thine; the rain is thine; thou canst make either of them an instrument of supplying the wants of a people, or a rod to punish them for their sins. O God, we humbly implore thee, in the name of Jesus Christ, to have mercy on our land, and preserve the labours of the husbandman from being. destroyed. And if thou shouldest be pleased to hear this prayer, suffer us not to forget thy mercies, nor fail to follow prayer with praise. On the Return of Plenty. Blessed be thy name, O Lord, for graciously regarding the distresses of the poor, by affording us a greater plenty of the necessaries of life. O Lord, though our sins are great, yet thy compassions fail not. Thy chastisements are removed, but it is not because we have deserved the removal of them, but because it is "thy nature and property "ever to have mercy and to forgive." O let thy goodness lead us to repentance; and since thou hast sent food, send us also the grace of thy Holy Spirit; that we may thankfully remember that God, who relieved us in the time of necessity. And O gracious Lord, may we duly consider, that man liveth not by bread alone; and may we seek after those blessings of thy word without which "whosoever liveth is counted "dead before thee." We bless thee, O Lord, for having provided for the well-being of our souls. O may we hunger after the bread of life; that our souls may live, and praise thy name for ever and ever. On the Return of Peace. O Lord God, who hast now given unto us the blessing of peace, enable us to yield humble and hearty thanks to Thee, for removing that dreadful scourge, with which we were, of late, deservedly punished. Suffer us not, O Lord, to provoke thee, by our sins, to give us up again to the desolations of war: but may we live to Thee, who hast been graciously pleased to put a stop to the effu sion of human blood. And now, O Lord, that the earth is quiet, grant that thy word may run and be glorified. May the knowledge of thy truth prevail, and the force of those divine principles contained in the gospel, be felt every where; that wurs may cease in the world, and that righteousness, as well as peace, may flourish among all nations. And be graciously pleased, O Lord, to enable us, like faithful followers of Jesus, to resist sin, and Satan, unto death; that we may be admitted into that kingdom of peace, into which all thy true servants shall hereafter enter. On a favourable Change of Weather. We bless thy holy name, most gracious Lord, for the present seasonable change of weather. O that we may long remember thy goodness, and show forth our thankfulness, not in words only, but in obedience to thy holy will. And while we pray, that we may be always thankful for temporal mercies; we pray likewise, that we may not neglect the better blessings which thou hast provided for us in Jesus Christ. O kindle in our hearts an ardent desire after them; that we may obtain them, and that when flesh and heart shall fail (as ere long they will) we may rejoice in God, as our portion for ever. For the Master of a Family when he is abroad. O Lord God, who art every where present, be pleased to bless thy servant, the master of this family, who is now from home. Preserve him from wicked men, from dangerous diseases, from sinful temptations, and all other evils, bodily or spiritual, to which he may be exposed. We humbly pray thee, O Lord, to conduct him, by thy gracious providence, to his house again in peace. And make both him and us thankful, for thy mercies toward each other. Hear, O merciful God, his prayers for us, and ours for him. |