MISCELLANEOUS. 4O0 



A PRAYER. 



Almightj Father, at the close of anotlier day I ineel 

 before thee in supplication, and ere I compose my body 

 to sleep, I would steal a few moments from weariness, to 

 lift up my thoughts to thy perfections, to meditate on thy 

 wonderful dispensations, and to make my request known 

 unto thee. 



Although the hours of this day have not been spent in 

 the busy haunts of society, but in the pursuit of needful 

 and godly knowledge, yet I am conscious that my thoughts 

 and actions have been far from pure ; and many vain 

 and foolish speculations, many sinful thoughts and am- 

 bitious anticipations, have obtruded themselves on my 

 mind. I know that I have felt pleasure in what I ought 

 to have abhorred, and that I have not had thy presence 

 continually in mind ; so that my ghostly eneray has 

 mixed poison with my best food, and sowed tares with - 

 the good seed of instruction. Sometimes, too, the world 

 has had too much to do with my thoughts : I have longed 

 for its pleasures, its splendours, its honours, and have for- 

 gotten that I am a poor follower of Jesus Christ, whose 

 inheritance is not in this land, but in the fields above. I 

 do therefore supplicate and beseech thee, oh, thou my 

 God and Father ! that thou wilt not only forgive these 

 my wanderings, but that thou wilt thasten my heart, and 

 establish my affections, so that they may not be shaken 

 by the light suggestions of the tempter Satan : and since 

 I am of myself very weak, I implore thy restraining hand 

 upon my understanding, that I may not reason in the 

 pride of worldly wisdom, nor flatter myself on my at- 

 tainments ; but ever hold my judgment in subordi- 

 nation to thy word, and see myself, as what I am, an 

 helpless dependent on thy bounty. If a spirit of in- 

 dolence and lassitude have at times crept on me, I pray 

 thy forgiveness for it ; and if I have felt rather inclined 

 to prosecute studies which procure respect from the world, 

 than the humble knowledge which becomes a servant of 

 Christ, do thou check this growing propensity, and only 



