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allowed guile in thy sight: that so I may not be ashamed, or be found wanting in that day, when thou shalt come to judge the world.

O let thine all-seeing eye, and not the eye of the world, restrain and regulate my conduct. And let thy blessed favour, more than the approbation of sinful man, be ever my study and delight. Search me, O God, and try me; and whatever unpardoned guilt or unrepented wickedness, whatever unknown error or countenanced lust, lies in my soul, O help me to see it; and, of thy mercy, deliver me from it: and let me not regard iniquity in my heart: let no presumptuous sins have dominion over me. Let me not allow myself in any way of wickedness: nor go on in formality and hypocrisy to serve thee: but enable me to walk before thee with an upright heart, and to do all things sincerely and heartily, as unto the Lord. O let me not be only almost, but altogether a Christian; obeying from the heart all thy holy will; and not so much concerned to seem religious, as to be so in deed and in truth. Make me willing to part with the dearest sins, and to perform the hardest duties, for the sake of that adorable Saviour, who left the highest glory, and endured the sorest misery, for the sake of my soul. O make me true to my own convictions, and faithful in exerting my own endeavours: yea, make me ever jealous over my heart, and conscientious in all my thoughts, and words, and ways: that my praise may not be of men, but of God; and that I may have continual rejoicing in the testimony of my own conscience, and in that peace of God, which passeth all understanding. O my Father, who seest in secret! let the performing of thy holy will, and the honouring of thy blessed name, and the enjoying of thy gra

cious favour, be the great end, which I design and aim at, in all my actions and undertakings: that thou the great and good God, mayest in all things be glorified by me, through Jesus Christ. Amen.

A PRAYER FOR INCREASE OF GRACE.

O GOD of all grace, who quickenest the dead, and art both the Author and Finisher of thy people's faith! thou hast told us that the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day; and that they go from strength to strength, growing in grace, till they appear before thee in glory. But, O Lord, how barren and unfruitful have I been among the trees of righteousness! and how little have I made my profiting to appear under all the means of grace which thou hast mercifully vouchsafed unto me! how weak and low am I still in my spiritual estate! how weak is my will, and small my strength, to that which is good! how much am I behind many of thy servants, who have not had the helps and advantages which I have so long enjoyed! and how little is it to be seen in my life, what great things the Lord has done for my soul! O my God, I have not well improved the talents which thou hast put into my hands; nor answered the care and kindness of heaven, which I have so long experienced. Thou hast not been wanting to me, O good Lord! but I have been exceedingly wanting to myself, and to that duty which I owe to thee, my God. I am ashamed that it is no better with me; that so many mercies have been lost upon me. Forgive me, O my Father, and renew me after thy blessed image. O help me still more

and more, to put off the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and to put on the new man, which, after God, is created in righteousness and true holiness. Whatever else I want, Lord, deny me not thy grace: but increase it in me, and discover it still more and more upon me. Yea, let the graces of thy Spirit that accompany salvation, so flourish in my soul, that the peace of God, which passeth all understanding may keep my heart and mind, through Christ Jesus.

Blessed Saviour; who camest into the world, that we might have life, and have it more abundantly; let me receive out of thy fulness grace sufficient for me; that I may be strong in the Lord, and ready to every good work. My Life, my Strength, and my Redeemer! leave me not under the curse of barrenness, to halt or decline in my spiritual estate : out, as thou hast wrought all my works in me, stablish, I beseech thee, that which thou hast wrought for me; and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die. Let the seeds of grace which thou hast sown in my heart be watered by thy good Spirit; that my soul may prosper and increase with the increase of God, even as a watered garden, or as a spring whose waters fail not. Make me to grow in knowledge and in grace: and to abound in all those fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God! that so I may have the witness in myself, that I am thy servant. O my Lord! carry on with power the work of faith and holiness in my soul; that my sinful corruption may grow weaker and weaker: and thy grace in me may grow stronger and stronger; till from groaning under the body of sin and death, I come to triumph over all the enemies of my soul.

And as thou art pleased to afford me the means of grace, O grant me the increase of thy grace, that they may not be lost upon me; but that in the use of them, it may be made still wiser, and holier, and better, and fitter for thy blessed acceptance, in Jesus Christ my only Saviour. Amen.

A PRAYER FOR QUICKENING GRACE.

I ACKNOWLEDGE and bewail before thee, O thou living and all-seeing God, my sinful dulness, and backwardness to the duties of thy holy service. When I should delight in the law of God, and serve thee with gladness, and make it my meat and drink to do the will of my heavenly Father, O how cold and listless am I in the performance of that which is best for me, and which most nearly and eternally concerns me! I am alive to the world, and very apt to be transported with the objects of sense; but O how heavy and dead in those offices of attendance on my Lord, which are the joy and glory of all the hosts of heaven! My soul cleaveth to the dust! quicken me, O Lord, according to thy word; according to thy precept, which commands us to be spiritually-minded, and to be fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. And quicken me, O my God, according to the word of thy promise, that sin shall not have dominion over thy servants; and that thou wilt perfect that which concerneth them. Dear Lord! be thou pleased to perfect that which concerns my soul. And engage the love of my heart to thy serLet it be my delight to do thy will, O God: and with an enlarged heart to run the way of thy commands. O help me to put forth myself with

vice.

vigour and activity in thy holy ways; and to apply myself to the performance of thy blessed will, not only because I must, but because it is the desire of my soul, and the joy of my heart, to be so engaged: let nothing in the world give me so much pleasure and satisfaction, as to approve my heart unto thee my God, and to have all my works acceptable in thy sight, through Jesus Christ, my only Mediator and Advocate. Amen.

A PRAYER FOR THE DIVINE ASSISTANCE.

O LORD God Almighty, who givest power to the faint, and increaseth strength to them that have no might! without thee I can do nothing; I am unable even to will or think any thing that is good, or to keep myself from any thing that is evil: but my help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Thou, O my God, art able to keep me from falling, and to make me perfect in every good work, and to work in me that which is well-pleasing in thy sight, through Christ Jesus. And thou hast encouraged me to come boldly to the throne of grace, that I may obtain mercy, and find grace to help me in time of need. Lord of all power and grace! I come, trusting in thine almighty strength, thine infinite goodness, and thy gracious promises; I come to ask of thee whatsoever is wanting in myself; and to obtain grace sufficient for me. Let thy good Spirit help my infirmities, and strengthen me with might in the inner man that so I may be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might; and do all things as I ought, through Christ strengthening me.

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