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A Prayer suitable to be used by Parishioners for their Minister. a corner, but that our eyes see our teachers, and our ears hear their words, instructing us in the right way, and exhorting us to walk therein, and that we turn not to the right hand or to the left. Give us grace, we beseech thee, to profit by their ministry; may thy word spoken in our ear sink deep in our heart, and bring forth in us the fruit of good living.

And, O gracious God, wilt thou send down upon the ministers of thy gospel, and upon the congregations committed to their charge, the healthful spirit of thy grace. Pour upon them the continual dew of thy blessing. Give grace, O heavenly Father, to all bishops and other ministers, that they may, both by their life and doctrine, set forth thy true and lively word, and rightly and duly administer the ordinances of thy gospel. And especially, O Lord, and most earnestly do we ask thy blessing upon him who is appointed to be our spiritual ruler and guide; who labors among us in word and doctrine, and breaks to us the bread of life. Thou hast commanded us to remember those who have the rule over us, and have spoken unto us thy word; for they watch for our souls, as they who must give account to thee of their fidelity. Him who rules over us, and watches for our souls, would we, O blessed Lord, remember in these our prayers; beseeching thee to rule his heart, to strengthen his hands and bless his labors. His best gifts and acquirements are our gain should he lose his labors, we must lose our souls. Do thou, the God of all mercy and grace, who hast given this treasure in earthen vessels, and who alone canst make the frailty of man sufficient for such a ministry, endue him, our beloved pastor, with every gift and grace necessary to the full and faithful performance of all the duties of his office. Awaken in his mind a holy zeal for thy glory, and for the salvation of men. Help him

A Prayer suitable to be used by Parishioners for their Minister. to devote himself, and all his powers and faculties, to thee, in the work of his ministry. Enlighten his mind with the truths of thy word, and with the doctrines of eternal life. May thy Holy Spirit be his teacher, and bring to his remembrance whatever is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction and for instruction in righteousness. Wilt thou, O gracious God, be ever with him in performing the duties of his ministry. Support him under all the discouragements which may intercept his way. Give him patience and strength in all the painful labors of his office, and wisdom rightly to divide the word of truth, and to give to all their portion of meat in due season. Remove from him the fear of man; and give him utterance that he may open his mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, and shun not to declare all the counsel of God. Grant him the comfort of seeing thy work prosper in his hand; may many souls, by his labors and thy blessing converted to thee, be his crown of rejoicing.

And wilt thou, O Lord, watch over him for good. May his life be precious in thy sight. Preserve, we beseech thee, his health and strength. Shield him from sorrows and perils and calamitous events, and grant him such temporal comforts as may be convenient and useful, and encourage him in his labor of love. Bless him in his house, [in his family,] and in his connections. May he long continue to labor successfully in building up the Redeemer's kingdom and turning many to righteousness; and at last, having fought a good fight, and finished his course with joy, may he receive the crown of righteousness laid up for him in thy heavenly kingdom.

And give us grace, O Lord, we beseech thee, rightly and truly to profit by his ministry, and to do all that is in our power to hold up his hand, and

To be used in Families, Meetings for Prayer, and on other occasions. aid him in the arduous duties of his pastoral care, that he may do them with joy and not with grief. May his patient labor, for our benefit, fill our hearts with grateful affection, and with that love which is not in word and tongue only, but in deed and in truth.

Hear us, O Lord, we beseech thee, for the sake of thy Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ, in whose name and words we further pray :—

Our Father who art, &c. Amen.

The following prayers are more general, and may be used in Families, or by companies of Christians in meetings for Prayer, and on other

occasions.

RIGHTEOUS, adorable and everliving God, in whom we live and move and have our being; whose goodness is, like thy power, unbounded, behold in mercy the souls who are here before thee. We approach thee, O God, as fallen, sinful creatures, unworthy to lift our eyes to a righteous God in prayer. Trusting not in our own righteousness, but in thy manifold and great mercies, and the infinite merits of a Savior's blood, we beseech thee to cleanse us from sin, and behold us in love. Help us, with humble reverence, religious awe, and praying hearts, in his prevailing name, to come before thee. Grant us, O Lord, such a right view of thy justice and thy mercy, that we may fear without despair, and hope without presumption.

Let thy Holy Spirit be with us to help our infirmities, to enliven our devotion, to reclaim our wandering thoughts, and raise our affections from the world to thee. Assist us mercifully, O Lord, in our supplications and prayers; raise our hopes and dispose our ways towards the attainment of everlasting salvation. May we love the things which

To be used in Families, Meetings for Prayer, and on other occasions. thou commandest, and desire those which thou dost promise; that so, among the manifold changes of this world, our hearts may surely there be fixed, where true joys are to be found. Give us grace to cast away the works of darkness and put upon us the armor of light. In all time of our tribulation, in all time of our prosperity, in the hour of death, and in the day of judgment, support us with thy grace, preserve us from pride, uphold us with thy spirit, and save our souls, in Jesus Christ.

We beseech thee, O God, to hear our prayers, and accept of our intercessions for all who desire, and all who need them. Extend the light of thy gospel through the darkness of this sinful world, and grant that the knowledge of Christ, and the doctrines of life eternal, may spread more and more, till all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation that is in Jesus Christ.

And

We beseech thee, O God, to inspire continually the universal church with the spirit of truth, unity and concord; and grant that all they who do confess thy name may agree in the truth of thy holy word, and live in harmony and godly love; may they hold the true faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life. we beseech thee so to dispose the hearts of all Christian rulers, that they may truly and impartially administer justice, to the suppression of wickedness and vice, and to the maintenance of true religion and virtue. May peace and harmony, and the blessings of true liberty, equal laws, and pure and undefiled religion, be extended to all the nations of the earth.

Bless, O Lord, we beseech thee, the people of this our country with prosperity and peace. Inspire them with thankfulness to thee, for thy manifold and great mercies, and cause them to show their sense of thy goodness by living according to thy

To be used in Families, Meetings for Prayer, and on other occasions. righteous laws. May thy heavenly wisdom, and thy holy, protecting providence, guide and govern those who are in authority over us. May it please thee to bless and prosper all their ministrations, to the advancement of thy glory, the good of thy church, and to the honor, safety, and welfare of thy people and grant that peace and happiness, truth and justice, religion and piety may be established among us for all generations.

Extend, O Lord, thy heavenly benediction to the spiritual rulers set in thy church. Give grace, we humbly beseech thee, to all the ministers of thy gospel of every grade, and in all their various fields of labor; and grant that they may, both by their life and doctrine, set forth thy true and lively word; rightly and truly administer all the ordinances of our Savior, Christ; and be instruments, through thy grace, of turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, and of declaring to all who have ears to hear, the whole counsel of God.

May it please thee, O Lord, to give to all thy people increase of grace, to hear meekly thy word, and to receive it with pure affection, and to bring forth the fruits of the spirit. May it please thee to bring into the way of truth all such as have erred and are deceived; to strengthen such as do stand; to comfort and help the weak-hearted; to raise up those who fall, and to subdue our spiritual enemies. And we most humbly beseech thee of thy goodness, O Lord, to comfort and succor all those who, in this transitory life, are in trouble, sorrow, need, sickness, or in any other adversity; giving them patience and resignation under their sufferings, and wisdom and grace to make a right improvement from their afflictions.

May thy gracious ears, O Lord, be open to all who seek thy face in prayer. We pray thee to en

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