A PRAYER FOR OUR CHILDREN.

THE children, O Lord my God, which thon hast given me, I return, and surrender them up to thee. O that they may know thee, and be owned by thee, every one, from the greatest to the least. Pour out thy Spirit, and all thy covenant blessings, upon my offspring: make them, Lord, thy children by adoption and grace. O take possession of their hearts, and instruct those who have the teaching of them, that they may be brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and trained in the way that they should go. Whatsoever else they want, let them have thy love and the portion of thy children. My God be thou a gracious Father to them, and a merciful provider for them in all estates, and all affairs and events of their lives. Dispose of them, and whatever concerns them, to thy glory, and to their everlasting salvation.

Take thou care of their temporal concerns, and choose their inheritance for them, that they may find it an easy and happy passage through the present life; but, especially, my God, let the powerful efficacy of thy good Spirit root out of their hearts all corrupt and sinful affections; and instead thereof do thou sow the incorruptible seed of thy grace, that they may become partakers of thy divine nature, and may bring forth in their lives the fruits of righteousness and true holiness. Defend them, O Lord, I beseech thee, against the sorrows and

disasters of this world; grant that they may never be led away by the wicked customs and examples, the lusts and vanities of it; but obediently keeping thy holy will and commandments, and walking in the same all the days of their lives, may be instruments of much good in their generation; and after they have served thee faithfully in this world, may hereafter be made partakers of everlasting happiness in that which is to come, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A PRAYER FOR OUR PARENTS.

O LORD GOD, my heavenly Father, I here prostrate myself before thee, to beg thy blessing, grace, and mercy, upon my earthly parents, to whom I beseech thee to grant that I may fulfil all my duty gratefully and affectionately. Cast them not away in the time of their age; forsake them not when their strength fails them; but have compassion, Lord, on their infirmities, and help them in all their weakness. O remember not against them any of their former iniquities; but according to thy mercy remember them for thy goodness' sake in Jesus Christ. May the true wisdom be with them, and abundance of thy grace upon them; that their hoary heads may be found in the way of righteous ness, and their souls be ever precious in thy sight. O let goodness and mercy follow them all the days of their life let their last days be their best days;

and the longer they live here, make them still the readier to die, and the fitter to live with thy blessed self, in the glorious life eternal. Be thou their guide unto death; in death their support and comfort; and when heart and flesh, and all here shall fail them, O do thou never fail them, but be the strength of their hearts, and their portion for evermore, for the sake of Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

A CHILD'S PRAYER.

O thou who

O ALMIGHTY GOD, my Father in heaven, to whom I owe my being and all the comforts I enjoy, who dost vouchsafe to receive out of the mouth of babes and sucklings, the praise of thy great name, I beseech thee to impress my heart with a clear sense of all thy glorious attributes. hast taught us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, give me such a fear of displeasing thee, that I may never dare to do any thing, however I may be inclined, or tempted to it, that is contrary to thy holy word. Keep it always in my mind, that thou art in every place, beholding the evil and the good; that no darkness can hide me from thine eye, no secrets are hidden from thy mind; and may I desire nothing so much as, that all my thoughts, words, and actions, may be approved by thee. Fill my heart, O Lord, with warm and grateful affections to thee. My limbs and senses, my food and clothing, my kind friends and

comfortable home, my safety from sickness and accidents, and the advantages I enjoy in my education, are all the effects of thy bounty and love. Thou hast given thy dear Son Jesus Christ a sacrifice for my sin, and thy Holy Word and Spirit to sanctify my heart, and fit it for a holy life, and for happiness when I come to die. O how much love do I owe thee for all these mercies! Help me, O my God, to love thee above all things; and grant that as I grow in age, I may grow in grace, and show my sense of thy goodness by living to thy glory. Enable me faithfully to discharge my duty in the station in which I am placed. Make me dutiful and affectionate to my parents and relations, obedient and grateful to my teachers, obliging to my companions, and respectful to all men. Assist me diligently to improve my time, talents, and privileges; and enable me to lead a life of such piety, usefulness, and benevolence, that I may be a blessing, and not a curse, to the community, among whom thy divine providence may place me. Preserve me, O my Father, from evil accidents and disasters, from wicked companions and habits, and from all the misfortunes into which the rashness and heedlessness of youth might conduct me. Provide for me in such a manner, as thou seest will be best for me; and so lead and defend me by thy Holy Spirit, and thy gracious providence, through all the periods and events of my life, that I may at length enter, with my relations and

friends, and with thy holy people, into that happy place, where we shall see thee, as thou art, and where we shall together enjoy the promises made, in the Gospel of thy Son, to all that love and serve thee, through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour. Amen.

A PRAYER IN BEHALF OF ORPHANS.

O LORD our God, who art pleased to style thy self in a peculiar manner, the Father of the fatherless; our eyes are now upon thee, and we pour out our souls before thee, entreating thee, to have compassion on these orphan children, and leave then not desolate, exposed to the wants, and mischiefs, and dangers of this wicked world. Having ordained that their father and mother should forsake them, O Lord, do thou take them up, and be a parent to them, and still a gracious provider for them. Guide them, O heavenly Father, and raise up friends also, that may be concerned in the disposing of them and their affairs. O be thou pleased to choose their inheritance for them; and order all that concerns them to thy glory, and to the promoting of their present welfare, and their everlasting happiness. O Lord, we commit them to thee; be thou their God and guide, even unto death: be ever watchful over them for good, and preserve and keep them, and conduct them in all the varieties of this life, till thou hast brought them to inherit