RELIGIOUS OPINIONS. CCCCXXXJii 



them, whether they are his supplications as a student, as an 

 author, or as a preserver, when Chancellor, of the religious 

 sentiments of the country. 



As a student, he prays, that he may not be inflated or Student s 

 misled by the vanity which makes man wise in his own P ra y er - 

 conceit: &quot;To God the Father, God the Word, God the 

 Spirit, we put forth most humble and hearty supplications, 

 that human things may not prejudice such as are divine; 

 neither that from the unlocking of the gates of sense, and 

 the kindling of a greater natural light, any thing of incre 

 dulity or intellectual night may arise in our minds towards 

 divine mysteries.&quot; (b) 



As an author (c) he prays in the same spirit : &quot; Thou, O Author s 

 Father, who gavest the visible light as the first-born of thy P ra y er - 

 creatures, and didst pour into man the intellectual light as 

 the top and consummation of thy workmanship, be pleased 

 to protect and govern this work, which coming from thy 

 goodness, returneth to thy glory.&quot; 



The same spirit did not forsake him when Chancellor : Chancel- 

 &quot; Most gracious Lord God, my merciful Father from my lor s 

 youth ^ up, my Creator, my Redeemer, my Comforter. 

 Remember, O Lord, how thy servant hath walked before 

 thee : remember what I have first sought, and what hath 

 been principal in my intentions. 1 have loved thy assem 

 blies : I have mourned for the divisions of thy church : I 

 have delighted in the brightness of thy sanctuary. This 

 vine, which thy right hand hath planted in this nation, I 

 have ever prayed unto thee that it might have the first 

 and the latter rain ; and that it might stretch her branches 

 to the seas and to the floods. Thy creatures have been 



the second prayer, entitled, &quot; A Prayer made and used by the Lord Chan 

 cellor Bacon,&quot; is in the Remains ; and the two remaining prayers, &quot; The 

 Student s Prayer,&quot; and The Writer s Prayer,&quot; are in the Baconiana. 

 (6) Vol. vii. p. 8. (r) Vol. vii. p. 9. 



VOL. XV. 

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prayer. 



