Grant that we who remain may persevere in hope unto the end, and may have victory, the victory of faith, over sin, the world, and the devil. Amen. Grant that through faith we may perfect holiness in the fear of Thee, and in Thy service may perfect love; passing safely by thy mercy the gate of death, and entering into everlasting life, through the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. No. VI. An Infant's Prayer. God make me a good boy; And make me mind all they tell me. And make us kind one to another. To live for ever, with Thee, in heaven, No. VII. Prayers for a Child that is older. "When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.' (Matth. 6. 6.) Morning Prayer. past hast kept me safe, I offer my humble thanks to Thee for this and all Thy goodness, but above all for the hope of being saved through Christ from sin and eternal death. Teach me to live by faith in Him, guiding me this day with Thy Holy Spirit; that in no thought, or word, or deed, I may offend against Thy will, or fail to keep diligently all Thy commandments. Make me now in my youth to remember Thee my Creator, to honour my father and mother, to love the Lord who died for me, and for his sake to love all mankind. Here let us live together as brethren before Thee, in all truth and purity, in all soberness, gentleness, and peace; that, being here on earth Thy faithful children, we may dwell with Thee for ever in Heaven, through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. Our Father, which art in heaven, &c. Glory to thee, who safe hast kept Evening Prayer. ALMIGHTY GOD, I humbly beg Thee to pardon all my sins, and especially those I have committed this day. Forgive me, O heavenly Father, for Thy dear Son's sake; through Him give me grace that for the time to come I may know Thee better and love Thee more And, lest in the night also I be tempted to evil, let me feel that the darkness is no darkness with Thee, but that the secret faults of all are ever open in Thy sight. Do Thou then, who neither slumberest nor sleepest, watch over us for good; preserve us from all perils of body and of soul; and bring to our remembrance as each night returns how soon we must awake from the sleep of death, to stand before the judgment seat of Christ that we may both now watch diligently for his coming, and then enter into everlasting life, through Him, who liveth and reigneth, with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen. Our Father, which art in heaven, &c. Great God, what do I see and hear! No. VIII. OCCASIONAL EXHORTATIONS. 1. On commencing to read the Scriptures with a Commentary. It is incumbent on every master of a family to afford instruction, according to his leisure and ability, to all those who live under his care. With a view to the better discharge of this duty, I design usually, before evening prayers, [or each morning, or each &c., or occasionally, as the case may be,] to read to you a short por tion of the Scriptures, with an explanation of their meaning, and an application to the practice of our lives. I am now [I propose to morrow evening, or, morning, &c.] to begin the Gospel according to St. Matthew, [or, as the case may be.] And I recommend you in the course of each day [or, evening, or, week, &c.] to read always some portion of a chapter, [or, a whole chapter,] beforehand; so that you may be the better prepared to follow what is read, and to understand the explanations and practical reflexions. For you cannot fail to be aware that the benefit you will derive from these Family Readings depends mainly, under God's blessing, on your own desires and endeavours for improvement. Search then, as for hidden treasures; search the Scriptures, eagerly, yourselves. Listen anxiously to those, who search with you, and search for you. Look, not for that knowledge which puffeth up; but aim ever, in all you read, in all you hear, to become wise unto salvation. Endeavour at once to know God better, and to love Him more; to know more of his word, and to do more of his will. And remember, that to know, and not to do, is sure only to increase your condemnation. For every opportunity we have here of being edified, we must hereafter give account. For every help unto holiness, for every means of grace, we must hereafter give account. Even for these very reflexions, here to be entered into, on the word of God, we must hereafter give account; and that, before his judgment seat. May He then give increase to his own good www seed! May He give us the grace so to receive it in our hearts, as that it may spring up unto everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 2. On commencing to have Family Prayers twice a day instead of once. Read Luke 18. 1—8. THIS parable gives us all great encouragement in praying to God. It shews us, that, if only we persevere, He is sure to listen to our prayers. Now there are several ways of praying. One is called public devotion. This is what we do in church, when a whole congregation pray together to God. A second way of praying is private devotion. This is what each of us ought to do, morning and evening, by ourselves; the first thing when we get up, the last before we lie down to sleep. Besides these, there is a third sort of devotion, called family prayer. This is when a whole household, or family, meet together to worship God. And this is one of the duties for which the master of the family has especially to answer. "As for me and my house," said Joshua, "we will serve the Lord." (Jos. 24. 15.) And St. Paul thus writes to Timothy, 1. 5. 8, "If any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” And if this be true of earthly food, much more is it certain of that spiritual food, which is the fruit of devotion. As the master of a family, I know then that |