thy rebukes; but take all as he ought; employing the time which thou lendest, and improving the affliction which thou continuest, as a gracious opportunity for his soul's advantage. Under the decays of his outer man, let his inner man be renewed day by day; and let all that is wanting in his spiritual concerns be filled up; and whatever pertains to his everlasting salvation, be promoted and perfected through the riches of thy grace, and the multitude of thy mercies in Jesus Christ. Amen.

PRAYER FOR A PERSON DANGEROUSLY ILL.

For Land or Sea.

O MOST merciful God, we know that thou dost not delight in the sufferings of thy creatures, and dost not willingly afflict them; but our sins have provoked thy displeasure; for thou canst not be pleased with the workers of iniquity. All our troubles and afflictions come of our sins; and yet thy strokes, when they seem most severe, are always lighter than our crimes. We have much reason to wonder at thy patience and forbearance toward us, thy sinful creatures. Thou hast not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. And still we would cry, "enter not into judgment with thy servants, for in thy sight shall no man living be justified. If thou, Lord, mark iniquities, who, O Lord, shall stand? but there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared: and with thee is mercy and plenteous redemption.

We would now, with unfeigned sorrow, confess

unto thee our manifold sins and transgressions of heart and life, of omission and commission. They are more than the hairs of our head; and they are not only many in number, but heinous in thy sight; for we have not only sinned ignorantly, but against light and the convictions of our own conscience. We have not only rejected the admonitions and counsels of thy word, but have also often resisted and quenched thy Holy Spirit. We have, therefore, no cloak or excuse for our sins, but confess that we are verily guilty in thy sight, and deserve to suffer all that misery which thou hast threatened in thy holy law, against transgressors; yet, O Lord, in the midst of wrath remember mercy. According to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out our transgressions, for the sake of Christ, who has died that sinners might live. We cannot but rejoice to know from thy infallible oracles, that he is able to saye to the uttermost all that come unto thee by him; seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. On this sure word our souls would trust. May this blessed Mediator undertake our cause. May he officiate as our great High Priest, and offer his meritorious propitiation in our behalf. May he be our Advocate, and by his love and by his merit bring us off conquerors and more than conquerors.

O most merciful God, we desire at this time, to commend to thee our friend and companion, who lies dangerously ill among us. Have compassion, we beseech thee, on this afflicted man; and if it please thee heal him, and raise him from this bed of pain and disease, that he may have further time added to

his life, in which he may repent of his sins, amend his life, and prepare more thoroughly for death and eternity. O Lord, take him not away in his sins, in an impenitent and unreconciled state; but even now, shed light upon his dark mind, and bring him to the knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus. O grant him ability to believe in Christ with all his heart; for all things are possible to him that believeth; and as at the last hour, thou didst grant repentance and pardon to the dying thief, so manifest thy power and grace in the pardon of the sins of this distressed man; and let him be renewed in the spirit of his mind, that he may be meet for thy kingdom. Amen.

PRAYER BEFORE AN ENGAGEMENT.

On Land or Sea,

O LORD GOD, infinitely wise and good, who teachest man knowledge, and givest both the skill and power to accomplish our purposes; I know not what to do; but mine eyes are upon thee; and all my expectation is from thee: and I desire continually to wait, and call, and depend upon thee. It is a great work which I have now to do: but O how little strength to do it. All my sufficiency is of thee, who workest in us to will and to do, of thy good pleasure. Thou that hast been my help, leave me not, nor forsake me, O God of my salvation; but let me be taught of God what I have to do; and let the gracious Lord make me to understand what is thy pleasure concerning me. O that my ways were directed to please

thee; that so I might have the light of thy countenance ever shining upon me!

My Lord, and my God! leave me not in the hand of my own counsel, nor to the conduct of my own. foolish and deceitful heart; but lead me by the way that I should go, and teach me thy paths; that discretion may preserve me, and understanding may keep me. O make my way prosperous, fill me with faith, resolution and courage, and give me thy blessing and good success. Bring all needful things to my remembrance; and where I have not the presence of mind, or the ability to perform thy will, O magnify thy power in my weakness; and let me go forth in thy strength; and speed and prosper by thy grace and blessing. Let thy good providence so be my defence and security in the moment of peril, and thy Holy Spirit my guide and counsellor, that I may wisely choose, and rightly manage, and successfully accomplish the things wherein I am engaged.

Thy will be done, O Lord, in every event; and let me ever design thy glory, whether it be for life or death. O be thou still a gracious Father to me; and a merciful Provider for me, and grant me now the comfortable sense of thy gracious acceptance of me, and of thy designs of mercy towards me. Be thou pleased to take me under thy fatherly care and conduct, and preserve me from the sins of this hour; and quicken me to the good which I am averse to perform; establish thou the work of my hands upon me; yea, the work of my hands, establish thou it. My God and guide, my help and strength; if thou keep me not, I shall fall into sin; but hold thou me up, and I shall

be safe and let me so experience thy power and presence with me, that I may manage this and all my other affairs to thy glory; and that, in my dying reflections upon what has past, my soul may have peace, and thy name be glorified; and, O God of my life, if it should please thee to make this the time of my departure out of life, wash me in the blood of Jesus, give me his finished righteousness, and receive my spirit for his sake. Amen.

1

PRAYER AFTER AN ENGAGEMENT.

On Land or Sea.

MANY, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to usward for good; they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I should declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered. According to thy name, so is thy praise to the ends of the earth. The dead praise thee not, nor any that go down into silence: the living, he shall praise thee, as I desire with all my soul to do this day. My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise. I will be glad and rejoice in thee, and sing praise to thy name, O thou Most High. I will praise thee, O Lord, for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation. I found trouble and sorrow: then I called upon thee; and thou wast attentive to my cry, and nigh to my help. And though thou mightest have made me an example of thy judgments to others, as others have been to me, thou didst not consult my deserts but my distress: doing great things and working strange deli