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take into thy pro

Continue thy truth,
Grant that my suc

submit myself wholly, with all the riches, grandeur, ànd power, that thou hast bestowed upon me, unto thy divine pleasure, to dispose of me as thy wisdom shall judge convenient. But I beseech thee, good God, tection the subjects that I leave behind. and gospel to them and their posterity. cessor may have the same zeal, love, and care for religion, that he may be a support to it, and cause it to flourish more and more. Give to all thy people grace to love and fear thee, to be united among themselves, and obedient to authority. And now, Lord, receive me into thine eternal mercy, and into that kingdom where I may glorify thee for ever. Amen.

A PRAYER and MEDITATION for a Minister of the Gospel, who looks upon Death with joy and comfort.

UNIVERSALShepherd and Bishop of souls! I cannot sufficiently acknowledge and value the graces and mercies with which I find myself blessed, and thy favour in calling me to an office which the angels esteem an honour to be em ployed in, and in which thou hast been active during thine abode in the world. Thou hast been pleased to appoint me a minister of thy people, and to commit to my trust the dear. est and most precious thing in the world, namely, the church, for which thou hast expressed so great a love, as to give thyself and life to redeem it. I am sensible, O Lord, of my weakness and insufficiency for so weighty a charge; since I am to encounter with the world's hatred and cruelty, the devil's wiles and malice, and many hardships besides from those who should encourage me. I expect therefore from thy power and goodness the assistance needful to support me under all temporal difficulties, while thou art pleased to continue me in this employ. Open a wide gate to the gospel of

thy

thy grace, that all people may see the salvation of God. Disappoint all the counsels of thine enemies, and grant that I may neither be frighted nor corrupted in the discharge of my duty. Subdue Satan under our feet, and grant that thy truth may be always victorious over error and heresy. I am now, Lord, to appear before thee, to give thee an account of my stewardship. I appeal therefore to thine infinite knowledge, that can witness for me, how faithfully and sincerely I have endeavoured to perform the duties of my calling; and my conscience can testify for me, that I have declared nothing but what is agreeable with thy divine oracles. I have endeavoured to instruct the ignorant, to discourage vice and profaneness, to comfort the troubled in mind, and in all things to promote religion, piety, glory, and the good of thy church in the world. I have preferred thy will and thy heavenly treasure to all worldly advantages; I have taken a singular pleasure in declaring the wonderful counsels of thy wisdom, and the mysteries of thy kingdom; I have delighted and endeavoured to save souls; so that I may say with David, "The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up." But, for all this I pretend not to be justified before thee. In all humility I cast myself at thy feet, to implore the pardon of my frequent imperfections, neglects, and miscarriages, which I have been guilty of in thy service. I confess I have been wanting in my zeal and charity; too remiss in the reproof of vice; too much concerned for myself, and too affectionate for my worldly interest. O Lord, if thou shouldst now treat me according to the severity of thy justice, and require from me the souls perished by my negligence or evil example, I should expect the doom of the unprofitable servant. But there is mercy reserved for me with thee, O my God! Accept therefore my repentance for all the errors and omissions of my life past, and lay them not to my charge, but comfort me with thy salvation. Strengthen my faith, increase my hope and assurance in thee. And when Death shall come

to

to make a dissolution, give me strength and grace to welcome it as thy messenger sent to remove me from my station, to free me from my pains and labour, and to convey me to thine eternal rest, where I shall be no longer sensible of the viciousness and impieties of the age. Gracious God, preserve thy church and people from all ravenous wolves and mercenary souls, and raise up a faithful, solid, wise, and learned clergy. Bring in our dissenting brethren, and give a check to the spirit of division, that we may all serve thee in unity of the Spirit, in the bond of peace. But now I am called to another ministry, where I shall meet with no trouble nor resistance; no weariness, grief, pain, sorrow, or displeasure; where I shall be received into the embraces of my blessed Saviour, who will lead me to the fountain of living water, and wipe away all tears from mine eyes. Amen.

A PRAYER and MEDITATION for the Father of a Family.

ATHER of Eternity, I yield unto thee my unfeigned

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thanks, because thou hast made me an happy instrument to put into the world children, out of whose mouths thou mayest accomplish thine own praise, and who may serve thee here below, and worship thee for ever in heaven amongst the thousands of angels. Whilst I have been in the world, I have brought them up in thy love and fear. I have caused them to suck from the breast the milk of piety; and when they were come to an age of understanding, I have taught them to walk in thy precepts. I have laboured to shew them a good example, and to guide them in thy truth. And now that I am ready to return unto thee, who art the author of my life and being, the only source of my happiness, I leave them in thy merciful hands, beseeching thee to look down upon them with the eyes of thy compassion. They are thine, O Lord; acknowledge thine own image and handy

work.

Cover them under the

work. Thy finger hath fashioned their bodies, where so many wonders are to be seen; and their souls, that animate and move them, are the breath and beams of thy Divinity. Thou hast engaged to be our God, and the God of our posterity after us. Thy great and precious promises have been made to us, and to our children. O heavenly Father, I desire not thou shouldst take them out of the world, but that thou shouldst keep them from evil. shadow of thy wings, and preserve them from those miseries and calamities, which thou hast threatened to send upon the inhabitants of the earth for their sins. If thou chastisest them, let it be with the rod of men, and with the scourge of the sons of men ; but withdraw not from them thy grace and thy fatherly compassion. Let the flames of affliction render their faith more pure, their lives more holy, and their zeal more sincere and earnest; and let it prepare them for thee, and thine eternal bliss. O holy Father, thou seest that the age wherein we live is extremely corrupt, that the earth is inclined to vice, and that sin reigns every where. Thou knowest also how weak the nature of children is, and how inclinable to evil; therefore strengthen them, I beseech thee, with such antidotes as may preserve them from the infection of the times. Suffer not the wickedness of the world to gain upon their affections, nor Satan to prevail upon them by his suggestions, nor evil company to spoil their pious education. Give them an understanding to know thee, an heart to love thee, and affections to embrace thee and thy glory. Let thy holy angels guard them by night and by day. Let thy providence defend them, thy word instruct them, thy promises comfort them, and thy holy Spirit regenerate them, and imprint in their souls thy blessed image. Give them neither poverty nor riches, but nourish them with food convenient. Make them to taste of the heavenly gift, and of the powers of the world to come. Inflame them with thy love and charity, and adorn them with all christian virtues; but chiefly

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sanctify them with thy holy Spirit, and make them to become new creatures; since without sanctification none shall see thy face in glory. Confirm them for ever in thy holy covenant, and give them grace to transmit it to their posterity after them, as a blessed inheritance, that thou mayest be glorified by them from generation to generation, to all eternity. Suffer not the world, nor hell, to pluck them out of thine hand, that nothing may separate them from the love which thou hast shewed to them in Jesus Christ thine only Son. Let not Death terrify them; but let it rather rejoice and comfort them, because that it is the entrance to the glorious dwelling of their heavenly Father, and to the celestial paradise. Whatsoever change or alteration shall happen here below, let them always lift up their eyes to thee, who art the same yesterday, to-day, and shalt be the same for ever. Let them never forget their duty to thee, from whom they have received their being and life, that they may prefer the glory of thy great name, the purity of thy worship, and the hopes of thy heavenly kingdom, to all worldly glory, magnificence, riches, advantages, and pleasures of the flesh. Merciful and almighty Lord, I shall not say to thee as Esau did to Isaac, when he had blessed Jacob, " My Father, hast thou but one blessing?" for I am certain that thou hast an infinite number and many inexhaustible fountains of all manner of blessings. But I beseech thee with all the zeal and earnestness that I am capable of, to bless my dear children with thy heavenly and principal favours. Take them into thy protection, bear them in thy hands, embrace them with tender compassion, and let them be as dear to thee as the apple of thine eye. I am now leaving the world, and my children, without grief or mistrusting thy care of them. I am ascending with joy up to thee, who art my God, my Father, and their Father; and I trust in thy great and eternal mercies, one day we shall see one another in thine heavenly kingdom, when we shall be admitted to behold thy face, which shall fill us with unspeakable gladness and pleasure. Amen.

CHAP.

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