our devotions, that we may attend upon the Lord with pleasure and without distraction. And because, O Lord, we are not worthy to be heard for our own sake, we set before thee the merits of thy Son, who is the propitiation for our sins. For his righteousness, pardon the offences of us thy servants, and grant us those things by thy mercy which by the strict rule of justice are not due to us. Behold, O Lord, prostrate before thee, creatures liable every moment to death, and begging for Jesus's sake, that faith and repentance to which thou hast promised mercy and pardon. Discover to us, O thou searcher of hearts, the charge that is against us, that we may know, and confess, and bewail, and abhor, and forsake all the evils we are guilty of Lord be merciful unto us, for we have sinned in the midst of light, and in contempt of the grace we have received. O Lord, never abandon us to the opposition we may make at any time to thy spirit. Leave us not to ourselves, and take not thy holy spirit from us. Our only support is that our sins

have not put us beyond the reach of that mercy which is infinite. O divine repairer of our corrupt nature, may thy all powerful grace make us as perfect as thou hast commanded us to be. Heal all the vicious inclinations of our souls, and perfect in us an hearty love of holiness, that by thy grace we may perform all the engagements that are upon us.

Give us such a true sorrow for our sins as will enable us to embrace all the necessary means, how bitter soever, for rooting sin out of our souls. Give us grace, O God, that we may continue in thy fear all the day long, and that we may live and act as having thee the constant witness of all our thoughts, words, and actions. May thy restraining grace preserve us from the temptations of an evil world, from the frailty and corruption of our own nature, and from the evil principles and practices of the age we live in. We bless thee, O God, for that grace which has so often prevented us, and to which we owe all the good thoughts that are in our hearts, all the motions of our souls to virtue and piety, and all the effects of them, in the whole course of our lives. We thank thee, heavenly Father, for all the blessings we have undeservedly received at thy hands, and particularly that thou hast kept us, the night past, from all perils of body and soul. Continue to us, O God, the blessings we already enjoy; make every condition of life, every blessing we receive, every thing which befalleth us, a means of bringing us nearer to thee, and to that happiness which thou hast prepared for them that love thee. Let thy blessing rest upon us, and upon all for whom we should pray. In tender mercy, remember all sick and dying persons, that they may omit nothing that is necessary to make their peace with thee.

Give to all sinners a true sense of their sins, and true repentance for them, that they may be done away by thy mercy, and their pardon sealed in heaven, before they go hence to be no more seen. And grant unto us all that desire and earnest longing which we ought to have for the happy moment which is to release us from banishment, and translate us to a better world. O that our lot and fortune may be among the saints of God. All our hope, and all our prayer, is in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, in whose blessed words we would further pray: Our Father, who art in heaven; hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil; for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

PRAYER XIII.

BISHOP WILSON.-Evening.

O most gracious and merciful Father, we give thee thanks that it has pleased thee to add another day to the years of our lives, and that none of thy judgments, to which for our sins we are justly liable, have fallen upon us. Blessed be thy goodness that our sins and ingratitude have not prevented

thee from bringing us safely to the evening of this day. O God, infinite in mercy, pardon our sins of the day past, whether in thought, word, or deed, which we have committed through the fraud or malice of the Devil, or through our own weakness or frailty; and grant that they may never rise up in judgment against us. Prepare us, we beseech thee, for a continuance of thy favors, by giving us the grace of a true repentance, and a thorough amendment of life. But, O God, the frailty of man, without thee, cannot but fall; in all temptations, therefore, we beseech thee to succor us, that no sin may ever get the dominion over us. Give us a salutary dread of the corruption of our

hearts; make us

truly sensible of the weakness and sinfulness of our whole nature, and show us the absolute need we have of thy gracious help, that we may pray for it continually. May we ever make a right use of the time which thy goodness shall yet vouchsafe us, and not dare to abuse thy patience and long-suffering. May the thoughts of death mortify in us all pride and covetousness, and a love for this world; and may our firm belief in a judgment to coine make us careful to please thee, our Lord and Judge, that we may find mercy at that day. Grant us grace so to follow thy saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those unspeakable joys which thou hast prepared for them that un

feignedly love thee. O our Saviour, how long have we professed to follow thee, without following the blessed steps of thy most holy life, thy patience and humility, thy great disregard for the world, and all its idols. O Lord, obtain for us the spirit of mortification and self-denial, that we may follow thee, as we hope to live with thee, to all eternity. O Almighty God, who alone canst do it, effectually convince us of the vanity of all that is desirable in this life, that we may not, like unbelievers, look for our happiness here. Grant that we may not be of the number of those who dread thy coming, who cannot, but with regret, submit to the necessity of dying, and who have neglected to prepare for death till the last hour. O gracious God, look on the miserable case of those who are living in sin, and after the course of this world. Give to them a true sense of their unhappy state, and grace and strength to break the bonds of sin asunder. 0 Lord Jesus, conduct all blind wandering sinners in the way of life everlasting. O Father, all-mighty and most merciful, let thy loving kindness be upon all whom thou hast made. And grant that we, also, may be kindly affectioned one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as thou, O Lord, for Christ's sake, hast forgiven us. Grant that we may always lie down to sleep in the same charitable and forgiving temper in which we desire