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the desire of his own heart; and let him see, that thou hast lifted up thy hand against him, for this very purpose, that he may learn to walk more humbly with thee, and turn his feet to thy testimonies. Deliver him from the painful confineinent under which he labours, and grant him again the happiness of enjoying the comforts of life, and of worshipping thee in thy sanctuary, with the 'voice of joy and praise.' But, O Lord, not our will, but thine be done. Thou knowest better what is good for us, than we ourselves; and it is in wisdom that thou afflictest us. Give thy servant patience, that he may bear his pains without murmuring, and wait the time of his deliverance from them without uneasiness; satisfy him of thy care over him, and thy tender regard to him: and in thy good time restore him to his former strength and vigour, that he may give thanks to thee in the great congregation; through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.

A Prayer for one that is bed-ridden.

(From Mr Lewis.)

O LORD our God, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort, have compassion, we entreat thee, on the helpless condition of thy servant: support his spirits, which are ready to droop under affliction: refresh his mind, which is apt to be uneasy and melancholy at the thought of perpetual confinement. Give sleep to his eyes, and rest to his weary thoughts. Cause him to meditate on thee in the night watches; to 'commune with his own heart;' and, in his solitude, 'to search and try his ways,' that he may see wherein he hath erred, and may turn unto thee with all his soul, and with all his strength. Let this affliction be the means of preparing him for the enjoyment of thy presence, in which is fulness of joy; and let him be the more patient under it for that reason. Make him thankful, that thou hast by this expedient preserved him from the company of those whose evil communication might have corrupted his heart, and hast taken him out of a world, by the snares and temptations of which he might have been prevailed upon to forsake thee, and turn from the way of thy commandments. Grant, O Lord, that he may not render himself unworthy of thy favour, by murmuring and repining; but that he may use the leisure and opportunity now given him, to make his peace with thee, and be fitted for the

enjoyment of an inheritance among the saints in light; through ⚫ thy mercy in Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Redeemer. Amen.

A Prayer for a Person troubled in Mind, or in Conscience.

[Visitation Office.]

O BLESSED Lord, the Father of mercics, and the God of all comforts, we beseech thee, look down in pity and compassion upon this thine afflicted servant. Thou writest bitter things against him, and makest him to possess his former iniquities: thy wrath lieth hard upon him, and his soul is full of trouble. But, O merciful God, who hast given us thy holy word for our learning, that we through patience, and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope: give him a right understanding of himself, and of thy threatenings and promises; that he may neither cast away his confidence in thee, nor place it any where but in thee. Give him strength against all temptations, and heal all his infirmities. Break not the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax. Shut not up thy tender mercies in displeasure, but make him hear of joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Deliver him from the fear of the enemy; lift up the light of thy countenance upon him, and give him peace, through the mediation of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Another for the same, or one under deep Melancholy and Dejection of Spirit.

(From Mr Jenks.)

O MOST gracious Lord, thou knowest our frame, and art full of compassion to thy servants under their trouble and oppression; look down upon us, we humbly beseech thee, with thy wonted pity, and remember the work of thy hands, our disconsolate brother. Thy wrath lies hard upon him; and all thy waves are gone over him; thy terrours oppress his mind, and disturb his reason. O thou that speakest the winds and waves into obedience and calmness, settle and quiet his discomposed thoughts; speak peace and satisfaction to his troubled mind, and give him comfort and sure confidence in the sense of thy pardon and love. Lord, help his unbelief, and increase his faith. Though he walk in the valley and shadow of death, let 'thy rod and thy staff support and protect him.'

In the multitude of the thoughts and sorrows that he hath in his heart, let thy comfort refresh his soul. Let in a beam of thy heavenly light, to dispel the clouds and darkness in which his mind is involved. O direct to the means most proper for his help, and so bless and prosper them, that they may effectually promote his recovery out of this deplorable state. Incline his ears to wholesome counsels, and dispose his heart to receive due impressions. O gracious Father, pity his frailty, forgive his sin, and rebuke his distemper, that his disquieted soul may return to its rest. O raise him up, and show thy mercy upon him, for the sake of Jesus Christ, our blessed Saviour and Redeemer. Amen.

For the same.

(From Bishop Patrick.)

PRESERVE this thy servant, O gracious Father, from dishonouring thee and his religion, by distrusting thy power, or thy goodness.

Remove all troublesome imaginations from him, and give him a clear understanding of thee, and of himself, that no causeless fears and jealousies may overwhelm him, nor his heart sink within him from any sadness and dejection of spirit. Compose, we beseech thee, his disturbed thoughts; quiet his disordered mind, and appease all the tumults of his soul, by a sweet sense of thy tender mercies, and of the love of thy Son Jesus Christ to mankind. Keep him from forming any rash conclusions concerning thy providence; and give him so much light and judgment amid all the darkness and confusion of his thoughts, that he may not think himself forsaken by thee; but may firmly believe, that if he does the best he can, thou requirest no more. And enable him, O Lord, to look forwards to that region of light and glory, whither our Saviour is gone before, to prepare a place for all thy faithful

servants.

Strengthen his weak and feeble endeavours. Support his fainting spirit, and cause it humbly to hope in thee. Confirm and establish every good thought, desire, and purpose, which thou hast wrought in him. Make him to grow in wisdom, faith, love, and willing obedience. Conduct him hereafter so easily and steadily, peaceably and quietly, so cheerfully and securely, in thy ways, that he may glorify thee whilst he lives,

and when he leaves this troublesome world, may resign his soul into thy merciful hands, with a pious confidence and a hope of a joyful resurrection; through the merits of thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Prayer for one under Fears and Doubts concerning his spiritual Condition, or under perplexing Thoughts and Scruples about his Duty.

(From Mr Kettlewell.)

O LORD our God, we offer up our humble supplication to thee, in behalf of this thy servant, whose soul is disquieted within him by his fears and anxiety, respecting the safety of his condition. Remove from him, we intreat thee, all frightful apprehensions, all perplexing doubts and scruples about his duty. Make him satisfied and settled in a right understanding of all thy precepts, and careful in the observance of them; and dispel, by the light of thy countenance, all that darkness which obscures his soul, that he may not be unnecessarily dejected, and distrustful of himself, or dishonourably jealous of thee. Deliver him from all those offences, which make him so much a stranger to peace and comfort; and cause him to place his chief satisfaction and delight in obeying thy commandments, and in meditating on thy mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

A Prayer for one who is disturbed with wicked and blas phemous Thoughts.

(From Mr Lewis.)

Suffer

O LORD God, the Father of our spirits, to whom all hearts are open, and all desires known; we humbly entreat thee to succour and relieve this thy servant, who labours under the burden of wicked thoughts. Let thy power and goodness be shown in healing his disordered mind. Cleanse the thoughts of his heart by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit. them not to be defiled by any profane or blasphemous suggestions, but heal the soul of thy servant, by enabling him to stifle and suppress all such thoughts, as tend to rob him of his peace, or deprive him of the comforts of religion. Enable him to be of an equal and steady temper, to be mild and gentle in his behaviour, and to keep his hopes and fears within due

bounds. Make him sensible of the wise and kind reasons of these afflictions; that, if they are duly improved, they may be powerful preservatives of his soul against the prevailing sins of a licentious age; may lessen his inclinations to the enjoyments of this life, and deaden his appetite to sensual pleasure, and the perishing goods of this world; that these afflictions may dispose him to compassionate the sufferings of others, and make him more thoroughly feel his own infirmities, and the want of divine assistance. Open his eyes, that he may see and know the wise and gracious dispensations of thy providence; and, by humbling himself under them, may at length be lifted up and made a partaker of that peace and joy which thou bestowest on all thy faithful servants. Grant this for the sake of Jesus Christ, our only Mediator and Redeemer.

A Prayer for one who is afflicted with a profane Mistrust of Divine Truths, and blasphemous Thoughts.

(From Mr Kettlewell.)

O MOST gracious God, in whose hand is the soul of every living creature; protect this thy servant, we humbly and earnestly entreat thee, against all doubts and mistrusts of thy truth, against all irreligious thoughts and suggestions.

Never suffer them, O Lord, to weaken his faith, or to hinder him from performing his duty. Preserve him not only from the sin, but, if it seem good to thine infinite wisdom, from the temptation and the sorrow which may attend them.

But, if it be thy blessed will to continue these terrifying thoughts for his trial and humiliation, Lord, make him sensible that they will not be imputed to him as sin, if, as soon as he perceives them, he rejects them with horror and indignation.

During this trial, let him learn to depend upon thee, that, as often as these profane thoughts arise in his mind, he may find grace to overcome thein, and without the least indulgence or delay to cast them out; and that he may learn to show patience under them, as under every other affliction and trial of thy appointment, trusting to thy grace to assist him, and to thy goodness to deliver him; through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.

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