by His merits has purchased this grace for all that faithfully ask it of Thee; for His sake, O merciful God, grant me this grace. Amen.

I do, in all humility, accept of the punishment of mine iniquities.

I will hold my peace, and not open my mouth, because it is Thy doing and my deservings.

I know, O Lord, that it is good for me to be in trouble, or Thou wouldest not suffer it so to be.

Let Thy merciful kindness be my comfort, according to Thy promise to all that love and serve Thee.

DIFFICULTIES.

We are to pray for the particular direction of God's Holy Spirit upon all great occasions; we are humbly to depend upon and cheerfully to expect it, which He will manifest, either by some plain event or determination of His providence, or by suggesting such reasons as ought to determine the will to a wise choice.

But to follow the inclinations of the will without reason, only because we are strongly inclined to a thing, is a very dangerous way, and will engage men in evil practices and endless scruples.

The Spirit of God brings into our minds new lights, sets them home, inclines us to attend to them, &c. But let men take heed of setting up idols in their hearts; and then go and inquire of the Lord— He will answer them.

IN A LAW-SUIT.

Convince me, O God, if I am under any mistake in this affair.

Direct, assist, and support me under all the difficulties I shall meet with.

Put a happy end, in Thy good time, to this troublesome controversy.

Dispose the hearts of those with whom we have to do to peace and justice.

Give me grace to rest satisfied with whatever shall be the issue, believing assuredly, that God can make good any loss I may sustain, or sanctify it to my eternal welfare.

Lord, in this and in all other things I undertake, "Thy will be done, and not mine."

O manifest Thy will to me, preserve me from evil counsels, and from rash enterprises.

Give me true Christian resolution, which will neither be tried nor discouraged with difficulties while I am in the way of my duty.

FAITH.

Grant, O God, that I may with humility receive, and with perseverance hold fast, all those truths which Thou hast revealed.

I thank Thee, O God, for Thy Holy word, and for that Thou hast not left us in the affair of eternity, to the uncertainty of our own reason and judgment.

Defend me against all delusions of error; the snares of wit and learning; the railleries of profane men; and from deserting the truth under oppression.

Grant, O God, that neither education, interest, prejudice, nor passion, may ever hinder me from discerning the truth.

Open the eyes of all that are in error; heal the wounds of the divided church; that we may be one fold under one Shepherd. Amen.

"LET no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers."-Ephesians iv. 29.

"Foolish talking and jesting are not convenient." Ephesians v. 4.

Preserve me, O God, from a vain conversation. Give me grace never to be ashamed or afraid to speak of Thee, and of Thy law.

Give me a lively sense of the value of religion, and make it the delight of my heart; that I may speak of it with great judgment, seriousness, and affection, and at all seasonable times.

"Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another."-Malachi iii. 10.

"Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.-How can ye, being evil, speak good things?-By thy words thou shalt be justified, and

by thy words thou shalt be condemned."-Matthew xii. 34.

We count words for nothing, and yet eternity depends upon them.

"Set a guard, O Lord, upon my mouth, and keep the door of my lips.-Psalm cxli. 3.

"The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.”—Psalm xxxvii. 30.

The want of religious discourse in common conversation is one of the chief causes of the decay of Christian piety.

Hearts truly touched with the love of God, will communicate light and heat to others in their ordinary conversation,-will speak honourably of God, of His perfections, His justice, goodness, wisdom, and power; the excellency of His laws, the pleasantness of His service, the instances of His love, the rewards He has promised to His friends, and the punishments He has prepared for His enemies.

And by doing so, we shall recommend God and religion to those we converse with-win over subjects to Him, &c., and add to our own happiness.

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."-Matthew v. 16.

"Let us consider one another, to provoke unto love, and to good works."-Heb. x. 24.

The more spiritual our minds are, the more heavenly will our conversation be with those we discourse with.