thee! And how fit is it, that a care to please thee should swallow up every other care.

But how hast thou, our greatly injured benefactor, been neglected, forgotten, and offended by this our sick brother! He has lived "as without thee "in the world," though he knew that the world, and all that it contains, are supported and upheld by thee; and that he is nothing, has nothing, and can hope for nothing but of thee, and from thee. Yet, alas instead of seeking after thee, and contemplating on thee, as he ought, how little hast thou been in all his thoughts! How seldom has he, with a becoming awe, reflected on thy presence with him, and inspection over him! How unmindful has he been of thy mercies, how unthankful for them, and how unfruitful under them! That homage, which is thy most unquestionable due, he has unnaturally withheld from thee: and has taken no care to gain thy favour and approbation, by attending to the great business of religion, which is the end and glory of our nature.

Blessed God! when we think but for a moment of thy transcendent greatness and goodness, we are astonished, that this our now afflicted brother should ever have lived so regardless of thee, and been guilty of such numberless offences against thee. He cannot but be confounded when he lifts up his face to thee. He cannot but see, on the most transient view of his conduct, that he has erred exceedingly, and strayed from thy ways like a lost sheep. What more than brutal stupidity, what more than brutal ingratitude, has he discovered! "For the ox knoweth his owner, and the 66 ass his master's crib; but he has not known "thee," the great Proprietor and Lord, as he ought; nor has he duly considered the vast and mighty obligations, which thou hast laid on him.

Make him more and more sensible, O Lord, that he cannot slight thy mercies without incurring

thy judgments; that he cannot live in the neglect of his duty, and trifle with God and his conscience with impunity. His danger is as great as his folly, ingratitude, and guilt. Thou art a righteous, as well as a merciful God. Thou wilt call him to an awful and severe account for his carelessness, his neglects, his wilful and presumptuous sins, whether of omission or commission. Destruction and misery are in the ways of those who wander from their God. O let him not vainly expect either present peace, or future safety, while he continues a stranger to thee, and in a state of disaffection towards thee; nor suffer him to indulge an indolence of temper, or heedlessly to pursue any such evil courses, as will without faith and repentance involve him in everlasting ruin. Graciously look upon his afflictions, and finally receive him to thyself, through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

[If the sick person be too weak to attend to the whole of this prayer, it may be divided here, and after proper intervals, the minister (or any other) may proceed as follows.]

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Great and merciful Lord God, convince this our sick brother, that if he were to remain far from thee, he must perish everlastingly. Thy favour is the only real ground of security and hope; and this he can never attain without earnestly seeking it in the way of his duty. Pluck him, we beseech thee, as a brand out of the fire." Bring him, before it be too late, to an effectual sense of his sin and folly; and set the danger of a careless state before him in the strongest light, and point out to him the only way to escape it, even thy Son Jesus Christ," who is the way, the truth, and the life." Teach him so to think on his carelessness and inconsideration, as to turn his feet unto thy testimonies. May he make haste, and no longer delay to

keep thy commandments. Help him " to seek "thee whilst thou mayest be found, and call upon "thee whilst thou art near." And may he at length be persuaded "to attend to the things that "belong to his peace and welfare, before they are "for ever hid from his eyes." Break, gracious God, that fatal enchantment, which has bound his soul to earthly and sensual objects. Let not his "heart be any longer hardened through the de

ceitfulness of sin," but melt and subdue it by thy heavenly grace. Teach him that important lesson which he has been slow to learn: teach him to know, love, and practise his duty. Give him a taste for the pleasures of religion and devotion. Let his thoughts be employed in meditating on the best things, refine and spiritualize his affections, elevate and ennoble his pursuits; quicken his desires after thee, and help him "with purpose "of heart to cleave unto the Lord."

Pardon and forgive, we humbly beseech thee, the numberless sins and transgressions of his past careless life; raise him from the bed of sickness, and enable him to act a wiser and better part in all respects for the time to come, and graciously accept him, and all his attempts to serve thee, for thy mercy's sake, in and through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A prayer with an awakened and convinced sinner.

See p. 27.

O GOD, how awful art thou in thy holiness and justice! Yet thou art gracious, and ready to receive every penitent and believing sinner. We now

kneel down before thee in behalf of this our sick brother, who has grievously offended thee, and entreat thy pardoning and saving mercy. He has heard of Jesus Christ, and of his merits, mediation, and intercession. He has been taught the neces

sity of repentance, and of being converted; and that" without holiness none shall see thy face." He is convinced, Lord, of thy right to him, and to all the love and obedience of his heart and life, because thou art his Creator and Benefactor. He is convinced that thy laws are holy, just, and good. He is convinced of the sinfulness of sin, the vileness of his heart, the abominations of his life, the vanity of this world, and that thou only art able to be the portion and happiness of his soul. He sees there is no hope for him, but in a sincere return to thee by repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

But he fears lest the hardness of his heart, and the power of his unbelief and of worldly lusts, should prevail against all his convictions. O that he may have a heart to love thee above all the world, and to delight in thy holy ways, more than in all the pleasures of sin! May he have a heart to believe in Christ, and to live by faith and not by sight! He has corrupted his heart, but he cannot renew it. He has defiled it, but cannot cleanse it. He has kindled in it a fire of rebellion, but he cannot quench it. He has undone himself, rejected his Saviour, and resisted the Holy Spirit; and is there yet mercy for him? There is. Let him then immediately apply to Christ in the language of the humble publican, "God be merciful to me a sin"ner;" and be comforted in that gracious promise, "Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out;" a promise made to every penitent sinner, by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

[Here this prayer may be divided; and after a proper interval, the minister (or any other) may proceed as follows.]

Have compassion, O Lord, on this our sick brother, according to the multitude of thy tender mercies. He has sinned like a frail and foolish man, but do thou have mercy on him, as a gracious

God. His sin hath abounded, let thy grace much more abound. Christ with infinite expence hath redeemed souls; and that revives his hope. Create in him a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within him. Turn his heart of stone into a new and tender heart of flesh. Fill his presumptuous heart with a necessary care for his own salvation. He sees his duty, and yet has not resolution to do it; he sees his danger, and runs into it. He foresees death and judgment, without coming to Christ, and redeeming his important moments. His work is undone, his soul is unready, and if he die this night, where shall he awake? Thy mercy hath long kept him out of hell. Do thou, O mighty God, who hast raised Jesus Christ from the dead, revive and raise him from the death of sin, to the life of righteousness, as thou hast done for innumerable other sinners.

Lord, heal his evil heart of unbelief, which hath slighted Christ, and departed from the living God. Thou hast left him a promise of entering into heavenly rest, but leave him not to fall short of it by unbelief. Touch his heart with a deep sense of thy love. Kindle in it this heavenly fire. Let the spirit of love fix his soul on the wonderful love of Christ, on Christ crucified, on an ascended, glorified, and interceding Saviour, till he is all love to him who died for him. Deny him not the grace, which thou hast commanded him to ask, nor the holiness, which is thy delight, and without which he will continue thine enemy to his destruction. Thou hast sworn, that thou hast no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that he should turn and live. Let thy mercy spare him: let thy grace be sufficient for his spiritual and eternal life. Let him live the life of grace here, that he may live the life of glory for ever, and look from his guilt and misery to the merits, mediation, and intercession of his living Redeemer: hoping and trusting in