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all perverseness, and instill into our minds good desires teach us to set our affections above all worldly temptation, and direct our regards to that point where only true happiness is to be found-in that haven, where, after the storms of life and the persecution of man are hushed and are no more, we may rest from our labours in those blissful mansions which thou hast prepared for those that love thee, and reap the fruits of a well-fought fight against the temptations of our mortal state. Oh may my pious resolution, inspired by these reflexions, never waver. May my heart, warmed by the contemplation of this day's mercy, never forget its duty, or turn from the tenor of thy precepts. I do not presume, O Lord, to profess to do these things of myself: I am weak and fallible, and without thee my wisest and best resolves were vain and of no avail. Confirm the feelings within me, which, with winged hope, ascend the realms of bliss; and let my steps not wander, whilst my thoughts are fixed on thee, O God Almighty, and thy Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory for ever. Amen.

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Prayers to be used in sickness.

MSS.

What though, O Lord, my sufferings be great and intense, yet thou canst alleviate or remove them by thy word. When I cry unto thee, it is in confidence that thou wilt hear my prayer, and stretch out thy hand of power to relieve me. Mercifully assist me, O gracious God, nor let my supplication be passed unheeded, nor my pe. tition be rejected; for though I have sinned, yet have I believed; and it was the flesh that rebelled against me, when I neglected to do thy will, and act up to thy commands; thou hast chastened me, and I complain not. Thou hast brought me back to reflect upon thy mercies and my own unworthiness, and on the bed of sickness I acknowledge thy past goodness whilst I labour under thy present displeasure: I bow me to thy will, and submit without a murmur to thy decree. It is thou, Lord, who hast given life, it is thine to take it at thy pleasure. Though heavy be my pains, and sore the evil that afflicts me, I will not cry out, or rebel against the mandate of my God. I will pray for alleviation, lest my mortal part should fail before I have made atonement for my past transgressions,

Teach me, O Lord, thus to bear up against all human affliction, and to arm my mind against adversity, by the great example of my Redeemer; that, animated by his practice, and cousoled by his promises, I may look up to that goal, where all my woes shall sleep, and, by thy good mercy, my soul shall arrive at true bliss and happiness with thee, the Son and holy Spirit, for ever and ever. Amen.

JENKS.

O merciful God, thou hast long kept thy ser vant under thy chastening hand, thou hast made me acquainted with grief, and my sickness is even become my familiar companion. Yet, O blessed Lord, grant that I may not be impatient under thy chastisement, who art pleased to wait so long for the return of a sinner: but let me remember that thou hast kind intentions even in thy bitterest dispensations; that thou chastenest him whom thou lovest, and afflictest even those whom thou receivest. Teach me, O gracious Father, to see thy love in thy chastisement, that I may humble myself under thy mighty hand. Yet that my faith may not fail me, nor my patience be quite overcome, grant me ease and re

laxation from my pain, and a happy conclusion of this long visitation. In the mean time, grant that I may neither despise thy chastening, nor faint under thy rebukes, but employ the time which thou lendest, and improve the affliction which thou continuest, as a gracious opportunity for my spiritual advantage; that, under the decays of the body the inner man may be renewed day by day; and that whatever appertains to my everlasting salvation may be promoted and perfected, through the riches of thy grace and the multitude of thy mercies, in Jesus Christ. Amen.

DR. JOHNSON.

Almighty God, merciful Father, whose providence is over all thy works, look down with pity upon the diseases of my body, and the perturbations of my mind. Give thy blessing, O Lord, to the means which I shall use for my relief, and restore ease to my body, and quiet to my thoughts. Let not my remaining life be made useless by infirmities; neither let health, if thou shalt grant it, be employed by me in disobedi ence to thy laws; but give me such a sense of my pains as may humble me before thee, and such remembrance of thy mercy, as may pro

duce honest industry and holy confidence. And, O Lord, whether thou ordainest my days to be passed in ease or anguish, take not from me thy Holy Spirit, but grant that I may attain everJasting life; for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

BISHOP TAYLOR.

O God, wonderful both in thy mercies and judgments, grant that the sense of thy servant's present afflictions may not cause him to forget thy former mercies which thou hast bestowed upon him. O therefore let the remembrance of those many and great blessings he hath so long enjoyed at thy hands be now the proper motives and incentives to the virtues of patience and humility; causing him chearfully to resign himself to thy blessed will, under all the dispensations of thy providence, though ever so hard; and patiently to wait for the return of thy lov ingkindness in Jesus, which is better than life Amen.

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