may not account it grievous or tedious, but my soul's satisfaction and exceeding joy. O let me not serve thee, my God, with the spirit of bondage as a slave, but with the cheerfulnes; and gladness of an ingenuous child, sitting down with delight under thy shadow, delighting myself in the Lord, and so pleased with thy work, that my services may also be pleasing in thy sight, through Jesus Christ. Amen.

A Prayer for Skill to carry ourselves aright among all with whom we are concerned in the World.

LORD my God! I desire to humble myself in thy sight for all the folly, indecency, and disorder of my conduct; that I have so frequently failed in it, and so foully miscarried and lost myself in my intercourse with my neighbours, that my example has too often tended more to the hardening, than to the converting of sinners; and that I have lain as a stumbling-block, and a rock of offence in the way of my brethren, not only prone to be tempted with evil, and to be overcome myself, but also becoming a temptation and snare to others, so as to draw them to sin, or to embolden them in it. Though thou hast showed me what is good, and made me to know better things, and laid the greatest engagement upon me to be faithful in thy covenant; yet, O how apt have I been to lose my relish of the things of God among sinful men! how apt to be carried into folly with the stream of the company, to fall into base compliance, and consent with sinners, and follow the multitude to do evil.

O my God! give me repentance and pardon for all my own sins, and for all the guilt which I have contracted in being accessary to the sins of others; and so fortify me with thy grace, that I may not be in such danger to be awed or seduced out of my religion; that I may never be ashamed of Christ before men, but boldly appear for thy truth and holiness, even in the face of an evil and faithless generation. O teach me to walk in wisdom towards them that are without, and in all kindness towards them that are within; and without offence in prudence and usefulness, to all. Make me wise in the choice, and in the use of my company, that they may not be to me, nor I to them, an occasion of falling; but that we may be mutual helps and edifiers of one another, and examples of all that is good, and imitable, and praiseworthy.

O great Lord, make me so faithful to thee, and to my own concience, that no conversation with any in the world may discompose the religious frame of my soul, that I may not be srartled at any bold censure of thy ways and wisdom, nor ever draw back from thee, for the contradiction of sinners; but cease from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of? O turn my fear of their faces into love of their immortal souls, who are my fellow servants in thy work, and fellow-travellers to our long home; and should be faithful, and would be happy. And where I cannot promote their duty and felicity, yet grant, O Lord, that they may not hinder mine:

and where I am not edified, I may not be corrupted by them.

O my God, may thy presence ever sway me more than the presence of men, that I may count it a small thing to be judged of them, and not be determined by their way or humour, but regard my own conscience more than others' opinion; and do all in the sight of God, heartily as to the Lord: not in so much care to ingratiate myself with any else as to please the great Judge of all. Yet keep thy servant, O Lord, from giving scandal and offence to any; that I may not, by pride and passion, by vanity and indiscretion, or by morosity and sour opposition, disparage my profession, nor make the way of truth through me to be evil spoken of; but help me, my God and Guide, to walk circumspectly, and to speak and act with due consideration of all times and places, persons and circumstances, that I may wisely behave myself, and guide my affairs with discretion, and so go in and out among men upon earth, as to preserve my integrity in thy sight, and have my conversation in heaven, and still enjoy that most blessed friendship with thee my heavenly Father, and thy dear Son my only Saviour. Amen.

A Prayer for Grace to use our Speech aright.

LORD our gracious God! who hast given us reason and speech to express our minds to one another, and to converse comfortably together: What great cause have we to praise thee, that we are so fearfully and won

derfully made! and our tongues that are our glory, are most of all so, when with them we set forth thy glory; but, alas! that I have so much cause to humble myself for all the abuses of my tongue; and that I have so many ways perverted the happy privilege of speaking, ei ther holding my peace where I should have spoke to thy honour and the good of my neigh bour; dumb and tongue tied to thy praise, and to a pious conference with thy servants; or else pouring out words to dishonour thy name, to wrong my own soul, and to offend and injure others. Forgive me, O merciful God, I be seech thee, all my sinful silence, my vain and idle words, and my evil corrupt communica tion, and help me so to speak, as to express thy grace in my heart, and to minister the same to my hearers. Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, and keep the door of my lips, that nothing thence may proceed but what shall be, some way or other, good for the use of edifying. Help me to keep my mouth as with a bridle, when I am provoked to speak unadvi sedly with my lips; and let no profane or filthy speeches proceed out of my mouth, nor any thing be said by me, that ought not to be named among Christians.

O Lord, open thou my lips, that my mouth may show forth thy praise; make me forward to speak for thee, and for the service of thy truth, and the glory of thy name; and as slow to speak, any evil to defile myself, or to hurt my neighbour. Give me, Lord, a considerate mind to weigh what is fit to be said; and make me wise

and serious, sober and modest, pious and charitable in what I speak, that it may be without offence, but not without some profit to the partners in my conversation. O fill my heart with such grace, that out of the good treasure I may be ever and anon producing somewhat to oblige the company, and to advance thy glory and put such thoughts into my mind, and such words into my mouth, that my tongue may be as the pen of a ready writer, to utter things seasonable and acceptable, for the benefit of my associates, and that I may never abuse the liberty of speech into the licentiousness of vain or evil-speaking; but turn and employ it to the wise, and good, and worthy ends for which it was given; and speak of, and for thy testimonies, even before the greatest, without being ashamed.

O Lord! restrain the blasphemous and brutish generation, that set their mouths against heaven, and, out of those open sepulchres, belch forth impieties and impurities, to dishonour him that made them; to grieve the souls of thy servants, and to spread the contagion of their ungodliness. O fill their face with shame for what they have done, and their hearts with dread, to stop them from proceeding so any farther. Confound the viperous brood that hiss and vent their venom against thy holy ways; and give them other tongues, that they may use thy gifts to better purpose. O let the lying lips be put to silence, that speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous. And let such as fear thee, and think W