us: thou art alfo rich in mercy, and a prefent help in every time of need. We adore thee, that thou haft encouraged us to flee to thee in all our diftreffes, to call upon thee in the day of trouble, and that we have a great high priest at thy right hand to plead for us, who is touched with a feeling of our infirmities, who was himself a man of forrows and acquainted with grief. For his fake, we humbly pray, thou wouldst forgive that folly which has made us fo unmindful of thee in time past. We render thanks to thee for awakening our minds to the confideration of God and religion, even though it is done. by a fevere ftroke of affliction. We would esteem it a mercy, to be brought to seriousnefs and to prayer, by any methods which thou mayeft be pleased to take for this purpose, be they ever so painful. O Lord, we find, that though we can live regardless of thee in times of profperity, we cannot fupport adversity, without thy help: then we find, how wretched a condition it is to be in, not to have God for our friend. O fanctify that discovery that it may effectually cure us of our forgetfulness of God, that it may caufe us to return to thee with our whole heart;—and that we may never more forfake thee, the fountain of living waters. Look in mercy, we beseech thee, upon thy fervant who now lies on a fick bed, in a low and distrest estate. Make this visitation of thy providence, beneficial to him. O may it be accompanied with fuch mercy, fuch grace to his foul, that he may have reafon to all eternity to fay, that it was good for him to be afflicted. May he, in this confinement, learn, and be duly affected with, thofe great and bleffed truths of thy word which none of us regard with fufficient attention, in the hours eafe and health. O that he may favingly learn, that there is nothing so much to be desired as an intereft in thy favour; that there is no hope for finful man, but in the mercy of God; that fin is the greatest evil, holiness the greatest good, and that Chrift is the only refuge for a guilty foul. We humbly entreat thee, O heavenly Father, that if it be confiftent with thy will, he may be raised up again, and that he may be yet continued among us, living a holy, exemplary and comfortable life; happy in himself, and a bleffing to those with whom he is connected. May it please thee to moderate his fufferings, and do thou direct us to the best methods for his relief, and be mercifully pleased to give fuccefs to them. May he patiently submit to what he may have to bear, and under the sharpeft pains which he may endure, enable him to adore and bless thee, for not dealing with him according to the full defert of his fins. But above all, we requeft, that this affliction may be accompanied with the grace of thy Holy Spirit to him, that true repentance, and a lively faith and an ardent desire after holiness, may be wrought in his heart, and thereby he may be made fit, either to live or die; fo that whatever be the iffue of this sickness, it may end in the glory of thy name, and be made to contribute to the good of his foul. And, O Lord, teach us who are in health, to profit by what we fee others fuffer. Let the fight of an afflicted fellow-creature, fill us with thankfulness for the comforts we at prefent enjoy, and ftir us up to provide against the hour of trial, which may one day come upon ourselves. O may we seek thee while thou art to be found, and call upon thee while thou art near. May we feriously attend to the voice of our Redeemer, and like Mary, choose that good part which fhall never be taken from us. These mercies for our afflicted brother, and for ourselves, we humbly afk, in the name and through the mediation of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Chrift, to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be afcribed endless praises. AMEN. |