weakeft; O bring me through that great Trial with fome Eafe and Comfort, and for thy Mercy's fake, lay no more upon me than I am able to bear, for Thou knoweft my Frame. When Thou requireft my Soul, embrace it in the Arms of thy tender Mercy; let thy good Angels guard it into its everlasting Reft, for Chrift's fake.

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Lord, give me Wisdom from above, that I may duly confider the 'Shortness and Uncertainty of Life. Give me Grace to make Preparation for the Hour of Death, which Time draws very near. It is my 'Refolution, by divine Affiftance, to fubmit to the Will and Pleasure of my merciful Father; it is the Lord, let him do what feemeth him good: If he lay his Hand heavy upon C me, I confefs, it is my Deferts; it he be favourable, it is his Mercy and Goodness; therefore I hope I hall never repine at the Lord's Dealing, nor Despair of his Mercies. 'When Pain, and Sickness, and Anguish befet me on every Side, and Death feizeth me, then let me call to mind the Sufferings of my dear

Saviour

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Saviour for my Sins, tho' he committed no Sin; how his precious Body was torn, and his precious Blood fpilt, yet he patiently bore all with Submiffion to his Father's Will; and fhall not I, a poor, finful, vile, wretched Creature, patiently t fuffer whatever the only wife God pleaseth to lay upon me? then let me call to mind the Folly and • Wickedness of my younger Days, C even the Sins of my whole Life. Sins bring all Miferies upon us; I will bear the Indignation of the Lord, because I have finned against him: Cor rect me, O Lord, but with Judgment, not in thine Anger, left thou bring me to nothing. I have deferved thy hot Difpleasure, but, Lord, in Judgment < remember Mercy, and comfort thy poor Servant in Diftrefs.

Truly my Soul waits upon God, from him comes comes my Salvation. Thy loving Kindness is better than Life; Lord, help me in this Trouble, be merciful to me, for my Soul trufteth in thee; in the Shadow of thy Wings will I make my Refuge, . &c.

Have Mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving Kindneß, &c. Pfal. LI. 1, 2, 3. It is my greatest Trouble, that I have finned against so good

a God; yet this comforts me, that a troubled Spirit, a broken, contrite Heart, O God, thou wilt not defpife. Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant, O Lord. Remember, O Lord, thy tender Mercies. Turn thee unto me, and have Mercy upon · Pfal. XXV. 16, 17, 18.

me,

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When the Pains of Death get hold of me, then, good Lord, give me Senfe to pray, and Patience to bear what thou layeft upon me; then be Thou with me, and comfort me for thy Mercies fake. Prayer and Patience are the beft Remedies for a dying Man; then let thy Strength appear in my Weaknefs, and enable me to overcome all the Enemies of my Salvation.

C Let the Promifes of the Gospel be comfortable then to my diftreffed Soul; As that, John III. 16, 17. Σ Tim. I. 15. Lord, preferve my Soul, for I defire to be holy, Pfal. LXXXVI. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. When the Pains of Death befet me, where then fhall I feek for Help, Eafe, and Comfort,

' but

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'but with Thee, my God? Then, good Lord, be thou with me, fupport and comfort me, fmile upon me, for thy Benignity is better than Life. 'Chrift is the only Phyfician that can give Eafe to a poor, dying Sin< ner; remember me then, O Lord, with the Favour Thou beareft to thy chofen, vifit me with Salvation. Upon my fick Bed I defire to remember, Prov. III. 11, 12. Defpife not the Chaftening of the Lord, neither faint. O let me have fuch a perfect Sub'jection to the Father of Spirits, that this Chaftisement may be for my L Profit, that I may be a Partaker of thy Holiness. O'Thou Captain of my Salvation, who waft made perfect through Suffering, fan&tify to me all my Pains and Terrors, make me to bear them cheerfully and thankfully; chaften me as Thou C pleaseft here, fo that I may not be condemn'd in the World to come. "Our Afflictions, tho' fometimes fevere and painful, are but for a Moment, and they are nothing in comparison with the Torments of Hell, which are eternal and intolerable; G 2

Our

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our God is gracious, and will not always chide.

If in Health I have made Preparation for Death, when it comes I ‹ have not a new Work to begin, but an old Work to renew.

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Stay thy felf, O my Soul, upon the Rock Chrift Jefus, who is a merciful and faithful Prieft, a sweet Shepherd, his Rod and Staff fhall comfort thee. In the Agonies of Death, caft thy felf into the Arms of thy bleffed Saviour. If Satan affault thee, by fetting before thee the Greatnefs and Multitude of thy Sins, remember that sweet Place, Mic. VII. 18. Who is a God like unto thec, pardoning Iniquity? And that, Ifai. I. 18. Though your Sins have been as Scarlet, they shall be white as Snow. Out of Dr. Andrew Rivet's laft Hours; < Lord, let not this Trial exceed my Strength; O how light is this Chaftifement if compar'd with my Fault and this temporal Pain, if compared with eternal Torments, from which I am redeemed by him that poured out his Soul unto Death for me! Lord, let not thy good Spirit depart from me, that

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