God, how to be abased, and to suffer need as well as how to abound: and in whatsoever estate I am, therewith to be content: Seeing all these things come alike to all; and no one knows love or hatred, by what is here before him. And as it will profit a man nothing to gain the whole world and lose his own soul, so all the losses in the world cannot undo him, whose soul is safe in thy hands. O let me not grieve, therefore, as if I were undone, for what I have lost; but cheerfully commit myself to thee, to choose my inheritance for me; and be least of all concerned for my worldly portion, so that I may but see the joy of thy salvation. And Lord repair to me these damages, in an infinitely better way, out of thy own fulness, with the more precious things that accompany salvation; that I may imitate thy holy servants of old, who took joyfully the spoiling of their goods, as knowing that they had in heaven a better and an enduring substance. O make me now the more solicitous and industrious to lay up my treasure in heaven; when I see how little any thing is to be confided in here on earth. O let me look less upon these temporal things that are seen; and be most of all concerned that I lose not the blessed things eternal, but provide so well for my soul, and be so rich towards God, that when all here shall fail me, thou mayest never fail me, but be the strength of my heart, and my portion for evermore. Amen.

A Prayer under Confinement and Loss of Liberty.

LORD my God, infinitely kind and good! I

have through thy gracious indulgence long enjoyed my freedom in the world; and been permitted to go in and out, whither I would, at my pleasure; but now that I am under restraint, and

confined to this place, O how much sorer affliction ought I with patience to endure for turning my liberty into licentiousness, and flying out, as I have done, into wild excesses and disorders, to wander from thee and weary myself in the ways of wickedness! This confinement I acknowledge to be but the easy correction of my extravagance, who deserve to be shut up in the eternal prison from whence there is no redemption; but for thy dear Son, my blessed Saviour's sake, I beg, Lord, that this restraint may not be in judgment but in mercy to me, that it may bring me to the consideration and repentance of all those vicious liberties which I have taken, to live after my own foolish and hurtful lusts; and that it may remove me out of the way of such temptations and opportunities of sinning against thee, and engage me more closely and dutifully to attend upon thee, that in thy service I may find a better freedom than the freedom which I have lost; having free access into thy presence and boldness at the throne of grace, and deliverance from the bondage of my sins, and power to tread down the enemies of my soul, and to bring them under, that have reigned over me.

O that I may now be crucified to the world, as well as sequestered from it, that I may not be turned off with regret and a heavy heart, but may leave it in affection, as I am now shut out from its conversation; that I may in heart and mind ascend and dwell above, and have my conversation in heaven, and such fellowship with thee, my God and Saviour, which I may infinitely prefer above all the society and enjoyments of the world. If the Son of God shall make me free, I shall be free indeed. O bring my soul out of prison, the horrible pit of my sins and fears, that I may not there be kept in durance to the judgment of the great day; and I will then

praise thy name, let my body be shut up in ever so narrow a compass. O set my feet in such a large room, my affections at liberty to enjoy thy infinite Self, and to expatiate in thy heavenly kingdom, that is boundless and everlasting; and make me a fellow citizen with the saints, and of the household of God ; and then, though I lie in a jail, and in a grave, yet I shall be a prisoner of hope, looking for that blessed hope, to be delivered from the bondage of corruption, into the glorious liberties of the children of God; even for his sake, who, for ours, was appre hended and confined, and put to death, and laid in the grave, and now liveth and reigneth with thy eternal Self, and Holy Spirit, over all, God blessed for evermore. Amen.

A Prayer under sad Accidents and Disasters falling on the Body.

LORD, Most High! the all-disposing God! thou hast taught us, that affliction rises not out of the dust, nor comes by chance, without thy appointment; but is the messenger dispatched on thy errands, who hast an over-ruling hand in all the disasters that befal us, whatever else be the occasion of our hurts and still thou hast good reason to do as thou dost, though the reason may be hid from us. I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me. O why should a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins? Great God! I humbly submit to thy hand, and will bear the effects of thy displeasure, which I have pulled down upon myself. O my Lord, give me patience, and strength, and grace proportionable to this great trial; and enable me so to demean myself under it, that after the affliction I

may find cause to say, it was good for me to be afflicted. Thou that hast torn and smitten, thou alone art able to heal, and bind up my breaches! O wilt thou remember me in my low estate, out of that mercy of thine which endurest for ever; and help me to find out the cursed things that have provoked thee so to stretch out thy hand upon me. O that

I may search and try my ways, and turn to the Lord, and bring forth fruits meet for repentance ; and for his sake who was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities, Lord forgive, and heal my soul that has sinned against thee; and in good time, repair the breaches made upon my body too, if it seem good in thy sight, and make me to hear joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.

If thou wilt, Lord, thou canst make me whole. O may it be thy gracious pleasure to work so wonderfully for me, and glorify thy power and mercy in my help and recovery; or however thou shalt dispose of this vile body, grant me, O my God, an humble resignation to thy will, and satisfaction with thy dealings, and make this sad dispensation which is so grievous for the time, gracious in the issue. O make it the messenger of thy love to my soul, and the means of converting and sanctifying it, and preparing it for the Lord, and fitting it to receive all the saving mercies of God, in Jesus Christ. Amen.

A Prayer for a Blind Man.

LORD our God! thou art light, and in thee is no darkness at all; thou hast created the light and the sun, and givest both the power of seeing and objects to be seen: it is a pleasant thing to behold the light; but of that sweet benefit thou hast

thought fit to deprive thy servant.

O blessed be

thy name, even taking away as well as giving, for thou art wise and just, and good in all; every thing that happens to us is of thy appointment, Lord of all, who hast made us, and mayest do what thou wilt with thy own; yet there is no unrighteousness with God; but whatever thou dost, is meet and right to be done, though many of thy providential ways are here in the dark to all as now all thy visible works are darkness to thy servant; yea, Lord, thou art gracious in all that thou bringest upon us; and canst bring the greatest good even out of the worst evil that befals us; and thyself art infinitely better to all thy servants than their eyes, and all the things that ever eyes beheld.

Thy servant here desires, with meekness and patience, to submit to thy heavy stroke, and confesses that thou art just in quenching that light of his eyes, which he did not use as he ought to thy glory.

But wilt thou, O gracious Lord, in judgment remember mercy; and bless to him this thy afflicting hand npon him, that it may promote his repentance and peace with God; and may cut off all the occasions of worse stumbling and falling, than any whereto his present darkness may expose him; that so many temptations, which enter in at the eyes, being taken away, he, freed from those interruptions and distractions, may better attend on the Lord, and be more intent upon the concerns of the soul; and more curious and exact in looking inward to the things between God and his heart; and in pressing after a better light than that which thou hast taken from him. Lord, as thou hast shewn thy sovereignty and justice, in taking away his sight, so let thy work of power and mercy be made manifest, both in ministering comforts to him, and enabling him content