thy blessing succeed and prosper designs, and poor endeavours.

And the less I have of this world, O let me be in greater care to lay out and labour for an infinitely befter; that I who have no inheritance upon earth, may be made mect to be a partaker of the inheritance of thy saints in light; that I may not lose both worlds, nor pass from my small things here, to be out of all for ever; but may have my treasure in heaven, and thy blessed Self, O Lord, to be my portion for ever: being found among those poor of this world whom thou hast chosen, that are rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which thou hast promised to them that love thee.

And blessed be thy name, O righteous God, that with thee there is no respect of persons; but the poor are as capable of it as the rich: yea, when it is so hard for the rich to enter, that thou hast put out of my way many of the snares and temptations that hinder others: and my poverty cannot keep me out of thy glory; but when I am also poor in spirit, as well as low in the world, I have thy promise of the kingdom of heaven. My God! grant me that poverty of spirit, and those better things that accompany salvation: and then, how short soever I am kept in this life, thy will be done! Though I have nothing to depend upon in the world, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation; having thee for my God, and chiefest good, and my most gracious Father, in Jesus Christ.-O Lord,

give me thyself, and then I have all; and for that best of gifts, I will bless thy name for

evermore. Amen.

A Prayer for the Master of a Family.

MOST High God, the great Lord of all,

whose providence disposes the several ranks of men in the world; and thy word gives rules to masters, as well as servants, how to demean themselves in their respective places. It is thou, O Lord, who hast made me the head of this house; O that I may walk in it with an upright heart, and not shelter any ill thing, offensive to God or man, under my roof; but countenancing the pious, correcting the vicious, and yielding myself a pattern of all that good which ought to be seen in the rest; let me so command my children, and my household, after me, that they may keep the way of the Lord. O that there may not be an hypocrite, nor an unrenewed profane person, among us. Let not me, that am called a master, myself serve sin, nor be enslaved by my own passions and lusts; but have the dominion over myself, and keep my eyes ever waiting upon the Lord my God, even as the eyes of servants are to the hands of their masters.

O that my wife may be the spouse of Christ; my children the children of God; my servants the servants of the Lord, and all the members of my family the true members of thy church, and the constant followers of all that is laudable and good. Let me not carry myself with rigour and a high hand, nor despise the cause

even of my servants; but with patience and fairness hear them, and give unto them that which is just and equal, knowing that I also have a Master in heaven. Let me not insult over any that are under the yoke, nor be severe and cruel to them, nor oppress and defraud them in their wages, nor any rewards or encouragements that they may justly expect from me. But let my dealings with them, and my usage of them, be upright and candid, merciful and kind; taking care of their bodies and their souls, of their maintenancé and their carriage, and all that concerns them, as their benign patron and their faithful friend; and treating them with all due, regard, as my brethren and fellow servants, and my equals in the worship of God, with whom is no respect of persons. O give me, Lord, an understanding heart, and prudent conduct, and such a spirit of government, that I may go in and out before thy people, as one that is taught of God, and commanding nothing but in the Lord, according to thy will, and for the advancement of thy glory.

Obless my house, Lord, and preserve it from vice and ungodliness, and from all disorders and dangers, and make it a nursery of virtue and piety, and all that is exemplary and of good report. Direct, O God, and help us every one in the discharge of our several offices, that we may employ ourselves as we ought, and with quietness do our own business; never forgetting, but above all respecting and persuing the great work of the Lord, for which

thou didst send us into the world. O keep us all evermore in thy fear and love, safe under thy tuition, and upon the holy way to thy hea venly kingdom, through thy mercy to us all, in our common Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.Amen.

The Servant's Prayer.

GOD, the Father Almighty, Maker of

heaven and earth! it is the ordination of thy good providence that there should be various ranks and degrees of men, and that I should be disposed of in the station where now I am. Wherefore I submit, Lord, to thy most wise appointment of all things, and desire, with content and thankfulness, to accept of my portion, how low soever in the world. If my blessed Redeemer, who is Lord of all, would take upon him the form of a servant, and condescend even to the meanest offices, for the service of our souls: O why should I be aggrieved to be a servant under the yoke, when in serving man as I ought, I do also serve the Lord; and though bound to others, I may be the Lord's freeman: yea, in faithfully discharging the duties of my place, I shall be as acceptable to my God as any that enjoy the highest station. I leave it to thee, O Lord of all, to chuse my inheritance for me: only I beg at thy hands, that my lot may fall where my soul may prosper, though I work or fare the harder for if my soul do well, I shall be for ever happy.If my heart be right with God, I shall have his blessed countenance and love; and if I

be found in the way of righteousness, I shall be exalted in due time, however abased at present. O my supreme Lord, let it not be so much my care to get higher in the world as to get more in thy favour, wherein is life. Let it be more my concern to fill my place, and discharge my duty with faithfulness, than to change it for more ease, profit or honor.

O let me not be the servant of sin, but enjoy the blessed liberty wherewith Christ Jesus sets all his people free; the liberty from sinful bondage, the liberty to follow my Lord carefully, and to run the way of thy commands with an enlarged heart. And, Lord, be thou pleased to fit me for, and teach and help me in the service to which I am called; that I may perform it to the glory of thy name, to the pleasure and welfare of those whom I serve, and my own true advantage and comfort. O make me true and faithful, careful and diligent, humble and obedient, meek and patient, fair and peaceable; doing the business of my place, not with eye-service as a man-pleaser, but in singleness of heart, fearing God. Not cross and forward, but apt to bear and deny myself; not answering again, to stir up wrath; but, with silence and submission, following the things that make for peace; not debasing my master to set off, myself; nor doing him any damage, for my own filthy lucre, or fleshly pleasure, but tendering his credit and interest as one that would be found faithful in the sight of my God, who evermore seest in secret, and searchest the very heart and make me, I beseech thee, such