thanks for it, and rejoice with them that do rejoice; never censuring his actions cursedly, nor detracting from his praises spitefully, nor upbraiding his infelicities maliciously, but pleased in all things which thou doest or givest; that I may then triumph in spirit, when thy kingdom is advanced, when thy spirit rules, when thy church is profited, when thy saints rejoice, when the devil's interest is destroyed; truly loving thee, and truly loving my brother; that we may all together join in the holy communion of saints, both here and hereafter, in the measures of grace and glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

FOR FRIDAY.

A Prayer against Wrath and inordinate Anger.

I.

O ALMIGHTY Judge of men and angels, whose anger is always the minister of justice, slow, but severe, not lightly arising, but falling heavily when it comes: give to thy servant a meek and a gentle spirit, that I also may be slow to anger, and easy to mercy and forgiveness. Give me a wise and a constant heart, that I may not be moved with every trifling mistake, and inconsiderable accident, in the conversation and intercourse of others; never be moved to an intemperate anger for any injury, that is done or offered; let my anger ever be upon a just cause, measured with moderation and reason, expressed with charity and prudence, lasting but till it hath done some good, either upon myself or others.

II.

Lord, let me be ever courteous, and easy to be entreated; never let me fall into a peevish or contentious spirit, but follow peace with all men, offering forgiveness, inviting them by courtesies, ready to confess my own errors, apt to make amends, and desirous to be reconciled. Let no sickness, or cross accident, no employment or weariness, make me angry or ungentle, and discontent, or unthankful, or uneasy to them that minister to me; but, in all things, make me like unto the holy Jesus. Give me the spirit of a Christian,

charitable, humble, merciful and meek, useful and liberal, complying with every chance; angry at nothing but my own sins, and grieving for the sins of others; that, while my passion obeys my reason, and my reason is religious, and my religion is pure and undefiled, managed with humility, and adorned with charity, I may escape thy anger which I have deserved, and may dwell in thy love, and be thy son and servant for ever; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

FOR SATURDAY.

A Prayer against Weariness in well-doing.

I.

O MY GOD, merciful and gracious, my soul groans under the loads of its own infirmity; when my spirit is willing, my flesh is weak; my understanding foolish and imperfect, my will peevish and listless, my affections wandering after strange objects, my fancy wild and unfixed, all my senses minister to folly and vanity; and though they were all made for religion, yet they least of all delight in that. O my God, pity me, and hear me when I pray, and make that I may pray acceptably. Give me a love to religion, an unwearied spirit in the things of God. Let me not relish or delight in the things of the world, in sensual objects, and transitory possessions; but make my eyes look up to thee, my soul be filled with thee, my spirit ravished with thy love, my understanding employed in the meditation of thy law, all my powers and faculties of soul and body wholly serving thee, and delighting in such holy ministries.

II.

O most gracious God, what greater favour is there, than that I may,—and what easier employment can there be than to pray thee, to, be admitted into thy presence, and to represent our needs,—and that we have our needs supplied only for asking and desiring passionately and humbly. But we rather quit our hopes of heaven, than buy it at the cheapest rate of humble prayer. This, O God, is the greatest infirmity and infelicity of man, and hath an intolerable cause, and is an unsufferable evil.

III.

O relieve my spirit with thy graciousness, take from me all tediousness of spirit, and give me a laboriousness that will not be tired, a hope that shall never fail, a desire of holiness not to be satisfied till it possesses, a charity that will always increase; that I, making religion the business of my whole life, may turn all things into religion, doing all to thy glory, and by the measures of thy word and of thy Spirit: that when thou shalt call me from this deliciousness of employment, and the holy ministries of grace, I may pass into the employment of saints and angels, whose work it is with eternal joy and thanksgiving to sing praises to the mercies of the great Redeemer of men, and Saviour of men and angels, Jesus Christ our Lord: to whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and worship, all service and thanks, all glory and dominion, for ever and ever. Amen.

A Prayer to be said by a Maiden, before she enters into the State of Marriage.

I.

O MOST glorious God, and my most indulgent Lord and gracious Father, who dost bless us by thy bounty, pardon us by thy mercy, support and guide us by thy grace, and govern us sweetly by thy providence; I give thee most humble and hearty thanks, that thou hast hitherto preserved me in my virgin state with innocence and chastity, in a good name, and a modest report. It is thy goodness alone, and the blessed emanation of thy Holy Spirit, by which I have been preserved; and to thee I return all praise and thanks, and adore and love thy goodness infinite.

II.

And now, O Lord, since by thy dispensation and overruling providence I am to change my condition, and enter into the holy state of marriage, which thou hast sanctified by thy institution, and blessed by thy word and promises, and raised up to an excellent mystery, that it might represent

the union of Christ and his church: be pleased to go along with thy servant in my entering into, and passing through, this state, that it may not be a state of temptation or sorrow, by occasion of my sins or infirmities, but of holiness and comfort, as thou hast intended it to all that love and fear thy holy name.

III.

Lord, bless and preserve that dear person, whom thou hast chosen to be my husband; let his life be long and blessed, comfortable and holy; and let me also become a great blessing and comfort unto him; a sharer in all his joys, a refreshment in all his sorrows, a meet helper for him in all accidents and chances of the world. Make me amiable, for ever, in his eyes, and very dear to him. Unite his heart to me in the dearest union of love and holiness; and mine to him in all sweetness, and charity, and compliance. Keep from me all morosity and ungentleness, all sullenness and harshness of disposition, all pride and vanity, all discontentedness and unreasonableness of passion and humour: and make me humble and obedient, charitable and loving, patient and contented, useful and observant; that we may delight in each other according to thy blessed word and ordinance, and both of us may rejoice in thee, having our portion in the love and service of God for ever and ever.

IV.

O blessed Father, never suffer any mistakes or discontent, any distrustfulness or sorrow, any trifling arrests of fancy, or unhandsome accident, to cause any unkindness between us: but let us so dearly love, so affectionately observe, so religiously attend to each other's good and content, that we may always please thee, and by this learn and practise our duty and greatest love to thee, and become mutual helps to each other in the way of godliness; that when we have received the blessings of a married life, the comforts of society, the endearments of a holy and great affection, and the dowry of blessed children, we may for ever dwell together in the embraces of thy love and glories, feasting in the marriage-supper of the Lamb to eternal ages, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Amen.

A Prayer for a holy and happy Death.

O ETERNAL and holy Jesus, who by death hast overcome death, and by thy passion hast taken out its sting, and made it to become one of the gates of heaven, and an entrance to felicity,-have mercy upon me now, and at the hour of my death. Let thy grace accompany me all the days of my life, that I may, by a holy conversation and a habitual performance of my duty, wait for the coming of our Lord, and be ready to enter with thee at whatsoever hour thou shalt come. Lord, let not my death be in any sense unprovided, nor untimely, nor hasty, but after the manner of men, having in it nothing extraordinary, but an extraordinary piety, and the manifestation of a great and miraculous mercy. Let my senses and my understanding be preserved entire till the last of my days; and grant that I may die the death of the righteous, free from debt and deadly sin, having first discharged all my obligations of justice, leaving none miserable and unprovided in my departure; but be thou the portion of all my friends and relatives, and let thy blessing descend upon their heads, and abide there, till they shall meet me in the bosom of our Lord. Preserve me ever in the communion and peace of the church; and bless my death-bed with the opportunity of a holy and a spiritual guide, with the assistance and guard of angels, with the reception of the holy sacrament, with patience and dereliction of my own desires, with a strong faith, and a firm and humbled hope, with just measures of repentance, and great treasures of charity to thee, my God, and to all the world; that my soul, in the arms of the holy Jesus, may be deposited with safety and joy, there to expect the revelation of thy day, and then to partake the glories of thy kingdom, O eternal and holy Jesus. Amen.