from us, without our drinking all its bitterness; but, if not, thy will be done. Only be pleased to sanctify this thy fatherly correction to him, that the sense of his weakness may add strength to his faith, and efficacy to his repentance: that, if it should be thy good pleasure to restore him to his former health, he may lead the residue of his life in thy fear and to thy glory; or else give him grace so to take thy visitation, that after this painful life ended, he may dwell with thee in life everlasting.]

And this we beg for Jesus Christ's sake.

Our Father, &c. Grace, mercy, and peace, &c.

OCCASIONAL PRAYERS.*

A PRAYER TO BE USED BY A CHILD.

O LORD my God, who dwellest in heaven, but yet beholdest all things that are done upon earth, and who by thy blessed Son hast invited little children to come unto thee, accept, I beseech thee, the praises which I now offer unto thee, and mercifully hear my prayers. Thou art my Creator;

for thou hast made us, and not we ourselves. I thank thee, therefore, O Heavenly Father, for the gift of life, and for the comforts and enjoyments with which thou hast blessed it. Thou art my Preserver, by whose watchful providence I am kept from the dangers with which I am surrounded. My safety, my health and happiness, are all owing to thy gracious and fatherly care. O may I be duly thankful to thee for thy mercy and protection every hour that I live. Above all, I bless and praise thee, O Lord, for thine unspeakable love in sending thine only Son into the world to die for our offences, and to save us from sin and eternal death. Enable me to live as I ought to live,

* The following prayers have been selected for this work.

us.

in the remembrance of thy great goodness towards Make me so to guard my heart and govern my conduct, that whatever I think and whatever I do, may be pleasing and acceptable in thy sight.

And grant, O Lord, that I may be careful in all my behaviour towards men. Make me dutiful and loving to my parents, kind and affectionate to my brothers and sisters, obedient and respectful to my pastors and teachers, modest, humble, and gentle in all my intercourse with my companions and friends. Grant that I may be pure in my thoughts, true in my words, and holy and unblameable in all my deeds; that keeping a conscience void of offence, I may live in favour with thee and in honour among men, and at last be received into thy heavenly kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

PRAYER BY THE MOTHER BEFORE CHILD-BIRTH.

O ALMIGHTY God, Father of men and angels, in whose hands are the keys of life and death; look

down in great mercy and upon thy unworthy servant.

gentlest compassion Thou hast fixed the

sharpest decree of sorrow and pain upon the weakest of mankind; but thou so lovest to magnify thy mercies and thy power, as that thy strength may be seen in our weakness. So let it be, O God, unto thy handmaid; let thy loving-kindness be

my confidence and rest, my hope and my security, both now and in the hour of my travail.

Give me grace to rely with unshaken confidence upon thy glorious promises. Thou hast commanded us to call upon thee in our trouble, and hast promised to deliver us. O leave me not, nor forsake me, for there is none that can help or deliver, but only thou, O God. In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me never be confounded. Give me patience and resignation, a perfect abandonment of my own will, and a conformity to thine; that I may be prepared to endure evil at thy hand with fortitude, or to receive good with thankfulness. But yet, O Lord, my God, give thy servant leave to pray unto thee, that thou wilt not cut me off in the midst of my days, nor forsake me when my strength faileth. Spare me, O God, that I may live to serve thee, to redeem my time misspent in folly, to gain victory over my temptations, and perfect dominion over my passions. O spare me a little, that I may recover my strength, before I go hence and be no more seen; so shall thy servant rejoice in thy mercies, and speak of thy loving-kindness in the Church of thy redeemed. And grant that those impressions of fear and love, of hope and desire, which thy grace makes upon me in the circumstances of my present condition, may abide in my soul for ever, and in the days of ease and safety may be as productive of holiness, as they now are of hearty

prayers and passionate desires for thy mercies, upon me in a safe and blessed child-birth.

Lord, be gracious unto my child, and grant that it may be born with a perfect body and sound mind, and let thy Spirit of grace bless and sanctify it in baptism, and conduct it in safety and holiness from the cradle to the grave. Hear me, O gracious God, for his sake who suffered the infirmities of our nature, and died for our sins, and rose again for our justification, thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

A MOTHER'S PRAYER FOR HER

CHILDREN.

O MOST gracious and eternal God, who hast promised to be a Father to a thousand generations of them that love and fear thee, be thou a God and a Father to me, and the children which thou hast given me. Enable me to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, to the praise and honour of thy holy name. O give me thy grace and favour, that I may instruct them with prudence and firmness, and lead them, both by precept and example, into the ways of righteousness and truth; never provoking them to wrath by the harshness of my rebukes, nor through weakness indulging them in their follies. And that all my children may be thine, O preserve them in thy favour or take them away from hence whilst they are in