heart, I would utterly renounce all other dependence. My own righteousness is insufficient, and I dare not bring it under thy all-searching eye; and while I forsake every refuge of lies, I would flee to the mercy of him, who has said, that whosoever cometh to him, he will in no wise cast out. Gracious God, send forth thy Spirit into my heart, that he may show unto me the only way of salvation, and enable me to walk in it. Suffer me not to deceive my soul with a false hope; let me not cry peace unto myself, unless thou hast spoken peace; but relying on thy faithful promise, may I find access to thee through the Mediator; and hear from thy lips the gracious words, "be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee."

O Lord, thou hast often admon

ished me by thy word and providences, to attend to the things which belong to my peace, but I have sadly and wickedly neglected the call. Thou art now admonishing me again, by the disease which thou hast commissioned to afflict my bo. dy, and I pray that I may bear the rod, and him that hath appointed it. May I bear patiently and without murmuring, all the pains which thou hast sent to convince me of my mortality, and especially may I be induced to inquire what preparation I have made for an eternal world. I ask not merely that I may be willing to die, if it be thy holy will, but that I may be prepared to die; having Christ formed in my heart the hope of glory; and having that sanctification from sin which constitutes meetness for heaven. Let not my mind

be too much occupied with thoughts of recovery; but rather with earnest desires to be renewed by the Holy Spirit, and saved from the power and curse of sin. Jesus, thou art the great Physician, and to thee I come, and upon thy atoning sacrifice I rely.

And now, O most gracious God, hear the supplications of a poor, trembling sinner, and let an answer of peace be returned to my soul, only for the sake of Jesus Christ, thy well beloved Son. Amen.

II.

Gracious and ever blessed God, from whom all holy thoughts and pure desires proceed, help me, that I may make a near and reverential approach to thee. Thou art of purer eyes than to look on iniquity, and wilt by no means clear the guilty;

how then can I stand in thy presence, who am altogether polluted and vile! I cannot answer thee for one of a thousand of my sins; for I have sinned wilfully and perseveringly, and against the clearest dictates of thy word and my own conscience. Behold, I am vile, what shall I answer thee? Hadst thou cast me off for ever, and left me to heap up wrath against the day of wrath; hadst thou consigned my soul to hopeless despair, I could not have complained of thy just severity. I would have deserved it all.

Thanks be to thy forbearance, I am still in the place of hope; and I beseech thee, good Lord, that thou wouldst bring me penitently to the foot of the cross, that I may there confess my guilt, and plead the sufferings and righteousness of Jesus.

He is able to save unto the uttermost all that come unto God by him; and wilt thou not for his sake, cleanse my polluted soul, invest it with his spotless righteousness, and receive it into thy favour. Lord, in my trouble, I come unto thee. Pity my misery, and raise me from despondency. Let my present afflictions be sanctified in such a way as to constrain me to say, "it is good for me to be afflicted; before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep thy law." Thou canst make all things work together for my good, and cause me to rejoice even in tribulation. Holy God, give me a clear discovery of Christ as the propitiation for my sin. May I be enabled to see that he has borne my sins in his own body on the cross, and purchased for me peace and reconciliation. O send