very fore Affliction; if thou fhalt think fit to continue it, fupport me under it with the Affiftance of thy holy Spirit. But if I am fit for fo great a Mercy, O let this Torment of Soul depart from me; that being restored to an easy, free, chearful, and active Frame of Spirit, I may ferve thee with more Delight and Vigour in all the Duties of my heavenly Calling. Bleffed Jefus, my Saviour and Redeemer, let my Complaint come before thee. Amen.

Amen.

A Prayer for a Perfon in a State of

Poverty.

My God, infinite in Goodness, Power, and Wisdom! on thee all Things, depend; and thy Providence over-ruleth all Events: Riches and Plenty come from thee; and Poverty and Want are by thy Difpenfation. I believe that for juft and wife Reasons, thou haft allotted to all Mankind very different States and Circumstances of Life; and that thy good Providence hath defigned my Benefit and Advantage in all the temporal Evils, which have at any Time happened unto me.

I confefs, O Lord, my Sins have de

enjoys, as the invaluable

ferved much more fevere Afflictions; and that thou art kind and merciful in all thy Dealings with me. Thou haft thought fit to place me in a mean Condition, to deprive me of many Conveniencies of Life, and to exercife me in a State of Poverty: But thou haft hitherto preferved and fupported me by thy good Providence, and *Here let the Perfon haft bleffed me with Adrecollect the Blefings he vantages * above fome Mercy of Health, the others, who labour under Alfiftance of Friends, great Trials and AfflicLiberty, &c. tions. And above all I enjoy the Light of thy glorious Gofpel, and the Means of Grace, when many of Fellow-Chriftians are debarred of these moft valuable Comforts, and lie groaning under Perfecutions, Mifery, and Torments. I confider with humble Acknowledgement and Thankfulness that I am ftill alive, and have the Opportunity of working out my Salvation; whereas many poor Souls are given up to the juft Punishment of Sin, groaning out a fad Eternity under inexpreffible Pains, and inconceivable Miferies. Thefe, O Lord, are very great Mercies towards me, and must filence my Complaints if thou shouldest see fit to try me

my

with greater Difficulties, than what thou haft hitherto laid upon me.

But, O merciful Father, who hast commanded and invited us to lay our Wants: and Neceffities before thee, help and relieve me, I beseech thee, under my prefent Circumstances; and if thou feeft fit, bless me with fuch a Portion of the Comforts and Conveniences of Life, that thereby I may be enabled to go on more chearfully in my Station, to ferve thee better, to love thee more and more, and more admire thy wonderful Bounty and Loving-Kindness towards, me. Give me Health and Strength, and Abilities fuited to my Circumstances; direct me in the Use of honeft Means, whereby I may obtain (for myself and Family) a com fortable Subfiftence; and do thou fucceed and profper my honeft Labours and Endeavours.

But, O Lord, if in this I know not what I afk; if greater Plenty, and the Comforts that attend it, are not convenient, but would prove Snares and Temptations to me, thy bleffed Will be done: Support me that I fall not into extreme Want; lay not more upon me, than thou wilt enable me to bear.

Supply

Supply the Want of worldly Bleffings, by the Comfort and Support of thy good Spirit, whereby I may be made perfect in every good Work to do thy Will; that I may become rich in Faith, and an Heir of that Kingdom which thou hast promised to thofe that love thee: Make me devout, holy, and heavenly-minded; and fo purify and cleanse my Heart, that it may become an Habitation for thy Holy Spirit.

Enable me, likewife, O Lord, to exercise all thofe Chriftian Graces and Duties which my prefent Circumftances call for from me: Let the Sharpness of temporal Wants put me upon confidering what Mifery muft attend the Lofs of my Soul: Let a Senfe of my Poverty, ftir up eager Defires after the true Riches: and the lefs I have of this World, the more careful let me be to provide for the next; that I may feek an Inheritance incorruptible, and that fadeth not away: Let bodily Hardships convince me of the great Evil of fpiritual Wants, that I may hunger and thirst after Righteoufnefs. Give me Diligence and Industry in my Calling; and when I have done my Endeavour, make me to caft all my Care upon thee, and trust to thy Fatherly Good

nefs

Let not the Con

nefs to provide for me. tempt which fome Perfons wrongfully caft upon Poverty, or any Evil which I may endure, tempt me to any difhoneft Ways of getting; but let me choose rather to be poor than wicked, and to want any Thing rather than thy Favour. Clothe me with a meek, and quiet, and humble Spirit, which in thy Sight is of great Price: Give me a thorough Contentedness in my present Circumstances: let me not dare to repine at my own Condition, or envy the Profperity of others; but teach me to poffefs my Soul in Patience: That I may acknowledge thy Right and Sovereignty over me, that thou art juft, and wife, and merciful in all thy Difpenfations. Convince me of thy Fatherly Love, and enable me chearfully to refign myself to thy All-wife Providence.

Teach me to look unto Jefus, the Author and Finisher of our Faith; who to reconcile us to a State of Poverty, chofe to be born, and to live in a mean Condition, enduring Hunger, and Thirst, and Cold, and not having where to lay his Head: That by his Example, I may be encouraged to fit loose to the World, and wean my Affections from temporal Objects; that be