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PRAYER.

O God, the infinitely wise, the most perfectly righteous and good Governor of the universe; who art alone worthy to receive the praises and adorations of thy whole rational creation!

We, a part of thy children of mankind, who have been so highly favoured by thee, desire to present before thee our thanks most due, for those easy and gracious terms of obtaining thy favour, and securing our final happiness with thee, which thou hast prescribed to us in thy holy Gospel: and that it hath pleased thee so to contrive the revelation of thy will, which we have by Christ Jesus our Lord, that the humble and sincere find their way to thee, whilst the wicked stumble and fall.

Most justly, O righteous Father, hast thou so ordained! And so did it become thine infinite wisdom and goodness to give all encouragement to teachable and upright minds, but to leave obstinate and worldly men to reap the fruits of their own evil doings; if haply thereby they may be brought to see the error of their ways, and turn to thee at the last. We thank thee, O heavenly Father, that

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thou hast graciously commanded, if any lack wisdom and instruction, to ask it of thee! Open our eyes, we pray thee, to see and apply to ourselves those holy lessons of our duty and truest happiness, which thou hast delivered to us in thy word:

And disengage us from all eager desires to this world, its false pleasures, or ambitious pursuits; that there may be nothing in us to obstruct the reception of thy truth, or to indispose us towards it.

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And grant us more and more to improve the knowledge of thee and of thy will, unto which we have attained by a diligent holy practice; that we may thereby be fitted for all further communications of favour and assistance from thee, from whom cometh every good and perfect gift.

Bring back, we beseech thee, to thyself, merciful Lord, all those who have forsaken thy ways and are lost in vicious pursuits, which enfeeble the natural powers, and alienate from thee, in whose knowledge and loving-kindness is life and happiness for ever

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Finally, O heavenly Father, graciously continue us these and all other happy opportu

nities of virtuous improvement. Cause us to make a daily progress in all that is holy and good and acceptable to thee, and conduct us safely to the end of this our mortal pilgrimage; that, in those future abodes thou hast provided for us, we may rank with thy faithful servants, and inherit the kingdom and happiness which, out of thine infinite unmerited goodness, thou hast promised by Christ our Lord through whom, &c.

The Lord bless us, &c.

December 6, 1778.

SERMON

1

SERMON XV.

JOHN Xvii. 1.

These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to beaven, and said: Father, the bour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee.

THE prayers of wise and good men are most instructive, and exhibit the human character in the noblest and most affecting point of view. Such are our Saviour's prayers; and in the highest degree edifying, as might well be expected. But we have very few remains of them, as he left nothing in writing himself. And the historians of his life, the four evangelists, have only occasionally let us into this part of his character, as it fell in their way. For it is a very plain and remarkable circumstance in their accounts of him, that

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