17

TUESDAY.

happiness which thy infinite goodness prompt­ed thee to desire, and thy infinite wisdom enabled thee to know! I, thy creature, vanish into nothing before thy supreme Ma­jesty. To thy power I humbly submit; of thy goodness I devoutly implore protection on thy wisdom I firmly and cheerfully rely Irradiate my mind with all useful truth; in stil into my heart a spirit of general bene­volence; give understanding to the foolish; meekness to the proud; temperance to the dissolute; fortitude to the feeble- hearted; hope to the desponding; faith to the unbe­lieving; diligence to the slothful; patience to those who are in pain; and thy celestial aid to those who are in danger; comfort the afflicted, relieve the distressed; supply the hungry with salutary food, and the thirsty with a plentiful stream. Impute not my doubts to indifference, nor my slowness of belief to hardness of heart; but be indulgent to my imperfect nature, and supply my im­perfections by thy heavenly favour. When­ever I address thee in my retirement from the vanities of the world, if my prayers are foolish, pity me; if presumptuous, pardon me; if acceptable to thee, grant them, all­powerful God, grant them! And as, with my living voice and with my dying lips, I will express my submission to thy decrees, adore thy providence, and bless thy dispen­

R