enable me by the Assistance of thy divine Spirit, to learn perfectly what I ought to believe and practise, in order to my eternal Salvation. Teach me thy Will, and enable me to do it. And may it be done on Earth, as it is in Heaven.

And O most Gracious God, be pleased to grant me all such Aids of thy Holy Spirit as may enable me to conquer every vicious Inclination, to subdue every evil and inordinate Desire, and to discern and know thy Holy Will, so far as that Knowledge is necessary to the right Performance of my Duty, and my Improvement in Piety and Virtue. May I never be led astray by any false Bias or Prejudice. Give me a right Understanding of the Holy Scriptures, and grant that having learnt thy Will, I may be assisted and enabled faithfully and punctually to perform it, notwithstanding any Temptation with which I may be assaulted. And may I, as far as I am able, endeavour to imitate Thee in all thy moral Perfections, knowing that to resemble Thee, is the highest Attainment of which my Nature is capable, and must eventually prove my greatest Happiness under a Government of perfect Rectitude.

COMPOSED IN April, 1817-Aged 88.

I thank Thee, O heavenly Father, for the Continuance of my Life to such an old Age, and although my Faculties are impaired, my Hearing dull, my Memory, my Strength, my Dexterity, and my Faculties fall far short of what they once were; that yet I have great Reason to bless Thee, that I suffer so little Pain, that I have still a Capacity for so many Enjoyments, still have the Ability of making some Improvement in Piety and Virtue, and doing some Good in the World. O my most bountiful Benefactor, be graciously pleased to enable me to improve every Moment of the short Remainder of the Time which Thou art allotting me, to these important Purposes; and grant, if it be thy holy Will, that my Usefulness may be continued in some Degree, whilst Thou shalt continue me in this Life, that I may not be a Burden upon Society, and a Cumberer of the Ground. But not my Will, but thine, be done.

COMPOSED IN JANUARY, 1827, IN THE 99TH YEAR OF HIS AGE.

O most gracious God, thou hast seen fit, in thy Providence, to take away from one of the Families most nearly connected with us, a dearly beloved Child.* Grant, O heavenly Father, that the be

* A granddaughter.

reaved Parents, and all of us, may be duly affected with this Visitation, may we not despise thy chastening Hand, nor faint now we are rebuked of Thee. May we remember it is an Act of thy divine Will, which is always wisest and best; and may we submit to it as to the fatherly Correction of a kind and tender Parent, who afflictest not willingly, nor grievest the Children of Men, but for our Good; that we may improve in Piety and Virtue; that we may be led by the transitory Nature of our dearest Enjoyments, to set looser from this vain World, and to place our hopes of Happiness upon more durable Objects than this World affords; always remembering that our Afflictions, if duly improved, will work out for us a far more exceeding and an eternal Weight of Glory.