PRAYERS tox CHIILDREN. 1131 promises to those that call upon him, or because he has shewn favour to ourselves or others, in the like case ; and thus we may suit our particular arguments to our particular occasions. 19. Q. What is the great and general argument to use with the great God, in order to obtain merey ? A. The naine and merits of our Lord Jesus Christ, are a most powerful plea for sinful creatures to use before a holy God, in such a language"as this. " Hear me, O Lord, and answer my prayers for the sake of Jesus thy beloved Son. Has he not suffered and died on earth, to procure these blessings for such sinners as I am ? Does he not live in heaven to intercede and plead with thee for poor unworthy' creatures on earth ? O may Jesus our great High Priest above, make our prayers and our praises acceptable to Godour rather ! Q. What is the sixth part of prayer, that is, self-dedication or resignation ? It is a yielding up our souls and bodies to God as our God, in and through the mediation of Jesus Christ, to- gether with a profession of our humble and holy resolution, to be the Lord's for ever. This may be done in such expressions as these. " Lord, I was given up to thee by my parents in my youngest years, I was devoted to thee by christian baptism*, in the early part of my life, and I humbly hope that I amwilling to confirm these obligations, and to give myself up to thee, now, to be thine in an everlasting covenant. It' I had ever any so- lemn thoughts and concerns about my soul, I here repeat and confirm all my serious transactions with thy Majesty. I humbly lay hold on thy covenant of grace, and surrender myself to thee as myLord and my God, to rule me and dispose of me, accord- ing to this covenant. I renounce all my sins, and devote myself to be thy servant : I renounce all other Saviours, and commit myself, soul and body, into the hands of Christ as my only Sa viour and myLord." 21. Q. What is meant by thanksgiving, which is the sew venth part of prayer ? A. Thanksgiving implies a grateful sense of the goodness of God to us, together with a humble acknowledgment made to God, and praise offered to him, on Account of all the blessings we enjoy here, and all that we hope for hereafter ; and that not only for such blessings as we have prayed for, but for such also as were bestowed an us without our asking*. 22. Q. What blessings da we thank God for, which were freely bestowed without our asking for them ? A, If we look so far backward, as to ages before we were born, we may give thanks to God even for his eternal counsels of peace, in order to the salvation of fallen man, and far his sacred transactions with >F Those who were not baptised in their infancy, know bow to omit saes expressions, as ito se, in prayer. Y2
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