I behold the lillies of the field, they toil not, neither do they spin; wilt thou not feed me? LORD, I believe; O help my unbelief! I am ashamed that I have so little faith. LORD JESUS, thou Son of _David_, I believe that thou wilt help me. Only give me patience to wait till the hour appointed for helping me, is fully come. I know, in thy due time, thou wilt turn my water into wine, and richly supply all my wants. Patiently let me tarry thy leisure. Never let me fret against thee, my LORD. Though I am poor, let me not be tempted to steal; but strengthen me, I beseech thee, against Satan’s assaults. Let me know, that man doth not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of thee, my GOD. Though poor as _Lazarus_, yet, when I die, let me be carried by angels into _Abraham_’s bosom. And however thou mayest be pleased to deal with my body, LORD, feed my soul, I beseech thee, with that bread which cometh down from heaven. Though poor in this world, O let me be rich in faith. Suffer me not to stagger at thy promises through unbelief. Let the poverty of my body be a means of humbling my proud heart. O let me not be ashamed of my low estate, since thou, O LORD, didst not disdain to let women minister to thee of their substance, and hadst not where to lay thy head. Help me to sanctify thee my LORD GOD in my heart, and bring me safe at last to thy heavenly kingdom, through JESUS CHRIST, my only Advocate and Redeemer. _Amen._
* * * * *
_A Prayer before Singing of Psalms._
O ALMIGHTY GOD who out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast perfected praise, open our mouths, that our lips may shew forth thy praise. Let our souls be filled as with marrow and fatness, and out of the abundance of our hearts, let our mouths speak. Enable us to sing with the spirit, as well as with the understanding, and to make melody in our hearts unto thee, O LORD. O let us rejoice in thee evermore, and help us to shew forth our thankfulness not only with our lips, but in our lives; and from praising thee here, LORD grant we may, at the hour of death, be translated to join with angels and archangels, and the spirits of just men made perfect, to praise thee eternally hereafter. Even so, LORD JESUS, _Amen_ and _Amen_.
* * * * *
_A Prayer for One before he goes to his Labour._
O ALL-GRACIOUS, and ever-blessed LORD GOD; who, when thou hadst placed the first man in the garden of _Eden_, didst command him to dress it, and after he had eaten the forbidden fruit, didst impose this as a part of the divine curse upon him, that he should eat his bread by the sweat of his brows: O most adorable JESUS, who thyself didst work at the trade of a carpenter, and hast by an Apostle, commanded all to abide in the vocation wherewith they are called by thee, O prosper thou my handy-work.
Behold, in obedience to thy command, I now go forth to labour for the meat which perisheth. O let me do it with a single eye to thy glory, and suffer me never to forget to secure that meat which endureth to everlasting life. Let me not be so cumbered about the many things of this life, as to neglect the one thing needful. O let me walk with thee all the day long; and though my body be on earth, LORD let my heart and affections be fixed on thee in heaven, and preserve me, I most humbly beseech thee, in my going out and coming in, from this time forth and for evermore. Do thou, who didst appear to the disciples when they were fishing and mending their nets, manifest thyself unto me, when employed in the business of my lawful calling. Do thou, who calledst _Matthew_ from the receipt of custom, call me effectually by thy grace. Grant, O LORD, that I may not stand any of my time idle, but be continually improving my talent, that whether I live, I may live unto thee, or whether I die, I may die unto thee, O LORD; so that whether living or dying, I may be thine. O never let me be like the unjust steward, ashamed to dig. Suffer me not to be slothful in business, but grant I may be always fervent in spirit, serving thee, O LORD. Lift up my hands when they hang down; strengthen, O strengthen my feeble knees, let not the sun burn me by day, nor the moon hurt me by night. Provide for me to-day, and keep me from being solicitously careful for the morrow: and after the labour of this troublesome world is over, translate me, O LORD, together with all thy faithful servants, to that happy place, where we shall enjoy an everlasting rest, with thee O Father, with thee O Son, and with thee O Holy Ghost; to whom, as three persons, but one GOD, be ascribed, as is most due, by angels, and archangels, cherubim and seraphim, by things on heaven, and things on earth, all honour, power, might, majesty and dominion, now and for evermore. _Amen_ and _Amen_.
* * * * *
_A Prayer for a Rich Man._