willing sacrifice, do deliver them out of the paw of the bear, and out of the paw of the infernal lion. Let me remember that I must soon appear before thy glorious face, and render an account of my ministry. O Lord, thou knowest all things, and from whom nothing is hid, thou seest the bottom of my heart, and readest my most secret thoughts. Thou knowest with what fidelity and affection I have employed myself in thy service. I have led thy sheep to feed on the sweet herbage of thy divine pastures; and have given them to drink of the waters springing up into eternal life. My conscience beareth me witness both before thee, and in the presence of thy holy angels, that I have advanced nothing, either by word of mouth, or by writing, but what I believe to be entirely conformable to the sacred oracles of thy prophets, apostles, and evangelists. I have drawn from the treasure of thy holy Scriptures, things both new and old, for the adornment of thy house, and the edification of those that dwell therein. I have laboured day and night to accomplish whatever thou hast put into my heart for thy glory, the advancement of thy kingdom, and the consolation of thy children. In the most difficult encounters, I have taken counsel neither of flesh nor of blood, but have preferred the honour of thine almighty name, and the manifestation of thy truth, to all earthly advantages, and every particular interest of my own. I have esteemed as nothing all the riches of the world, and all the honours of the age, in comparison of this celestial treasure, this light of life, which thou bast placed in me, as in an earthen vessel, that glory may be given to thee alone, who art the author of every good and perfect work. My beloved meat, my most delicious drink, has been to do thy will, and to finish thy work. I have taken a peculiar pleasure in pronouncing the decrees of thine adorable wisdom, and in revealing the mysteries of thy kingdom. I have sympathised in all evils and misfortunes of thy members, and I have not been sparing to them of those consolations wherewith thou hast comforted me in all my afflic

tions, and wherewith thou hast sustained and strengthened me in all my encounters. Thy law is within my heart, and thy gospel is engraved by the finger of thy holy spirit. Thou hast kindled in me a sincere desire to save souls, and to bring them to the kingdom of thy glory. O Lord, who seest all the secret corners of the heart, thou knowest whether I can say with thy prophet, The zeal of thy house hath eaten me up; or with thy holy apostle, that the care of thy church cometh upon me daily. But in all these things I pretend not to stand justified. So far from relying upon my own righteousness, and being puffed up with an opinion of my own merits, I confess myself to be a poor, miserable sinner; and with all humility, beg pardon for the notorious defects wherewith I have dishonoured thy service. My charity has not been sufficiently pure, nor my zeal enough inflamed. I have sometimes been too indulgent, and at other times too severe in reprehending vice; and I have not been as I ought, a pattern to thy flock in all sorts of good works. The love of myself hath insensibly mingled itself with that love which I owe to thee alone; and I have not served thee purely for thine own sake, and because of thy divine perfections, but likewise in hopes of that reward which thou hast promised to thy faithful servants, when thou shalt give to every one his hire. I have been too sensible of the injuries offered to my person, especially when I have seen sinister interpretations put upon my best actions, and my most charitable cares repaid with ingratitude. I have not always possessed my soul in patience, nor have I been master of all that meekness, forbearance, and humility, of which thou left, when here on earth, such a shining example for our imitation. O Lord, if thou shouldst deal with me according to the rigour of thy justice, and require of me those souls which have perished, either through my negligence or evil example, I should be altogether covered with shame and confusion, and should soon see myself with the wicked servant, in the furnace of fire, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.

But, O all-gracious Lord! thou art goodness, mercy, and charity itself. Thou acceptest the endeavour for the effect, the will for the deed, and hast always thine arms open, to receive to mercy thy poor servants who mourn for their sins, and prostrate themselves at thy feet, imploring pardon and compassion. O adorable Saviour, how rich art thou in mercy! Thou art always ready to lift up the light of thy countenance upon all those that call upon thee, and that draw near unto thee with a true and serious repentance. Even while I am pouring out my soul before thee, I know that thou hast already heard me, and that the contrition of my heart, and the voice of my mourning are acceptable unto thee. Thou strengthenest my faith, raisest my hopes, and fillest my soul with sweet and unspeakable tokens of thy love.Thou makest me taste the salvation which I have so often pronounced to others. I feel the hand of thy grace, which draws me unto thee; and I see the opening to receive me, the gates of that delightful paradise, to which I have had the happiness to guide so many good and pious souls, who now rest in the bosom of thy glory; insomuch that thou givest me boldness to cry out with thy holy apostle, "I know that God will be merciful unto me, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom." O merciful and gracious Lord, I find my heart grown languid, and my strength consumed; but thou art the rock of my heart, and my portion forever. I see death present before mine eyes; but instead of afflicting or terrifying, it comforts and rejoices me; for it comes to put an end to this miserable life, which is nothing but a state of infirmity, a kind of death. It comes to put an end to labours which have no intermission, and to free me from a chain of anguish and grief. Rejoice, therefore, my soul, and see the rest which the Lord prepares for thee. Behold the blessed time, when I shall no more be exposed to the heat of the day, nor the inclemency of the night, but shall rest for ever under the shadow of the tree of life, and satisfy myself with its precious fruits. I shall no longer bear the contradiction of sinners, nor

have the enemies of thy truth, and my own lusts to encounter; but shall live for ever with thy angels, and triumph with thy saints. I shall no longer be employed in crying out against the impenitency of the world, in weeping for the sins which disfigure the face of thy church, in complaining of the injustice and cruelty of others, and in bewailing my own faults; but I shall sing for ever thy divine praises with seraphims, and the general assembly and church of the first-born, which are written in heaven; O Lord, in whose hands is a power infinite, and treasures inexhaustible, drive from thy sheep-fold all ravening wolves and hirelings; and raise up to thy church faithful shepherds, inflamed with a purer and more fervent zeal than ours; endue them with a more rich abundance of thy graces, and, crown their labours with more happy success. Mean time I shall to serve thee in heaven, in a more excellent and glorious ministry, where I shall meet with no opposition or resistance; and where weariness and grief shall be strangers to me. I shall enter into the joy of my Lord, and receive from his merciful hand an incorruptible crown of glory and immortality. I shall follow the Lamb wheresoever he goes; and he himself shall be my Shepherd. He shall lead me to the fountains of living water, and shall wipe away all tears from mine eyes: Amen.

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PRAYER AND MEDITATION,

For the Father of a Family.

FATHER of eternity! I return thee my hearty thanks, for that thou hast been pleased to make me an instrument of bringing children into the world, out of whose mouth thou perfectest praise; who serve thee here below, and shall worship thee for ever in heaven, with ten thousands of thy angels. So long as I have been with them in this world, I have nourished and brought them up in thy love and fear. I have given them to suck from their infancy the milk of piety; and

as they have become more advanced in years, I have taught them to walk in thy ways, and to obey thy holy commandments. I have endeavoured to set them a good example, and to be unto them a guide and a shining light. Now, therefore, that I am about to return unto thee, the author of my life, and only fountain of my felicity, into thy sacred hands I commit them, beseeching thee to look upon them with eyes of love. They are thine O Lord! thine image and thy workmanship. This body, which is so wonderfully and fearfully made, was formed and fashioned by thy divine hands; and this soul which enlightens and animates it, is the breath of thy mouth, a ray of thy glorious countenance. Thou hast promised to be our God, and the God of our seed after us. Thy great and precious promises were made to us and to our children. O heavenly Father, I pray, not that thou shouldst take them out of the world, but that thou wouldst protect them from evil; that thou wouldst keep them under the shadow of thy wings, and preserve them from all the miseries and calamities with which thou threatenest the earth, because of the wickedness that reigns therein: or, if thou chastenest them, let it be with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men; but let not thy mercy and thy fatherly kindness depart from them. Let the fire of affliction render their faith more pure, their life more holy, and their zeal more ardent; let it raise them up to thee, and thy eternal happiness. Almighty Father! thou seest that the age is altogether turned aside after vanity; that all the earth hath corrupted its ways; and that vice is every where triumphant. Thou knowest that the nature of these poor children is frail, and of itself'inclined to evil; mercifully grant them the necessary antidotes and preservatives against this general defection, this universal corruption. Let not the malice of the world gain upon their affections, nor Satan seduce them, nor evil communications corrupt their good manners. Give them understanding to know thee, an heart to love thee, and affections to embrace and unite themselves for