343 PRAYERS FOR CIHILDREN. praise thee, O most gracious God, that thou hast conveyed down these glad tidings, through so many hundred years, to the age and to the nation wherein I live. The book of mercy and salvation is put into my hands, and I have been taught to read the covenant of thy grace there. I offer my humble thanks to my exalted Saviour,, that he has sent his ministers to explain his word, and to preach to us the things that belong to our eter- nal peace. O may I attend, with chearfulness and holy desire, upon the ordinances of thy house this day ! and may 1 find thy pre- sence, in the assemblies of thy people, for thou Invest the gates of Zion, and thy church is thy holy temple, where thou art wont to display thy power and glory. While thy word is read or preached, let my soul be engaged in deep attention and reve- rence : Let thy ministers be taught of God, and happily un- fold the great and important things of thy law and gospel to then. Let them preach the truth as it is in Jesus, and speak with power to the consciences of the hearers, particularly to my conscience, O my God ! May I find something in thy holy institutions this day suited to the state and temper of my -soul, that I may learn more of the knowledge of God, maygain victory over some sin, and make some happy advances in serious religion. I intreat thee, O Lord, suffer me not any longer to be a drowsy, an idle, or a forgetful hearer of thy word : May my soul be lifted up to thee with due fervency in the prayers that shall be offered to thy Majesty, and may my lips sing thy praises with holy joy. Let no vain amusements call my eyes and my heart away from lively devotion, and the divine plea-' suresof thy sanctuary. May this world, with all the cares and the trifles of it, be forgotten and vanish from my thoughts, nor intrude into my solemn hours, orinterrupt my humble converse with thee. Let mecome away from thy house, under the light of thy coun- tenance, satisfied with thy love, and longing for the returns of such holy seasons. In the name of Jesus, and by his hands, I desire to offer up this morning sacrifice, and I would intreat and hope for ac- ceptance at thy mercy-seat, OGod, in the virtue of his bloody death, and his everlasting intercession. In the evening, let any heart be filled with holy thankfulness, and have rich oc- casion for it through the plentiful communications of thy grace. And may the God of peace, who brought again from the dead, the great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood ofthe ever- lestiag covenant, make me perfect in every good work to dohis will, working in me that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Christ Jesus, to whom be glory for ever and ever. /Ínteit.
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