For a Youth Going from Home
flf with a view io Business. J
O Gon, Thou appointest the bounds of our habitation; and arrangest all our individual concerns; and it is thy pleasure not only that we should part at death, but often separate in life. When absent from each other in body, may we be present in spirit; and may our natural afffction be strengthened and sanctified by inquiry, and and divine lemembrance at tV.e throne of grace.
Regard the member of our family, who is now leavinjjf the parental roof, and the parental wing. In ull his ways may he acknowledge Thee; and be Thou the guide and the guard of his youth. Secure him from the paths of the destroyer, and the evils of the woi-ld. May uprightness preserve him. In the situation he will be called to fill, may he be dutiful, and obliging, and diligent, and faithful: may he always remember, that the eye of God is upon him; and be not only amiable, but pious; and in favour with God, as well as man. (^ If with a view to Sihoat.J O Thou God of providence and grace, we commend to thy care the dear child, about to leave our abode for a season, in order to receive needful instruction. Let his (or her) life be precious in thy sight. May lie redeem his time, and acquire the improvement that will fit him for usefulness, in his day and generation. And O, let hrni be made wise unto salvation; and let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon him; that he may be a useful and ornamental member in thy church below, alid hereafter a pillar in thy temple above, never more to go out.
FOR CHILDREN IN ORDINARY CfRCUMSTANCES.
[Jll the Petitions need not be used at the same time ]
O God, Thou art the lovely Father of all mankind; Thou hast implanted in us the parental instincts; and commanded us to train up our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord — we feel our awful responsibility, and often exclaim, Who is sufficient for these things? But Thou givest wisdom to the ignorant, and power to the faint Aid, () aid us, in discharging the duties we owe to those whom thou hast given us, and continued to us.
We give them up to Thee, who art able to fulfil all our petitions Rescue them from the numberless accidents and diseases to which they are exposed. Let their tempers be lovely, and meek, and kind. Let their manners be simple and engaging. May they be respectful towards their superiors; obliging towards their equals; and condescending to« wards their inferiors.
Let not envy, and pride,’and censoriousness, render them disdainful to others, and wretched in themselves. May they speak evil of no one — but upon their tongue, may there dwell the law of kindness. May they hate and abhor lying — with all deceit and hypocrisy.
May they be always willing to receive instruction; and be diligent ii acquiring all the knowledge and improvement
that may render them the blessings and ornaments of soci»ity.
Keep them from evil company. If sinners entice them, may they never consent; but early may they take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, sayiiig-, 1 will go with you, for I have heard that God is with you.
We seek not great things for them as to this world — but (), let them live in thy siglU; let them be numbered with thy saints in glory everlasting; let them be blessed with all spiritual blessings, in heavenly places in Christ.
Instead of multiplying riches, and leaving them incentives to pride, and vanity, and idleness, and sensuality; and augmenting a thousand fold all the difficulties of their salvation — May we lay up for them treasure in heaven; may we be concerned to leave behind us, a large inheritance of prayers, and instructions, and examples -with the blessing of God, that maketh rich, and addeih no sorrow with it.
If their parents should be taken away from them, when father and mother forsake them, may the Lord take them up. If they should be deprived of their father — be Thou the Father of the fiitherless; or, should they be deprived of their mother — as one whom his mother comforteth, so dc Thou comfort them.
Should they be removed from us, in early life, may the heavenly shepherd gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom; and may we be prepared to resign them. And, if, as we submissively implore, then* lives should be prolonged — may they grow up, and prove our comfort and honour; serve thy generation according to thy will, and walk before Thee in the land of the living.