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quences will fall upon your own head. Pray to him who despiseth not the prayer of the destitute, that he would give you true repentance and knowledge of himself and his dear Son Jesus Christ. Offer the prayer of the dying thief, who in his last moments, said, Lord remember me, when thou comest into thy kingdom. And believing sincerely as he did, you shall soon be with him in paradise.

PRAYER.

Most merciful God, thou art ever ready to hear us when we call upon thee; be gracious to us at this time, and stretch out the sceptre of thy mercy, that we may be encouraged to approach. How long, O Lord, have we lived in sin and rebellion against thee. And with shame and grief we acknowledge how much of our time has been spent in the service of Satan and the world. But O despise us not. Be not angry with us, so as to spurn us from thy presence, though we deserve it at thy

hands.

Look upon the afflicted penitent before thee. Grant that the tears which he sheds, may be tears of godly sorrow for sin. May his repentance be deep and sincere, such as needs not to be repented of. Hear him while confessing with a broken spirit, the evils of his heart and life. And though but little time apparently remains on this side eternity,

may he find his repentance to be unto life. Let him not be deceived. May he be anxious, as a repentant sinner, to trust entirely in the merits of Christ. May he not only have a bleeding heart, but a believing one. With his heart may he believe unto righteousness, while with his mouth he makes confession unto salvation. Blessed Spirit, lead him to look upon him whom he has pierced and to mourn to look upon him and believe. Thou, O Lord, hast recovered sinners at the last; thou hast given them true repentance, and knowledge of thyself; O let him enjoy the evidence of this. May thy spirit bear witness to his mind that he has sincerely mourned over his past guilt; and thus experience some peace in his agitated conscience, ere he launches into eternity. Be merciful, O God, unto him. Pardon, accept, justify him, and make him fit to appear in thy presence above.

Should he recover, may it appear by his future life, that his repentance was sincere. May he prove himself, to have been converted and renewed.

Prepare the dying for death. Undeceive the deluded, and accept the penitent and believing; for Christ the Redeemer's sake. Amen.

Lord, in this my dying hour,
Reveal thy mercy, show thy power,
And let me hope in thee;
Deeply repentant at the last,
By faith, my soul, on thee I cast,
O Lord, remember me.

CHAPTER XXI.

To the Convalescent.

SCRIPTURE PORTION.

THOU (O Lord) turnest men to destruction, and sayest, Return ye children of men, Ps. xc. 3. The Lord killeth and maketh alive; he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up, 1 Sam. ii. 6. O Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. O Lord thou hast brought up my soul from the grave, thou hast kept me alive that I should not go down to the pit. Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing, thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness, Ps. xxx. 2, 3, 4, I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord; the Lord hath chastened me sore, but hath not given me over unto death, Ps. cxviii. 17, 18. For indeed he was sick unto death, but God had mercy on him, Phil. ii. 27. And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid and sick of a fever, and he touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she arose, and ministered unto them, Matt. viii. 14, 15. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name, who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases, who redeemeth thy life from destruction, who crowneth thee with loving

kindness, and tender mercies, Ps. ciii. 1—3. The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell laid hold upon me, I found trouble and sorrow. Then called I upon the name of the Lord, O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul. Return unto thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee, for thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living. What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me. I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord. I will pay my vows unto the Lord, now in the presence of all his people. I will offer unto thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord, Ps. cxvi.

ADDRESS.

There is no greater blessing of a temporal kind, than bodily health; and therefore the preservation of that health, or a restoration to it, after a state of sickness, demands the gratitude of the heart, and the acknowledgment of the lips. We congratulate you, dear friend, upon your gradual restoration to your wonted strength, and the prospect you have of soon enjoying the society of your friends, and engaging in the duties of the world. You cannot be unmindful of the power and goodness of God, which have been exercised

toward you in your late affliction, when your life seemed to draw near to the grave. It would be the basest ingratitude not to sing of mercy. In your distress, you cried unto the Lord, and he heard your supplications; and ought not your praises now to be as fervent, as your prayers then? Surely you will not resemble the nine ungrateful lepers, but imitate the only one, who, for the blessing of returning health, gave glory to God.

But gratitude is not the only thing that is required in this season of renovated health. It becomes you seriously to inquire what benefit you have derived from this affliction. Have you suffered these things in vain? Has your affliction humbled and softened you? Have you been brought to see the vanity of the world, the evil of sin, the necessity of holiness, the value of the Saviour? Are you now disposed to fulfil those vows which you made in a season of sickness? Are you now as determined that your renewed powers of body and mind should be consecrated to the Lord's service? Alas! too many instances are found, of persons coming out of affliction, as unsanctified as when they entered. The same sun, it is observed, which softens the wax, hardens the clay. Oh! it will be an awful thing, if after this serious call of God to repent and return, you should plunge again into the follies and sins of the world, if you should again relax into that indifference about your soul, which you discovered before

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