continuance of life; the preservation, [or recovery] of health; exemption, [or relief,] from pain; the use of our limbs, senses, and faculties; the plentiful supply of our wants; the kindness of our friends, and the restraints put upon our enemies and upon wicked men; for our domestick comforts; and our privileges in this land, still favoured with liberty, peace, and the light of heavenly truth. Oh that we were more disposed to bless thee for thy goodness, and for thy wonderful works toward the children of men! We thank thee, for our abundant opportunities of religious improvement; for every degree of inclination to attend on them; and for all the benefit we have thus received. We ascribe it to thy special grace, that we have ever attended to thy gospel; and that we have been kept from turning back into the world, or from being entangled in any destructive or injurious delusion: nay, that we are not at this moment sitting in the seat of the scornful, or walking in the paths of vice and impiety. Another week hath now been added to the season of thy long-suffering, and to our season of preparation for eternity! through another week we have obtained help of God, and been in some measure enabled to cleave to thee! Accept our cordial thanks and praises for all thine unnumbered mercies, and grant that our future lives may evince our sincerity. Whatever any of us, O gracious Father, have attempted in thy service during the past week, do thou render effectual by thy blessing. If [by conversation, or letters, or] in any way we have endeavoured to be useful to our brethren, or our fellow-sinners; give, we beseech thee, the desired success. Though the seed sown may have been " as bread cast upon the waters;" let it not pe rish, but " be found after many days." And prosper the labours of those, who with greater zeal and ability, or more favourable opportunities, have sown the good seed of divine truth in any part of the world. : If, O Lord, we have presented any believing and fervent prayers before thy throne of grace; either in the closet, the family, or in publick worship; for ourselves, our beloved relatives and friends, and our Christian brethren dispersed abroad in the world; for our country, our rulers or teachers, and the different orders and ranks of men in the community; for the distressed in mind, body, or estate; for the oppressed and enslaved; for the peace of the world, the success of the gospel, and the establishment of thy kingdom: do thou graciously remember and answer all these our supplications; pardon the sinfulness cleaving to them, and far exceed them all, for the sake and honour of thy beloved son. Bless to us, we beseech thee, the means of grace we have this week enjoyed: and grant that, through thine assistance, we may remember and be edified by all we have read or heard from thy holy word. Sanctify also to us the dispensations of thy providence: teach us to profit by all thy chastisements; and to learn gratitude and confidence in thee, by all thy mercies: and may even the expe rience we have of our own weakness and folly, excite us to more fervent prayers for wisdom, strength, and grace, according to thy precious promises. And now, O merciful God, we beseech thee, to prepare our hearts for the approaching day of sacred rest: and teach us so to arrange all our temporal concerns, that our thoughts may not be occupied, our attention distracted, nor our minds ruffled by them, when we would wait on thee in thy holy services. Let us not deem thy sabbaths a weariness; but our delight, our privilege, and great advantage. May the care of our own souls, and of the souls of those who belong to us, sweetly occupy the hours of the day. By self-examination, and meditation on thy word, may we obtain increasing acquaintance with ourselves, our spiritual estate, the progress we have made, or the loss we have sustained, in this important concern. Enable us, we beseech thee, 'to humble ourselves before thee in true repentance, and cordially to renew our acceptance of thy salvation; and, while we wait on thee, may our strength be repaired; may every grace be brought into vigorous exercise; and our knowledge of thy truth and will in all respects enlarged. Assist us in thy publick worship, and favour us with thy special presence and blessing. May thy people, with whom we worship, be refreshed, comforted, and sanctified in thy courts; and grant thy special assistance and blessing to thy ministers, in their work and labour of love. Oh, that increasing numbers may be added to thy churches, of such as shall be saved; and many able and faithful labourers sent forth into the harvest; and may the Sun of righteousness diffuse his healing influence, wherever the sun in the firmament enlightens the nations with his beams. Hear us, O merciful Father, in these our supplications; take us under thy protection this night; fit us, both in body and soul, for the duties of the ensuing day, and by them prepare us for thy eternal sabbath, for the sake of Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Spirit, One God in three Persons, even the God of our salvation, be glory and honour from all creatures, now and for evermore. Amen. A Family Prayer for the Lord's Day Morning. 0 THOU God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of all that truly believe in him; we meet together this morning to thank and bless thee, for sparing us to see another day of sacred rest; and to implore thy gracious aid in keeping it holy to thy name. Alas, how many sabbaths have some of us wasted in vanity and folly, in sloth or worldly concerns, in frivolous company, amusement, or animal indulgence! And since we have known something of thy salvation, how very imperfectly have we obeyed thy command, of sanctifying thy holy day! If thou shouldest enter into judgment with us according to our deserts, our transgressions in this single point would leave us speechless under thy awful sentence of condemnation. But though we have thus been ungrateful and perverse; though we have robbed thee of thy hallowed time, and of the glory due to thy name; yet, we beseech thee, magnify thy mercy in pardoning our sins, and in giving us thy grace, that we may henceforth walk in newness of life. We bless thy name, O Lord our God, that thou hast appointed this season of rest from our worldly pursuits; and made this provision for our spiritual advantage: and we thank thee, if our hearts are in |