PRAYERS.

On my Birth-Day.

September

1738.

GOD, the Creator and Preserver of all man

kind, Father of all mercies, I thine unworthy fervant do give Thee most humble thanks, for all thy goodness and loving kindness to me. I blefs thee for my creation, prefervation, and redemption, for the knowledge of thy fon Jesus Christ, for the means of grace and the hope of glory. In the days of childhood and youth, in the midst of weakness, blindness, and danger, Thou haft protected me; amidst afflictions of mind, body, and eftate, Thou hast supported me; and amidst vanity and wickedness, Thou haft fpared me. Grant, O merciful Father, that I may have a lively fense of thy mercies. Create in me a contrite heart, that I may worthily lament my fins and acknowledge my wickednefs, and obtain re

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miffion and forgiveness, through the fatisfaction of Jesus Christ. And, O Lord, enable me, by thy grace, to redeem the time I have spent in floth, vanity, and wickedness; to make use of thy gifts to the honour of thy name; to lead a new life in thy faith, fear, and love; and finally to obtain everlasting life. Grant this, Almighty Lord, for the merits and through the mediation of our most holy and bleffed Saviour Jefus Chrift; to whom, with Thee and the Holy Ghost, Three Perfons and One God, be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen.

Transcribed June 26, 1768.

This is the first folemn prayer, of which I have a copy. Whether I compofed any before this I quef tion.

Prayer on the Rambler.

ALMIGHTY God, the giver of all good things,

without whose help all labour is ineffectual, and without whofe grace all wifdom is folly; grant, I befeech Thee, that in this my undertaking, thy Holy Spirit may not be withheld from me, but that I may promote thy glory, and the falvation both of myself and others; grant this, O Lord, for the fake of Jefus Chrift. Amen.

Compofed by me on the Death of my Wife, and repofited among her Memorials, May 8, 1752.

DEUS EXAUDI. -HEU!

April 24, 1752.

LMIGHTY and moft merciful Father, who

loveft those whom Thou punishest, and turnest away thy anger from the penitent, look down with pity upon my forrows, and grant that the affliction which it has pleafed Thee to bring upon me, may awaken my confcience, enforce my refolutions of a better life, and imprefs upon me fuch conviction of thy power and goodness, that I may place in Thee my only felicity, and endeavour to please Thee in all my thoughts, words, and actions. Grant, O Lord, that I may not languish in fruitless and unavailing forrow, but that I may confider from whose hand all good and evil is received, and may remember that I am punished for my fins, and hope for comfort only by repentance. Grant, O merciful God, that by the affiftance of thy Holy Spirit I may repent, and be comforted, obtain that peace which the world cannot give, pass the refidue of my life in humble refignation and cheerful obedience; and when it fhall please Thee to call me from this mortal ftate, refign myself into thy hands with faith and confidence, and finally obtain mercy and everlasting happiness, for the fake of Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen.

May 6, 1752.

LORD, our heavenly Father, without whom all purposes are fruftrate, all efforts are vain, grant me the affiftance of thy Holy Spirit, that I may not forrow as one without hope, but may now return to the Duties of my prefent ftate with humble confidence in thy protection, and fo govern my thoughts, and actions, that neither bufinefs may withdraw my mind from Thee, nor idlenefs lay me open to vain imaginations; that neither praile may fill me with pride, nor cenfure with difcontent; but that in the changes of this life, I may fix my heart upon the reward which Thou haft promifed to them that ferve Thee, and that whatever things are true, whatever things are honeft, whatever things are just, whatever are pure, whatever are lovely, whatever are of good report, wherein there is virtue, wherein there is praife, I may think upon and do, and obtain mercy and everlasting happiness. Grant this, O Lord, for the fake of Jefus Chrift. Amen.

Fl. Lacr.

March 28, in the morning, 1754.

GOD, who on this day wert pleased to take from me my dear wife, fantify to me my forrows and reflections. Grant that I may renew and practise the refolutions which I made when thy afflicting hand was upon me. Let the remembrance of thy judgements, by which my wife is taken away, awaken me to repentance; and the fenfe of thy mercy,

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