O thou first, thou best of beings, from whom all good flows, let my soul, let all that is within me praise and extol thee. When I meditate on the excellencies of thy nature, on the rich and constant communication of good from thee, I am filled with admiration and astonishment. To thy bounty I owe all my blessings. Better than my fears hast thou been unto me, and beyond my hopes hast thou blessed me. The enjoyments of every day and every hour, the success of my undertakings, the large share I have in the accommodations of life, the continuance and increase of my fortune, daily remind me of thy goodness; a goodness great and unmerited. What am I, that thou shouldest thus visit me with thy favour and mercy? What am I, that thou shouldest not only raise me above want, but supply me with an af fluence of the things of this life? Not unto my prudence, not to my exertions, not to my claims on thy regard, but to thy name be all the praise.

May I receive all my temporal blessings, as instances of thy kindness and beneficence. May I always look upon them as coming from thee, as the gifts of thy free bounty, and derived from thy inexhaustible fulness. May I

employ them as talents, which thou intrustest to me to be the means of honouring thy name, of promoting happiness around me, and of advancing my future perfection. May I enjoy prosperity and success with innocence and moderation. May my alms, together with my prayers, come up as a memorial before thee. May I imitate the goodness and beneficence in which I rejoice, and, to my utmost power, be that friend and benefactor to others, which thou, my heavenly Father, art to me. In the enjoyment of the good things of this life may I hold communion with thee, my God, looking upon them as tokens of thy love, and as pledges of nobler blessings reserved for thy servant in another world. May I serve thee with gladness and joyfulness of heart for the abundance of all things.

To all the blessings, to all the success with which thou hast crowned my pursuits, I humbly pray unto thee, the Father of spirits, to add this greater blessing, the possession of a pious, moderate, and sound mind. May purity and virtue heighten all my enjoyments. Preserve me from being elated with pride, or overcome with pleasure. Preserve me from that gross sensuality, that levity of disposition,

and that insolence of deportment, which would wound the hearts of others, and disgrace my station. By affability and condescension, temperance and sobriety; by the command of my appetites, and by a steady, religious regard to the great duties of life, may I act in a manner worthy of my success, and adorn my prosperity.

Never, O thou sovereign of all, never may I forget my dependence on thee, or the obe dience which I owe to thy laws. Mayest thou ever be a witness to my moderation, humanity, and charity. Guard my heart from a vain security and confidence in my present pos sessions, or in my most flattering prospects. Make me sensible of the instability and uncertainty of all human things. Not in uncertain riches, not in perishing honours, but in thee, the living God, who givest us all things richly to enjoy, may I put my trust and hope. Teach me to expect a change in my circumstances, and to prepare for it. Fortify my mind, by the principles of faith and piety, to meet and support adversity. In the fulness of all things may I rejoice with trembling. Shouldest thou hide thy face, may I bow to thy disposals with humility and submission. While I am exalted, may gratitude warm my

ג'

breast, and devotion consecrate my felicity. If I should be brought low, may I patiently resign myself to thy will. Under all events may I lay up all my treasure, not on earth but in heaven; there may my affections be; thither may my ardent wishes aspire. May the hope of immortality improve all my other enjoyments. And by doing good, by being rich in good works, by a readiness to distribute, and a willingness to communicate, may the prosperity in which I now rejoice be made a blessing to all around me; and in due time, may I lay hold on eternal life, and the blesings of earth and time be succeeded and crowned with those of heaven and eternity, according to the riches of thy favour in Christ Jesus. Amen.

A PRAYER FOR ASSISTANCE TO FULFIL THE DUTIES OF SOCIAL AND DOMESTIC CONNECTIONS,

O GRACIOUS God, the most benevolent of all beings, I bow before thee as the Father of all the families in heaven and earth. Thou hast made of one blood all the nations of the world. Thy wisdom and goodness have united us together by the various ties of life, and thou callest us to fill our different sta

tions in the world with probity and beneficence of conduct. Thy providence extendeth to all ranks and conditions of men in all the various circumstances of life. Thou observest our temper and behaviour in the different relations in which we stand to one another; and thou wilt render to every man according to his deeds.

O God, who art love and dwellest in love, above all things I pray that thy law of love may be written in deep and lasting characters on my heart, and that I may be effectually inclined to keep it. Possessed and animated by the spirit of love, may I act with integrity and benevolence in my station, and discover the true spirit of piety and goodness in all the relations of life. Assist me to preserve a purity of character, and kind and amiable manners, not in the world only, but in the house in which I dwell, and towards every one in the family of which I am a member. May they, who are most constantly with me, have reason to approve the christian temper of meekness, humility and kindness, showing itself in my words and actions. May I afford to them an instructive example of all that is equitable, affectionate, and obliging. May I avoid all anger, and put on meekness under the