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, Ö 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 wait for 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 rememberest 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 this warfare; and say to the affliction, it is enough. Make him glad, according to the time wherein thou hast afflicted, 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, through the riches of thy Q

grace, and the multitude of thy mercies in Jesus Christ. Amen.

A Prayer for one that is Stupified, or Light-headed.

THOU great Maker and Preserver of 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 acute and judicious man quickly become as a child or idiot, and turn all our wisdom and ingenuity into folly and frenzy. 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 doest 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 his 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 wouldst be pleased to shew thyself so graciously and powerfully in the present case, and repair the breaches made upon thy servant; and give him sense and apprehen

sion sufficient to discern the state of his soul, and to see the things of his peace.

Thou Lord Almighty, who didst command the light to shine out of darkness, and often bringest order and beauty even out of confusion and deformity, canst lighten the darkest mind, inform the weakest head, and regulaie the wildest imagination; yea, thou canst speak immediately to the heart, and incline and secure it to thyself; and canst convey instruction, and all suitable relief, where the doors are shut up against us. O God of all power and love, wilt thou speak to the soul of thy servant, so that it may observe thy. voice; and seize that precious jewel for thy own, that it may be safe in thy hands. Lord, direct and quicken, help and assist him, where we cannot, and do the great work of grace, worthy of the wonder-working God, to effect salvation for him by thy own self, in the failure of outward means and applications. O have pity upon his infirmities, and be merciful to his mistakes and failings, his rovings and follies: give him, gracious God, a broken, penitent heart, and a believing, willing mind; and then accept him in thy beloved Son, according to what he hath; and of thy rich grace, make him an entrance into thy everlasting kingdom, where all the shadows being vanished and gone, he may see light in thy light, and joyfully give thee praise and glory to all eternity. Be gracious, O good Lord, and indulgent to him; and do all that thou knowest to be needful and good for him, through the mediation and for the merits of him who took part of our flesh and blood, that he might be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; and to thy mercy, in that hour merciful and faithful High Priest, we commit this infirm member of his mystical body, beseeching thee, O blessed Lord our God, to shew thyself

unto him a compassionate and tender Father, in the same Jesus Christ our only Saviour. Amen.

A Prayer for a sick Child.

GOD of the spirits of all flesh, the only Giver and Preserver of life in every living soul; the smallest, as well as the greatest, are thy work and thy care; and neither without the compass of thy providence, nor below the notice and regard of our heavenly Father, who though so great above all, yet despiseth not any! O dear Lord, let thy thoughts be full of pity and tender mercy to this poor sick child, for whose afflictions we are now concerned; and send him that relief and comfort from above, which none of us are able to give; either lighten the load, or increase the strength to bear it ; and deal gently and graciously with him, good Lord, beyond what we are worthy to ask at thy hands, even for thy own goodness and mercy's sake. Spare him, O Father of mercies, and grant him ease and release from his trouble; yea, make haste to deliver him, we beseech thee; and in submission to thy will we beg the recovery of his health, and the continuance of his life, to be spent in thy fear, and to thy praise, that he may continue to do thee service, and bring thee glory in his days upon earth; but, forasmuch as children themselves, who are shapen in iniquity, and conceived in sin, are therefore subject to death, which reigns even over them that have not sinned, after the similitude of Adam's transgression, if thou art pleased, Lord, to take him away so early, O let it be in mercy, and prepare him then so for thyself, that it may be to him the greatest gain to die; that he may not only be delivered from the miseries and dangers of this world, and

that to come, but by the quickest improvement, may be perfected in knowledge and grace, and made ripe and ready for heaven and eternal glory, through the infinite satisfaction and merits of thy beloved Son, our compassionate Saviour, who so kindly embraced and blessed young children, and ever lives at thy right hand to intercede for young and old; the only prevailing Advocate for us all. And to thy mercy in him, O most gracious God, we commend this afflicted child, beseeching thee to deal well by him, and be good and kind to him; and out of the riches of thy grace, provide and do abundantly, as thou knowest best for him, in life and death, and for evermore. Amen.

A Prayer for a dying Man past Hope of Recovery.

THE hope of Israel, and the Saviour thereof

in time of trouble! when all other hope and help fail, it is not in vain to seek unto thee for succour, who canst bring back from the mouth of the grave, and quicken the very dead; and where thouart not pleased any further to prolong the temporal life, yet canst deliver from eternal death, and bring safe to the blessed life everlasting; for the sake of which, no troubles or death should be thought too much to be endured; if by any means we may attain to the joyful resurrection of the dead, and get safe to the heavenly Canaan, the land of the true living, where death itself is swallowed up of life, and thy saints are above the danger of dying any more, and live full of joy to everlasting ages. We think it too late to beg the recovery of thy servant, O Lord, now that he seems to us going the way of all flesh, and justly launching forth into his everlasting condition; but though the time of his departure appears to be at