PRAYER XVIII. O Lord most holy, O God most mighty, who hast pronounced those blessed and happy who are poor in spirit, and those who mourn for sin; those who are meek and lowly of heart, and those who hunger and thirst after righteousness; we pray thee to bless us with all these graces and fruits of the Holy Ghost, that ours may be the kingdom of heaven, that we may be comforted in all our troubles, that we may be preserved by thee while we are inhabitants of the earth, and that by and bye we may be filled with thy righteousness in the kingdom of heaven. Whenever the world assaults us with its rage and fury, may we in patience and meekness possess our souls; while others boast of their own pretended goodness, may we, in all humility, acknowledge and lament our sins; while others are labouring, and hungering, and thirsting after the sinful indulgences of the world. and the flesh, may the desires and long ings of our souls be for the mind and spirit of Christ Jesus. Make us, O Lord, make us new creatures; make us what thou wouldst have us to be, and keep us from those sins and snares to which we are most exposed, and from every thing that would grieve thy Spirit and defile our own hearts. While the world of evil men are encouraging and hardening each other in the road of destruction, may we be found among the few who are in the narrow path that leads to everlasting life, for Jesus Christ our Redeemer's sake, by whom we are encouraged thus to pray, "Our Father," &c. PRAYER XIX. Most holy and blessed God, thou hast told us that there is no peace unto the wicked, and every day shews us that the ways of sin are ways of misery. Oh, incline our hearts to seek and serve thee, to believe in, and to love and obey thee in all things; then will our peace be as a river, and we shall go on from strength to strength, and from grace to grace, until we appear before thee in thy heavenly kingdom. We acknowledge and confess that in times past we have turned a deaf ear to thy Word; we hearkened not unto thy counsel, we would receive none of thy friendly reproof. We turned all of us to our own ways, and madly sought happiness in the paths of death. O Lord of all power and might! how justly mightest thou have cut us off in these courses of sin and madness, and filled us for ever with the fruits of our own ways; glory be unto thee that thou didst not enter into judgment with us! Glory be to thee that we are still on mercy's ground. Oh, from this time to the end of our days may it be the desire of our hearts to learn, and to do thy will in all things; to commit our souls into the hands of thy beloved Son, to be washed, and pardoned, and cleansed from all our sins, and to be made new creatures. In every duty, and in every situation, in every trial and in every tempta tion may we look up to thee to know what thou wouldst have us to do. And may we hearken unto and obey thy Word on every occasion, through Jesus Christ our Lord, by whom we are instructed thus to pray, "Our Father," &c. PRAYER XX. Almighty and most merciful Lord God, thou God of all grace and long-suffering, who art abundant in goodness and truth; thou hast indeed been unto us a Father of mercies, though we have so long and grievously sinned and rebelled against thee. While thou hast been acting towards us in all the tenderness and care of the father in the parable, we have acted the ungrateful, foolish, and sinful part of the prodigal son towards thee. Like him we have forsaken thee, and thy people, and thy house; and sought to be happy in following our own ways with sinners who had not the fear of God before their eyes. Now, Lord, we would return unto thee; oh, draw our hearts to thy self. Cause us to see and feel the error of our ways, and henceforth to cast in our lot with thy servants; to be found in thine house of prayer, and to enjoy thy service above all things. Give us, O Lord, true repentance for all past sin, and saving faith in the merits and atoning blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Give us, O Lord, that new heart and right spirit, without which no man can see the Lord. Henceforth may we never more feed on the husks of sin and wickedness, but on that living bread, that grace and consolation which come down from heaven. May those who have come to themselves and returned unto thee, be enabled to give themselves up more and more every day to thy service, even unto their lives end, for Jesus Christ our Redeemer's sake, by whom we are encouraged thus to pray, "Our Father," &c. PRAYER XXI. Most blessed and gracious Lord God, who hast so kindly and repeatedly ex |