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coming, and let the laws be happily executed; that these United States being preserved from all enemies, the evil doers punished, and the just protected, thy name thereby may be praised, and the kingdom of the King of kings, Christ Jesus, promoted: and that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. Moreover we pray for our brethren, who are under persecution or tyranny; comfort them with thy holy Spirit, and mercifully deliver them: suffer not thy church wholly to be destroyed, nor the remembrance of thy name to be abolished from the face of the earth, lest the enemies of thy truth triumph to the dishonouring and blaspheming of thy name. But if it is thy divine will, that the suffering Christians should die for the glory of thy name, and by their death witness unto the truth, comfort them in their sufferings, that they, considering them as coming from thy fatherly hand, may therefore, doing thy will, remain steadfast, whether in life or death; to thy glory and to the edification of thy church, and to their salvation. We likewise beseech thee, for all those, whom thou dost afflict, with poverty, imprisonment, sickness of body, or trouble of mind; comfort them all, O Lord, according to their several necessities. Grant that their chastisement may bring them to the knowledge of their sins, and to an amendment of their lives. Give them also firm patience; alleviate their sufferings; and finally deliver them, that they may rejoice in thy goodness and eternally praise thy name.

And, O Lord, take us, together with all that belongs to, or concerns us, in thy keeping. Grant that we may live in our respective callings according to thy will, and so use the gifts which we receive of thy blessing, that they may not impede, but rather further us to life eternal. Strengthen us in all temptations, that we striving in true faith, may overcome, and hereafter enjoy with Christ, life eternal.

We ask thee for all these things, as our faithful Lord, and Saviour Jesus Christ himself has taught us -OUR FATHER, &c.

Afterwards the congregation is dismissed with the usual blessing.

Receive the blessing of the Lord.

The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: The Lord make his face to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

Prayer before the explanation of the Catechism.

O HEAVENLY Father, thy word is perfect, converting the soul, a sure testimony, making wise the simple, enlightening the eyes of the blind, and a powerful mean unto salvation, for all those, who believe. And whereas we are not only blind by nature, but even incapable of doing any good: and also since thou wilt help none, but those, who are of a broken and contrite heart; we beseech thee to enlighten our understanding with thy holy spirit, and give us a meek heart, free from all haughtiness and carnal knowledge, that we may, hearing thy word, rightly understand it, and regulate our life accordingly: be graciously pleased to convert all those, who still stray from thy truth, that we may together with them, unanimously serve thee in true holiness and righteousness all the days of our life.

We crave all these things for Christ's sake, who hath thus taught us to pray in his name, and promised to hear us-OUR FATHER, &c.

A Prayer after the explanation of the Catechism.

O GRACIOUS God, and merciful Father, we give thee hearty thanks that it hath pleased thee, not only to

take us, but also our little children, into thy covenant, which thou hast not only sealed unto them, by holy baptism, but yet daily showest, when thou perfectest thy praise out of their mouths, thus to cause the wise of the world to blush: we beseech thee, increase thy grace in them, that they may always grow and increase in Christ thy Son; till they acquire their perfect manly age in all knowledge and righteousness. Give us grace, that we may educate them, as thou hast commanded us, in thy knowledge and fear, that by their godliness the kingdom of Satan may be destroyed, and the kingdom of Jesus Christ strengthened in this and other congregations, to the glory of thy holy name, and to their eternal salvation, through Je. sus Christ. Amen.

A Prayer before Sermon in the week.

HEAVENLY Father, eternal and merciful God, we acknowledge and confess before thy divine majesty, that we are poor miserable sinners, conceived in sin, and born in iniquity, prone to all evil, unfit for any good; and that we, by our sinful life, continually transgress thy holy commandments, whereby we provoke thine anger against us, and according to thy righteous judgment, expose ourselves unto eternal damnation. But, O Lord, we repent and are sorry that we have offended thee, we bewail our transgressions, beseeching that thou wilt graciously pity our misery. Have compassion on us, O most bounteous Son and Father, and forgive us all our sins, for that holy passion of thy well beloved Son Jesus Christ. Grant us also the grace of thy holy Spirit, that we may, with all our hearts, study to know our own unrighteousness, and sincerely abhor ourselves; that sin may be mortified in us, and we may be raised up to a new life; that we may bring forth genuine fruits of holiness and righteousness, which through Jesus

Christ are acceptable to thee. Give us to understand thy holy word according to thy divine will, that we may learn thereby to put our whole trust in thee alone, and withdraw it from all creatures; that also our old man, with all the affections thereof, may be daily more and more crucified; and that we may of fer up ourselves unto thee a living sacrifice, to the glory of thy holy name, and to the edification of our neighbours; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who hath taught and commanded us to pray-OUR FATHER, &c.

A Prayer after a Sermon in the week.

LORD God Almighty, let not thy holy name be profaned for our sins, for we have divers ways sinned against thee, since we are not obedient to thy holy word, as we ought to be, and through ignorance and murmuring daily stir up thine anger against us: wherefore thou dost justly punish us; but O Lord, be mindful of thy great mercy, and have compassion on us. Give us knowledge of, and repentance for our sins, and amendment of our lives; strengthen the ministers of thy church, that they may faithfully and steadfastly declare thy holy word; and the magistrates of thy holy people, that they may bear the sword with equity and prudence; preserve us from all deceit and unfaithfulness: confound all evil, and subtle counsels taken against thy word and church. O Lord, withhold not from us thy spirit and word, but grant us increase of faith; and in all trouble and adversity, patience and constancy. Assist thy church, deliver her from all affliction, derision and persecu tion. Strengthen also the weak and sorrowful of heart, and send us thy peace, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who hath given us this sure promise: veriy, verily, I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask of

the Father in my name, be vil give it you; and hath commanded us to pray-Oca FATHER, &C.

A Morning Prayer.

O MERCIFUL Father, we thank thee, that thou hast in faithfulness watched over us the night past, and we beseech thee to strengthen, and henceforth guide us by thy holy Spirit, that we may spend this, and all the days of our lives, in all righteousness and holiness, and that whatsoever we undertake, we may always aim at the promoting of thy glory, and expect all the success of our undertakings from thy bountiful hand alone: and to the end that we may obtain this mercy of thee, be pleased (according to thy promise) to forgive all our sins, through the holy passion and bloodshedding of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, for we heartily repent of them. Enlighten also our hearts, that we, having cast off all works of darkness, mɩy as children of light walk in a new life in all god. lir ess. Bless also the preaching of thy gospel. De stroy all works of the devil. Strengthen all ministers of the gospel, and magistrates of thy people. Comfort all those who are persecuted and afflicted in mind, through Jesus Christ thy beloved Son, who hath promised us, that thou wilt certainly give us, whatsoever we shall ask in his name, and therefore hath commanded us to pray-OUR FATHER, &c.

An Evening Prayer.

O MERCIFUL God, eternal light, shining in darkness, thou who dispellest the night of sin, and all blindness of heart, since thou hast appointed the night for rest, and the day for labour; we beseech thee, grant that our bodies may rest in peace and quietness, that afterwards they may be able to endure the labour they must bear. Temper our sleep, that it be not disor

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