16. And he is the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba father g Gal. 4. 16. Whence we are embolden'd to beg the blessing of God with the freedom of Children and may promise our selves to be kindly received when we address to him 6. Lastly whereas by reason of sin neither our Persons nor our Prayers could be acceptable to God nor could we hope to prevail with him on our own account this obstacle and discouragement is also happily remov'd for we have a Mediatour between God and us the man Christ Jesus * 1 Tim. 2. 5. who being the Son of God and of greatest Interest with him hath so effectually interpos'd as to obtain audience for us and that our Petitions shall not be in vain by his attonement and satisfaction he hath expiated our sins appeased the Wrath of God and reconcil'd us to him so that we may now approach by that new and living way which Christ hath consecrated for us h Heb. 10. 20. In whom also we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him i Eph. 3. 12. And though our devotions be accompanied with sinful infirmities and we have reason to pray that our very prayers may be forgiven us yet while coming with faith and sincerity we may assure our selves that our service shall not be rejected for as did Aaron the high Priest for the Jews so much more Christ of whom he was a type doth for us Christians bear the iniquity of our holy things k Exod. 28. 38. and the defects of our oblations are done away by means of his perfect sacrifice who offered himself a Lamb without spot or blemish l 1 Pet. 1. 19. It is therefore said that we being an holy Priesthood do offer to God what is acceptable to him by Jesus Christ m 1 Pet. 2. 5. Likewise we are allowed to use our Saviour's name and to plead his merits when we present our requests And he hath undertaken it shall well succeed Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name I will do it n Joh. 14. 13 14. and again hitherto ye have asked nothing in my name ask and ye shall receive that your joy may be full o Joh. 16. 24. for our prayers have this further advantage by the mediation of Christ that he doth himself recommend them in Heaven by his intercession having enter'd into the Holy of Holies that he might there carry on his Work of Mediatour and save to the utmost all that come to the Father through him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them p Heb. 7. 25. he is the great Master of Requests in the Court of Heaven nor is there any other beside him our Advocate with the Father q 1 Joh. 2. 1. and because he is Jesus Christ the righteous as it follows in that Text he doth therefore sollicite for us with good success while pleading the merits of his own righteousness in our behalf and by this he doth cause our prayers to be well received For he is that Angel of the Covenant represented to St. John who having a golden Censer doth offer up in it the prayers of the Saints together with his own incense r Rev. 8. 3. that they may become a sweet smelling savour Wherefore though unworthy and obnoxious in our selves yet if interested in Christ we may draw nigh to God with full assurance of faith ſ Heb. 10. 22. and having so compassionate an high Priest in Heaven who doth intercede for us let us come boldly to the Throne of Grace that we may obtain Mercy and find grace to help in time of need t Heb. 14. 15 16. The duty to which we are excited is with respect to God highly just and reasonable as to us most becoming and beneficial and in it self little burdensome or difficult the devotion requir'd from us Christians being free from the great trouble and cost of the Jewish worship we are excus'd from their Oblations Sacrifices and other numerous Rites nor are we oblig'd to tedious journeys as they who were bound at set times to wait on God from all parts of the Country in his Temple at Jerusalem u Exod. 23. 17. Deut. 16. 16. 2 Chron. 8. 13. The service expected from us is that we present our selves a living sacrifice w Rom. 12. 1. and offer up to him devout Prayers and Thanksgivings which are our spiritual sacrifice x 1 Pet. 2. 5. and holy incense y Rev. 8. 3. prayers and giving of thanks saith Justin Martyr I do affirm to be the only sacrifices that are perfect and acceptable to God z Dial. cum Tryph. and to these it doth refer when 't is said in Malachy that the Name of the Lord should be great among the Gentiles and they should offer incense to him and a pure offering a Mal. 1. 11. by which is meant the sincere prayer of pious Christians Sacrificium mundum scilicet simplex oratio de conscientiâ purâ so Tertullian understands that place b Adv. Marc. l. 4. cap. 1. and more fully elsewhere Nomini meo offertur sacrificium mundum gloriae scilicet relatio benedictio laus hymni c Ibid. l. 3. cap. 21. by our declaring the Glory of God by our thanksgiving our praise and singing of Psalms we offer up that pure offering which was foretold and to the same purpose another ancient Father when describing the piety of a Christian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prayers and praises are his sacrifices d Clem. Alex Strom. 7. And these oblations of the Gospel beside that they are without charge and expence have this other ease too that they may be presented in any place whatever In every place saith that Text of the Prophet e Mal. 1. 11. and we are to pray every where lifting up holy hands without doubting of acceptance as 't is prescrib'd by the Apostle f 1 Tim. 2. 8. for to us now since Christ by his coming hath made the whole earth alike holy every place is an Oratory g August de Temp. Serm. 129. Since therefore prayer doth on so many accounts recommend it self to us and God who can be no gainer by it is yet pleas'd to be so urgent with us both by invitations and commands that we seek unto him since he hath given us such great encouragements to it and we may obtain his favour and blessing at so cheap a rate as the bare asking if we have any understanding or sense of things his great goodness herein cannot chuse but oblige us to a chearful and devout service of him and our natural love to our selves should easily prevail upon us to make our daily applications and on all occasions of this mortal life humbly to represent our wants and desires to him who is so willing as well as able to do us good A PERSUASIVE TO Family Devotion
and all other perfections and thy Works have been wonderful and gracious towards the Sons of Men. But what is Man that thou art mindful of him and what am I vile Creature that I should be admitted to thy Throne of Grace O Lord I am but Dust and Ashes and therefore unworthy thou shouldst have any regard unto me I am a polluted Sinner and therefore unfit for thy presence or any testimony of thy favour the frame and disposition of my heart is to sin and folly and the practice of my life have been always disobedient and provoking to this very day I desire therefore with shame and hearty repentance to humble my self begging thy merciful pardon of all my sins past through the Merits of Christ and the assistance of thy special Grace for the future whereby I may be enabled to lead a sober righteous and godly life Since I am thy Creature who hast made all things for thy self and thine own glory let it be my chief care to serve thee and whether I eat or drink or whatever I do to do all in thy fear and to the honour of thy great Name as I have been bought with a price even the precious blood of thy dear Son so grant I may glorifie thee both in my body and soul which are thine and whatever power or opportunities thou dost vouchsafe unto me help me to employ the same in doing good and discharging my Duty both toward thee and toward men that I may not be barren or unfruitful but always abounding in the Work of the Lord and for the greater usefulness and comfort of my life be thou pleas'd to continue to me my understanding and senses together with health and soundness of body and let my Members and Faculties be always instruments of righteousness unto holiness O stablish my heart by thy Grace that I may be constant in thy Faith and Fear in sincere obedience to thy holy commands and so after a patient continuance in well-doing may receive the promis'd reward of eternal life O Lord I do thankfully acknowledge the continual Mercies of thy good Providence by which I have been preserv'd and cherish'd hitherto I bless thee for the protection and refreshment of the night past and that thou hast prolonged my life to another day be thou pleas'd to guide and defend me throughout the same bless and prosper my endeavours in every lawful undertaking and suffer me not to fall into any danger or unhappy accident Above all do thou preserve me from sin and the temptations to it and let neither the World the Flesh nor the Devil draw me aside from thee into any wicked practice but grant that I may still walk on in the way of righteousness without turning from it into those sinful paths that lead down to the Chambers of death Bless thy people throughout the World and send thy comfort and deliverance to all who are in any distress or affliction of body or mind Preserve this Church and Kingdom to which I belong and make us happy in Truth Righteousness and Peace do good to all my friends and if I have any Enemies forgive them and turn their hearts O Lord pardon the defects of this my devotion accept my person and hear my Prayer through the Righteousness and Intercession of thy blessed Son my alone Saviour In whose own Words I further call upon thee Our Father c. Thy Grace O Lord Jesus Christ thy Love O heavenly Father thy Communion O blessed Spirit be with me this day and for evermore Amer. Another Prayer for the Morning CAuse me O Lord to hear thy loving kindness in the Morning for in thee do I trust Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk for I lift up my soul unto thee Order my steps in thy Word and let not any iniquity have dominion over me O Lord my God who art the Author of my being and the giver of all the good things which I have at any time receiv'd I do here offer up my bounden Duty of Worship and Praise and I do present my Soul and Body to be consecreated unto thee and thy Service despise not I pray thee the Work of thine own hands but though I am vile and unworthy by reason of Sin yet according to thy rich Mercy and for the worthiness of thy beloved Son be thou pleas'd to overlook whatever is amiss in me and to receive me graciously as one of thine adopted Children That I may be qualify'd for thy love and favour make me conformable to thy divine Image in righteousness and true holiness do thou govern my will and affections that I may chuse the good and refuse the evil that I may love what thou doest command and hate whatever thou hast forbidden O Lord who knowest my ignorance and folly instruct me how to demean my self in all the affairs and passages of my life thou who seest my weakness strengthen me by thy Grace that I may be able to resist all evil motions and temptations to Sin and to perform all the Duties of my Christian obedience suffer me not to err from thy Commandements but let the direction of thy Word and Spirit be as a voice behind me shewing the way wherein I should walk when I am turning to the right hand or to the left confirm my Soul in thy true Religion and the holy fear of thy great Name make me steadfast and immoveable in thy Service that being faithful unto the death I may at length receive that Crown of everlasting Life which thou hast promis'd Be thou pleas'd to bless me in my body with health and strength in my Soul with encrease of divine Knowledg of true Piety and all saving Vertues and give me such a measure of temporal good things as may best contribute to my real happiness I yield thee humble thanks that I have been preserv'd and refresh'd the Night past that I am kept alive to this Morning as thou hast brought me out of the shades of Night so help me to cast off the sinful works of darkness and to walk as becometh a Child of Light let thy presence be with me and thy blessing upon me in the day following give thine Angels charge to keep me in all my ways that I fall not into any disaster and let thy Grace be sufficient for me that I be not exercis'd in any evil work but grant me to abide in perfect safety and to be still holy and upright before thee to the end of this day and of my whole life through my blessed Saviour Jesus Christ in whose holy Name and Words I continue to pray unto thee Our Father c. Thy Grace O Lord Jesus Christ thy Love O Heavenly Father thy Communion O blessed Spirit be with me this Day and for evermore Amen A Psalm and Prayer for the Morning on the Lords day I Laid me down and slept I awaked Sunday Morning for the Lord sustained me O God thou art my God early
and establish thou the work of our hands upon us yea the work of our hands establish thou it Forsake me not O Lord O my God be not far from me Teach me to do thy Will for thou art my God thy Spirit is good lead me into the Land of uprightness O Most great and glorious God the whole World is the work of thine hands and thou governest all things both in Heaven and Earth We do here admire and adore thy Wisdom Power and Goodness which are so visible and illustrious in all the great Works of Creation and Providence and we do humbly acknowledge our dependence upon thee who art the Author of our Life and the support of our Being by thee we have have been preserved and nourished ever since we were born and 't is of thy care and kindness that we are still sustained from morning to evening and from evening to morning When we consider the frailty of our nature and the many provocations of our life we see great reason to confess that 't is of thy mercy we are not consumed Grant O Lord that thy long suffering and goodness may lead us to repentance and as thy mercies are new to us every morning so we may renew our serious purposes of walking before thee in holiness and righteousness all our dayes Remember not against us the errours of our former life neither punish us as we have deserved but through the redemption of thy beloved Son grant us pardon and reconciliation and make us partakers of all those rich benefits which he hath purchased And let the grace of God which hath brought Salvation teach us to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts to live in the pious fear of thee and in faithful obedience to thy holy Laws But because of our selves we cannot stand upright let thy Grace be always sufficient for us strengthen us with all Spiritual Might in the inner man that neither our own corrupt affections nor yet the snares and temptations of the World may ever cause us to depart from thee but grant that the Principles of faith and holiness being firmly rooted in us we may be always stedfast and immoveable in our Christian Practice suffer us not to be too much in love with the things of this World nor to lay up our treasure here on Earth but grant that our affections may be chiefly set on things above and our treasure laid up in Heaven where it will never perish nor be taken from us while we are busie about many things that concern this present life help us still to remember the one thing necessary making it our greatest care to provide for our eternal State in the life hereafter As long as thou shalt continue our abode in this World let thy good Providence watch over our persons and supply all our wants help us to be thankful in prosperity patient in affliction and in every condition to be therewith content and do thou so order and govern the several events and passages of our life that they may all help us forward in our way to Heaven O Lord defend and preserve thy Church Universal enlarge its borders and purge it more and more from all Errour and Corruption bless this Land of our Nativity with Peace and Unity with the continuance of thy Truth and Gospel the encrease of righteousness and all Christian vertues Bless the King's Majesty with sound wisdom and all princely endowments that his Reign may be prosperous and the People happy under him be favourable to all our Friends and Relations bestowing upon them all those good things that may be for their comfort in this life and their eternal happiness in that to come Extend thy pity to such as labour under any trouble or distress give them strength to bear their affliction and in thy due time an happy deliverance We do also present unto thee our sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving for thy care over us the night past that our bodies have been refreshed with sleep and our life continued to another day as thou doest afford us a longer time in the land of the living so lengthen out thy favour and loving kindness by which alone our life can be safe and comfortable to us and teach us so to number our daies that we may apply our hearts to heavenly wisdom to make a right use of our time by doing good works while it is day because the night is coming in which none can work O Lord let thy good Providence and heavenly Grace be present with us and watching over us throughout this day to secure us from dangers and every unhappy accident to preserve us from evil actions and to assist us in those that be good make our way prosperous in every business and undertaking and guide us always by thy Counsels till we shall come to thine everlasting Kingdom Through thy rich mercy in our blessed Sunday Morning Saviour Jesus Christ in whose name and merits we offer up these our Petitions and conclude them in his own words Our Father which art in Heaven hallowed be thy Name thy Kingdom come thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our Trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil for thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen Thy grace O Lord Jesus Christ thy love O heavenly Father thy Fellowship and Communion O holy and blessed Spirit be with us all this day and for ever A Psalm and Prayer for the Morning on the Lords day BY the Word of the Lord were the Heavens made and all the Host of them by the breath of his mouth He gathereth all the waters of the Sea together as a heap he layeth up the deep in Storehouses Let all the earth fear the Lord and all the Inhabitants of the World stand in awe of him For he spoke and it was done he commanded and it stood fast Know ye that the Lord he is good it is he that hath made us and not we our selves we are his People and the Sheep of his Pasture Enter into his Gates with Thanksgiving and into his Courts with Praise be thankful unto him and bless his Name They that trust in their Wealth and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches None of them can by any means redeem his brother nor give to God a ransom for him But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave for he shall receive me I have set the Lord always before me because he is at my right hand I shall not be moved Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoiceth my flesh also shall rest in hope For thou wilt not leave my soul in Hell neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption O how amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts My soul longeth even fainteth for the
highest interest to please thee and enjoy thy favour and that we may be more careful and diligent in securing our eternal happiness hereafter then for the momentary things of this present life help us often to consider the vanity of this World the approach of death and the certainty of a future judgment and to fix our thoughts on the recompence of reward that so we may be stedfast and immoveable in the Duties of our Christian profession as well knowing that our labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. And because our life is but a vapour which doth quickly vanish and we know not how soon thou wilt bring us to the dust of death give us daily to prepare for our great change and to be doing good while we have time and opportunity because there is no work nor understanding in the Grave whither we are going We render our due thanks for thy great mercy and long suffering in the continuance of our life hitherto and lengthening out unto us the day of Grace and Salvation whereas so many others who might have lived to this time as well as we have been removed from the land of the living And we bless thy great name both in behalf of our selves and this whole Nation for the free use of the holy Scriptures the truth of thy heavenly Doctrine and the purity of thy Worship That thou hast so long preserved the religion profess'd among us notwithstanding the many attempts that have been made against it help us all to value and improve these inestimable blessings and be thou pleas'd still to continue them to us for all generations We thank thee in particular for the opportunities of waiting upon thee this day in the Duties of thy solemn Worship pardon all the defects and infirmities of our religious service accept our Devotions at the hands of our great high Priest and let the Prayers of us and thy whole Church obtain thy gracious acceptance as presented to thee with the incense of his Merits Let thy word abide in us taking root in our hearts and bringing forth good fruit in our life and actions and grant that all the pious instructions we at any time receive may prove effectual for building us up in our holy Faith and helping us forward in the way of holiness which leadeth to eternal life We beg thy mercy for all those Nations which yet sit in darkness and in the shadow of death that the Sun of Righteousness may arise upon them to guide their feet into the way of peace And be thou pleas'd to extend thy fatherly piety to all the distressed Members of thy Church giving them seasonable relief in all their afflictions and necessities more especially be thou near at hand to the comfort and deliverance of all those who are any where oppressed or persecuted for the sake of thy Truth and Gospel and grant that the rage of thine and thy peoples enemies may be at length restrained cause the wickedness of the wicked to come to a perpetual end but let the just be established We recommend to thy special care our own particular friends and all more nearly related to us that thou wouldest bless them in their souls and bodies and give them all the good things that may be for their prosperity here and their eternal happiness hereafter Finally we desire for our selves thy favourable kindness this ensuing night grant us to lie down in peace with thee and under thy protection let thy watchful providence secure us from all the perils of darkness and command thine holy Angels to be our defence against that evil one who like a roaring Lion seeketh day and night whom he may devour give us a sweet repose and bring us in safety to another day And grant that all the days of our life we may honour and serve thee and at length receive the glorious reward of everlasting life through Jesus Christ in whose blessed Name and Words we further pray unto thee Our Father which art in Heaven hallowed be thy Name thy Kingdom come thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trepasses as we forgive them that trespass against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil for thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen Thy Grace O Lord Jesus Christ thy Love O Heavenly Father thy Fellowship and Communion O holy and blessed Spirit be with us this Night and for evermore DEVOTIONS When any Person is sick A short Prayer with which to begin ALmighty God who hearest In sickness Prayer and art near unto all that call upon thee thou art our only refuge in trouble and hast commanded us in the time of sickness to Pray one for another that we may be healed O let our cry come unto thee and be thou intreated for thy Servant who is afflicted in body We do confess we are altogether unworthy to intercede with thee by reason of our manifold sins for which we do here humble our selves with hearty repentance most earnestly begging thy gracious pardon for the sake of our blessed Redeemer who is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the World through him be thou reconcil'd unto us and with Fatherly compassion receive our Prayers which we do not presume to offer up but in his Name and Mediation who suffered for us and is ready to pity the sufferings of others To him with thy self and the holy Ghost be all Honour and Glory world without end Amen These Portions of Scripture may be suitable to the condition of the Sick Psalms 6. 25. 27. 31. 32. 34. 38. 42. 73. 88. 103. Job 1. 2. 5. 7. Isa 38. Lament 3. Mat. 8. Rom. 8. 2 Cor. 4. and 5. Heb. 12. A Psalm LIke as a Father pitieth his Children so the Lord pitieth them that fear him For he knoweth our frame he remembreth that we are dust As for man his days are as Grass as a Flower of the Field so he flourisheth For the wind passeth over it and it is gone and the place thereof shall know it no more But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him and his righteousness unto Childrens Children Blessed is he that considereth the poor the Lord will deliver him in the time of trouble The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive and he shall be blessed upon earth The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivereth him out of them all I looked on my right hand and beheld but there was no man that would know me refuge failed me and no man cared for my soul I cried unto the Lord I said thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living Attend unto my cry for I am brought very
to walk as becomes the Gospel having a Conscience void of offence both towards God and towards Men that as he who hath called me is holy so I may be holy in all manner of conversation Take off my affections from earthly things which are vain and perishing and set them on the things above in which alone my true happiness doth consist fit me by suitable grace for every dispensation of thy Providence that I may know how to want and how to abound how to mourn or rejoyce how to be in sickness or in health and in every condition to be therewith content let thy Fatherly wisdom cause all things to work together for good unto me and that the several occurrences of the present life may help me forward in my Christian course towards the attainment of eternal Salvation And because my nature is frail my life uncertain and I know not how soon I shall be taken from the land of the living help me seriously to consider my latter end to be still preparing for death and by numbring my dayes to apply mine heart to sound wisdom that when I shall put off this earthly Tabernacle I may be admitted into an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens O God who art the Creatour of mankind and didst send thine own Son that the World through him might be saved extend thy goodness to all the kindreds of the earth causing the light of thy glorious Gospel to shine upon them that their feet may be guided into the way of peace and everlasting happiness let all Nations become subject to the Kingdom of thy Christ and the number of thine Elect be filled up that the glory of thy Salvation may be revealed Accept O Lord my evening oblation of Praise and Thanksgiving for all thy rich Mercies vouchsafed to me I bless thee for my being since by thee I have been fearfully and wonderfully made for thy preservation of me to this moment and for all the accommodations and comforts of the present life But above all I magnifie and adore thine inestimable goodness in making known unto me the way of salvation and happiness by Jesus Christ in continuing to me the seasons of Grace and of waiting upon thee in thine holy Ordinances help me to make such a good and pious use of all thy benefits as may be for thy glory and for mine own eternal welfare And since thy wise Providence hath ordain'd that the Night should succeed the Day as a time of rest and refreshment I pray thee that this Night may be so to me thy Servant grant me to be safe and secure under thy protection from all the terrours and perils of darkness and to awake the next morning in health and safety O Lord hear my Prayer and let thy presence and loving-kindness alwaies be with me to the end of my life for the sake of thine only begotten Son my alone Saviour to whom with thy divine Majesty and the holy Ghost be all honour and glory World without End Amen Thy Grace O Lord Jesus Christ thy Love O Heavenly Father thy Fellowship and Communion O holy and blessed Spirit be with me henceforth and for evermore Amen A Psalm and Prayer to be us'd by a Person who is under Sickness O Lord rebuke me not in thy In sickness wrath neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure Have mercy upon me O Lord for I am weak O Lord heal me for my bones are vexed My soul is also sore vexed but thou Lord how long Return O Lord deliver my soul O save me for thy mercies sake For in death there is no remembrance of thee in the grave who shall give thee thanks Have mercy upon me O God according to thy loving kindness according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions Wash me throughly from mine inquity and cleanse me from my sin Why art thou cast down ô my soul and why art thou disquieted within me hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God Yea though I walk thorow the Valley of the shadow of death yet will I fear no evil for thou art with me thy rod and thy staff comfort me O Lord my times are in thy hand deliver me from the hand of mine enemies Let my soul live and it shall praise thee and let thy judgments help me Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee My flesh and my heart faileth me but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever ALmighty God and most merciful Father thou art the Author of my being and as my life my health and strength are from thee so they are and ought to be at thy dispose and I do humbly confess that because of my sinfulness and disobedience 't is just with thee to afflict me with sickness and pain yea and to cut me off from the Land of the Living O Lord I bear about me a body of Sin and Death and am liable to the penalties of that first transgression for by one man Sin entered into the World and Death by Sin Likewise the practice of my life hath been very evil and my sins still repeated from day to day I have not made it my chief business to serve and glorifie thee which is the end of my Creation nor hath the time of my life and health been employ'd as it ought in doing and receiving good The faculties of my Soul and Members of my Body have been made the instruments of Sin I have not been duly thankful for thy manifold Mercies nor made a right use of them and I have too much despis'd thy goodness and forbearance which should have lead me to repentance I do therefore acknowledg the justice of thy dealings for why should a man complain of the punishment of his sins But O thou Father of Mercies who delightest not in the death of a sinner be favourable unto me Enter not into judgment with thy servant neither let thine anger wax hot against me but forgive my Sin and deliver me for in thee do I trust I know O Lord that afflictions rise not from the Dust but are of thy sending and I do desire to hear the voice of thy Rod and to turn to him that smiteth I do with hearty repentance humble my self at thy footstool lamenting all the errours of my former life and I do give up my Soul and Body to thy Will and Governance resolving and promising by thy Grace to live and act hereafter in all holy obedience to thee and thy righteous commands O deal not with me after mine iniquities nor punish me as I have deserved but remember the sufferings of thy Son who himself bore our sicknesses and the punishment due to us in his own death I believe in him as my alone Saviour my trust is in his Merits and I do humbly beg for his sake that thou wouldst be reconcil'd unto me that thou wouldest heal my Body and comfort my Soul O God who art the preserver of men who hast declared in thy word that thou art nigh unto such as pray unto thee and hast promised to deliver when call'd upon in the day of trouble be thou pleas'd to bow down thine ear and extend thy compassion in removing the distemper under which I now labour do thou who art the great Physitian prescribe and bless the means that may be for my recovery and restore me again if it be thy blessed Will to a state of health and strength then will I praise thee with a thankful heart and will serve thee faithfully all my daies But I do humbly submit my self to thy good pleasure and not my will but thine be done Though thou visit with thy Rod yet take not thy loving kindness from me and while my body shall be afflicted be thou pleas'd to strengthen and support my Soul with thy Grace and inward consolation help me with chearfulness and Christian patience to bear thy chastisement with a firm and constant faith to trust in thee and thy pretious promises Grant that this present visitation may be sanctifi'd to my spiritual benefit and through thy wise ordering in the issue turn to my real advantage and that I may by experience know that in very faithfulness thou hast afflicted me Let this thy fatherly correction teach me to be more dutiful and obedient and grant that by considering the vanity and uncertainty of health of life and worldly enjoyments I may be the more careful to set my affections on things above and to breath after that immortal life of perfect bliss which thy Gospel hath promis'd And grant O Lord that whether in health or sickness in prosperity or affliction I may still honour and serve thee that whether I live I may live unto thee and whether I die I may die unto thee that whether I live or die I may be thine And so an entrance may be ministred to me into the everlasting Kingdom of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ In whose Name and Merits I do earnestly recommend unto thee my present condition and all my Concern both of Soul and Body praying further in his Words Our Father c. Thy Grace O Lord Jesus Christ my Redeemer thy Love O Heavenly Father thy Consolation O blessed Spirit of Grace be with me and all thy People henceforth and for evermore Amen FINIS