Jacob; so that thou never hast refused to hear the prayers of thy peopleme And we have of thy mercy even that same covenant, which thou hast erected in the hand of Jesus Christ our Mediator, between thee and all.. believers: nay, it is now more glorious and efficacious, since Christ hath..... ratified and confirmed the same by his holy suffering and death, and entrance. into his glory. Therefore, O Lord, forsaking ourselves, and all bumay assist, a ance, we fly for succour to this blessed covenant of grace, by beans, whereof our Lord Jesus Christ (having offered his body once on the cross as a perfect sacrifice for us) hath reconciled us with thee for ever. Therefore, O Lord, look upon the face of thine anointed, and not on our sins, that thite anger may be appeased by his intercession. And cause thy face to shine on us to our joy and salvation. Take us henceforth into thy holy guidance and protection, and govern us by thy Holy Spirit, who, daily more and more a mortifying our flesh with all its lusts, renews us to a better life, and produces in us fruits of true faith, that hereby thy name may be glorified and praised to all eternity, and that we despising all transitory things, may with an ardent desire fix our thoughts only on things heavenly.

And inasmuch as it is thy pleasure that we should pray for all mankind, we beseech thee, to extend thy blessings on the doctrine of thy Holy Gos pel, that it may be preached and accepted every where; that the whole world may be filled with thy saving knowledge; that the ignorant may be converted, the weak strengthened; that every one not only in word, but also in deed, may magnify and sanctify thy holy name. Send forth, for this end, faithful labourers in thy harvest.-And also replenish them with thy grace, that they may faithfully serve before thee. On the contrary, utterly destroy all false teachers, ravenous wolves, and hirelings, who seek their own honour and advantage, and not the glory of thy holy name, nor the welfare and salvation of souls. Be also pleased graciously to preserveland! govern all thy Christian churches spread over the face of the earth, in unity of true faith, and in godliness of life, that thy kingdom mny daily increase, and that of Satan be destroyed, till thy kingdom is perfected, when thou shalt be all in all.

Particularly we pray for these United States of America; keep them under thy holy protection; prosper them in their agriculture, manufactures, commerce and literature; and let their civil and religious rights be preserv ed inviolate to the latest posterity.

Bless and long preserve thy servant, the President of the United States. Bless the Vice-President; the Senate and House of Representatives, when in congress assembled. Bless all placed in authority throughout the states, and especially in the state wherein we reside; the Governor of the state, the Magistrates, and all others entrusted with powers, either legislative or executive. Replenish them with all thy grace and heavenly gifts, each in his respective calling and state, wherem thou hast placed him, that they may wisely govern, and strenuously protect the people, whom thou hast committed to their care, faithfully defend thy worship and rightly adminis ter justice: preside with thy Holy Spirit in their assemblies, that in all cases they may resolve nothing, but what is good and becoming, and let the laws be happily executed; that these United States being preserved from all enemies, the evil doers punished, and the just protected, thy name thereby may be praised, and the kingdom of the King of kings, Christ Jesus, promoted; and that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. Moreover we pray for our brethren, who are und

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persecution or tyranny; comfort them with thy holy Spirit and mercifully deliver them: suffer not thy church wholly to be destroyed, nor the remembrance of thy name to be abolished from the face of the earth, lest the enemies of thy truth triumph to the dishonouring and blaspheming of thy name. But if it is thy divine will, that the suffering Christians should die for the glory of thy name, and by their death witness unto the truth, comfort them in their sufferings, that they, considering them as coming from thy fatherly hand, may therefore, doing thy will, remain steadfast, whether in life or death; to thy glory and to the edification of thy church, and to their salvation. We likewise beseech thee, for all those, whom thou dost afflict, with poverty, imprisonment, sickness of body, or trouble of mind; comfort them all, O Lord, according to their several necessities. Grant that their chastisement may bring them to the knowledge of their sins, and to an amendment of their lives.-Give them also firm patience; alleviate their sufferings; and finally deliver them, that they may rejoice in thy goodness and eternally praise thy name.

And, O Lord, take us, together with all that belongs to, or concerns us, in thy keeping. Grant that we may live in our respective callings according to thy will, and so use the gifts which we receive of thy blessing, that they may not impede, but rather further us to life eternal. Strengthen us in all temptations, that we striving in true faith, may overcome, and hereafter enjoy with Christ, life eternal.

We ask thee for all these things, as our faithful Lord, and Saviour Jesus Christ himself hath taught us-Our Father, &c.

Afterwards the congregation is dismissed with the usual blessing.

Receive the blessing of the Lord.

The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: The Lord make his face to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

A Prayer before the explanation of the Catechism.

O HEAVENLY Father, thy word is perfect, converting the soul, a sure testimony, making wise the simple, enlightening the eyes of the blind, and a powerful mean unto salvation, for all those, who believe. And whereas we are not only blind by nature, but even incapable of doing any good: and also since thou wilt help none, but those, who are of a broken and contrite heart; we beseech thee to enlighten our understanding with thy holy spirit, and give us a meek heart, free from all haughtiness and carnal knowledge, that we may, hearing thy word, rightly understand it, and regulaté our life, accordingly be graciously pleased to convert all those, who still stray from thy truth, that we may together with them, unanimously serve thee in true holiness and righteousness all the days of our life.

We crave all these things for Christ's sake, who hath thus taught 'us to pray in his name, and promised to hear us Our Father, &c.

O GRACIOUS God, and merciful Father, we give thee hearty thanks that it hath pleased thee, not only to take us, but also our little children, into hy covenant, which thou hast not only sealed unto them, by holy baptism,

but yet daily showest, when thou perfectest thy praise out of their mouththus to cause the wise of the world to `blush: we beseech thee, increase thy grace in them, that they may always grow and increase in Christ thy Son; till they acquire their perfect manly age in all knowledge and righteousness. Give us grace, that we may educate them, as thou hast com manded us, in thy knowledge and fear, that by their godliness the kingdom of Satan may be destroyed, and the kingdom of Jesus Christ strengthened in this and other congregations, to the glory of thy holy name, and to their eternal salvation, through Jesus Christ. Amen.

HEAVENLY Father, eternal and merciful God, we acknowledge and confess before thy divine majesty, that we are poor miserable sinners, conceived in sin, and born in iniquity, prone to all evil, unfit for any good; and that we, by our sinful life, continually transgress thy holy commandinents, whereby we provoke thine anger against us, and according to thy righteous judgment, expose ourselves unto eternal damnation. But, O Lord, we repent and are sorry that we have offended thee, we bewail our transgressions, beseeching that thou wilt graciously pity our misery. Have compassion on us, O most bounteous Son and Father, and forgive us all our sins, for that holy passion of thy well beloved Son Jesus Christ. Grant us also the grace of thy holy Spirit, that we may, with all our hearts, study to know our own unrighteousness, and sincerely abhor ourselves; that sin may be mortified in us, and we may be raised up to a new life; that we 'may bring forth genuine fruits of holiness and righteousness, which through Jesus Christ are acceptable to thee. Give us to understand thy holy word "according to thy divine will, that we may learn thereby to put our whole trust in thee alone, and withdraw it from all creatures; that also our old "man, with all the affections thereof, may be daily more and more crucified; and that we may offer up ourselves unto thee a living sacrifice, to the glory "of thy holy name, and to the edification of our neighbours; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who hath taught and commanded us to pray-OUB FATHER, &c.

LORD God Almighty, let not thy holy name be profaned for our sins, for we have divers ways sinned against thee, since we are not obedient to thy holy word, as we ought to be, and through ignorance and murmuring daily stir up thine anger against us: wherefore thou dost justly punish us; but,0 Lord, be mindful of thy great mercy, and have compassion on us. Give us knowledge of, and repentance for our sins, and amendment of our lives; strengthen the ministers of thy church, that they may faithfully and steadfastly declare thy holy word; and the magistrates of thy people, that they may bear the sword with equity and prudence; preserve us from all deceit and unfaithfulness: confound all evil, and subtle counsels taken against thy word and church. O Lord, withhold not from us thy spirit and word, but grant us increase of faith; and in all trouble and adversity, patience and constancy. Assist thy church, deliver her from all affliction, derision and persecution. Strengthen also the weak and sorrowful of heart, and send us thy peace, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who hath given us this

sure promise? verily, verily, I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he will give it you; and hath commanded us to pray OUR FATHER, &c. Ꮵ

O MERCIFUL. Father, we thank thee, that thou hast in faithfulness watched over us the night past, and we beseech thee to strengthen, and henceforth "guide us by thy holy Spirit, that we may spend this, and all the days of our lives, in all righteousness and holiness, and that whatsoever we undertake. we may always aim at the promoting of thy glory, and expect all the success of our undertakings from thy bountiful hand alone: and to the end that we may obtain this mercy of thee, be pleased (according to thy promise) to forgive all our sins, through the holy passion and blood-shedding of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, for we heartily repent of them. Enlighten also our hearts, that we, having cast off all works of darkness, may as children of light walk in a new life in all godliness. Bless also the preaching of thy gospel. Destroy all works of the devil. Strengthen all ministers of the gospel, and magistrates of thy people. Comfort all those who are persecuted and afflicted in mind, through Jesus Christ thy beloved Son, who hath promised us, that thou wilt certainly give us, whatsoever we shall ask in his name, and therefore hath commanded us to pray--OUR FATHER, &C.

An Evening Prayer.

O MERCIFUL God, eternal light, shining in darkness, thou who dispellest the night of sin, and all blindness of heart, since thou hast appointed the night for rest, and the day for labour; we beseech thee, grant that our bodies may rest in peace and quietness, that afterwards they may be able to endure the labour they must bear. Temper our sleep, that it be not disorderly, that we may remain spotless both in body and soul, nay, that our sleep itself may be to thy glory. Enlighten the eyes of our understanding, that we may not sleep in death; but always look for deliverance from this misery. Defend us against all assaults of the devil, and take us into thy holy protection. And although we have not passed this day, without having greatly sinned against thee, we beseech thee to hide our sins with thy mercy as thou hidest all things on earth with the darkness of the night, 7 that we therefore may not be cast out from thy presence. Relieve and comfort all those, who are afflicted or distressed in mind, body or estate, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who hath taught us to pray-Our Father, &c.

A Prayer at the opening of the Consistory.

HEAVENLY Father, eternal and merciful God, it hath pleased thee of thy infinite wisdom and goodness to gather a church to thyself out of all nations upon the face of the earth, by the preaching of thy holy gospel, and to govern the same by the service of men. Thou hast also graciously called us up to this office, and commanded us to take heed unto ourselves and unto the flock, which Christ hath bought with his precious blood.-Since we are al > this present assembled in thy holy name, after the example of the apostolic churches, to consult, as our office requires, about those things which may

come befors us, for the welfare and édification of thy churches; for which~~ we acknowledge ourselves to be unfit and incapable, as we are by natureTM** unable of ourselves to think any good, much less to put it în practice: there fore, we beseech thee, O faithful God and Father, that thou wilt be pleased to be present with thy Holy Spirit, according to thy promise, in the midst of our present assembly, to guide us in all truth. Remove from us all misap prehensions and unbecoming desires of the flesh, and grant that thy holy, word may be the only rule and guide of all our consultations, that they may tend to the glory of thy name, and to the edification of thy church, and to the discharge of our own consciences, through Jesus Christ thy Son, who with thee and the Holy Ghost, the only true God, is eternally to be praised" and magnified. Amen.

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A Prayer at the close of the Consistory...

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O LORD God and heavenly Father, we heartily thank thee, that thou hast been pleased to gather a church to thyself in this part of the world, and to use our service therein, granting us the privilege, that we may freely and without hindrance preach thy holy gospel, and exercise all the duties of godliness: moreover we thank thee, that thou now hast been present with thựcol holy spirit in the midst of this our assembly, directing our determmations* >> according to thy will, uniting our hearts in mutual peace and concord-We^beseech thee, O faithful God and Father, that thou wilt graciously be pleased ' › to bless our intended labour, and effectually to execute thy began work. 11 always gathering unto thyself a true church, and preserving the same in ` the pure doctrine, and in the right use of thy holy sacraments, and in a diligent exercise of discipline. On the contrary, destroy all evil and crafty councils, which are devised against thy word and church. Strengthen also all the ministers of thy church, that they may faithfully and steadfastly declare thy holy word: and the magistrates of thy people, that they may bear the sword with righteousness and discretion, Particularly, we pray tor those, whom thou hast been pleased to put in authority over us, both those of higher and lower dignity, and especially for the worshipful magistrates of this city. Grant that their whole government may be thus directed. that the King of all kings may rule over them, and their fellow-citizens, and that the kingdom of the devil (which is a kingdom of scandal and reproach! may, daily, more and more be destroyed and brought to nought by them as thy servants, and that we may lead with them a quiet and peaceable life,» in all godliness and honesty. Hear us, O God and Father, through Jesus Christ thy beloved Son, who with thee and the Holy Ghost, the only and true God, is eternally to be magnified and praised. Amen

MERCIFUL God and Father, thou who hast not only said unto us, that we should always have the poor with us, but hast also commanded that they should be assisted, and for that end hast ordained the service of deacons in.... thy church, by whom they might be relieved. As we, who are called to the 1 office of deacons in this congregation, are here at present met in thy name, to consult together concerning our ministry, therefore we humbly beseech thee for the sake of Jesus Christ, that thou wilt be pleased to endue us with the spirit of discretion, to the end that we may rightly discern, who are