transgressions pardoned, and the vices of the mind healed by the influential and sanctifying grace of God; to be interested in Christ Jesus; restored to a new and a divine life; and disposed to the faithful service of God. How thankful should they be, who are recovered from ignorance and vice; "whose souls prosper and are in health;" who are healed by Christ's stripes, and restored to the joy of his salvation. How thankful should they be, whose dearest relations, in the bonds of nature, and friendship, are recovered from the paths of sin, have had their backslidings healed, and are "walk"ing in the truth." This, as the greatest blessing of all, we should desire for ourselves and for others, (especially those for whom we are sincerely concerned,) that above all our souls may be healthy and flourishing; that we may die to sin, and live to righteousness: and if this be the situation of our minds, we may well say, "The Lord hath done "great things for us, whereof we are glad." (Ps. cxxvi. 3.) Is it not our duty then to shew our gratitude for our near escapes from temporal, and more especially from eternal death, by serving the Lord "without fear in holiness and righteousness before "him all the days of our lives?" (Luke i. 75.) Then 1 we shall be preparing for that happy state, and at length received into it, where God (Rev. xxi. 4.) "shall wipe away all tears from our eyes; and "where there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more "pain; for the former things are passed away."

A Thanksgiving after recovery from sickness, being a Paraphrase of the hundred and sixteenth Psalm.

1. I prayed earnestly in my late dangerous sickness, and I am well pleased that the Lord hath heard the voice of my prayer.

2. I could scarcely speak I was so faint, but am very thankful that he hath inclined his ear unto

me, heard my inward and secret groans, and delivered me as I desired, therefore will I learn by this act of his goodness to call upon him as long as I live.

3. I see that is the way to get relief, for the snares of death, like a net, compassed me round about, so that there seemed no way open to escape, and the pains, the most terrible agonies, like those of hell, violently gat hold upon me.

4. And when I found this outward trouble of body and inward heaviness of mind seize on me, and I called upon the name of the Lord, I prayed, saying, O Lord, I beseech thee, free me from my bodily pain, if thou seest fit, and, however that may be, deliver my soul; not only spare my life, but deliver me from sin, and from eternal pains, whatever I endure here.

5. And he was pleased to hear me, an unworthy sinner, therefore I here openly declare, gracious is the Lord, and unwilling to afflict us, if our sins do not provoke him to it, and righteous, yea, our God is merciful, exceedingly merciful. He was righteous in laying this punishment upon me, and merciful in supporting me under it, and at length in removing it from me.

6. I myself am a witness and an instance that the Lord preserveth the simple, the meanest of his servants: for, I was in misery, who had no worth in me to deserve his favour, and yet he helped me.

7. Wherefore despair no more: turn again then out of the path of despair unto thy former rest and satisfaction, in God's mercy through Christ, O my soul, for the Lord hath rewarded thee well for trusting in him, having done thee good, and delivered thee, who neither didst deserve, nor canst requite this favour.

8. And why should I ever distrust thee again? Thou hast delivered my soul from eternal and my body from temporal death; and, by removing my

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fears and my pains, hast freed mine eyes from tears, those which my anguish and fear extorted from me, and kept my feet from falling into the pit of despair, or the snares of the devil, restoring to me both my life and my hope.

9. And since he has given me a new life, I will spend it holily, and always walk, as it were, before the Lord, who sees all my ways, and knows all my actions, and in this course will I persist while I am in the land of the living, among whom by his mercy I now am, who was lately more likely to be numbered among the dead.

10. I believe always, that he was able to help me, and therefore will I speak of his praise, declare his power, and own myself his servant; but I was sore troubled in my extremity, for fear he should not be willing to deliver me: and when all about me gave me hopes, I spoke rashly, and I said in my haste, being impatient of longer sufferings, that all men, even those that assured me God would help me, are liars, and do but deceive me, as I feared they had done: so low was then my faith.

11. But now he has exceeded my hopes, and fully confuted my unbelief, what reward shall I give unto the Lord for my ease, life, health, and for all the benefits that he hath done unto me, and the comforts to which he hath restored me?

12. I cannot requite him, but I would do what I can. As the Jews had their cup of thanksgiving upon all great deliverances, so I will on the first opportunity go to the sacramental table, and receive the cup of salvation, a salvation purchased by the blood of Christ. And not only at the Sacrament, but on all other occasions, will I call on the name of the Lord for help, having found such benefits by my prayers in this my late extremity, and I will beseech him for Christ's sake to continue his mercies to me, and grant me his further assistance.

13. Moreover, since I owe my life to his mercy,

and resolved, if he spared it, to devote it to his service, I will (by my praises, prayers, and endeavours after holiness) pay my vows made in my danger and distress now, and am come hither in the presence of all his people, in the courts of the Lord's house, even in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem, to bless his name, and to cause others to join with me. Wherefore let us, O let us all, praise the Lord.

SECTION X.

HELPS FOR DISCHARGING THE IMPORTANT DUTY OF PRAYER PROPERLY.

Helps in regard to the manner of praying with the sick. 1. PRAYERS with the sick should not be too long. Whenever you pray with one who is an eminent Christian, you may occasionally add a petition for the revival of religion in this degenerate age; as you may be assured he will heartily join with you in it; for good men have always a zeal for the increase of religion.

2. When the sick person seems to be in an unrenewed state, earnestly pray that God would have mercy on him; and give him a little more time, that he may repent; and that the dreadful sentence of condemnation may not be pronounced against him. Such petitions have a tendency to awaken more than an express exhortation. These likewise may impress others who are present. A contrary method of praying will tend to harden any bystander, who, like him, may be unrenewed. Take care how you call such as these the servants of God. Our brother (or sister) is much more proper to be used in praying with such sort of people.

3. When you pray with a dying real Christian, you should use some petitions expressive of his

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faith, and of his disposition towards God for his benefits. As for instance, you should praise God for the renewing grace vouchsafed to him; for his communion with God in ordinances; and that God has enabled him to persevere to the end, and to adorn religion. Praise God likewise for the comforts he has received during his confinement by sickness: for the serenity and peace with which he is looking into the eternal world; for the hope, that, though he dies to us, he lives to God; and that we shall meet again in heaven. These are suitable petitions and thanksgivings, which the sick person may present for himself, as well as any other, who prays at his bedside in his behalf.

4. It may not be improper to add a petition for those of the family, who join with you in prayer, that they may be prepared for the will of God, if he should make a breach in the family by the death of the sick person; that this visitation may be sanctified; and that those around him may be awakened by it to consider and prepare for their own latter end.

But the use of all prayers for the sick must be discretionary, and left to the judgment of the minister, or some Christian friend, in the application of them. Different forms will in this, as well as in all other cases, more or less suit the mind and circumstances of different persons; and when once < experience has taught any one which sort seems most to affect the sufferers whom he attends, and whom he desires to assist and improve, he will then need no other or better direction what prayers

to use.

Helps to prevent the using the words of prayer without any influence on the heart.

The motives of prayer should be well considered; it is highly derogatory to the honour of God, and injurious to yourself, whenever you pray