We befeech God to hear our prayers for all those that never pray for themselves, that they may fee the danger, before it is late, of living without God in the world.

And God Almighty grant, that we may all of us have worthy thoughts of his Majesty,-for his great power in creating us,-for his wonderful providence in preserving us,-for his great goodnefs in redeeming us by Jefus Chrift; for whose. doctrine and example, and for the examples of all his faithful fervants, we pray God make us truly thankful, and grant us grace fo to follow their fteps, that we may with them be made partakers of a bleffed refurrection,

That we may obtain thefe blessings, and whatever else is needful for us, let us all join, and, with one heart and voice, pray to God in that perfect form of words which Jefus Chrift hath taught us:

Our Father, which art in heaven, Sc.

THE TRUE WAY OF PROFITING BY GOD's WORD READ OR PREACHED.

VOUCHSAFE, O God, to direct me in this work, and bless this difcourfe for the good of my flock; that both I and they may glorify Thee for the truths they fhall hear. Render them tractable and obedient to thy Word, and me faithful in delivering it; that I may fave myself, and them that hear me, for Jesus Christ's fake. Amen.

LUKE viii. 18%

TAKE HEED HOW YE HEAR: FOR WHOSOEVER HATH, TO HIM SHALL BE GIVEN; AND WHOSOEVER HATH NOT, FROM HIM SHALL BE TAKEN EVEN THAT WHICH HE SEEMETH TO HAVE.

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OOD Chriftian people; I am going to set before you the great bleffing of attending to the Word of God, whether read or preached to you, and the true way of profiting thereby, as alfo the very great hazard you run, of living under the light of the gospel, and the ordinances of God, and not being bettered by them.

There is nothing more certain, than that many Christians are eternally ruined for want of confidering the truths they hear every Lord's

a See Mark iv. 9. Heb. ii. 1, 2, 3, 4. James i. 21. 1 Thess. ii. 13. iv. I.

day,