45. Dr. Bates his Prayer at Dunstans in the West

45. Dr. Bates his Prayer at Dunstans in the West
O Lord, thou art a most holy high God, the Glorious Angels when they stand before thee, cover their faces (yet they did never violate thy Laws) and if they, how much more need have we to do it?
We are sinful dust and ashes; our solemn Services are sin: We desire to approach thy presense, and to have an eye to thy glory in all our services and addresses.
We beseech thee give us a serious and a deep sense of our own hearts, and vile affections, that we may cast ourselves down at thy feet with all humility: We have infinite reason to be abased in our selves; our God help us. We came into the world with sin, and as soon as we did breath in the air, we infected it: there is an infection and pollution in all our faculties; what coldness is there in our affections and what unbelief in our faith, and our wills do stand opposite against thy holy nature.
We confess we have had ten thousand experiences of those corruptions that are within us; for our while lives are full of provocations against God.
How many vain thoughts, and how many rebellious actions! Blessed Father, we confess we are out of measure sinful, we have sinned against the clearest convictions of thy word, and the tender compassions of thy Gospel, against the most severe promises we have made of our service to God, against the checks of our own Consciences; we confess the sins of the Heathens, who live without God in the world, are small in comparison of ours, and we fear therefore a greater degree of wrath will fall upon us.
O Lord, how many ways hast thou used to reclaim us! what Arts hath thy blessed Spirit used! how many times hast thou approached to our souls, and shewed us something of thy glory, and the glory of heaven, and the terrours of hell, the one to allure us, and the other to scare us. But, Oh! how many times have we grieved thy blessed Spirit, who came to seal us, and despised thy Son who came from heaven to earth, and liv'd a sorrowful life, and died a shameful death? how often hath he offered us grace and glory, if we would how to his Scepter, but we have preferred a base lust before that excellency that he hath purchased us: Oh how often hast thou condescended so far, as to intreat us to be reconciled, how easie hast thou been to forgive! and how hard have we been to be forgiven! We confess thou mightest pass an eternal Doom upon us, for we are sensible of the dishonour that we have brought upon thy Name.
Do thou at this time strike upon all these rocks that are in thy presense at this time: give us hearts of flesh, let our repentance preprare us for corversion, let there be such a through conviction, that thy grace and Mercy may be admirable in our eyes.
We intreat thee hear us, pardon all our iniquities, let us be monuments of thy grace and favour, speak peace to our Consciences; convey those clear evidences of yourself unto us, that may inable us to scatter all our failings, that we may rejoice in God, and have hope of glory.
Let the image of thy Son be engraven on all our hearts, and let our souls be made subject to him; while we are in the world, preserve us from the evil of it.
If thou givest us outward happiness, give us that inward holiness: and if we do suffer, help us with patience to bear all, knowing we are in our journey and our passage to a better life; and let our whole time be spent in a serious Preparation to appear before thy Tribunal, and let us consider the unchangableness of that state hereafter.
Remember thy whole Church, make the Name of Christ glorious in the world; shed abroad thy light and thy truth: sever back-slidings, and love us freely: Let thine Ordnances continue among us; and let thy blessing descend upon our sovereign Lord the King, of England, Scot and, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith; Incline his heart to thy Law, make him an instrument of publick good, protect his person. and give him prosperous affairs. Bless his Royal Consort, his Relations, his privy Counsel, let them promote solid Piety, and real Godliness. Bless the Minister of thy Word and Sacraments: Let their labours be precious in thy sight; and remember all afflicted ones: revive thy Mourners, and let thy grace answer all their fears. Let thy presense be in the midst of us, and help us to hear as our last; and let us be raised nearer heaven, and make thy word powerful and effectual to all our souls, and let thy word subdue our lusts; and all we beg for the sake of Jesus Christ; in whose Name and words we sum up our imperfect Prayers.
Our Father which art in Heaven, &c.