so sanctified, that thou mayest pity and assist me. Relieve my sorrow, and support my spirit; direct my thoughts, and sanctify my sickness; and grant that the punishment of my sin may be the school of virtue. Lord, make me a holy proficient; that I may behave myself, as a son under discipline, humbly, obediently, and penitently; that I may come by this means nearer unto thee; that if I shall go forth of this sickness by the gate of life and health, I may return to the world with great strength of spirit, to run a new race of a stricter holiness, and a more fervent piety: or if I pass from hence by the cutlet of death, I may enter into the bosom of my Lord. Grant this, for Jesus Christ's sake, our dearest Lord and Saviour. Amen.

AN ACT OF RESIGNATION.

O ETERNAL GOD, who hast made and sustained me, who hast blessed me in all the days of my life, and hast taken care of me in all variety of accidents, of which none happen in vain, nor without thy providence; I know that thou smitest thy servants in wisdom, and with designs of the greatest pity and mercy. Lord, I humbly lie down under thy rod; do with me as thou pleasest; do thou choose for me, not only the whole state and condition of being, but every little and great accident of it. Keep me safe by thy grace, and then use what instrument thou pleasest of bringing me

to thee. Lord, I am not solicitous of the passage, so I may get to thy bosom. I am thy servant and thy creature, thy purchased possession and thy son: I am all thine; and because thou hast mercy in store for all that trust in thee, I cover mine eyes, and in silence wait for the time of my redemption. Thou who art the God of patience and consolation, strengthen me in the inner man, that I may bear the yoke and burthen of the Lord, without any useless murmurs. Lord, I am unable of myself to stand under the cross; but thou, O holy Jesus, who didst feel the burthen of it, who didst sink under it, and wert pleased to admit one to bear part of the load when thou underwentest all for him, be thou pleased to ease this load by fortifying my spirit, that I may be strongest when I am weakest, and may be able to do and suffer every thing that thou pleasest, through grace strengthening me. Lord, if thou wilt support me, I will for ever praise thee: if thou shouldst suffer the load to press me yet more heavily, I will cry unto thee, and complain unto my God; and at last, if it be thy pleasure, I will lie down and die, and by thy mercies, and intercession of the holy Jesus, and the conduct of thy blessed Spirit, and the ministry of angels, pass into those mansions, where holy souls rest, and weep no more. Lord, pity me; Lord, sanctify this my sickness; Lord, strengthen me; holy Jesus, save me and deliver me. O let me never charge God foolishly, nor offend thee by

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my impatience and uneasy spirit, nor weaken the hands and hearts of those that charitably minister to my needs but though thou breakest me in pieces, my hope is thou wilt gather me up in the gatherings of eternity. Grant this, eternal God, gracious Father, for the merits and intercession of our merciful high priest, Jesus. Amen.

A PRAYER TO BE SAID UPON TAKING MEDICINE.

O MOST blessed and eternal Jesus, thou who art the great physician of our souls, be pleased to bless the ministry of thy servant, in order to my ease and health; direct his judgment, prosper the medicines, and dispose the events of my sickness happily, that I may feel the blessing and loving-kindness of the Lord in the ease of my pain, and the renewal of my health; and, being restored to the society of the living, and to thy solemn assemblies, may I may praise thee and thy goodness in the congregation of thy redeemed ones; here in the outer courts of the Lord, and hereafter in thy eternal temple for ever and ever. Amen.

A PRAYER FOR THE GRACE OF REPENTANCE.

O God, thou art my God, early will I seek thee; my soul thirsteth for thee in a barren and thirsty land, where no water is. Lord, give me the grace of tears and pungent sorrow; turn my sin into

repentance, and let my repentance proceed to pardon and refreshment. Soften my heart with the fire of thy love, and with penitential showers: make my conscience tender, and the remaining portions of my days like the perpetual watches of the night, full of caution and observance, strong and resolute, and patient. O Lord, I renounce all affection to sin, and would not buy my health, nor redeem my life, with doing any thing against the laws of my God, but would rather die than offend thee. O dearest Saviour, have pity on thy servant; let every sigh be an expression of repentance, and every groan an accent of spiritual life, and every stroke of my disease a punishment of my sin, and an instrument of pardon: that at my return to the land of innocence and pleasure, I may eat of the votive sacrifice of the supper of the Lamb, that was, from the beginning of the world, slain for the sins of every sorrowful and returning sinner. O grant me salutary sorrow here, and joy hereafter, through Jesus Christ. Amen.

A PRAYER FOR PARDON OF SINS.

O JUST and holy God, my sins are innumerable, they are upon my soul in multitudes, and a burthen too heavy for me to bear. But, Lord, thou hast sent thy Son to die for the pardon of sin; thou hast given me thy Holy Spirit, as a seal of adoption to confirm the article of remission of sins; and thou

hast with variety of holy acts softened my spirit, and instructed my understanding, and why should not thy servant humbly hope for the effects of all these thy miraculous acts of loving-kindness? Lord, I deserve it not, but I hope thou wilt pardon me, and I beg it of thee for the sake of Jesus Christ, whom thou hast made the foundation of our hopes, and the mighty instrument, whereby alone we can obtain of thee whatsoever we need and can receive.

Lord, I do from my soul forgive all that have sinned against me: O forgive me my sins, as I forgive them that have sinned against me. Lord, I confess my sins unto thee daily, by the accusations and secret acts of conscience; and if we confess our sins, thou hast called it a part of justice to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Lord, I put my trust in thee; and thou art ever gracious to them that put their trust in thee. I call upon my God for mercy; and thou art always more ready to hear than we to pray. But all that I can do, and all that I am, and all that I know of myself, is nothing but sin, and infirmity, and misery; therefore I go forth of myself, and throw myself wholly into the arms of thy mercy, through Jesus Christ, and beg of thee for his death and passion's sake, by his resurrection and ascension, to be pitiful and compassionate to thy servant. Amen.