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what thou hast done for me. Thou art my God, and I will praise thy name continually. My soul shall be satisfied with "the truth as it is in Jesus," and

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my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips." Hear my voice, O blessed Lord, in my prayer, and hide me from the secret "counsels of the wicked;" destroy their malignant intentions; and let me be glad in thee, and trust in thee, and glorify thy name for evermore. no temptations here below

O that

may ever

tempt me to depart from thee, the living God! Enrich my soul with the spirit of genuine piety, and multiply my words in praises to thy holy name.

Teach me to fly to thee as my joy in prosperity, as my consolation in adversity, Spread before me the fruits and advan

tages of a holy and religious life. Inspire me with wisdom to direct my steps, with fortitude to sustain the evils of life, with meekness to inherit thy blessings, and with cheerfulness and gratitude, to enjoy the gifts of thy beneficence. When I do wrong, in mercy pardon me, and accept my repentance; when I do well, let peace and tranquillity dwell in my bosom. O let me not think more highly of myself than I ought, that so humility may be my guide, and thy sacred word my joy and consolation.

Be thou, O Lord, the supreme felicity of my life. Pity my numberless frailties, and give me power and resolution" to keep myself unspotted from the world." Thou art "acquainted with all my ways," and "knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are

vanity." "Thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long-suffering, and plenteous in goodness and truth." Thy tender mercies are over all thy works; and thou never forsakest thy children, if they do not forsake thee. "Like as a father pitieth his children, so pitieth thou them that fear thee; for thou knoweth our frame, and remembereth that we are dust." O, then, leave me not to myself; let me not "follow a multitude to do evil, nor stand in the way of sinners; let me refrain my tongue from evil, and my lips that they speak no guile." Pour down upon me the influence of thy Holy Spirit; quench in me every sinful propensity; and incline my thoughts to the improvement of my mind; and the practice of all those christian and moral duties which constitute the chief and only

excellence of human nature. Grant that the pleasures and indulgences of this world may not tempt or allure me to abandon the more substantial enjoyments of temperance, industry, and frugality. Guide me, O Lord, in the paths of piety and virtue; and let me not incur the punishment, or entail on myself the fruits of vicious and intemperate habits; for then I should be unhappy indeed, because there is no misery like that which a man incurs by his own vices.* Mercifully grant, that I may grow wiser and better as life wears away; and though occupied, like others, in the cares and business of this life, let me often think of futurity; of "the things which belong to my peace, before they are hid from my eyes!" Do thou,

* It will always stand unalterably true, that VICE is its own punishment, and VIRTUE its own reward.

gations I am under to thee; and enable me by thy grace to make a right use of my time, and to work out my salvation in a manner acceptable in thy sight, and profitable to my own eternal interests. Let me be of the number of those happy persons who are daily advancing in piety and chastity, humility and meekness, contentment and resignation to thy will. Let me choose thee for my guide and guardian, my portion and felicity; and cheerfully resign myself to be governed and disposed of according to thine unerring wisdom, which alone can lead to satisfaction here, and glory hereafter.

live, from day to day, as I

Teach me to

shall wish to

have lived, when I come to die. And grant that every moment of my life may be so spent and improved, that I may become more worthy of thy protection, and more fit

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