are; we acknowledge it to be of thy mercies we are not consumed, because thy compassions fail not. If thou had, long before this time, out us off in our sins, and shut us up under final despair of thy mercy, yet righteouts hadst thou been, O Lord; and how justly mightest thou refuse to hear us calling upon thee in our pray ers, as we have so often refused to hear thee calling upon us by the motions of thy holy spirit; but thou art God, and not man; and thy thoughts are not as our thoughts, nor thy ways as our ways; but as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are thy thoughts and thy ways a bove our's. Thou art our refuge and strength, and present help in time of trouble; in whieli times thou hast commanded us to call upon thee and thou hast promised to hear us, and to give us cause to praise and glorify thee for thy goodness and mercy to us.

And now we come to thee, O Lord, our Gad, in' behalf of this thy servant, that lies here in a low and distressed state under thy chastising hand. Look down, we beseech thee, mer cifully upon him; and be thou gracious and fa vourable to him, according to the necessities of his case, and according to the multitude of thy tender mercies in Christ Jesus; in as great dan ger as he is, yet, if thou wilt, O Lord, thou canst set him up, and make him whole; if thou but speak the word, the thing will be done. And in submission to thy most wise and good disposal of all things, we would beg this mer cy at thy hands, that thou wouldst be pleased to rebuke his distemper, 'te remove thy stroke,

and cause the bitter cup which thou hast given him to pass away from him, and make him e way to escape out of the affliction that is upon him: and to this end, that thou wouldst direct to the means proper for his help, and cammand a blessing upon them to promote his recovery. Spare him, good Lord, and restore him, if it be thy will, that he may have a long time to work out his salvation, and be more useful in his place, and do more good in his generation: or however thou shalt be pleased to deal with him, as to the concerns of his body, which we pray may be in a way of gentleness and tender mercy; yet, Lord, let his soul be ever precious in thy sight; and may this sickness of his body be for the health of that immortal-better part, to promote his salvation everlasting.

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O give him a right discerning of the things belonging to his peace, before they be hid from his eyes! Shew him what he has to do, and enable him to do it, that he may have the sound peace with God, through Jesus Christ; give him the true repentance towards God, and the right faith in the only Saviour of the world; wash and cleanse his soul with the blood of thy Son, and the graces of thy Spirit, that it may be delivered from all defilements it has contracted in this present evil world, and be found safe and happy in the hour of death, and in the great day of our Lord Jesus Christ. Fit him, O Lord, for living or dying, whatever in thy wise and righteous providence thou hast designed for him, that it may be unto him Christ to live, and gain to die; that, in all, he

may find cause to glorify thy name, still experiencing thy gracious goodness to him in the Son of thy love. If thou shalt please yet to release him from his bed of languishing, to live longer upon earth, O that he may live to thee, in thy fear, and to thy praise, and do thee better service, and bring thee greater glory; or, if thou hast determined that his sickness shall be a sickness unto death, and this visitation his last visitation, prepare him, O merciful God, by thy grace, for thy blessed Self; and grant him a safe and comfortable passage out of this wretched life to an infinitely better, through the merits and mediation of thy beloved Son, our only Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

A Prayer under lingering Sickness.

GOOD GOD, thou hast long kept thy servant under thy chastening hand; thou hast made him acquainted with grief, and his sickness is become even his old familiar companion; yet, O blessed Lord, grant that we may not think it long to wait thy leisure, who art pleased to wait so long for the return of a sinner; and who art very pitiful, and of tender mercy, having kind intentions, even in thy bitter dispensations: yea, chastenest whom thou lovest, and scourgest every son whom thou receivest. Teach him, O gracious Father, to see love in thy rod, as well as justice in all thy dealings, that he may humble himself under thy mighty hand, and also think it good for him to be afflicted, and patiently waitfor the Lord, in hope of good out of this evil,

and at last a happy conclusion of the long visitation. Blessed be thy name, O Father of mercies, that thou dost not pour out all thy wrath; but in judgment remember mercy, to make the affliction supportable, giving some ease and relaxation from torturing pains, and mingling many sweet ingredients with this bitter cup. O make him so sensible of thy kindness and love, that he may be not only contented, but thankful under thy hand.

Yet, that his faith may not fail, nor his patience be wearied out, return, O Lord of love, at the last, and give thy servant a discharge from his warfare, and say to the affliction,-It is enough. Make him glad according to the time wherein thou hast afflicted him, and wherein he has seen so much adversity: and till thou hast been pleased to remember him in such mercy, O grant that he may neither despise thy chastening, nor faint under thy rebukes; but take all as he ought, and employ the time which thou lendest, and improve the affliction which thou continuest, as a gracious opportunity for his soul's advantage; that under the decays.of the outer man, the inner may be renewed day by day; and all that is wanting in his spiritual concerns may be filled up, and whatever pertains to his everlasting salvation promoted and perfected, thro' the riches of thy grace, and the multitude of thy mercies in Jesus Christ. Amen.

A Prayer

A Prayer for one that is stupified, or lightheaded...

THOU great Maker and Preserver of all men, who knowest our frame and our frailty, how soon our senses may fail us, and our understanding depart from us; to what accidents, distempers, and decays, our weak nature is liable, even such as may make the most accute and judicious men quickly become as a child, or idiot, and turn all our wisdom and ingenuity into folly or phrenzy. We are every one of us in thy hands, O Lord, to be used as thou wilt, to have our speech and sense, yea, our very breath and life taken away when thou pleasest. Thou art righteous in all that comes upon us, and who shall say unto thee, What dost thou? Yet, even in chastising and correcting, thou keepest a measure, and dost not forget thy mercy and compassion, nor drivest us away from the throne of grace; but biddest us call upon thee in our troubles, and art still attentive to the prayers of thy servants; yea, waitest to be gracious, and wilt not let them seek thy face in vain. Hear us, O Father of mercies, we beseech thee, and let thy mercy now be shewed to thy poor, weak, distempered servant, according to the exigence of the case, in the time of his need. Thou, O God all sufficient, who createst faculties, canst as easily restore them, and give light and understanding even to the simple, and scatter all the clouds, and supply and rectify every thing that is defective and amiss. O that thou