Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

tentment, and peace, flourishing everywhere throughout the Christian world, all Infidels may be brought to embrace the Christian religion, and with us become children of the promises, and heirs of the kingdom of heaven, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

FURTHERMORE, O Lord, who art just in all thy ways and righteous in all thy judgments, we put up our earnest prayers and supplications unto thee in behalf of those countries where Christianity formerly flourished, but now lieth languishing and almost waste. For thy infinite mercies' sake, O thou lover of souls, remember Asia, Africa, and Greece, where thou hast had such pure faith, such full and flourishing Churches, famous for Martyrs and Confessors; and renew them all again. Lord, where are thy former loving-kindnesses? Shall thy jealousy always burn like fire? Wilt thou be no more entreated? Hast thou forgotten to be gracious, and cast them off for ever? Call to remembrance, O Lord, thy former mercies, and thy loving-kindnesses, which have been ever of old. Look upon the purchase of thy Son's blood, and

betroth them to thyself again in righteousness, faithfulness, and judgment, in loving-kindness and mercy. Then shall thy Zion rejoice, O Lord; then shall every creature in heaven aad earth praise thee, and give honour, and blessing, and glory, and power unto thee who sittest upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever. Amen.

FINALLY, O Lord, thou God that hearest prayer, let our humble supplications and intercessions come before thee for those parts of the world where thy Gospel hath not been preached. Hasten to accomplish that promise in its full extent, which thou hast made to thy Son, of giving him the Heathen for his inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for his possession. Let the barren and barbarous nations rejoice; let the day-spring visit them from on high, and the light of the Gentiles enlighten them, who sit still in darkness, and in the regions of the shadow of death. To that end we pray thee to inspire all Bishops and Priests with a true Apostolical spirit of zeal, to propagate thy Gospel, and all the saving truths of it, in all distant countries where it hath not yet been heard. O prosper their

labours and as their conversions increase by thy blessing, give them grace to plant Churches after Churches in and with that one holy Priesthood, which is and ought to be the same in all parts of the one holy Catholic Church. Thou, O Lord, who hast set all the borders of the earth, visit them with thy salvation. Thou who hast created the north and the south, say to the one, Give up, and to the other, Keep not back; but daily bring thy sons from far, and thy daughters from the ends of the earth: O gather thy people from the east and the west into thy kingdom. Let the Indians praise thee, O God; let all the Indians praise thee. Then shall thy name be great among the Gentiles, from the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same. Our fathers, O Lord, were as barbarous and as ignorant of thee as they are; they sat in the same degree of darkness, being carried away unto dumb idols, even as these are: but thou in great mercy didst send forth thy light and thy truth among them. And thou art the same God, infinite in compassion and mercy: and therefore for thy mercies' sake, O Father of mercies, look down upon them all with the eyes of thy favour: O make

them to hear thy voice, that they may no longer be aliens from the common-wealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, but may with us become one fold under one Shepherd and Bishop of our souls, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

THE END.

Bath: Printed by Binns and Goodwin.

« AnteriorContinuar »