(2 Cor. v. 10.) The secrets of all hearts will then be discovered, and every circumstance of life be brought to light. The Judge cannot be deceived. He will judge a righteous sentence, which will be decisive. O how awful this scene! How will the wicked and ungodly then appear! May I then be found with those who have believed in Christ, and obeyed his Gospel: and if I am, (which God of his infinite mercy grant,) I shall then hear the Judge pronounce this blessing on me, as well as on them, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit "the kingdom prepared for you before the founda❝tion of the world." But how terrible, how shocking the sentence, which will then be pronounced against the wicked, Depart, ye cursed!" From whom? From the presence of God, from Christ, from the spirits of just men made perfect, and for ever. "Depart, ye cursed!" Where?" Into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his angels." Ah! what an abode! An abode of misery, from whence there is no redemption.

The custom of choosing night texts recommended.

Here I would recommend (which is the laudable custom of some serious Christians) the choice of a short text of Scripture every night for a subject of meditation in bed: and to be occasionally recollected the following day; which may be done without interrupting the common business of life. By the constant observation of this custom, 365 texts will be treasured up in the memory every year.

Important ejaculations, some of which either the sick, or others, may choose for frequent use, as best suits them. 1. MAY my heart be habitually ascending to

heaven!

2. May I thank God for all his mercies; particularly for the grace he has given me now to pray

to him, and for his preservation of me the past night, [or day.]

3. May I set the Lord now and always before me; (Ps. xvi. 8.) for thou God seest me. (Gen. xvi. 13.)

4. May I be serious and faithful, and on every proper opportunity endeavour to edify others. (Ephes. iv. 29.)

5. Help me, O Lord, to do every day's spirttual work in its day, and every week's spiritual work in its week, so that I may have only the work of dying to do at last.

6. May I be found at death repenting, believing, renouncing all self-confidence, and looking for the mercy of our "Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal "life." (Jude, verse 21.)

7. Forgive, O Lord, my having sinned against heaven, and before thee.

8. I plead thy promises, O God, to pardon all who truly repent: (Isai. lv. 7.) I plead thy goodness, O Lord, and willingness to forgive: (Ps. lxxxvi. 5.) I plead the merits and propitiation of my Advocate Jesus Christ the righteous for all my sins: (1 John ii. 1, 2.)

9. May I love the Lord my God with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my mind, and with all my strength! (Mark xii. 30.)

10. Not my will, but thine be done. The cup which my heavenly Father hath given me, shall I not drink it? (John xviii. 11.) May my own will be subdued by the love of God!

11. May I live by the faith of the Son of God! (Gal. ii. 20.)

12. May it be my constant endeavour to do unto others as I would they should do unto me; (Matt. vii. 12.) and to promote the observance of this important rule, as much as in me lies!

13. Be unto me, O Lord, a present help in this and every other time of trouble. (Ps. xlvi. 1.)

14. Prepare me for thy whole will concerning me. May thy grace be sufficient for me under every trial. (2 Cor. xii. 9.)

15. May I always be prepared to die; and may my fears of death be daily lessening, and my faith in Christ increasing!

16. Whether I live, may I live unto the Lord; or whether I die, may I die unto the Lord; whether therefore I live, or die, may I be the Lord's. (Rom. xiv. 8.)

By ejaculatory (or sudden) prayer we offer up short petitions on every occasion in the midst of our worldly employments, or on our beds; and this is equally as acceptable in the sight of God, as the more enlarged and solemn manner of prayer, if offered up according to his will, and with a believing regard to Christ.

A prayer to be used with one who is sick, at the beginning of any sickness, and which may be used also during its continuance.

From Mr. Kettlewell.

ALMIGHTY and most righteous Lord God, in whose hands are the appointments of life and death, we humbly beseech thee to give this our sick brother grace to consider, that his sickness is of thy sending, and to acknowledge the justice as well as the mercy of thy visitation, and his sufferings. May he look up to thee for strength to bear, and grace to profit by it. It comes, O Lord, as punishment for his sins, which is to make him see, feel, and avoid them; as thy medicine to cure his spiritual diseases; and as his fiery trial, which is to prove him, and purge away his dross. Let it not fail, O Lord, in answering these gracious purposes. Bring to his mind all such consolations, as may revive, succour, and raise him above all discouragements and fear. Let his thoughts under this

visitation be only those of love and thankfulness, of resignation and obedience, of humility and hope in thy mercy. Give him, we beseech thee, a full trust in thy most gracious promises, nor let him shew any unbecoming behaviour under his afflictions, which would add to his guilt, if he dies, or to his remorse and disgrace, if he lives.

Father of mercies, pity this our sick brother, and, out of compassion to his weakness, lessen his sorrows, and support him under them by thy comforts. Keep him always submissive and devout towards thee, and neither impatient or ungrateful to those around him. May thy blessing accompany all their endeavours for his good, and all the me#dicines directed for him. Put an end in due time to his disease, [or to his pain,] and either restore him to his strength, health, and ease, granting him or the mercies of a longer life, or else prepare him more immediately for an happy and comfortable death all this we humbly ask in the name and for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ; who died for our sins, and rose again for our justification. Amen.

A prayer with one who is sick, for the restoration of his

health.

O THOU Father of mercies, and God of comfort, thou art the hope of all who put their trust in thee. We are now kneeling before thee to of fer up our humble petitions in behalf of this our sick brother. Look down upon him with an eye of compassion; be gracious to him according to the necessity of his case, and according to the multitude of thy tender mercies in Christ Jesus.

We beseech thee, O Lord, to abate his distemper; to give him ease instead of pain, and relief under every complaint. Give skill to the physician, success to means, and an happy restoration

to his former ease, health, strength, and usefulness in life. We would with thy permission earnestly pray, that his life and health may be precious in thy sight; and that he may yet continue many years to be a comfort to himself, and to all about him; as also a blessing to mankind.

O be thou unto him whatever he wants! And though thou mayest be pleased to take from him any of his temporal enjoyments, (such as health or friends,) thou knowest how to turn them to his best advantage, and so supply the loss of whatever thou takest away. Whatever thou deniest, O deny him not an interest in thy favour and love! Be thou his portion and inheritance, his Father, his eternal and unchangeable Friend, the support of his life, the relief of his soul under all his afflictions and troubles with which he may meet in this world, and his everlasting rest and happiness in that which is to come.

From all the visitations of thy providence may we learn the instability of every worldly enjoyment and comfort. May we remember, that they will one day fail us; that either they must be taken away from us, or we must leave them behind us; but that there is notwithstanding a firm foundation for hope and comfort to every sincere follower of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thou hast promised, that thou wilt never leave nor forsake those, who in the way of duty put their trust and confidence in thee, and thankfully accept the gracious terms of thy Gospel. We will therefore hope in thy mercy, that "we shall yet praise thee in the land of the living; for thou art the health of our counte "nance, and our God.”

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Help us, O Lord, to sit loose to this world, and to the enjoyments of it, and to delight ourselves more in God, and in heavenly things. Let us not think ourselves unhappy whilst we can enjoy thee; nor murmur or repine at any loss, or under any