calling me to this state of salvation, and for bestowing upon me such blessed privileges.

And now, O Lord, that I am preparing myself to receive a further degree of thy grace and favor, I humbly beseech thee to enlighten my mind with the true knowledge and understanding of that solemn vow which I made at my baptism, and which I am now about to ratify and confirm publicly in thy presence.

Give me, O Lord, unfeigned repentance for all my past errors: that the many and great sins I have committed, may not deprive me of the assistance of thy Holy Spirit which I am about to receive; but through the merits of Christ, wash away all that is past; and let power and strength, communicated to me from above, mortify and subdue them for the time to come. I am unable, O Lord, of myself to help myself, but I solemnly give myself unto thee, soul and body, all that I am, all that I can attain, for the rest of my days; mercifully grant, that thy blessed Spirit may, in all things rule my heart; that by his holy inspiration, I may think those things that are good, and, by his gracious guiding, may perform the same, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A PRAYER AFTER CONFIRMATION.

I BLESS and praise thy holy name, O Lord God, for those renewed assurances which thou hast

vouchsafed me, of thy favor and gracious goodness towards me. Let the blessing of the rite which I have received by the hands of thy authorised servant, the bishop, be and remain with me, and most powerfully help and support me in all trials and temptations, when I most need the aid of thy Holy Spirit. Leave me not a moment to my own frailty, without his assistance; but, through his succors, enable me to adhere to that public and solemn profession of my faith which I have declared in the presence of God and the congregation, and faithfully to perform the promises I have renewed, of observing and keeping thy holy commandments; that walking uprightly before thee all my days, and being found watching when my 'appointed time shall come, I may, from a life of righteousness, be translated to a life of glory, through Jesus Christ my only Saviour and Redeemer. Amen.

A PRAYER FOR THE DIVINE PROTECTION.

O God, who savest by thy right hand, such as put their trust in thee, be merciful unto me, for my soul trusteth in thee; yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until every fear and calamity be overpast. I humbly beseech thee, O gracious Father, to be present with me now in all my ways, and throughout the whole course of my life. Suffer no malice to be able to hurt, no cun

ning to circumvent me, no violence to oppress me, no falsehood to betray me. Deliver me from the

slander of the idle and of the tattler, as well of the malicious. Strengthen my faith and trust in thy power and providence. That which I cannot forsee, do thou prevent; that which I cannot withstand, do thou master; that which I do not discover to fear, do thou unmask or frustrate: that, being preserved from, or delivered out of all dangers, both of soul and body, I may in both glorify thee, my only helper and deliverer, and be safe in the merits and mercies of Jesus Christ, our blessed Lord and Saviour. Amen.

A PRAYER AFTER A RELAPSE INTO SIN.

O JUST and holy God, what shall I say unto thee, and how shall I appear before thee, after I have so highly offended thy glorious Majesty, striking more wounds into my distressed conscience! What patience, but that of the long-suffering God, would ever bear with such as provoke him every day, when he could so easily break out in fury, and avenge him of his adversary! O how justly mightest thou, Lord, refuse to hear me, crying to thee in the anguish of my soul, who have so often refused to listen when thou hast called by the motions of thy good Spirit! O the spoils, and havoc, and desolation, which my sin has made in my soul!

I abhor myself, and humble my soul here in

the dust before thee, O Lord: and because I have made so bold with thy laws, I am sorely afraid of thy judgments. My sins have taken such hold of me, that my heart fails me; yet, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me whole. I come, therefore, to beg the so often forfeited life of my poor soul, at thy blessed hands; for thou, that hast charged us to forgive an offending brother, even as oft as he repents, wilt not thyself be harder to thy childen, when they become penitent seekers of thy mercy. I believe, Lord, thy power and thy readiness to relieve poor sinners repairing to thee; and to that end didst thou, O blessed Saviour, come into the world, and shed thy precious blood, to atone for our guilt, and to cleanse us from all our sins. O that I, who have the greatest need, may feel the happy benefit, that where sin has abounded, thy grace may much more abound. Good God, there is nothing in me but misery to move thy mercy. O fetch arguments of pity from thy own infinite goodness, and thy inclination to compassionate and relieve sinners returning to thee, after they have foolishly misbehaved, and wickedly rebelled against thee. Mercy, O Lord, mercy I beg of thee. let thy compassion spare me, and withhold thy justice from proceeding against me.

And grant, O gracious Lord, that the habit of sinning may not so dull my sense of it, that I should commit these great sins with little remorse. Nor let it so increase my sinful inclinations, that 1

should be the servant of corruption, and take part with the enemies of my own soul. Be thou, O Lord, my strong tower of defence against them, and enable me to go on, conquering and to conquer, till in the name of the Lord, I have destroyed them. So often have I fallen by their hands, that I fear lest one day I should so fall, as never to rise again. But thou, my strength and my Redeemer, art stronger than the strong one, and able yet to secure me. O blessed Keeper of Israel, keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me, that I may be upright and innocent from the great transgression. O that the same mercy which has hitherto held the hand of justice from cutting me off, and so often spared me, may also forgive and renew me. So strengthen all the good things of thy grace in my soul, that I may henceforth be full of power to defend thy rights against these usurpations of the devil; and may be found so faithful until death, that thou mayest give me the crown of life; not for any worth in me, but for the worthiness of thy Son, and for the sake of thy own tender mercies in Jesus Christ. Amen.

A PRAYER FOR TEMPORAL BLESSINGS.

O LORD our God, who knowest that while we are in this life, we stand in need of its supplies; and hast promised to such as seek thy kingdom, and