The Devout Christian Instructed How to Pray and Give Thanks, church · Prayers 5
WHen ſickneſs arreſts any perſon, it is time for him preſently in the very beginning of it to ſearch and try his ways; ſorrowfully to confeſs the ſins of which he finds himſelf guilty, with a full purpoſe of amendment; to adviſe with his Spiritual Guide; and before his ſpirit be feeble and broken to recommend himſelf heartily to our bleſſed Saviour, by receiving the Communion of his body and bloud; thereing making a commemoration of his wonderful love, and devoting himſelf again to his ſervice: And having ſet his houſe in order (as th… Prophet ſaid to Hezekiah, Iſa. 38.1.) and ſetled his eſtate, to acknowledge Gods great goodneſs to him hitherto, and to ſubmit himſelf wholly to his good pleaſure, in ſuch manner as followeth.
A Prayer in the beginning of a Sickneſs.
O Lord, the Soveraign of the world; who doeſt what thou pleaſeſt in heaven and in earth; Pſal. 135.6.and delighteſt moſt in acts of bounty, as all thy works every where declare; and art full of compaſſion and mercy, Eccluſ. 2.11.long-ſuffering and very pittiful, and forgiveſt ſins, and ſaveſt in time of affliction. I acknowledge my ſelf, among the reſt of thy creatures, to be moſt deeply indebted to thee: whoſe life thou haſt prolonged to this time in much health, plenty and peace; together with the enjoyment of ſpiritual bleſſings in the Lord Jeſus. I thank thee, and praiſe thee; all that is within me bleſſes thy holy name: to whoſe wiſe and good Providence I wholly refer my ſelf for the time to come; placing my intire truſt and confidence in thy almighty Goodneſs, Faithfulneſs, and Truth, which endures for ever.
I ought to receive with all thankfulneſs whatſoever comes from thy hand; and believe that to be good for me, which thy infinite wiſdom and kindneſs orders and allots for my portion. Accordingly I accept with all humble and dutiful affection, this thy Fatherly chaſtiſement. I acknowledge thy care of me, and ſubmit to what thou wilt be pleaſed to lay upon me. If thou thinkeſt good to exerciſe me with a longer ſickneſs, and to let the preſent indiſpoſition of my body, proceed to a greater diſorder; not my will, but thine, O heavenly Father, be done. I only wait on thee for the comfortable preſence of thy holy Spirit, to ſupport my ſoul by faith, and hope, and patience, under all the pains I may endure. Lay no more upon me, O Father of mercies, than I ſhall be able to bear; and lay upon me what thou pleaſeſt. Free me, for the preſent, from all murmuring and repining thoughts; and for the future, make the ſickneſs and anguiſh of my body, a bleſſed inſtrument to purge my ſpirit more perfectly from all pride and vanity, from all covetouſneſs and worldly-mindedneſs, and from all inordinate love of any of the pleaſures of this life. I believe, O bleſſed Jeſus, that thou liveſt for ever, who ſufferedſt and dyedſt for us: and that thou haſt a great compaſſion towards thoſe, who would gladly follow thee, though it be through ſufferings. Behold, Lord, I commend my ſelf to thy mighty Love, deſiring above all things to be made conformable to thee, in meekneſs, in humility, in patience, in intire reſignation to Gods holy will and pleaſure, and in perfect ſatisfaction in his Fatherly love and kindneſs, whatſoever my condition be.
I am ſenſible, O God, that I have not employed my time to the utmoſt advantage of my ſoul, and to thy honour & glory: but have waſted many precious hours, and ſeveral ways neglected my duty towards thee*Here reckon up the ſins you may have committed., and been but an unprofitable part of this world; ſo that I am not worthy to continue any longer in it. But I hope thou wilt vouchſafe me thy gracious pardon and receive me to mercy, if thou calleſt me hence (for into thy hands, O Father, I commend my ſpirit, who haſt redeemed me by the precious bloud of Jeſus Chriſt:) And that if thou prolongeſt my days on earth, I ſhall ſerve thee with greater diligence, and ſtrictneſs, and zeal, and chearfulneſs, to the end of my life.
I deſire not to live, but that I may perfect holineſs in thy fear; and ſecure to my ſelf, by doing more good, an happy entertainment into the ſociety of the bleſſed, in the other world. I ſee already the emptineſs and inſufficiency of all enjoyments upon earth. All fleſh is graſs, and all the goodlineſs of it, as the flower of the field. The graſs withereth, Iſa. 40.7.the flower fadeth: Pſal. 119.50,81.But thy word ſtandeth faſt for ever. In thy word therefore, O Lord, and gracious promiſes, is my hope. This is my comfort in my affliction. And my perfect contentment, I ſee, lyes always in thy love and favour alone, which is better than life it ſelf. O ſettle me in a certain and unmoveable poſſeſſion of it, by what means thou pleaſeſt. Do but love me, and preſerve me in a lively ſenſe of thy good will towards me, and diſpoſe of me as thou thinkeſt good. In the multitude of my thoughts within me, Pſal. 94.19.thy comforts ſhall delight my ſoul. Rom. 5.2. 8.28.I will rejoyce even in the midſt of tribulations, Pſal. 23.3.30.10.and glory in thy holy name, who makeſt all things work together for good to them that love thee. Though I walk through the ſhadow of death I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy power, and tender care, they ſhall comfort me.
Accept, Good Lord, of theſe my deſires and reſolutions. Hear me, O God, and have mercy upon me. Lord, be thou my helper; for Chriſt Jeſus his ſake, my ever bleſſed Redeemer. Amen.
IT will be ſeaſonable here to put the Devout Reader in mind, that when he is in diſtreſs and deſires Mercy of God; it ought to excite his charity to others that are in miſery, and diſpoſe him to ſhew mercy to them. For though that be not Canonical Scripture which we read, Tob. 12.9. Alms doth deliver from death; yet this is; With the merciful God will ſhew himſelf merciful. (Pſal. 18.25.) Bleſſed is he that conſidereth the poor; the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. (41.1,2,3.) If he do not preſerve him and keep him alive; yet the Lord will ſtrengthen him upon the bed of languiſhing; he will make all his bed in his ſickneſs. Therefore as thou recommendeſt thy ſelf to God, and deſireſt others to pray with thee, ſo remember that, Prayer is good with faſting, and alms and righteouſneſs, Tob. 12.8.
A Prayer to be ſaid by the Family, with the Sick perſon.
O Lord, the Father of our ſpirits; who giveſt to us and all creatures, life and breath, and all things. We ſinful duſt and aſhes bluſh to lift up our eyes unto heaven, when we conſider our vaſt diſtance from thee; and reflect upon thy unſpotted holineſs, and our impurity; thy infinite wiſdom, and our wretched folly; thy power and our weakneſs; thy Eternity of life, and our ſhort continuance. We are but of yeſterday, and know nothing, Job 8.9.becauſe our days upon earth are a ſhadow. Pſal. 39.11.When thou with rebukes doſt correct man for iniquity, Job 25.6.thou makeſt his beauty to conſume away like a moth: Surely every man is vanity.
But ſo great is thy condeſcending grace, that thou haſt aſſured us thou wilt not deſpiſe ſuch worms as we are. Nay, thou haſt incouraged us, bleſſed be thy goodneſs, to approach unto thee with ſome confidence, that thou wilt mercifully receive us, though we have highly offended thy Divine Majeſty: Having ſent thy dear Son into the world to ſave ſinners; to purifie our natures, to indue us with a divine underſtanding; to ſtrengthen our weakneſs, and to comfort us with the hope of an immortal life.
Behold, O Lord, the oblation which we make to thee of moſt thankful hearts, devoted to thy ſervice: whoſe love and tender mercies have ſo exceedingly abounded towards us. We will praiſe thee, and glorifie thee as long as we have any being, for this great ſalvation which Chriſt Jeſus hath brought to light, by his reſurrection from the dead to an eternal Kingdom in the heavens. We are humbly bold to hope in thee, that thou who haſt not ſpared thy own Son, Rom. 8.32.but delivered him up for us all, wilt with him alſo freely give us all things. O thou Father of mercies, and God of all comfort, who haſt not thought a Crown of everlaſting life and glory too much to promiſe us: we believe that thou wilt not deny us what is needful and fit for us, both for our ſouls and our bodies, in our paſſage through this world to that honour, glory and immortality.
In this confidence we more particularly recommend this thy ſick ſervant to thy infinite and moſt compaſſionate mercy. Settle in his*Or her. ſoul a ſtedfaſt faith, that thou doſt not willingly grieve the children of men; but intendeſt good to him by this affliction. And now that other pleaſures and enjoyments fail him, repreſent thy ſelf effectually unto him, as his true happineſs and ſatisfaction. Wherein ſoever he hath neglected thee, or committed any offence againſt thee, make him deeply ſenſible of, and heartily ſorrwful for, his folly. And as he earneſtly deſires pardon and forgiveneſs of thee; ſo work in him a ſerious reſolution to live more circumſpectly and exactly in time to come. Aſſiſt him graciouſly, O Lord; that he may give a proof of his ſincere intentions hereafter to ſubmit himſelf in all things to thy will, by his patient ſubmiſſion to thy fatherly correction now. O that he may ſo quietly, ſo meekly, ſo humbly and chearfully reſign his will unto thee to ſuffer what thou inflicteſt; that he may be the more diſpoſed readily to deny his own deſires in doing whatſoever thou commandeſt.
For which end make him throughly apprehenſive of thy ſoveraign power and authority over all creatures. Poſſeſs him with a great reverence of thy wiſdom and juſtice; with an intire confidence in thy goodneſs and charity; and with a thankful remembrance of all thy paſt mercies to him, which have been innumerable. That ſo he may the better endure what thou layeſt upon him at preſent; and ever chuſe to follow thy directions, and ſubmit to thy orders, and love thy commandments, and delight to do thy will, O God.
Bleſs and ſucceed thoſe remedies that are uſed, for the reſtoring him to his former health; that he may live to perform his holy purpoſes. Or if thou haſt otherwiſe appointed, accept of them graciouſly; and diſpoſe him to return back his ſpirit willingly unto thee who gaveſt it; and with great humility, and deep ſenſe of his own undeſervings to expect thy mercy declared in Chriſt Jeſus, who hath ſo highly merited of thee. Fix his mind ſtedfaſtly upon him, who hath led the way through the grave unto heaven: that he may not be affrighted with the approaches of death; but looking beyond it to that high and holy place where the Lord Jeſus is, may rejoyce in hope of thy eternal glory.
And give every one of us, in our beſt eſtate of health, to conſider perpetually how frail and weak we are. That ſo we may not abuſe our ſelves by an intemperate uſe of any of the pleaſures of ſenſe; nor load our minds with the cares of this life; nor ſpend our days in a vain purſuit of the honour and glory of this world: But may paſs all the time of our ſojourning here in fear, 1 Pet. 1.17.Tit. 2.12.and live ſo ſoberly, righteouſly and godlily, in this preſent world, as becomes thoſe who expect ſhortly to give an account to thee, who wilt judge all men according to their works. Hear …s, O Lord, we moſt humbly beſeech thee, through Chriſt Jeſus our merciful and compaſſionate High-prieſt; who ſits at thy right hand, …nd lives for ever to make interceſſion for us. In whoſe name we continue to recommend our ſelves, …nd friends, and all thy people to …hee, as he hath taught us; ſaying;
Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name: Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread: And forgive us our treſpaſſes, as we forgive them that …reſpaſs againſt us: And lead us not …nto temptation, but deliver us from evil, &c.
If the diſeaſe proceed to ſuch an extremity, that in all appearance the Soul is ready to depart, there is a Commendatory Prayer appointed in the Publique offices of Devotion, to be ſaid by the Miniſter, whoſe aſſiſtance then ſure will be deſired. And beſides, the ſick perſon himſelf, as long as he is able, may thus recommend his ſoul unto Almighty God.
A Prayer when a perſon is giving up the Ghoſt.
I Reſign my ſpirit, O God, moſt chearfully into thy hands: hoping to find mercy with thee through Chriſt Jeſus. I know no other name under heaven whereby I may be ſaved, but thine alone, O bleſſed Jeſus; who waſt dead, and …rt alive again, Rev. 1.18.and liveſt …or evermore. I come un…o thee, O Lord, confiding in thy …oſt precious promiſes, which I be…ieve are faithful and true as thou art, …or pardon and for immortal life.
Accept, I beſeech thee, of my moſt …earty thanks for all thy mercies to …e, from the beginning of my life to …his moment. Paſs by all my ingra…tude and diſobedience. Receive …e into the company of the ſpirits …f juſt men made perfect, to give thee …hanks for ever.
And as I deſire to find mercy with …ee; ſo I forgive all my enemies: …eſeeching thee likewiſe to forgive …em; and to bleſs and comfort all …y friends, and to make thy whole …hurch glorious; and to bring us …l at laſt to live together in everlaſting love and joy, through Chriſt Jeſus. Amen.
IF God be pleaſed to reſtore the ſick perſon to a ſtate of health, publick Thanksgivings ought to be rendred to Almighty God for it. And together with the Sacrifice of praiſe, which is the fruit of our lips, (Heb. 13.15,16.) he ought not to forget to do good, and to communicate to them that are in miſery: for with ſuch ſacrifices God is pleaſed. And to preſerve a grateful remembrance of Gods mercy; here follows a Form of Thanksgiving to be uſed in private by himſelf, and by his friends, that are concerned in his recovery.
A Thanksgiving after recovery from a Sickneſs, to be ſaid by the perſon himſelf who is reſtored to health.
O God, the fountain of life and of all good; who art continually more and more pouring forth thy benefits upon us. I thy poor creature, whoſe life thou haſt mercifully ſpared when I deſerved to be cut off, proſtrate my ſelf, in an humble ſenſe of thy divine goodneſs, to render thee my moſt hearty thanks, and to renew my vows, which I made in the day of my diſtreſs.
Bleſs the Lord, O my ſoul: and all that is within me, Pſal. 103.1,2,3, &c.bleſs his holy name. Bleſs the Lord, O my ſoul, 34.8. 118,17,18.and forget not all his benefits. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities: 111.1.who healeth all thy diſeaſes. Who redeemeth thy life from deſtruction: who crowneth thee with loving kindneſs and tender mercies. Who ſatisfieth thy mouth with good things: ſo that thy youth is renewed like the Eagles. The Lord is merciful and gracious, ſlow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide; neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with me after my ſins; nor rewarded me according to my iniquities. But as far as the East is from the Weſt: ſo far hath he removed my tranſgreſſions from me. O taſt and ſee, my ſoul, how gracious the Lord is: bleſſed is the man that truſteth in him. I ſhall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord. The Lord hath chaſtned me ſore: but he hath not given me over unto death.
I will give thanks therefore unto the Lord with my whole heart; ſecretly among the faithful, and in the congregation. I can do no leſs than dedicate this new life, which thou haſt beſtowed upon me, intirely to thy ſervice: reſolving to employ more vigorouſly all thoſe powers of ſoul and body, which are ſo graciouſly reſtored unto me, unto thy honour and glory. For which end I moſt earneſtly deſire, to have a lively ſenſe preſerved in my mind, of thoſe things which were moſt powerful to move my heart towards thee, in the time of my ſickneſs. O that this world may ever appear unto me, as it was then repreſented to my mind! That I may never ſet my heart too much upon theſe periſhing enjoyments, and ſhort ſatisfactions; nor ever neglect thee, whoſe favour and grace I then ſought ſo earneſtly as my chiefeſt good: But remembring how little comfort I could find in any thing here; what a joy it was to have any hope in thee, the eternal God; and how that in my beſt eſtate I am but altogether vanity; I may moſt ſeriouſly apply my ſelf to work out my ſalvation with fear and trembling; and give all diligence to ſettle a ſtedfaſt hope in thee, that never may be ſhaken. Make me often to remember that my days are but like a ſhadow that declineth, Pſal. 102.11,12,27.and that I wither like the graſs. But thou, O Lord, ſhalt endure for ever, for thou art the ſame, and thy years ſhall have no end. That ſo, I may neither ſeek my happineſs in this dying life, but in thy endleſs love and favour; nor be ſlothful in buſineſs; Rom. 12.11.but fervent in ſpirit, ſerving the Lord.
Bleſſed be thy goodneſs that I feel theſe holy thoughts and deſires ſtill remaining in me. Excite me, I humbly beſeech thee, continually to renew them: that no day may paſs without ſerious reflections upon thy patient and long-ſuffering kindneſs towards me; upon the ſhortneſs o… this life, the uncertainty of all earthly comforts, and the happineſs of having a good hope in thee, by ſtedfaſt continuance in well doing. And let theſe thoughts be ſo deeply imprinted in my heart; that my affections may be weaned thereby from all things here below, and ſet on things above, where Chriſt is at thy right hand.
O that I may deſire and covet thoſe heavenly things for my portion, more than I do to eat and drink, or enjoy any other pleaſure of this life. Make me to rejoyce in them, more than in a whole world of other comforts: and to ſtand in greater fear of loſing them, than I do to dye, or endure any miſery. Preſerve in me, good Lord, ſuch a ſober and conſiderate diſpoſition of mind, that I may never be proud, who am, I ſee, but duſt and aſhes: nor confident of my own ſtrength and power, which is but weakneſs and vanity: nor diſtruſtful of thee, who art ſo gracious and merciful, as well as mighty to ſave. Suffer me not to ſink under any diſcouragements, who have the everlaſting arms under me, the wiſdom of heaven to direct and guide me, and the infinite treaſures of goodneſs to ſupply all my neceſſities.
And more particularly, I beſeech thee to give me grace by my late confinement, weakneſs, dulneſs, want of appetite and reſt, to learn to value very highly the benefits of liberty, ſtrength and quickneſs of all my ſenſes; and to bleſs thee, more than ever I have done, for the conſtant refreſhments of my food in the day, and of undiſturbed ſleep in the night, together with the reſt of the pleaſures of life, to which thou haſt reſtored me with my health. Make me perfectly contented in any ſtate and condition, whilſt I enjoy ſo great a bleſſing as that; which comprehends ſo many others in it. And when thou art pleaſed to take it again away from me; O that I may be able to be contented then alſo, in a remembrace of all thy paſt kindneſſes to me, and of a well-ſpent life, and careful improvement of this renewed health; and in hope of thy continued mercies to me in Chriſt Jeſus, even to eternal life. To which I humbly beſeech thee to bring me, by an unchangeable love and obedience to thee in all the changes and alterations of this mortal life; for his ſake who loved me and gave himſelf for me. To whom with thy ſelf, in the Unity of the ſame ſpirit, be glory everlaſting. Amen.
A Thanksgiving to be ſaid by the Family.
O Moſt holy, great and glorious God; the Almighty Creator …f heaven and earth: who upholdeſt …ll things by the word of thy pow…r, and governeſt the whole world with admirable wiſdom, juſtice and mercy. Thou deſerveſt the higheſt acknowledgements of all thy creatures. The Praiſes of Angels are not worthy of thee; nor any of their thoughts equal to thy infinite Majeſtie. What can we vile creatures then ſpeak of thee; or what thoughts ſhall we frame of thy perfections? Eſpecially of thy tranſcendent love, which hath moved thee in much compaſſion to conſider our weakneſſes, and help our infirmities? Thou haſt taught us by our Lord Jeſus what we ſhould think of thee: having vouchſafed to dwell among us, and make thy ſelf viſible unto us, not only as the moſt Wiſe and Mightie; but as the moſt Holy, Righteous, Gracious and Merciful Lord, who deſigneſt the greateſt bleſſings to us.
But now that we ſee thee, we have the greateſt reaſon to abhorr our ſelves in duſt and aſhes; when we conſider how unlike we are unto thee in thoſe excellent qualities, wherein thou haſt made thy ſelf known unto us; and how unthankful we have been unto thy divine goodneſs, which hath ſo ſtrangely condeſcended unto us, who are unworthy of the leaſt regard from thee. And yet ſuch is thy tender mercy and pitty towards us, that thou haſt declared thy ſelf willing to entertain even the greateſt ſinners into thy favour, by making them better. We our ſelves have received innumerable tokens of thy great clemency, patience and forbearance. And now …ately thou haſt been pleaſed to give us a new inſtance of thy loving kindneſs, and of thy deſire to win our hearts unto thee, in reſcuing one of as from going down into the grave, and reſtoring him to health and ſtrength again.
The living, the living, O Lord, …hall praiſe thee, as we do …his day: Yea,Iſa. 38.19. we will …leſs thy name as long as …e live, Pſal. 104.33.and ſing praiſes unto thee, Pſal. 86.12,13.as long as we have any being. We will praiſe thee, O Lord our God, with all our heart: 118.14,15.and glorifie thy name for evermore. For great is thy mercy towards us: and thou haſt delivered the ſoul of thy ſervant from the loweſt hell. The Lord is our ſtrength and our ſong: and is become our ſalvation. The voice of joy and health is in our dwellings: the right hand of the Lord bringeth mighty things to paſs.
O that there were ſuch an heart in every one of us, as to ſtudie ſeriouſly to know thee better, to meditate continually on thy benefits both to our ſouls and bodies, to love thee intirely, and to indeavour to be like unto thee; which is the deſign of thy goodneſs towards us. Empty our hearts of all other things▪ and make room for thy ſelf to dwell there, in wiſdom, righteouſneſs and true holineſs. Diſpoſe every one of us to follow Jeſus Chriſt our Maſter in lowlineſs, patience and charity; and to be ordered by the governance of his holy Spirit; Common Prayer-Book, in the Commination.ſeeking always his glory, and ſerving him duly in our vocation with thanksgiving. Help us ſo to employ our time in our health, proſperity and pleaſure, that we may have nothing to trouble us in the time of ſickneſs, affliction and ſorrow: But we may quietly and chearfully bear what thou layeſt upon us; looking unto Jeſus, who for the joy that was ſet before him endured the croſs, deſpiſing the ſhame, and is ſet down at thy right hand.
O bleſſed Lord, deny us not the conſtant aſſiſtance of the holy Ghoſt, to cheriſh, confirm and ſtrengthen our holy reſolution; to ſucceed our pious endeavours; to give us a quick ſenſe of all thy mercies, and a lively remembrance of all thy fatherly chaſtiſements; whereby we may be more and more excited to diligence, watchfulneſs, and zeal in thy ſervice. Preſerve us from a ſlothful and negligent ſpirit; and awaken in us ſuch a ſenſe of thee, and of our duty to thee, that we may ſearch after thy Will diligently, and believe it heartily, and practiſe it carefully, and watch againſt all temptations heedfully, and pray fervently and frequently, and ponder ſeriouſly and thoroughly all the inſtructions we have received from thee, and our many and great obligations to thee. O that it may be our choice to attend on thee; and that our hearts may be ſtill with thee, when our neceſſities require our attendance to other things! That ſo we may not be too deeply ingaged in the affairs of this life, to the prejudice of the eternal life of our ſouls: but we may go on to make it our great buſineſs to be truly godly, according to the pattern which our Lord hath left us; till we be fit to be lifted up to that high and holy place where we believe he is, and ſee the glory which thou haſt given him.
Now to him that holdeth our ſoul in life, and ſuffereth not our feet to be moved; Pſal. 66.9.to the God of our ſalvation, 68.20.to whom belong the iſſues from death, 30.11.Jude 25.who hath turned our heavineſs into joy, and put off our mourning, and girded us with gladneſs; to him that doth wondrous things, the only wiſe God our Saviour, be glory and majeſty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
A Parents Prayer for a Sick Child.
O Lord, by whoſe infinite goodneſs I was brought into this world, and by whoſe indulgent care I have been continued here unto this time; in the enjoyment of a great many bleſſings, of the leaſt of which I am unworthy. I thank thee that to all other comforts of this life thou haſt added the gift of this child; whom thou haſt preſerved in its birth, and ever ſince, by a marvellous providence. I am ſenſible that all I have is thine: and that I am but intruſted with this, as with all other good things, which I muſt return to thee whenſoever thou pleaſeſt.
Lord, aſſiſt me with the grace of thy holy Spirit (which I know thou art more ready to give than any other bleſſing) that I may reſign this child to thee, if thou art pleaſed now to call for it, with an humble; contented, patient and thankful mind: believing thou knoweſt what is better for me, than I do my ſelf; and wilt certainly recompence ſuch meek and quiet ſubmiſſion to thee, with as good or better enjoyments than thoſe thou takeſt away. But if thou thinkeſt good ſtill to prolong its days, and continue it with me; Behold, O Lord, the unfeigned purpoſe of my heart, faithfully to diſcharge my truſt, and to bring it up in the fear and nurture of our Lord.
Endue me with principles of true wiſdom and prudence, that I may educate it aright. Help me to give it a good example; and to uſe all diligence that it may ſerve its generation according to thy will, and at laſt be returned back to thee, wiſe and pure, and juſt, and good; fit for the company of the bleſſed in endleſs life. Unto thee, O Lord, I moſt heartily recommend both it and my ſelf; whoſe wiſdom knows where it is beſt to place thy creatures, whether in this or in the other world; and whoſe goodneſs deſigns to make us happy in both. To thee, the only wiſe and good God, be all Praiſe, Honour, Glory and Thankſgiving; with Fear and Reverence, Love and chearful Obedience, both now and eternally. Amen.