.

sonable weather] for thou hast the key of rain, and the key of Providence, thou didst bind up the heavens with ribs of iron, and thou didst open again the sluices of water at the prayer of thy servant Elijah, and thy hand is not shortened, and thy mer▾ cies have no limit.

Open thy hand, O God, and fill us with thy loving-kindness, that the mower may fill his hand, and he that bindeth up the sheaves his bosom, that our garners may be full with all maaner of store; that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets; that our oxen may be strong to labor, that there be no breaking in, or going out, that our hearts may be replenished with food and gladness, that there be no complaining in our streets. Give us sufficient for this life; food and raiment, the light of thy countenance, and contented spirits; and thy Grace to seek the kingdom of heaven, and the righteousness thereof in the first place, and then we are sure all these things shall be added unto us. Grant the desires, and hear the prayers, of thy servants, for Jesus Christ's sake, our Lord and only Saviour. Amen.

Or in the Time of any Judgment.

ALMIGHTY Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth, we have sinned, and thou hast smitten us, and all our evils that we suffer, are drawn upon our heads by our own impious hands; let thy threatenings and

thy judgments, thy love and thy fear, thy promises and thy precepts work in thy servants a sincere repentance, and our repentance obtain thy favor, aud thy favor remove the present evil [of drowth, of immoderate rain, of murren, of plague, of war, of sickness,] from us, according to the present occasion; sanctify unto us thy rod, and support us with thy staff, and restore us to those comforts which we need, and which thou hast promised to give to them that love and fear thee, that repent of their sins, and beg for pardon through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O. ETERNAL and powerful God, thou just and righteous Governor of the world, who callest all orders of men by precepts, promises, and threatenings, by mercies, and by judgments, teach us to admire and adore all the wisdom, the effects, and infinite varieties of thy Providence; and make us to dispose ourselves so by obedience, by repentance, by all the manners of holy living, that we may never provoke Thee to jealousy, much less to wrath and indignation against us! Keep far from us the sword of the destroying Angel, and let us never perish in the public expressions of thy wrath, in epidemical diseases, with the furies of war, with alarming, sudden, and horrid accidents, with unusual calamities; unless that such visitations be more for thy glory, and our eternal benefit, and then thy will be done! We supplicate thy Grace,

that we may cheerfully conform to thy holy will and pleasure. Lord, open our understandings, that we may know the meaning of thy voice, and the signification of thy language, when Thou speakest from heaven in signs and judgments; and let a holy fear so soften our spirits, and a devout love so sanctify our hearts, that, apprehending every the slightest intimation of thy pleasure, we may with repentance go out to meet thee, and prevent the expressions of thine anger. Let thy restraining Grace, and the observance of the issues of thy justice so allay our spirits, that we be not severe and forward in condemning others, nor backward in passing sentence upon ourselves. Make us to obey thy voice, described in holy Scripture, to tremble at thy voice expressed in wonders and great effects of Providence, to condemn none but ourselves, nor to enter into the recesses of thy sanctuary, and search the forbidden records of predestination; but grant that we may read our duty in the pages of Revelation, not in the labels of accidental effects; that thy judgments may confirm thy word, and thy word teach us our duty, and we, by such excellent instruments, may enter in, and grow up in the ways of godliness, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Meditations to be used in Time of Sorrow and in Despondency.

HEAR my Prayer, O Lord, and let my cry come unto thee. Hide not thy face from me in the

time of my trouble, incline thine ear unto me when I call: O hear me, and that right soon. For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burnt up as it were a firebrand. My heart is smitten down and withered like grass, so that I forget to eat my bread: And that because of thine indignation and wrath for thou hast taken me up and cast me down. Thine arrows stick fast in me, and thine hand presseth me sore. There is no health in my flesh, because of thy displeasure, neither is there any rest in my bones, by reason of my sin. My wickednesses are gone over my head, and are a sore burthen too heavy for me to bear. But I will confess my wickedness, and be sorry for my sin. O Lord, rebuke me not in thine indignation, neither chasten me in thy displeasure. Lord, be merciful unto me, heal my soul, for I have sinned against thee.

Have mercy upon me, O God, after thy great goodness, according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences. O remember not the sins and offences of my youth; but according to thy mercy think thou upon me, O Lord, for thy goodness. Wash me, throughly, from my wickedness, and cleanse me from my sin. Make me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence, from thy all-hallowing and life-giving presence: and take not thy holy Spirit, thy sanctifying, thy guiding, thy comforting thy supporting, and confirming Spirit, from me.

O God,

O God, thou art my God for ever and ever: thou shalt be my guide unto death. Lord, comfort me now that I lie sick upon my bed: make thou my bed in all my sicknesses. O deliver my soul from the place of hell and do thou receive me. My heart is disquieted within me, and the fear of death is fallen upon me. Behold, thou hast made my days as it were a span long, and my age is even as nothing in respect of thee; and verily every man living is altogether vanity. When thou with rebukes dost chasten man for sin, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth fretting a garment: every man, therefore, is but vanity. And now, Lord, what is my hope? truly my hope is even in thee. Hear my prayer, O Lord, and with thine ears consider my calling: hold not thy peace at my tears. Take this plague away from me: I am consumed by means of thy heavy hand. I am a stranger with Thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were. O spare me a little, that I may recover my strength before I go hence, and be no more seen. My soul cleaveth unto the dust; O, quicken me according to thy word. And when the snares of death compass me round about, let not the pains of hell take hold upon me.

O ETERNAL God, Father of mercies, and God of all comfort, with much mercy look upon the sadnesses and sorrows of thy servant. My sins lie heavy upon me, and press me sore, and there is no

health