PRAYERS FOR CnILDRPN. 339 hurt us. Thou seest us in the darkest hours, and khowest all that we think as well as all that we speak or do ; therefore we would ever fear to sin against thee. Thou hast all power, and art rich in mercy ; therefore we pray to thee for every thing that we want. Confession. But we deserve no good thing from thy hands : we are brought into the world with sinful natures, and we have sinned grieviously against God. Too often have we done the things which thou hast forbidden, and we have too often refused or neglected to do what thou hast commanded. Petitions. 1. Forgive, we pray thee, all the evil words that we have spoken, and all the evil works we have done, ever since we carne into this world : make us truly sorry for all our sins, and let us repent of them heartily here on earth, that we may not be punished for them in hell. We are one (lay older than we were before, O that we might be so much the wiser and better ! 2. Gracious God, take care of us all this night, and raise us up again in the morning toget more knowledge of thee, and to do more service for thee. Let us, daily, be better pre- pared to appear before the judgment-seat of our Lord Jesus Christ, when he shall come in the clouds to call the world to ac- count before him. 3. May our dear and honoured parents be . beloved of God, and let it be our constant delight to please them. Bless our kindred and friends, our governors and our teachers, the rulers of the nation, and the ministers of thy church : Shew great kindness to them who chew kindness to us; forgive our enemies, and help us to forgive them, OLord, as we hope and pray for thy forgiveness ourselves; And make us sin- cere in desiring their good, who have done us much evil. . Thanksgiving. O most merciful God, we render our hearty thanks to thee, for all the good - things that we enjoy ; we praise thee, that we have had food to nourish us this day, and have a bed to rest on this night ; that we have a house to dwell in, and clothes to keep us warm ; that we have friends who gave us up to thee in our youngest years*, and who take care to instruct us in things necessary for this life, who teach us also thy holy word, inorder to guide us in the way to life everlasting. Pleading in the name of Christ. Though our services are not worthy to come up before thee, yet our blessed Saviour knows what prayers the make : O that he would present them to God his Father, that they may be heard and answered for his. sake, for it is our desire to trust in the Lord Jesus ! * This sentence belongs only to those who hare- had pious parents or religious friends: But as this prayer is to ba used in company, very pro- bably, this sentence will agree to the circumstances of the greatest part of tug children.
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