surest tenure; counting nothing so firm as what God hath said; and despising all the wealth, and honors, and pleasures of the world, in comparison of thyself, and thy Son, and thy Spirit, thy love, and thy grace, and the glory, which thou hast prepared everlastingly for those that love thee; all which I earnestly beg at thy bountiful hands, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.

A PRAYER FOR REPENTANCE.

O MOST holy Lord God, against whom I have greatly sinned, and who for my sins art justly displeased; who hast also taught us that even the Saviour of sinners will not save any without repentance; though when we return unto thee, and humble ourselves before thee, thou wilt show us thy compassion, and grant us thy salvation. Gracious Lord, great is thy mercy to vouchsafe unto us this remedy: but, O how averse and insufficient am I to employ it! Thou Searcher of hearts. knowest me to be so hardened through the deceitfulness of sin, that godly sorrow can never proceed out of this obdurate heart of mine, if thou do not soften it with thy holy fear, and overcome it with thy mighty love. O thou that didst cause water to gush out of the rock, wilt thou subdue and melt my stony heart into such contrition as works repentance unto salvation: that I may look upon him whom my sins have pierced, and mourn; and be

in bitterness for all the foul offences that I have committed against the God of all my mercies. O help me so to repent, that my sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Turn thou me, O Lord God of my salvation, and change the principles and propensities of my heart and mind, that I may amend my life, and bring forth fruits meet for repentance; not only confessing and bewailing sins committed, but also hating and forsaking sins confessed and bewailed; loathing as much as ever I have loved the things that displease thee, and dishonor thy holy name. Touch my heart with such a powerful sense of thy loving kindness, thy wonderful patience and forbearance, as may make me deeply and ingenuously sorrowful, for having ever committed offences so great against thee, O God, so infinitely good. Make me also circumspect and careful to keep myself henceforth in thy fear and love, that I may never more be estranged from thee. O my God, let thy goodness lead me to repentance, and help me to break off from my sins, and turn and cleave unto thee, that thou mayest have mercy upon me, and abundantly pardon all my unworthiness, through the infinite riches of thy grace and goodness, in my only Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

A PRAYER FOR THE LOVE OF GOD.

O THOU infinite goodness, to love whose glorious excellences and unspeakable perfections is the highest privilege and bliss which angels know; and who still hast not only given us capacities for it, but the greatest obligations to engage our hearts. to it; how poor and defective has been my love to thee my God! Yea, in what coldness, strangeness, and enmity to thee, Lord, have I lived! O my God, I have done foolishly and wickedly in forsaking the fountain of living waters, to hew to myself the broken cisterns that can hold no water; shutting my heart against the love of my chief good, who has laid fresh obligations upon me with thy renewed favors every day; and preferring any pomps and vanities of this present time, and the satisfaction of my own foolish and hurtful lusts, above thee, and thy love, which is better than life.

O good God, be thou pleased to pardon all the defects of my love to thee, and all the excesses of my love to earthly things; and turn my affections from all vain objects to thy blessed self. Show thyself to me as a pardoning God full of compassion, ready to forgive, and willing to save me. Disclose all thy glorious attributes. Take captive my affec tions. Touch my heart with such a powerful sense of thy perfections, and thy loving kindness, that I may experience stronger desires and inclinations after thee, and greater delight in spiritual com

munion with thee; and may love all other things, in comparison of my best and most merciful Lord, as if I hated them, and loved them not.

The Lord direct my heart into the love of God, and shed abroad and increase this grace through all my powers, that I may love the Lord my God with all my heart, and soul, and mind, and might. O disgrace to me all such alluring things of this world as would draw away my devotion from thyself; and so discover thyself to me, by thy Spirit, that this heart of mine which has been so cold, and dull, and dead to thy love, may feel its mighty warmth and power; and from complaining of the want, may come to rejoice in the abundance of it. O my life, my hope, and joy, that hast so much and eternally obliged me, give me the grace and power to surrender myself to thee. Let me be still longing to appear in thy presence, and delighting in the duties that bring my heart into communion with thee. Increase my delight in thy word, and in all the things of thy Spirit and grace; and let me take more satisfaction and pleasure in the light of thy countenance, than in the increase of corn and wine, and all the most desired enjoyments of this life. O let me not rest in the gifts, forgetting the bountiful Giver of every good thing; but draw and join my heart, dear Lord, still nearer to thyself with the chords of love. And together with all my privileges and pleasures in the world, O let me enjoy still more of thee, in whom consists

all my true life, and peace, and happiness, here and for ever. Engage to thyself, O my Lord, the chief and choicest affections of my heart, and make it for ever the willing captive of thy love. And help me still to verify my love of thee, by hating of evil, and keeping thy commandments, and delighting to do thy will, O my God. Let the desire of my soul, the care of my heart, and the endeavor of my life, be to observe and please thee. And by thy mighty power, and through the efficacy of the eternal covenant, secure my heart, Lord, to thee, that I may not turn away from thee; but may be rooted and grounded in thy love; and through thy good help and grace, may keep myself in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, to eternal life. Amen.

A PRAYER FOR THE FEAR OF GOD.

O LORD, the great and dreadful God, in whose hands my time is, the life of my soul, and all that concerns me both now and for ever; thou, even thou, art to be feared; and who may stand in thy sight when thou art angry! Terrible art thou in thy doings to the children of men! When thy hand hath found out thine enemies, they shall lie down in sorrow. O make me so to stand in awe of thee, that I may not dare to provoke thee. May I never be so much in fear of man that shall die, as of the almighty ever-living God; nor so dread