USED AT ANY HOUR.

The Prayer of a Ruler or Magistrate.

MY God and King, Thon rulest in the kingdoms of men; by Thee kings reign, and princes decree justice: Thou hast appointed me under Thyself and under my prince to govern this portion of Thy people according to the laws of religion and the commonwealth. O Lord, I am but an infirm man, and know not how to decree sentences without erring in judgement; but do Thou give to Thy servant an understanding heart to judge this people, that I may discern between good and evil. Cause me to walk before Thee and all this people in truth and righteousness, and in sincerity of heart, that I may not regard the person of the mighty, nor reject the petition of the poor, but that, doing justice to all men, I and my people may receive mercy of Thee, peace and plenty in our days, with mutual love and duty; that there be no leading into captivity, and no complaining in our streets; but we may see the Church in prosperity all our days, and religion established and increasing. Do Thou establish the house of Thy servant, and bring me to a participation of the glories of Thy kingdom, for His sake Who is my Lord and King, the holy and ever-blessed Saviour of the world, our Redeemer Jesus. Amen. (189)

The Prayer of One in Authority.

ALMIGHTY God, merciful and gracious, have mercy upon my family [or pupils, or parishioners, &c.] and all committed to my

charge; sanctify them with Thy grace, preserve them with Thy providence, guard them from all evil by the custody of angels, direct them in the ways of peace and holy religion by my ministry and by the guidance of Thy most holy Spirit, and seal them all with the participation of Thy blessings and grace in this world, with healthful bodies, with good understandings and sanctified spirits, to a full fruition of Thy glories hereafter, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (190)

The Prayer of One under Authority.

ETERNAL God, great ruler of men and angels, Who hast constituted all things in a wonderful order, making all the creatures subject to man, and one man to another, and all to Thee; teach me to obey all those whom Thou hast set over me, reverencing their persons, submitting to their lawful commands, cheerfully undergoing those burdens which the public wisdom and necessity shall impose upon me; not murmuring against government, lest the spirit of pride and disorder enter into me, and consign me to the portion of the disobedient and rebellious, of the despisers of dominion and revilers of dignity. Grant this, O holy God, for His sake, Who, for His obedience to the Father, hath obtained a Name that is above every name, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. A(191)

men.

The Prayer of a Student.

God the Father, God the Word, God the Spirit, I pour forth most humble and hearty supplications; that He, remembering the calamities of mankind, and the pilgrimage of this our life, in which we wear out days few and evil, would please to open to us new refreshments out of the fountain of His goodness, for the alleviating of our miseries. This also I

humbly and earnestly beg, that human things may not prejudice such as are divine: neither that from the unlocking of the gates of sense, and the kindling of a greater natural light, any thing of incredulity, or intellectual night, may arise in our minds towards divine mysteries. But rather, that by our mind throughly cleansed and purged from fancy and vanities, and yet subject and perfectly given up to the Divine oracles, there may be given unto faith the things that are faith's. Amen. (192)

The Prayer of a Medical Man.

LORD, if I be anything, it is by Thine ordinance and as Thy instrument; by the understanding and the use of these things of which Thou art the author. If I cure any, let me not usurp glory from Thee. If I miscarry, let me take the infirmity on myself. And since, O Lord, I am a man, not God to heal, preserve me, I beseech Thee, from all wilful neglect or injury, and pardon what I do from ignorance and involuntarily. O Thou great Physician, let Thy wisdom go before me and Thy blessing along with me in whatsoever I shall direct or do, that success may follow me.

And as I take care of the rich for my own sake, so let me attend to the poor for Thee: the poor, for whom Thou wilt both pay the blessing on my labours, and Thy blessedness on myself: for whose cure Thou wilt both satisfy me with Thy comfort now, and hereafter with Thy glory. So be it, blessed Jesus, Thou good Physician of mankind and me, when all were destitute, sick, and poor, and had nothing to offer for our health. Let no gain be so welcome as Thy favour: Let me heal like Thee, that I may be beloved of Thee and of Thy heavenly Father in Thee and for Thee. A

men.

(193)

The Prayer of a Lawyer.

FILL my heart and mind, O Lord, I beseech

Thee, with a continual apprehension of Thy just judgement, that when pleading at the bar I may not dare to pervert or confuse the right; that when counselling in my chamber I may never advise what I know to be wrong. Let me ever be ready to help those who have neither money nor power to maintain their own cause: that what I lose at man's bar I may find at Thine. Let the poor be my client now, that at that day I may be Thine, and that Thou, Who art my Judge, mayest be my Advocate. Plead for me, acquit me, crown me, bequeath the kingdom to me. Ó Blessed Jesus, may it ever be so with me and to me, by Thy grace and merits, I beseech Thee, my God, my Judge, my Sovereign Lord, and only Saviour. Amen. (194)

The Prayer of a Merchant, Tradesman, or

Handicraftsman.

ETERNAL God, Thou fountain of justice, mercy, and benediction, Who, by my education and other effects of Thy providence, hast called me to this profession, that by my industry I may work for the good of myself and others; I humbly beg Thy grace to guide me in my intentions, and in the transaction of my affairs, that I may be diligent, just, and faithful; and give me Thy favour, that this my labour may be accepted by Thee as a part of my duty; assist and prosper me in my calling as Thou shalt in mercy choose for me; let Thy Holy Spirit be ever present with me, that I be not given to covetousness and sordid appetites, to lying and falsehood, or any other base, indirect, and beggarly arts; but grant me prudence, honesty, and Christian sincerity, that my trade may be sanctified by my religion, my la

bour by my intention and Thy blessing; that when I have done my portion of work Thou hast allotted me, and improved the talent Thou hast entrusted to me, and served the commonwealth in my station, I may receive the prize of my high calling, which I expect and beg, in the portion and inheritance of my ever blessed Saviour and Redeemer Jesus. Amen. (195) The Prayer of a Deacon.

LORD God, Who by Thine own presence dost shed the abundance of Thy Holy Spirit on those who are set apart by Thy inscrutable power to become Ministers and to serve Thy spotless mysteries, keep me Thy servant, whom Thou hast been pleased to make a Deacon in Thy Church, that I may hold the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience with all virtue. Vouchsafe me the grace given to Thy first martyr Stephen, who was first called by Thee to the work of this ministry, and enable me to administer according to Thy good pleasure the degree assigned to me by Thy goodness-for they that minister rightly purchase to themselves a good degree and fill me by the presence of Thy holy and life-giving Spirit with all faith and love, and power and sanctification. For Thou art One God, and to Thee I render glory, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. (196)

Or this.

HOLY Lord, Father Almighty, Everlasting God, increase within me the gifts of Thy grace, and mercifully bestow by Thy Spirit what human frailty cannot attain unto. Fill me, Thy servant, whom Thou hast called to the office of a Deacon, with all faith, and love, and strength, and sanctification, and indwelling of Thy Holy and life-giving Spirit, that I may faithfully ful