ingratitude, we pray that our hearts may be touched and softened by a sense of our own unworthiness. What are we, O our Father, that thy blessings, temporal and spiritual, should be thus lavished upon us? We confess that we have wandered from thee, and wilt thou restore us; that we are polluted, and wilt thou purify us; that we are guilty, and wilt thou pardon us. Especially we pray, that thou wouldst forgive us for the errors, and follies, and sins, of which we may have been guilty during the past day; and enable us, for the future, to have better motives and better purposes, more purity and earnestness in good things, more love and devotion to thee. O thou, to whom the darkness and the light are both alike, and who art the Protector of all that put their trust in thee, before we retire to repose this night, we would raise our hearts to thee, and seek thy blessing. We beseech thee to have each member of this family in thine holy keeping, and shelter us under the wing of thy providence. May we rise in the morning with hearts prepared for the duties and instructions of the sabbath; may our minds be filled with tranquil, devout, and solemn thoughts and remembrances, and may the things which belong to our everlasting peace, possess our souls. We

offer our prayer in the name of him, who hath loved us and given himself for us, through whom be rendered unto thee, the most high God, unceasing praises. Amen.

OCCASIONAL PRAYERS AND THANKSGIVINGS

PRAYERS.

For a sick

person.

BE merciful, O Lord! in a particular manner to this family, into which thou hast permitted sickness to enter. Graciously support thy servant under thine afflicting hand. If it seem good in thy sight, bless the means which are using for his* restoration and usefulness. May the fruit of affliction be the taking away of sin. Endue him with patience to possess his soul, and to resign himself to thine all-wise disposal. And may

every disorder we feel in ourselves or observe in others, make us more sensible of the frailty of our nature; and engage us to apply our hearts, with greater diligence, to that wisdom which shall prepare us for death and eternity.

*The words, his, him, he, &c. printed in Italicks, may be changed into her, she, &c. as the occasion may require.

For a sick child.

O THOU, who art a present help in every time of need! Our trust and hope are in thee! O God, we come with our intercessions for thy young servant, who is labouring under pain and sickness. We beseech thee, if it be thy will, to remove the disorder under which he labours, and to restore him to strength and health. Suffer not the wishes and hopes of his parents to be disappointed; but in thy great mercy, spare him to be the comfort and support of their advancing years, and to be useful in the world. But whatever thou hast determined concerning him, thy will, O God, be done. Into thy hands we commit ourselves and all our enjoyments;—we desire at all times, patiently to submit to thine appointments; and we humbly pray, that whatever shall be the issue of this visitation, thou wouldst endue the minds of those whom it more nearly concerns, with resignation to thy holy providence; and may we all, by what we suffer as well as by what we enjoy, be trained up for that world, where there shall be no more sorrow, or pain, or death.

10*

In time of sickness.

O THOU, Who knowest what is best for us. In this time of sympathy and distress, we call upon thee, who art the great Physician of soul and body, for compassion and deliverance. With humble submission to thy wisdom and goodness, may we regard the lives dear to us, as at thy disposal, and in every instance bow to thy holy will Thou, O Lord! healest all our diseases, thou redeemest our lives from destruction, and crownest us with loving kindness and tender mercy. Our help is in thee alone. Look upon us, we beseech thee, in pity and love. Rebuke the malady which prevails among us, and may the lives and health of thy people be precious in thy sight.

In time of war.

WILT thou, who stillest the noise of the seas, and the tumult of the people, cause the wrath of man to praise thee, and the remainder of wrath do thou restrain. Suffer not our enemies to be thy scourge unto us; but remove from us the calamity of war, and may the alarm thereof no more be heard in our streets. Prevent, we be