of the last

year. We are the living, the living to praise thee, as we do this day. Blessed be God for all the mercies, personal and relative, temporal and spiritual, with which the past year has been crowned.

To thy care, direction and blessing we commit ourselves and each other for the following part of our lives, and especially for the year ensuing. We know not what even a day, and much less what a year, may bring forth: nor would we wish to know. It is enough for us to be assured that our times are in thy hands.

There we cheerfully leave ourselves and all our concerns, praying and believing that thou wilt order all things wisely and graciously for us.

We pray, with submission to thy sovereign will, that thou wilt continue our lives, and preserve our health and comforts to the close of another year. But especially we pray that thou wilt prepare us for, and sanctify to us, the events of it, whatsoever they may be.

We would humbly lament the sins of the year past, as well as all the former gins of our lives. We beseech thee, of thine infinite mercy, to pardon them; and

grant us grace to watch and strive against the repetition of them. May all old things pass away, and all things become new.

We desire to begin the new year with God. We would afresh commit ourselves to thy care, and consecrate ourselves to thy service. And having done so, we desire cheerfully to refer all future events to thine infinite wisdom, and fatherly goodness.

As every year which passes brings us nearer to death and eternity, may it find us better prepared for our great change. We know not but this year may be our last: God grant that it may prove our best. If thou hast so decreed that this year any of us shall die, O grant that death may be no terror nor surprise to us. May we be dying daily to sin and the present world, so that whenever we finish this mortal life, we may enter upon that infinitely happy one which shall never end. May the close of every year, and every day, find us wiser and better; more happy in ourselves, more useful to others, and more meet for that world where days and years shall be unknown, and time shall be no more. In thy presence may we there all spend a blessed eternity!

The LORD'S PRAYER. Matt. vi, 9—13.

OUR Father which [who] art in heaven

Hallowed be thy name-Thy kingdom come-Thy will be done* in earth as it is in heaven-Give us this day our daily bread-and forgive us our ‡ debts, as we forgive our debtors And lead us not into templation, but deliver us from evil § For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory for ever. Amen.

VARIATIONS in Luke xi. 2-4.

* -as in heaven, so in earth.

day.

+-day by

-sins, for we also forgive every one 8-No doxology.

that is indebted to us.

From these variations, it is evident, the Lord's Prayer is not to be considered by us as a prescribed form, much less as necessary to be used at all times. But there can be no impropriety in adopting it occasionally, with other passages of scripture, or of frequently closing our prayers with it, as a summary of our desires. In so doing, it would be proper sometimes to introduce the above variations.

SCRIPTURE-DOXOLOGIES.

THERE have been disputes among professing Christians concerning the manner of concluding prayers. Certain doxologies in human words, have, by some, been considered as needful tests of soundness in the faith, and essential to right worship For the sake of those who think the words which the Holy Ghost teacheth, are preferable to those which man's wisdom teacheth the following SCRIPTUREDOXOLOGIES are here subjoined, which are the principal, if not the only ones, to be found in the Bible, which is a perfect rule of worship, as well as of faith and practice.

To God the Father.

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. Matt. vi. 13.

Of him, and through him, and to him, are all things; to whom be glory for ever. Amen. Rom. xi. 36.

Now to him that is of power to establish [you] [us] according to [the] gospel,

-to God only wise, be glory, through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.

25, 27.

Rom. xvi.

OUR Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God, even our Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Gal.

i. 4, 5.

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. Eph. iii. 20, 21.

Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever. Amen. 1 Tim. i. 17.

Now unto him that is able to keep [you] [us] from falling, and to present us faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. Jude 24, 25,