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nourable, because instituted by thee, and which thou haft ordained for the Comfort and Happiness of us thy Creatures, and for many other wife and good Ends. Sanctify it to me, I humbly befeech thee, and grant that I may behave myself under this, and all other Conditions of my Life, as becomes the Servant of the ever-bleffed Jefus.

To this End, O Lord, give me a meek and humble Spirit, a Spirit of Love and Gentleness, that is not easily provoked, nor apt to entertain angry and unkind Refentments; that I may never be guilty of any unbecoming Carriage towards him whom thou haft given to be my Hufband but that I may love, honour, and obey him, as thou haft commanded me, and I have most folemnly engaged to do.

Let me never be of the Number of those who think hardly of thy Laws, which I am fenfible, O Lord, and fully perfuaded, are juft and reasonable, and highly conducive to the Good of thy Creatures and fince thou hast thought fit that Wives fhould be in Subjection to their Huf bands, grant that I may never be found to oppofe thy Will, but readily and chearfully

fubmit to his Authority, whom thou haft been pleased to set over me.

Deliver me, O my God, from all Pride and Vanity, from all Affectation and SelfConceit; and fuffer me not, I befeech thee, to employ my Thoughts and Study how to adorn a corruptible Body, (which will shortly be stript of all its gay Attire, and be a Prey to Worms and Rottennefs) and in the mean Time neglect to cultivate and improve my Mind, that better and nobler Part; but grant that I may labour to adorn my Soul with heavenly Graces, and good Difpofitions, and may esteem the Ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit, which is in thy Sight of fo great a Price, far more beautiful and becoming than all that outward Dress and Gaiety, which foolish People so much doat on.

O let me never be conformed to the wicked Customs of the World, nor wafte my precious Hours in unprofitable Amuse ments, much lefs in the Purfuit of those vain and finful Pleafures, which wound and debafe the Soul, and which (how pleafing foever they may now appear) will one Day end in bitter and fevere Reflections: But, Lord, do thou inspire me with a Love

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a Love to Virtue and Religion, and to those Pleasures which are above; that all my Recreations and Diversions, that all my Bufinefs and Employments, may be fuch as are fuitable to the Condition wherein thou haft placed me, and as becomes a Woman profeffing Godliness.

Grant, O gracious Lord, that not only my Thoughts and Defires may be chafte and pure, but that all my outward Actions and Behaviour may be agreeable thereto, free from all juft Caufe of Sufpicion and Offence, and not fo much as fullied with the least Appearance of Evil.

O make me faithful and confcientious in the Discharge of all thofe Duties to which the State I am now in engages me.

Finally, O Lord, I beseech thee to fend thy Bleffing upon my Hufband; give him Length of Days, (if it be thy bleffed Will) and increase in him ever more and more the Graces of thy holy Spirit. Grant that I may do all that in me lies, to make his Life eafy and comfortable, by a kind and obliging Conduct and Behaviour towards him, and by conforming myself to all his juft and reasonable Desires.

Let all Strife and Contention, all Heat and Paffion, Repinings and Discontent,

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be far from us; and let true Chriftian Love and Peace dwell in our Hearts: Make us eminent Examples to all about us, of a holy and blameless Conversation; and grant that we may live together in an inviolable Bond of Love and Friendship, bearing with one another's Infirmities, and ftudiously endeavouring to promote the Welfare and Happiness of each other; O make us fo faithfully to discharge all our Duties in this Life, that when thou fhalt be pleased to take us hence, we may dwell with thee in Life everlasting, through the Merits of thy dear Son Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen.

A Prayer to be used either by a Father or Mother for their Children.

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LORD, make me a kind and tender Parent, truly careful and folicitous to promote the Welfare and Happiness of my Children. Let thy good Spirit affift me to form in their tender Minds the Principles of Virtue and Religion, to teach them to remember thee, their Creator, in the Days of their Youth, and to bring them up in thy Fear and Love: Let me make it my conftant Care and Endeavour to wean them from

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all Pride and Vanity, and to fet before them the Example of a holy and religious Life.

O let the powerful Efficacy of thy good Spirit root out of their Hearts all corrupt and finful Affections; and inftead thereof, do thou fow the incorruptible Seed of thy Grace, that they may become Partakers of thy divine Nature, and may bring forth in their Lives, the Fruits of Righteousnefs and true Holiness.

Defend them, O Lord, I befeech thee, against the Evils and Temptations of this World, and grant that they may never be led away by the wicked Cuftoms and Examples, the Lufts and Vanities of it; but obediently keeping thy holy Will and Commandments, and walking in the fame all the Days of their Lives, they may be Inftruments of thy Glory, by doing Good in their Generations; and after they have ferved thee faithfully in this World, they' may hereafter be made Partakers of everlasting Happiness in that which is to come, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen.

A Prayer

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