PRAYERS FOR CHILDREN. 353 far as is needful for me, and help me to draw such useful medi- tations from it, as may make a pious impression on my Spirit, and may tender me wiser and better for Christ's sake. Amen. II. On going to School. Blessed God, thou hast appointed us, in our younger years, to be under tutors and governors : Incline me, I pray thee, to submit willingly to their instructions and reproofs, and make me grow daily, in some profitable knowledge of the things of God and man. Bless my teachers, and all their labours in my edu- cation : But be thou my chief teacher, and train me up to some usefulness in this world, and to eternal life in the world to come, for the sake of Christ thy beloved Sou. Amen. III. Upon leaving a .Father's House. Since I am called toleave the house of my earthly parents, and they cannot see me, and take care of me, daily, as they used to do, Lord, I desire more particularly, to put myself under the care of thee, myheavenly Father: Whatsoever I want, let me run to thee, and find thee my helper, and my almighty friend, for the sake of my dear and blessed Saviour. Amen. IV. Upon entering into any sort of Learning, whether Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, or Work of any Kind. O God of wisdom and grace, bless all my diligent endea- vours to gain knowledge. Give me such a degree of under- standing and skill, in those things which I take in hand, as may fit me for that state of life, in which thy good providence shall place me : Suffer me not to trifle away my time ; but let me treasure up that learning in my youth, which may be a support or a comfort to me, in my riper years. And I beg, for the sake of Jesus Christ, that none of my other studies or labours, may tempt me to neglect the knowledge or practice of religion, or turn my heart aside from God or the things of heaven. Amen. V. On a sensible Improvement of Knowledge. In Religion. How happy is it for me, O Lord God, that I have been taught betimes to know thee, the Maker of all things, and thy Son Jesus Christ, the only Saviour of sinners ! I give thanks to thee, for my teachers, and for all their instructions, and for thy blessing upon them. Make me chearful in the performance of every duty, as soon as I know it : And let me never sin against my knowledge, but improve all that I know, to thy glory and my everlasting benefit, for the sake of .Jesus my mediator. Ashen. VI. In Reading. I give thanks to thy mercy, O Lord, that I have been taught to read, so that I can make use of thy holy word, in order to learn the way to salvation, and eternal life thereby. Blessed he thy name, that L was not bred up in utter ignorance as too many
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