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A FRIENDLY

LETT E R

TO A

PATIENT,^,

A FRIENDLY"
LETTER T o a
PATIENT,
Jiifl admitted into g.n Infirmary.
Great Part of which may fuit the Cafe qf any
(efpecially of the Pool*.) under Sicknefs, or
other AfHidliqn.

By JAMES SfONHOUSE, M.D.
Phyfician to the County Infirmary at Northampton.

Pid not HE that made me, in the Womb, make him?
and did not ONE fajhion y§ in the Womb?
Job xxxi. 15,
Condescend, to Men of low EJiafe, Rom. xji. 1 6.

LONDON:
Printed for John and James Rivington, at the Bible
and Crown, in St. Paul's Church - yard % and Sold by
J. Leaice, at Bath ; , J. Fletcher, at Oxford; arid
the Bookfellers at Northampton,
[Price 6d- or 2 1. 2s. per Hundred.]

ADVERTISEMENT.
HP HE Letter which is here before the' Reader"
-*¦ may feem ibmething foreign to my peculiar
Province asaPHYSICIAN •, but as I have now
a&ed under that Chara&er more than four Years in
the County Infirmary at Northampton, I
have had fuch Opportunities of knowing what has
paffed in it, and especially of converjing with Pa
tients there, in the Progrefi of their Diftempers,
and fometimes in the laft Hours of their Lives, as
have furnifhed me with fome particular Advantages
for making an Attempt of this kind, as well as laid
me under affecting Obligations to it.
After having deliberately weigh'd the Defign, I
communicated it to fome worthy Divines, for whofe
Judgment I have a great Regard ; and was con-
firm'd in the Purpofe I had form'd, by the Concur
rence of their Opinion in its Favour, and by their
urging me to engage in the Execution of it, as judg
ing, for obvious Reafuns, that fome particular In
fluence might attend it, as coming fromaPerfon
of my Profeflion.
I freely acknowlege, that I have receiv'd con-
fiderable Affiftance from Them in this fmall Work ;
but, at the fame time, think it my Duty folemnly to
declare, that all I have written is entirely agreeable to
the Conviftions of my own Confcience, as to the cer
tain Evidence, and great Importance, of the religious
Principles, on which I have proceeded -, and I fhall
efteem my felf peculiarly happy, if thefe Confider- ations

A p V- 1 R T I S E M D . N -,T, ,
ations may imprefs the Mind of my Readers aS
forcibly as I have felt them on my own Heart. I j,
1 h'tfrejliidioujly avoided whatever migfit lead to
any of thofe Controversies which have fo unhappily
divided Chripans of different 'Denominations. Yet, as
hardly any thing can be mentioned that fome have
not difputed, I have at the Bottom of the Page te*
fered to fuch Scriptures as evidently fpeak the fame
Sentiments, that I might be fhelterecj, under their ft*
cred Authority, from that Petulancy of Genfure
which I might perhaps otherwife have incurred, by
fome Expreffions, which I judg'd it jndifpenfably- ne-
ceflary to life. t
But, if my bearing this public Teftimony of my}
firm Belief of C HR I S T I A N I T.Y, and com*.
paffionate Regard to .the immortal Souls of the /ow#
of my Fellow-Creatures, ,, mould expofe me to any*
Degree of Contempt and Ridicule, in an Age likes
THIS, which I affuredly expeff it will, I fhall not be
very anxious, as to any fuch Confequences : referring;
myieifto the Decifion of that Day, when the Secrets
of all Hearts jh all be manifefted, and our eternal States
unalterably determined.
Northampton^
7«b 9.- J748*
P? The Word CLOSET (fee .Page 5 . ) in our Englifli Tranf
lation, fignifies, in the Original, Clofet, Chamber, Wardrobe,-
Warehoufe, or any other feparate Place — andrChrift might prd*
pably ufe a Word of fuch Latitude) that none might plead, in &e*
cufefor the OmiJJion of fecret Prayer, the Want of fo convenient-
an Apartment, as they could nxiifh to retire into — / thought it tie-,
ceffary juji to hint This, and to obfcrw farther, That every J?a--
tient in a Public Infirmary may confider himfelfr when kritehngaf
his Bed-fids, <vuith his Curtains drawn around' him, to be (fcrit*
turally fpeahing fin his C to/it. , v  ... '
THE

THE

CONTENTS.

\Ntroduftion

Pase

i.

Divifion of this Letter into Three SecJions i,
SECTION I.
. 'The Patient addreJJ'ed, as in a Place of
Affliction.
God to be regarded as the Author of Affi'iblion 3
The Patient eiehvrted to S elf-Examination a.
Whether he be a profligate 'Sinner , ibid
Or formal Moralift, defiitute of inward Religion 5
Serious Addrefs to fuch 8
Addrefs to thefincereChriftians: ibid
improvement of Retirement for Self-knowlege urged 9
Exhortation to inguire into the D.efign of the prefent
Jffliclion ' ibid,
SECTION II.
'The Patient .addrejfed, as in a Place where
many Mercies are received*
Some ofthofe Mercies enumerated
Thankfulnefs urged
Gratitude recommended
B.ejfli expreffed by Improving theft Advantages
Eor Recovery
F.or. Religion
Rgljigious Opportunities, in. a w^ll-regula/ed Infirmary,
reprefented » "~ ibid.
Reading

I r.
12.
ibid.ibid.

c

0

,N T

E

N

T

S.

Reading-

Page 14."
Prayers
}$•
Sermons
v6.
Sacrament
ibid.
life of a fpiritual Guide $
tK
SECTION III.
The Patient addrefled, as fur rounded with many
injlructive Objects and Circumflancfs.
Spetlacles of Dijirefs .20.
Spectacles of Mortality 21.
Opportunities of doing Good : 22.
Advice ifi cafe of Amendment ibid.
Advice, if no Relief Jhotdd be obtained 23.
Advice in cafe of Recovery ibid.
Advice on Difmiffion. 24,
Conclusion ibid.
The Whole reviewed, and fumnid up in the Form of a
Prayer- 25,
POST S C R I P T.
The Neceffity of Prayer inforced, particularly to Ma-
fters of Families, thofe who cannot read, and
Children ibid>
Some important Directions relating to dailyDevotion 29.
Prayers for Morning and Evening, extracted from
Jenks'^ Devotions. ... 3L
Thofe Prayers abridged 37.
Form of Self- Examination 39*
Prayer before and after Public Worjhip 41.
A Prayer before Reading of the Scriptures ibid.
An occajional Prayer ibid.
Grace before and after Meals '42.
A General Exhortation
A FRIENDLY
A FRIENDLY

LETTER, &c.

Dear Neighbour,

Introduction.

Call you Dear, not out of an
Affectation of Tendernefs, but
becaufe 'tis my real Defire, that
every Neighbour, and efpecially
every afflibled Neighbour, mould
be truly dear to me •, and becaufe the Addrefs I am
now making you, proceeds from real B Love to
you, as. a Fellow-Cr.eature, as a Fellow-Chriftian — >
and as one now in a Condition that intitles you to
particular Companion.
' To be at once Sick, or Lame, and Poor, is indeed,
an afflicting Circumftance — With a real Commifera-
tion therefore (hall I do my Part, according to the
Abilities God has given me, towards your Support
and Cure — But as Charity to the SOUL b is un-
quefiionally the nobleft of all Charities, I would mofl:
gladly,
a Thou ftialt Love thy Neighbour as Thyfelf. Matthew
xxii. 39.
b " Nor are the Benefits of an Infirmary confined only to
" Bodily Pain and Sicknefs, but may extend themfelves yet fur-
" ther, to the fpiritual Maladies of thofe who are under the
" Care of it. The Ignorant here may be inftructed, and the
," Diffolute reclaimed, and the Dead in Trefpaffes and Sins,
B " through

[*]
gladly, from this Confideration, contribute to your
fpiritual Good, and ' tfmw/'Salvatioh •, heartily wifh-
ing to join the happy Purpofes of a Reformatory
with thofe of an Infirmary.
ThoJ I am not a Minister, I mould fcarcely think
I deferved the Name of a Chr ist i an, if I were
not willing(whenproperOccafionsoffer) to injiruit and
comfort you, as your Circumftances and my own may
permit: But fince the Vifits of aPhyfician to every
particular Patient cannot be long, and much of the
little Time he Ipends with each, mull be taken up
with what relates to his proper Profeflion, I would
endeavour to make up that Deficiency by applying
myfelf to you in this Method, by which I may fpeak
to thofe whom I fee not— to thofe at the greateft
Diftance from me — and perhaps may fpeak when
my Lips are filent in the Dull.
Suppefe me then to fit down by the Bed of Lan-
guifhing, and with a com paffionate Heart, lifted up
to God for his Blefling upon you, and on my
Attempts of ferving you, to addrefs myfelf to you,
As a Perfon under the afflicting Hand of God.
As lodged in a Place where you are daily receiv
ing many of his Mercies.
" through the etll-poiverful Grace of God, be raifed to the Life
" of Rjghteoufnefs. — The ftrift Regularity to which the Pa-
" tients are obliged, the fpiritual Affiftance which is charitably
" adminiftred to them, the Aptnefs of Mens Minds to receive
" religious Imptejfions in Time of Sicknefs and Diftrefs, and the
" go<|d Improvement that will be made of it, to the preffing
.?' heme upon, them their e<verlafting Concerns, whilft they are
" here in zfiffering and declining Condition, all contribute to
" this happy Change. — And who is there, that feels not an
" inward Pleafure (a Pleafure that muft greatly overpay his
" Liberality), when he refle&s that, by afmall Benefaction,
'' he may be happily infirununtal not only to the prolonging of
" a Mortal Life, but to the faving of an Immortal Soul."
SeeTage 19th of the Reverend Dr. Grey's excellent Sermon,
preached before the Prefident and Governors, at the opening of
the County Infirmary at Northampton,
And

[3]
And where you are furrounded with many Ob
jects and Circumftances, which, if it be not your
own Fault, may be very injlrutlive to you.
SECTION I.
The Patient addrejfed as in a Place of
Affliction.
T Addrefs you firft, as under the afflicting Hand of
- God : The Place in which this finds you, as a
Patient, fuppofes Two very grievous Afflictions con
cur j viz. That you are under fome Illnefs or un
happy Accident; and that you are fo poor as not to
be able, at your own Expence, to procure proper
Relief. — The Governors would not have admitted
you, if they had not been perfuaded this was your
Cafe i and you would be guilty of fo much Injuftice
andWickednefs, if you have deceived them into fuch
a Perfuafion, that I will not make any fuch Suppo
sition. You are afflidted, and I hope you
Gardedas7h'e k"°W y0U1" Affliftions come from the
Sjuthor"of Af- Hand of God — You rnufl know it, if
fiiaion. you believe there is a God, and a Pro
vidence, which is fo evident on the
common Senfe of Mankind, that one would hope
none can fo much as queftion it. — And if you be
lieve that God fo far regards you as to fend Afflic
tions ("as you know too, that He does not affliclyou
Willingly % or grieve the Children of Men), you
tnujl believe, that He has merciful Defigns in afflict
ing,' and that He does alfo Hand by you, as it were,
to fee how the Affliction works upon your Mind,
juft as every wife Phyflcian, when he prefcribes for
a Patient, will attentively obferve what Effect his
Prefcriptions produce. 3 Lamentat. iii. 23.
B 4 The

[4]
TheApoftle exprefly tells us, " That God correds
" us for cur Profit, that we may be Partakers of
" his Holinefs a. "— But that we may be fo, 'tis
neceflary, as- the wife Man fpeaks, " in the Days
« of Adverfity, to confider b."— My. Firft Requeft
to you therefore is, That you would ferioufly con
fider, what is the prefent State of your Souls, that
fo you may the better judge concerning the parti
cular Defign of our heavenly Father in this chaftife-
ing Rod. Let me intreat you to reflecl, in the
The Patient firft p^,. whether you have Reafon
Self-examina- *> believe, that you are, or are not, a
thn. real Chriftian. — I take it for granted
that you are called a Chriftian, 
that you have been baptized, — and that you have
not exprefly renounced your Baptifm ; — that you
have generally frequented fome Place of Chriftian
Worfhip — and that you believe the Scriptures to
be the Word of God.
But, to be fure, this is not enough to prove you
a true Chriftian, and to fecure your Salvation :
For if there be any Crimes in the
Vf projl' ate W01"Id tHat C3n dfaW d0W" the Wmh
Sin^r ' °f God, and expofe a Man to certain
Danger of eternal Damnation, they are
fuch Crimes as are found among fome, who are bap
tized Perfons, who fometimes attend public Wor-
fhip, and don't deny the Truth of the Scriptures. —
Are there not, among fuch, Adulterers and
Fornicators, — Thieves and Robbers, — Pro
fane Cursers and Swearers, — Sabbath-
Breakers, — and Drunkards? — Now> the Word
of God exprefly fays % with relation to Perfons of
fuch a Character, That they Jhall not inherit the
Kingdom of God; — and that the abufed^zme of a
» Heb. xji. IP. * Ecclefiaft. vii. 14. c 1 Cor. vj. 9, 10.
Christian,

[Si
Christian, which they prefumptuoufly retain, fhall
do them no manner a of Service.
If you therefore know, in your own Confcience,
that You are fuch a Sinner j — that you have lived
in Uncleannefs, or Injuftice ; — that you profane the
Name of God — that you cuftomarily break his Sab
baths (as if you would force your Way through
that Fence, to a Thoufand other Tranfgreflions) —
that you allow yourfelf in Lying or Drunkennefs —
or in any other evil Courfe, which you know to be
contrary to the Word of God, and the Defign of
the Goipel, you need not doubt one Hour, nay,
not one Moment, about your State. — Whatever
your Notions and Pretences, and Forms of Reli
gion be, you are undoubtedly a wicked Perfon,
under the Difpleafure of God, — and in Danger of
everlafting Mifery.— You have Reafon to think God
fends this Affliction upon you to roufe and awaken
your Confcience — to fliake you, as it were, out of
this dead Sleep, that you may fall down and humble
yourfelf before him ; left this Sicknefs deliver you
over to Death, and Death to that Judgment, by
which you fhall be caft into Hell.
But I muft in Faithfulnefs farther
thTyZZ/' tel] y°u> That th°ugh you be free from
not a formal any fuch abominable Wickednefs as L
Moralift, de- have defcribed above, you may never-
fiitute of in- thelefs be an unconverted Sinner-^- uii-
ward Religion. ^ ^ q^ q{ yQur g;^ and m ^
Way to Ruin. — Undoubtedly you are fo, if you have
no Faith b inChrist, — if you have no Love c to
God, — if you live without God d in the World —
if you have not been ufed to pray — and, I will
add, if you have not been ufed to pray e alone, and
a Not every one that faith unto me, Lord, Lord, fhall enter
into the Kingdom of Heaven. Matt. vii. 2 1 .
b Ephef. iii. 17. and 1 John iii. 23. c John v. 42, d Rom.
viii. 13. e Matt. vi. 6. When thouprayeft, enter into thy
CWefe Off. have

have not been fincere and earneft with God in thofe
Addreffes to him ; for indeed, you may bring the
Maker to that ftiort Iflue — It has often and juftly
been faid, " a Man may as well live Without Breathy
"¦ as a Chriftian without Prayer. " And I muft tell
you farther, That though you may have felt fome
Awe of God upon your Hearts, and though you
may, in a cujlomary and formal Mariner, have prayed
to him at Church, or at Home, you are not a re al
Chriftian, if you have not a true Faith in Christ,
that is to fay, if you have not been made thoroughly
fenfibU % that you are a miferable Sinner-*- that you
cannot be juftified before God, by your own Righte-
oufnefs, or, as St. Paul b exprefles it, by the Deeds of
the Law: — if you have not been really convinced
that you Hand in need of the Blood c of Christ to
obtain your Pardon, and of the Obedience d of Chrift
to procure yojur final Acceptance before God ; and
have not committed your Soul into his Hands, with
a fincere Defire to be made ' holy, in order to be
made happy, with an unfeigned Repentance for all
yourpaft Sins, and with an humble Refolucion, that,
by the Grace of God, you will reverence all his
Commands ; and labour, for the Time to come, to
obey them- — If you have indeed thus believed in
the Son of God — and if it be your conftant Care
to att accordingly — if you confcientioufly guard
againft all known Sin — and be truly, lorry when
you fall into any Evil by Infirmity or Surprize — and
in fuch a Cafe, apply immediately to the Mercy oi
God, and the Merits of Chrift, for your Pardon,-
with renewed Refolutions againft Sin for the future,
and hearty Defires, that God would preferve you
from all Impiety ; then indeed yon are a true Chri
ftian.— But otherwife it would be great Treachery
a i John i. 8. b Rom. iii, 20. * Matt. xxyi. 28.
d Rom. v. 16. f 1 Theft iv. 7. " to

[73
to God, and great Cruelty to your Soul, to flatter
you in Hopes, which after all will prove but vain.
If this be not your Character, my Friend, you
are an hardened Sinner, — you are under the Curie
of God's Law — and you muft Believe — Repent —
and be Converted. — The whole Temper of your
Heart, and the whole Courfe of your Life % muft be
changed, or you muft perifh for ever. — Take it not
as reft-ing on the Authority of a weak and fallible
Mortal, but as the Decifion of our Divine Matter
himfelf, the faithful and the true Witnefs, who has
exprefly faid, and folemnly repeated it, " Except ye
" repent, ye fhall all like wife b perifh ; — he that be-
'* lieveth not is c condemned already, and the Wrath
" of God abideth on him d, and the Wicked fhall
" go away into ' everlafting Punifhment V If
"John iii. 3. bLukexiii. 3. 'John iii. 18. d John
iii. 36. e Matt, xxv. 46.
f Now, upon the whole Matter ; what can a carelefs, de-
baiich'd Perfon say to thefe Things ? Tho' he fturdily bears up
at prefent againft thefe Impreffions, can he think, that he rtiall*/-
•waysbe able to brave it out againft God and his own Confcience?
— Can he fanfy, that he fhall not, at leaft in the laft Hours of
his Life, condemn himfelf with very difmal Reflections on the
Folly of his Sin, and terrible Foreboding of its Punifhment ;
as the whole World of unthinking People have done before him ?
—And fu'rely there cannot be a more difmal Condition, than for
any one to fee their fliort Life of Sin and Vanity expiring, and
their eternal State of Horror and Torment commencing — Well
may we then behold them in cold Sweats, fnatching at the
Hands of fuch as are near them, and even rending themfelves
with piercing Groans and Crying. — And what a horrible
Thought is it, that thefe are but the fmall Beginnings of thofe
infinite and unutterable Torments which follow !
Yet very few will take thefe fair Warnings in time, while
they may prevent the like ruinous Events.— They flight Re
ligion in their Health and Prosperity, though they cannot
but efteem it in Time of Dancer and Death.
What can we say to thefe Things ? But that " Madnefs is
" hound up in the Hearts of thefe Men." Ecclefiafi. ix. 3.-- It
would otherwife be utterly unaccountable, that any reafdnable
Creature mould reject the fweet and excellent Government of
S GOD,

¦tn
'¦ ., If this be your Cafe, I befeech yoU,
drill fuel in the Name of our Lord and Matter
Jefus Chrift— I intreat you, by the
Mercies of God on one hand, and the Terrors of
the Lord on the other— and by the Worth of your
immortal Souls, that you cry unto a God immediately
for Pardon and Grace, and that you make your
Application to fome whom you have Reafon to be
lieve are themfelves acquainted with vitdl Religion,
and efpecially to fome pious Clergyman, whofe ten
der Concern for Souls may make him willing to
give you fuch Inftruclion and Afliftance as you ftand
in need of, left this Illnefs fhould end in Death,
and Death in your final Condemnation, and irreco
verable Ruin.
But there is Reafon to hope a companionate God
intends to prevent it, by this feafonable Affliction j
and that, as the Apoftle fays, Tou are chafiened, that
you may not be condemned with the impenitent World b
—•Improve thefe tender Moments, improve the Ad
vantages you now enjoy ; and who can tell but it
may appear, that you were brought into this I N-
FIR"MARY, that your Abode and Relief here
might be a Means of bringing you to Heaven ?
I fpeak this to you even on a Sup-
fincerfcVt Pofition of y°ur being vet a Stranger
jUans. to real Religion ; but I would rather
hope, that many, into whofe Hands this
Letter may fall, may be acquainted with it ; and
that I may addrefs you, my Reader, as a Child of
GOD, with the infinite Privileges and Promises thereof;
" and obftinately embrace the Tyranny of the Devil, with his
everlafting Chains of Dajknefs.
See Page 55. of that alarming little Book, Dr. Woodward's
Feiir Warnings to a careless World — in which he has collected
the Sentiments of the moji eminent Men, in their serious, or
pyino Hours. ' Ilofea vii. 14, b 1 Cor. xi. 32. God,

God, whom He chaftifes in fpecial Love, as &
Branch in Chrift, which bears Fruit, and which He
purges and prunes, by the fharp Knife of Afflicliort,
that you may bring for th more Fruit.
In this Cafe, I would Urge you to im-
bs7fTn"oL- ProVe the Opportunity of your prefent
lege urgeT" Retirement — to life thofe Hours which
you fpend in Silence, upon a Bed of
Sicknefs and Pain — your vacant Days— and per
haps too your fleeplefs Nights — in examining your
own Heart — in fearching and trying a your Ways,
that you may learn the fpecial Defign of Providence in
this Difpenfation ; — that you may recollect what
Duties you have been moft ready to neglecl in the
Place and Relation in which you are fixed, and
what Temptations have been moft ready to prevail
upon you, and in fome lamented Inftances to draw
you afide from God and Religion.
Be lifting up your Heart to God from time to
time, and fay to him, whilft you are bearing his
Chaftifement," Shew me wherefore thoU b contendeft
" with me— what I know hot, teach thou me, and
" wherein I have done Iniquity % may I do fb no
" more." — Yield yourfelf with a true filial Sub-
mifliori to the Rod of your heavenly Father-**- Bear
it patiently — Bear it thankfully— Let Thoughts of
moft unfeigned, Love to him, under that Character,
mingle themfelves with all you fuffer from his Hand
-£— and labour earneftly, that whether your bodily
Health.be recovered, or continue to decline more
and more, the Health of your Mind may be greatly
promoted, by this Courfe of Difcipline, and by every
Day of it.
Thefe are Addrefies which fuit you as a Perfon
under the afflicling Hand of God, and which would
4 Lamentat. iii. 40. b Job x. 2. c Job xxiv. 32.
C in

t 10 1
to amanntf equally fuit you, if you -lay upon ^ar
own Bed, in your own Chamber, and had requ%e
Supports and Aflittances . mjniftered, at ytyr om
Expence. But I would nowreoollecl, that I a.m
{peaking to you as a Patfenj in an Infirmary— A
Place where, as I havebinted to you, already, you
are furrounded with many Mercies? and with many
Objects and Circumftances, which, if it be not your
own Fault, may carry alopg with them pajjtjcvrlajr
Inffruclapn.,
SECTION 11
^he Patient addrejed^ as in a Place when
many Mercies are receiipd.
Some of thofe - "V'OU are in a Place where you are
Mercies enu- JL furrourKled with many Mercies,
; *-r-'" ' • which,, thejefpre, you ought, to be %rery
thankful for— thankful to God, as well as to your
human Benefactors. — You have convenient Lodg
ing, and that is a great Mercy— an eafy* watro.
Bed — a good Tioufe around you, to fhelter you
frpm the Inclemency of the Weather, which make
Diftempers in a Cottage* at fome Seafons of the
Year, much more dangerous and painful than they
would otherwife be— You have Attendants to wait
Upon ypy, as your Neceflitie's require, Night and
Day— You have Food fuffkient, and proper. — fuch_
as may comfort and fuppbrt Nature, without feed
ing your Dift.emper— And then you have the^^
full able Medicines, in their greofffk Perfection* pre*
feribe"dt>y Physicians, judged (by thofe whp have
configned triis Office to them) to be of approved
Skill and Experience.— Such Perfons cannot be
under the leaft Temptation to overload you with
them •, a Circumftance which is ofaofmajl Import ance—

C "I
aflce— Thefe" Gentlerneti vifit you at proper Sea-
fons, they are ready t6 atferid you at any Time, if
an extraordinary Circumftance in your Cafe fhouW
make it neceffery.
If yon are Wounded* Or Urid'ef the Agony of. a
broken Bone, or in othef Gireufflftances, that require
the important Aid of Surgeons, Perfons fefecled
from many others of that ufeful and neceflary Prd-
feflion are ready to attend yow with their Af-
fiftaftce- — which would elfe* perhaps, have been fo
expenfive to yott, that yea might have been ruined
by procuring it, or perrfhect for want of it — And,
upon the Whole, there Are few of your BenefatclorS,
who, in the Time of their Sieknefs, have equal Ad
vantages for their Comfort and Recovery with you
— Arid the Government and Regulations under
which you are, may be much more than an Equi*
valent for other Advantages, which, in fuperior
Circuttaftafices, they may enjoy, if they have not
a great deal of Command over themfelves, and do
not fall into very faithful 'Hands.
fri ir Now have you not abundant Reafon
JrTed to be thankful to them, and, above
all, to GOD, for thefe good things,
and for that happy State inta w-nfcFi, amidfl all your
Afflictions, you are brought ,?— I fay, above all, to
GO D, becaufe 'tis H E gives Them a Power to help
you, and a Will to do it— 'Tis HE that encourages
Them to go on from Year to Year, with renewed
Experace* and to take fuch frequent Trouble in At
tendance, as many of them do, on no other ima
ginable Cohfideration than that of doing you good.
Methinks,,.in this View, you ffiould be praifing
God, every Day, and every Day intreating, that his
B-lefflng may abundantly reft upon thofe whom He
has made, in this tnftante, the Inffrufnents of his
G#odnefs to you — and indeed you fhould be very
C 2 thankful

C » 1
thankful to Him, not only on your own Account,
but that of others — Poor as you are, I could ear-
neftly wifh, that you might be rich in the Grace of
Chriftian Charity ; and if you are fo, you will he
concerned for others as well as yourfelf — you will
rejoice, and be thankful for the Relief which every
Patient in the InHrmary, or belonging to it, re
ceives by this ufeful Foundation — it will delight
and comfort you, to think how many fuch Houfes
pf Mercy there are in our Nation % how many
. Thoufands have been already relieved and recovered
by them — and what a Probability there is, that in
future Years they may be more numerous, and more
ufeful too, by growing Experience in the Art of
doing Good — and your opening Heart will rejoice
in the Profpect of Relief and Comfort to thofe that
are yet unborn,.,
„ ,. , If you have any Spark of Gratitude
Gratitude re- r* ,' c J 1 „, . . .
commended. t° (j?d' for Youf own S^e in thlS
merciful Provifipn, you will be ihquir-;
ing what Return you fhall make — And fhall I tell
you plainly what the moft acceptable Return will be,
that it is poflible for you immediately to make ?—
The Anfwer is eafy— Truly, the moft acceptable
thing you can at prefent do, both to Gpd and Man,
a In the Year 1719. the Weftmi^fier Infirmary wras, eftablifh>
ed— and in 1732. St. Georges Hofpital; fince which Time
Fourteen more Hofpitals and Infirmaries have been erected, in
feveral Parts of this Kingdom ; viz. the London Infirmary, and
Foundling Hofpital, the Middjefex Infirmary fpr Sick }n general,
but particularly for Lying-in Women— the Hofpital for Ind
entation, and for Patients already feiz'd with the S ma ll-tox— the
Winchefter Hofpital (being the firft ever eftablifhed out of Lon-
4>»J, the Devon/hire Hofpital at Exeter, and one for the City
of Exeter- and at Briflol, Bath, York, Northampton, Worcefter,
Liverpool, and.Shrewffiury, each one— Befides thefe, I am in.
formed there are Two at Dublin^ and one at Edinburgh.

I »s )
is' to, endeavour to improve, as much
Gratitude beft as pofflble, . all the Advantages which
exfrejfedbyim- Qu herg enjoy;jboth for £gd d
proving thefe L , ,TT J-j ' _ .. ,' /v„
Advantages, Soul—ylt- wifh your Good and Hap-
pinefs, and,- as we may prefume to ex-
prefs it, the,blefled-God wifhes it — and will behold
with Pleafure your wife and diligent Care of your-.
felves. — Do not therefore,, as fome foolifhly do, ne
glect the Opportunity, and fo difappoint the cha
ritable DeTigns and Efforts of your beft Friends.
, , . „ It is the lefs neceflary for me to urge
both for Reco- „i \ , °
wsry,. y°u t0 improve the Advantages you,
enjoy,, for the Recovery of your Health,
not only as it may reafonably be taken for granted
you w(H do it, but as, according to the Rules of
fuch places as thefe, any great and vifible Irregu
larity will not be endured — Yet, there are fome
little, mifchievous Artifices, which Patients fometimes
practife, and which may in fome Cafes pafs undis
covered- — by getting things which are improper for
them to eat or to drink, which you ought to make
a Confcience of avoiding -, for as it would be hurting
ypurfelves, and perplexing your Phyflcian, fo it
would he . grofsly abufing the Charity you have
fought to partake of, either to neglect what you are
appointed to do, or to do that which, out of a ten
der Regard to your Benefit, -,-and that of others,
is forbidden. But what I have mofl in my Eye here
Tiol^ *s to ur?e y°u t0 a d'ligen.t Care in
Religious Op- improving Advantages for your Souls.
portunities in And here, befides the Objects with
a -well-rcgu- which you are furrounded, which I re-
anexempT ferVe ™ an ArticIe hV itfelf.Irriay reckon
fed^ the Opportunity you will have of hear
ing or reading the Scripture, and of
attending Prayers, Sermons, and Sacraments, and

i 14 1
fej»verfkig with fofWB ffirvteal Guide.-— If all thefe
m duly improved, yb& may have Reafon to blefs
God for every one of them.
a _¦ You have Bibles in every Ward ;
Reading. jfet thertI not benegteaed, If you
are able to do it, read them yourfelf, or elfe get an*
oilhertofead them to, you-, but owe Way or other;
keep up an Acquaintance with the Contents of that
Divine Book, as you have Opportunity, and fth6
State of your Wealth will permit— And particularly
read fuch PPrtiPns of Scripture as are moft fuitabls
tP your Cafe, fuch as thofe referred tb below *. . -
Andj while you read them, Pause upon them :—
And take feme weighty and comfottaMe Verfe to lay1
up hi your Memory, that you may medi* aTe upori
it by Night as well as fey Dayf— The Texts dr
Scripture that, in fiveTal Infirmaries, are written
Pfi the Wdls, iri the refpedlive Wards, may, by rife
Divine' Blefling, be "Very ufeful, if thus ferioujlp
jjefledted upon.
If you have an Opportunity of bof rawing ot&tfi
gSod Books, efpecially fuch as treat of True EvaJj-
dteLic-At Religion, and of Affidion, Death, jfudg--
rflent, and Eternity, I would advife you to make,,
life of them,
t * feffages of Scnptterer jJarfrcularly fit for the Perufal of
Perfons in an Infirmary, are fuch as thefe :
The Whole Book of Job. Pfalm "vi. xxii. xxx. xxxii. xxxiv. -
apfJfviii. xxxix. lxii xlix. 1. li. lxxi. lxxiii. lxxvii. lxxx. lxxxviii.
it. cS. dii. cvii. Cxvi. cxxx. cxxxix. cxlv. Ecclefiaftes xii.
Ife&rV x£v. XXri. Bi. Jferemidh H. iii. xxiir. The Whole Book
of Lamentations. Hofea vr. xiv. Micah. vii. Matthew xxv.
xxvi. xxtii. Romans v. viii. xii. 1 Corinth, xv, a moft impor
tant Chapter, z Corinth, iv. v. xi. Ephefiarrs v. vi. Philip- •
phtriS r. iii. t Then*, i. v. Hebrews xi. xii. xiii. > James i.
i^Pefe* i. iii. i>. ? Peter iii. r John i. iii. Revelations ii.
iii. xxr. xxih

[If]
'Tis true, if you be confined to yoiif Bed, by
any ttcuH Ulnefs, that rsquines Reft, and will -not?
admit pf attentive Thought, there <will.be no R&oni
for this—- But there are fo tnany Patients in other
Cirpumftsnges, that I thought lie Mint not unne-
eeffery, ©Tpecfelry as the i&aftwe State in which they
are farced tp bg, may be a Means of contracting a
Habit of Idlenefs, if they be not directed to fome
uffefuj i*e^eptary,£a^Jpyment-, and if a Number be
<$pafefe of fitting- to any kind, of Work together,
w&jgh is i#enithe Cafe, then one, who can read well,
ipay read to the *eft, without diflburbimg others ;
ajl which muft fee left to the Judgment of the Ma-
T«!«N5 and it may, by the Bleffing of God, turn
ojjff o a. good Accpunt.
p Tou will h^ar Pmyexs, fuited to your
¦ * particular Cafes, read in your Wards: fo-
veral times in a Week — Attend to them dikgently-**-
end^avour to tmderftand them \ for which Furpofe
if Qspes of them are left in the Wards, it will moc
be amifs to afk Leave to read them when firft ad
mitted, that you may enter into the Meaning of
them, defiring the Minifter to explain it to you,, if
there be anything which you do not thoroughly un-
dterftandr-' And then, when they are read, endea
vour to keep your Minds attentive to emery S;c*i-*
Oeoce^- always j-enaemberimg, that whatever Prayers
yoJH may hear, or even jpeak, they are not your
fesayers, unlefs they be the Pourings a «ut of ymn
Souls fcefore that God, who f&arches all Hearts, -and*
tries tke Reins of the Chiidren ,ef Men*-** aipd is
greatly, ^ifpisafed with thofe who drawnigh unto-
him with thekrJJ^^ while their Hearts *are far- from
him. Such Brebemes to Prayers are an Abpjq&n|t->
tion c unto the Lord.
* P&i. I#ii. $f b M att. xv, g . « Prov. xv. S.
+ If

[i6}
¦ If the Method of carrying on public Worftiip
here be fomething different from What you have1
been, ufed to, don't allow yourfelf to cavil and find
faulty but be thankful for what Advantages you have,*'
and make the beft you can of them:— Such Places
as thefe are not proper Scenes ioptiifpuies about'
Religion, nor are thefe Days of Affli&ion propei"
Seafons for them. -.
The Faith of all true Chriftians is in the main
one, as to the grand Articles of it— The Buffings*
which we afk of God are in the main the fame ; viz.
That He would pardon our ; Sins— and purify our
Hearts by his Holy Spirit— and enable us to live4
by Faith in Christ, and in Love to God, and
one another, foberly, righteoufly, and godly— and
fo to improve all our Enjoyments and Affliftioajs,
that we may all be fit for Heaven, and at laft may
all meet there.-.: - : ': >e'
Thefe are' Sentiments to which every good Man'
can put his hearty Amen ; and he ought1 never >tpi
with-hold it, when he has an Opportunity of join
ing in fuch Petitions as exprefs'. the 'very .Vitals of
Religion. v
• Sermons ^ Sermons be preached in the Infir
mary (as it may reafonably be fuppofed1
they often will), obferve efpecially what is moft fuit-'
able to your own Cafe, lift up your Heart to God*
for a Blefling before the Difcourfe begins, and when;
it is ended — and, if you have an Opportunity of
converting with other Patients, be ready to talk over
what you have heard, in an humble, thankful man
ner, that you may get Good by it, and retain any
ferious Imprefiions that have been made.
Sacrament. As for the Sacrament of the Lord's
Supper, it is no doubt a ufeful . and ex
cellent Ordinance, admirably fitted to adminifter Con-
folation -and Eftablifhment to Chriftians under- all
their Trials — to awaken their Graces — and to con
firm

t i?t
firrri their good Refolutions, by reminding them of
the Atonement of Chrift, and by reprefentihg his
dying Love. ,
But I befeech and charge you, that you do not
attend it in a carelefs manner, or as if you thought
ifc would work like a Charm, and that the external
Performance of that Action would be of any Signi-
ficancy to your Salvation, farther than as attended
with true Faith ¦' in Christ, unfeigned Repent
ance for all your Sins, and fincere Purpofes of better
Obedience — as a Commemoration or Remembrance
of the Death of Chrift — as a Seal of your Covenant
made with God in Baptifm, and to be cohfirm'din
this Holy Solemnity — and as a Badge of your Chri
ftian Lpve to all your Brethren in Chrift, however
they may be diftinguifhed from each other in their
different Forms of Profeflaons, of Ranks in Life.
Reflect upon thefe Ends and Purpofes, that, you
may fee how far you defire to comply with them —
Examine yourfelves as to the Truth of Religion —
and your Advance or Declination in it— Meditate
upon the Death of Christ — read thofe Portions
of Scripture which defcribe it— r or efpecjally refer
to it — and join to thefe .the Afliftance of the
beft human 1> Writers,' that may fall in your way —
but,
1 Heb. iv. 2.
b I cannot here forbear mentioning,- to Perfons of tolerable
•Circumftances (if this Letter mould come into fuch Hands)
Raiiilet'i Treatife of Sacramental Covenanting, which has pafled
through Eight Editions— - and is/. in my Opinion,- a lively and
judicious Piece ; in which there is a proper Mixture of the In-
ftrudtiVe and Pathetic. —
But this is not fo proper a Piece to attend us at the Com-
jnTunion-TaMe — And as there-is.no religious Subject; which has
been more frequently wr6te upon, and none that is left under-
-ftood, I thought it incumbent on me to recommend. a clear and
'fatisfaftbryy»M://Tr.adV in 'large Print, which I moft fineerely
wifh in the Hands of every Communicant, efpecially of the Pa
tients hi all our Infirmaries^— I mean the Biftiop of Me.s\fhort,
& bit

f 18 J
but, above all, endeavour to bring afongwith you', to*
the Table of the Lord, that Humility and Faith
— that Love and Devotion, which may make your"
Attendance acceptable to Chrift, and ufeful to your-
felves — and when you have received the Commu
nion, endeavour to carry it in your Memory' and
. Heart continually, and bear your Afflictions like
one that has feen the Reprefentation of a fuffering
Saviour-^- that has received fuch Favours from hint
-^and lies under fuch great and folemn Obligations
to ferve him all your Life long.
At fuch Times efpecially (tho' not
til! GuidT' at thefe Times only) * wil1 t* y°ur
great Wifdom to make ufe of the Op
portunity you may have for converting with fome fpi-
ritual Guide. — The Minifter who officiates, if he be
that worthy Man, whom I hope you will always find
him, will not defpife your Soul, becaufe you are
poor. — He will not content himfelf with reading
-the Forms of Prayer, or going through other
outward Parts of public Worfhip ;' but he will
be glad to converfe with every Perfon of the Infir*
mary, as Neceffity may require, and his other En
gagements permit — • It will ba the very Joy of his
bint. plain Infirutlions fir the better under/landing the Lord's Sup
per — And I (hould rather prefer.Tiris for the" following Reafonsj
'viz. The whole Communion Service is printed in it^v/ith'ufe-
ful Directions, and fuitable Ejaculations, on the Sides — There
are feveral concife and affecling Meditations on the mcfi pertinent
Texts of Scripture— Becaufe I have- obferved, ivith Concern,
how People confufe themfelves by turning- backwards and for
wards from their Common Prayer Book to their Sacrament Book,.
when they fhould attend the public Service — Such a Trail: as'
this would help devout Minds,, without diverting them from the
Duty they are about.
iV. B. This little Book has paffed Seven Editions, and is di-
fperfed by the Society for promoting Chriftian Knotulege— And
a large Allowance will be made by the Printer, to thofe Perfons
who buy Numbers of diem to give away. Heart,

[ ipl
Heart, to fee that you are impreffed with the Hand
of God, while it i is fmiting you — and that you
will give him an Opportunity of contributing to
your Improvements in Divine Knowlege, and Chri
ftian Piety — He will gladly deny himfelf in fome
agreeable Vifits abroad, or entertaining Studies at
home, that he may, by this humble Office of Chri
ftian Charity, contribute to the Glory Qf God, and
the Salvation of a Soul, which is to exift for ever.
And, befides the Afliftance you may receive from
him, who is fo kind as to give you his Stated At
tendance, Occasional Accefs will not be de
nied to the Minifter of your own Parijh or Congre
gation b, who, if he be within Reach, and underftand
his own Duty and fntereft, will be glad of an Op
portunity of vifiting your and converfing ferioufly
with you — He will alfo blef6 God with all his
Heart for it, both as it may be a Means of prefent
¦Service, and may open a Profpect, in cafe of your
•Recovery, of his greater Ufefulnefs to you in the
, Courfe of: his future Miniftry— And confequently
ftill farther eftablifh his Title to that-invaluable Pro-
mife, and that diftivguifoed Reward, «' They that
" turn many to Righteoufnefs fhall fhine like the
" Stars in the Firmament," Daniel xii. 3.
Make ufe of this happy Concurrence of Circum
ftances— -Lay open to one, or other, or both, the
State of your Souli— Hear their Advices, Infiruc-
tions, and Prayers — and exprefsan unfeigned Gra
titude to them for all the kind Offices which they
.are ever ready to do you, in thefe Circumftances of
Humiliation and Diftrefsv
- a 1 Samuel xxvi. 10.
b Care is taken, that Patients of all Persuasions maybe
'fo difpofed, as to be attended in the manner they defire. See
Northampton Infirmary Statutes, Page 46,
D 2, I farther

[26]
I farther reminded you, in the Beginning of this
Letter, that as there are many Mercies, which you
receive, fo alfo it is a Place where you are furrounded
with many ObjeMs and Circumftances which may be
very ufeful to you, if it be not your dwp Fauk.
section in.
The Patient addrejfedas furrounded with many
inftruBkie Objects and Circumftances.
SpeBachs of -yr O U fee around you many under.
Diftrefs. X ^reat an(j jpeavy AffiieTrions, per
haps much greater than, your own — And in all that
you fee, and in. all that you feel, you may perceive the
fad Confequences and EffecW of Sin — that has, as it
were, turned the World into one Great INFIRt
MARY — that has introduced all the Evils which
we experience, and which we behold — that forces the
compaffionate Father of Men to have recourfe to
fuch fmarting Rods, to humble and refprm his
thoughtlefs, foolijh, rebellious Children. — Lay it tp
Heart, and pray earneftly, that God would blefs all
thefe things to you, and to your Fellow-Sufferers.
Think alfo of the infinite Love and Compaflioft
of the Lord Jesus Christ, in bearing far feverer
Pains and Torments for us than you feel, or than
any. of your Fellow-Patients endure — And once
more think, if the chaftifing Strokes of God's Rod
be fo painful and grievous, what muft the Fiercenefs
of his Wrath in Hell be ? — Wh^t muft thofe mifer-r
able Spirits endure, whom God has for ever caft
away from his Prefence ? — who are tormented in
that Flame prepared a for the Devil and his Angels —
who have np Eye to pity them — no Hand tp relieve
aMatc. xxv. 41. them —

[21 ]
them — and no Hope of being delivered, even by
Death itfelf, which. they call for, and it flies from,
them. Learn Patience under your own Afflictions, when
you fee others, perhaps, fo much worfe than your-
felves — or, it may be, languishing, while you are re
covering — growing worfe, inftead of better, under
the moft proper Applications, and drawing near to
the Grave. You may perhaps fee fome poor Crea
tures under the Neceffity of lofing precious and ufe
ful Limbs, for the Prefervation of their Livesr-n
Learn then, from every fad Spectacle of this kind,
to reflect how much more reafonable it is to give up
the dear eft Lulls, when thty. threaten, as theycer*
tainly all do, the Life, of our Soul St—, How wdl
it is worth our while to cut oft" a Right Hand % or
pluck out a Right Eye, rather than by criminal In
dulgence to bring Ruin upon ourfelves, and be caft
into Hell, where, as our Lord tell us, Thrice,
within the Conipafsof SIXVerfes,that their Worn*
dieth npl, and FIVE times within the same Com-
pafs, that the Fire is not quenched, Mark ix. 43, 44,
45, 46, 47, 48. You have alfo, perhaps, . Spectacles
Mottalityf or" Mortality about you •, Death may
come into the very Ward in which you
are lodged, and you may fee a dead Corpfe, lying
for a little while b in the very next Bed— Oh flay
it to Heart — Look upon that, awful Sight— and
think what is become of the Soul that lately dwelt
? Matt. v. 29.
b It is well known, that it is ufual in 'Infirmaries very
quickly to remove Corpfes into the Dead-House, to prevent
the Inconvenience which might at ife from their continuing long
among the Patients — Neverthelefs while the Spectacle is before
their Eyes, it is fo affecting, that I could nQt but think fit
to touch upon jt. in

[» 3
in that forfaken Clay ! — What a great Change has
it already proved ! — An Hour or Two ago it was
with you, and its Fellow-Patients — and now 'tis with
AngelsJ or with Devils — triumphing in the Prefence
of CHRiST,or bemoaning itfelf in Chains ofDarknefs-.
*' So (may you fay), fo muft I in a little while, even
*' though God fhould blefs xhe Means of my Re-
" covery from my prefent Illnefs, fo muft I in a
" few Tears, and perhaps in a few Weeks, lie cold
" among the Dead — and fo muft this immortal
" Soul, this too much neglected Spirit pf mine, be
" an Inhabitant of Heaven or of Hell— Lord quicken
*' me by this awful Providence, and fo teach me to
«'• number my Days, that I may apply my Heart unto
*< true ' Wifdom."
. . Once more confider, that the Pro-
cfdot^Good. vidence of God has brought you into
a Place, where, perhaps, you may have
an Opportunity of doing fome Good, which you
fhould moft joyfully embrace, to the utmoft of your
Power, how ill foever you are — You may perhaps
do fome Good, as an Example of Patience, and of
Gratitude, by a quiet Submiffion to God's Hand-
by a thankful Compliance with all the Methods of
Cure — and by behaving with a becoming Refpect to
thofe who have the Care of you — endeavouring to
make that Care as light and eafy to them as you
can, and to give them as little Trouble as poffible.
.... .. If it pleafe God, that you recover a
Advice in cafe 7..±, L -c j Tn r
of Amendment. """* or ,f undc* your Illnefs yqu are
capable of moving about, which is
pften the Cafe, there are many other Ways, by
which you may perhaps be ufeful in the Infirmary
r— For Inftance— -by Reading b to others— by Working for
* Pfalm xc. 1 2.
b As it is no unufual, and a very valuable l^& qf Beneficence
tp prefent Religious Books (in the Choice of which too much Care

£ 23 ]'
for them — by Afflfting, which in Duty you ought i
under the Direction of the Matron— in attending
upon others — and by taking proper Times and Sea-
fons of fpedking to your Fellow-Patients, and c omJ
forting them under their Pains and Sorrows — by
advifing them for their fpiritual Good — and cau
tioning therti tenderly and affectionately againft any
thing which you fee amifs in their Conduct.
You will yourfelf find the Pleafure, the Benefiti
the Reward of this •, and therefore you will not
think I do improperly in reckoning this amongft the
Circumftances which may be ufeful to you, if it be
not your own Fault. If you find no immediateBenefrtbf
id?.'cJ> V™ the Method ufed for your Recovery,
Relief fhould . „ , . .. ., ' , J
be obtained. oG not i»>p^tient — nOr by any means
envy thofe that do — Sufpect not the
Skill, or the Faithfulnefs, of thofe that have the Care
of you •, for no Man can command a Blefling — The
Physicians of Princes are often unfuccefsful, and
they grow worfe and worfe under their Care- — And
the moft judicious Physicians themselves are at
laft obliged to fubmit to Death. — If therefore you
do receive any Benefit, be Very thankful to God for
it, though the Amendment be ever fo fmall.
And if you recover, when you are
of Recovery t0 kaVe the Infi""mary> do ic W*th *
Difpofition to report what Good you
Care cannot be taken) to the Infirmary,- for the Edification of
the Patients ; perhaps no Treatife is better fuited to the Circum-
ftance, or more level to the Capacities, of the lower Rank of
Readers, than Burkitfs Help and Guide ; which I would re
commend, in a particular manner, \ to their Perufal — A Book
' Quell known (for it has paffed Tvienty-five Editions) — and ji/JTly
efteemed for the abundant Matter of ufeful Inftruclion which-1 it
contains, arid which is riot perhaps any-where to be equalled
in a Treatife of fo moderate a Price (viz. One Shilling
bound).
; ¦ a have

[ 24 1
have feen and received there, with Thankfoinefs— '
And as for what may have been arnifs, which I hope
in fuch Societies will be very little^ do not blaze it
abroad, to promote Prejudice againft fuch Places,
which would be very ungrateful, and very mifchievousi
but give proper Hints of it to thofe who may have ¦
it in their Power to rectify what is amifs— and it
will be well taken^ and may be the Means of doing
Good. , And as it is very probable you, wi%
miffim. °" at vottr g°mg ou^ of the Infirmary, have"
fome little freatifes given you, fuitable
to the Circumftances of your Recovery, read them
with Diligence and Care — lay it ferioufly to Heart
— and charge it on your Confcience, that you never^
no never, forget.the Vows you have made in Trou
ble, and the merciful Hand that has brought yotf
out of it.
err r- rr To conclude — Thefe are plain, but
lot Concluhon. . . -iti y ¦ » ? « i •• '
feneUs^ and 1 hope fuitable Adyices,-
which an unfeigned Love to you, and affe£lionate
Defire of your Welfare, have fuggefted. , I recom
mend theni to your attentive and repeated
Perufal, hoping they may engage fome particular
Regard,, as coming from the Hand of a Phyficiari
;(a Confideration, methinks, which fhould at leaft
affect thofe Patients who are under my perfonal
Care). At the fame time, I recommend you to the
Divine Blefling — ¦ heartily wifhirig your Recovery
from your Illnefs, if it be the Will of an all-wife
and gracious GOD — and (however that may be)
a religious Improvement of thefe " comparatively-
", light AfHiftions, which are but for a Moment,-
." that they may work out for you a far more ex-
*' ceeding and eternal a Weight of Glory."
' 2 Cor. iv. 1 7.
To

[*5 ]
To have cPntributed in any Degree to fo excel
lent an End, will be a great Satisfaction to one,
who tenderly commiferates your Calamity, and who
(regarding you as a Partaker of the fame human
Nature, and Chriftian Profeflion) cannot but ear-
neftly defire to approve himfelf, in every Office of
Humanity and Charity, Your fincere Well-wifher,
Northampton, July 9. ij 4.8. James Stonhouse.1

The Whole review d and fummd up in a
PRAYER.
N. B. Some feVJ Words are inclofedin Crotchets, thus [ ], vihich
may be added or omitted occafionally, vjitbout breaking the necefi-
fary Connexion.
Submiffion , T^ Ternal and Ever-bleffed God, I
and Confeffion. XL a(Jore tnee as tJ,e wjfe ancJ graCioUS
Governor of all thy Creatures, and the Sovereign
Difpofer of all Events — I acknowlege thy Hand
in the Affliction under which I now labour, and I
own thy Juftke in it: — and I confefs, that my
Sins have been fo many, and fo great, that thou
punifheft me much lefs than mine Iniquities a have
deferved — I hope likewife, in thy fatherly Goodnefs,
that thou intendeft my Reformation, and final Hap-
pinefs, by thefe, Chaftifmgs— and humbly pray,
that tho' they be not for the prefent joyous, b but
grievous ; they may hereafter yield the peaceable Fruits
of Rigbteoufnefs. * Ezra ix. 13. b Heb. xii. 11.
E I blefs

[ 2<n
-.,'.,. I blefs thee, O Lord, for the many
Thanifgivmg. MerdeS) that mingle themfelves with
the Bitternefs and Pain of this Affliction ; and par
ticularly blefs thee, that now, by thy good Provi
dence, I am brought into this INFIRMARY
— Adored be thy goodnefs, O thou great Author
of univerfal Love, that thou haft put it into the
Power, and into the Hearts, of our kind and com
paffionate Benefactors, to provide fuch Places of
Reception for Perfons in my Circumftances — I
heartily pray, that thy Blefling may attend thofe of
them that are yet within the Reach of Prayer, and^
the Pqfterity of fuch Friends to Mankind — and I
rejoice in, and thank thee for all the Accommoda
tions, [Refrefhment], [Comfort], [and Help],which
I, or any other, have receiv'd, \or do or may re
ceive] from fuch charitable Foundations as thefe.
Intercefflon I P1*? likeW'fe> that th°U wi't °e
pleas'd to vifit this Infirmary with
thy Blefling, to direct and profper the Endeavours of
all who are attempting to do good here, and to give
unto trie, and all others, in fuch calamitous Circum
ftances as myfelf, Wifdom and Grace to improve
the afflicting Stroke of thy Rod, and all the Mer
cies of thy Providence to us.
Grant, O Lord, that I may fearch
£2£2"./ ' aund ^ Ways, and turn again unto
Skhufs. tnee — MaY I improve the Leifure of
fuch a State as this to examine my own
Heart, and may I be led to form a right Judg
ment of myfelf! — If I am yet an unconverted Sin
ner, difcover to me, I befeech thee, my Danger,
and my Mifery; and give me, by thy renewing
Spirit, an unfeigned Repentance towards God, and
a true Faith in Chrift, that L may turn from
every Sin, and devote myfelf for ever to thy Ser
vice — If 1 am already in a State of Acceptance with
thee,

[ *7 ],
%hee, ftrengthen, I befeech thee, all my Graces more
and more, and fubdue all the Remainders of Sin in
my Heart ; and particularly teach me Righteoufnefs
by thofe things which I now fuffer. —
Grant that the Advantages I here
' prl^P eW> ™7 be wifely and religioufly
Advantages. improved!— May I be thankful for
Inftruction from thy Word, and other
ufeful Books, from the Labours of thy Minifters,
whether in Prayer or Preaching, or Adminiftration
of the Sacrament — May I thankfully receive their
Admonitions, may, 1 heartily join in their Petitions,
and may I devoutly remember my Saviour's Death ! '
May all the Sights of Sorrow and Diftefs with which'
I am here furrounded, lead me to reflect on the Evil
of Sin, and on the Love of Chrift, manifefted in that
( ( Agony and Mifery he endured for my Sake ! May
they engage me to fly from a the Wrath to come, and
to lay hold on eternal Life — And grant, I befeech
tHee, that if I have any Opportunity of doing Good
here, or of being helpful to others in their temporal
or fpiritual Interefts, I may embrace them with
Readinefs, and with Thankfulnefs.
And now, Lord, I defire to lay my-
Bl7£fontahe feIf' wkh ali humble Refignation of
Medilfnel Soul, at thy Feet, befeeching thee, if
it be thy heavenly Will (for without
thy Concurrence, vain is the Skill of the ableft Phy
flcian), to blefs the-Means employed for my Re
covery, and to reftore me to Health, Comfort, and
Ufefulnefs, again.' — But if thou feeft fit to deny
that Blefling, on which I know the Efficacy of all
depends, Thy Will be done!— Support me un-
For Sutton der t^ie mo^ *ncurable Evils thou may ft
appoint for me in Life ; prepare me
for the awful and important Hour of Death -, and
» Luke iii. 7. E 2 if

[ « 1
if it be thy Sovereign Pleafure that I die here*
- deliver me not, I befeech thee, into the
MtfKefigna- pangs 0f the * &^ Death . but re
ceive my Spirit into thy merciful
Hands, and conduct me to thy heavenly Prefence ;
where all the Afflictions of Life fhall eeafe, and no
Remembrance of them remain, but what fhall in-
creafe the Happinefs of thy People, and awaken
Songs of everlpftiog Gratitude and Joy for the kind;
Purpofes that were anfwered by them! Grant this,"
I befeech thee:, Gracious God, and whatever elfe'
thou feeft neceffary or expedient for me, for the Sake
of Jefus Chrift my Lord, into whofe Hands I defire
daily to commit my Spirit: And to whom, with
thyfelf, and the Holy Ghoft, Iwouldafcribe ever-
lafting Prajfes. Amen, Amen.
* Rev. xxi. 8.

POST-

t»9l

POSTSCRIPT.

¦pRAYER is fo uhiverfally acknowleged by all
¦*¦ that pretend any Regard to Religion, to be a
necejfary Part of it, that I am felicitous no one Per-
fon, how poor and unlearned foever, fhould be de-
ftitute of proper Affiftances for the Performance of
it — I choofe therefore to add, in this Poftfcript,
fome plain Directions relating to daily Devotion
(though I pretend not to confine any one exablly to
thefe Forms), the Ufe of which may extend much-
farther than the Perfons to whom the Letter is par
ticularly adapted.—
And L could wifh, that as the ABRIDG
MENT of the Forms is fo very fhort, Parents
would teach them to their Children ; and that grown
Perfons, who cannot read (efpecially Patients in an
Infirmary), may^ by fome charitable Friend, be
taught to repeat them by Heart, which may to fuch
be a very profitable Exefcife, during their Confine
ment if their IUnefs be. hot extreme.
And 'tis to be hoped, that fuch who are Heads
of Families (if they have any Regard to their own
eternal Salvation, and that of others committed to
their Care), will not fail to pray with them (when
they return from the Infirmary) Morning and Even
ing, making ufe of the Words, We inftead of /, us
inftead of me, and our inftead of my. ,
'Tis no Matter what fuch or fuch a Man does,
or fays — - nor can it fignify what Notions you may
entertain of outfide Appearances — Is the Gospel
true ?

[. 3° 1
true ? — If it be (as it furely is), then the ill Lives,
Negligences,) or Ignorances of others will be no Ex-
cufe for your Difobedience— no more than the Ex-
travagancy of another in fpending, the Means of his.
Subfiftence, would be a Relief to ybu, if you had
been fo indifcreet as to fpend yours.
The too general Difufe therefore of Family
Prayer cannot afford even the leaft Shadow of
a Pretence, to countenance your Neglect of it. Con-
fult the Scriptures, and meditate frequently on thae
valiant Commander Jofhua's noble Declaration,
As for me, and my Houfe, we will ferve the
Lord. Jofh. xxiv. 15.
This now ought to be the fincere Refolution, and
conftant Practice, of every Chriftian Mafter or Mi-
ftrefs of a Family— Without this none can reason
ably expect to have dutiful Children, [or faithful
Servants]— nor justly hope to have God^s Blefling,
in this World, or his complete Salvation in the World.:
to come.
Befides, were all the Perfons in a Family frequently,
in the Day, to recollect, that in the Evening they are
to join together in the folemn Worfhip of the living
God, and to beg for each other the Fulnefs of all
heavenly Blefiings-^- This Confideration would help
to prevent bitter Words, to fupprefs all Inftancesof
Unkindnefs ; and to unite their Hearts in Love»
that their Prayers be not hindered, i,Pet, iii. 7.

Some

C 31 T
Some Directions relating to Daily
Devotion.
AS foon as you* awake, endeavour to raife your
•**¦ Thoughts to GOD, and thankfully acknowlege
his Goodnefs, faying, with all poffible Affetlion,
Glory be to thee, O Lord, who neither flumbereft
or fleepeft, for having watched over me this Night b.
After
3 It is a ftanding Regulation, in the Orders of a/Zthelnfirma-
ries,that every Patient (unlefs ordered to the contrary by the Phy
flcian) mall rife at Seven, in the Summer, and at Eight in the
Winter — I cannot but hope, that Perfons in healthy Circum
ftances will blufli to indulge their Sloth, and lofe their Time in
Indolence, even when their <weak axAfickly Neighbours have
left their Beds, and are employ'din Devotion.
b A State of Thankfuhefs is much to be defired and culti
vated — as fuch a State is the moft pleafing to Almighty God,
the moft ornamental to our Holy Religion, and the mofl comfort
able to ourfelves-- In order therefore to beget and fupport this
moft amiable and delightful Temper, I would advife you juft to
read over (either before or after your Devotions) the following
Confiderations — and muse upon them a little, when your Time
permits : i.
Prefervation from the Dangers of the Night, as Fire, Rob
bery, pernicious Dreams, in which many have deftroyed them-
felves. Refreshment of Sleep — or comfortable Supports from God,
amidft reftlefs Nights, in the Bed of Languishing.
How many have fpent the Night in Prifons — How many in
exceffive Pain of Body, or inexpreffible Anguilh of Mind, weary
of their Beds, and their Lives. 2.
The Addition of another Day, and the Profpecl of fpending
it in fecuring the Favour of God, and a happy Immortality, for
which we are all Probationers. ,
How many were fummoned {aft Night, from their Bodies, to
appear before God. 3. The

[3* ]
After this Ejaculation quit your Bed immediately,
and do not indulge afliiggifh indolent Temper, which
is criminal in itfelf, and waftes your Time, which
ought to be employed in a very different manner.
WHILE you are dr effing, meditate upon the un~
fpeakable Glory of the great God, and your own ex
ceeding Sinfulnefs ; that you may pray with Reverence,
and godly Fear — - or meditate on one of thofe pre
cious Promifes, in which God has gracioufly declared,
that He will hear your Petitions, and grant yonr Re-
quefts, that you may pray in Faith, nothing doubt
ing.— Sometimes you may meditate on the Blood of
Chrift, which wasfhed to obtain all heavenly Bleffings
for you — f or on his powerful Intercefflon, at his Fa
ther 's Right Hand, in your Behalf -, that your Belief
may be ftill farther eftablifhed.
WHEN you are dreffed (letyourBufinefsbe what it
will, or ever four gent), offer up the following Prayer,
on your bended Knees — confidering well before whom
you kneel — Or, if kneeling cannot conveniently be com
plied with — then pray as you ftand, as you fit, as you
walk, [as you ride], [or even as you work'], rather than
neglect it. For God Almighty regardeth not the Po-
fture, but the Heart — Only be flow in your Utter
ance, and earneft in your Affeclions — Make a Stop
at the End of. every Petition, that you may ponder
upon the ineftimable Worth of the BUJflng you ajk—
that it may be the Defire of your Soul, as well as
the Requeft of your Tongue — And may the God of all
Goodnefs, without whom you are Unable a to think a
3-
The Provifion of warm Apparel, and all manner of comfort
able Conveniencies, at leaft Food and Raiment, wherewith we
ihould be content, faith the Apoftle, i Tim. vi. i.
The Pleafure of returning again to the dear Society our
Relations, or intimate Friends;
a 2 Cor. iii. 5. good

[33]
good Thought, pour upon you the Spirit of a Grace
and Supplication. •
A Prayer for the Morning.
(ExtraSed from Jenks'j Devotions).
TNfinite and eternal God, Thou art glorious in
* -Holinefs, and of purer Eyes than to behold Ini
quity. — How then — O how fhall I approach thee,
who am but a finful Worm, raifed from that Duft,
to which I fhortly muft return ! — / was born in
Sin, and the Imaginations of my corrupt Heart have
been only evil continually. — / have done foolifhly
and wickedly throughout my whole Life — My Sins
are multiplied beyond Meafure, and aggravated be
yond Expreflion — They are innumerable Debts,
and fad Accounts •, and if thou fhouldft enter into
Judgment with me, I could not anfwer thee one of
a Thoufand. — O God of Heaven, make me deeply,
laftingly,fepfibleof my guilty, my undone Condition.
But thou, O Lord, art gracious and merciful,
long-fuffering, and abundant in Goodnefs, keeping
Mercy for Thoufands, and pardoning Iniquity, thro'
the Atonement of thy blefled Son — For his Sake,
O heavenly Father, blot out all my Tranfgreflions,
and let me ,be accepted b in Chrift Jefus— He
has perfectly fatisfied c the Juftice of Heaven for all
my Provocations. — Lord, remember his bitter Ago
nies ; Lord, confider his meritorious Obedience —
Lord, regard his , prevailing Interceflion — For his
Sake, O my God, for his Sake, forgive me all my
Tranfgreflions, and love me with an everlafting
Love. * 21echar. xii. 10. * Ephef. i. 6. c John i. 29.
F Lord,

r 3.4 1
Lord, 'thou know/eft the Frailty of rajrNature,
and Deceitfulnefs of my Heart — .1 Thoii feeft; the
manifold Temptations, which befet me on every Side
— Let me never walk careltfly amidft fo many Dan
gers— Make me continually fenfible of thy Prefence
— Teach me entirely to depend pfl-iky Aid^— and
be Thou my Defender in every Time and Need — If
¦thou guide ***.not, / fhall run into" Error— if thou
preferve the not, / fhall fall into Sin.— Let thy
Word abide iri my Memory, and thy Spirit dwell
,in my Heart ; that / may not only be upright/in My
Mitw&rd Convocation, but purified thoroughly ki all
my Difpofitions and Defires.
Enable mes gracidus God, to" difpatch the Bull1*
ttefs, and difcharge the Duties, of my Station j and,
amidft all the Affairs of this momentary Life, O let
tne never forget the one Thing needful — Whether
/ eat or drink, or whatever /do ; may I do all in the
"Name of our Lord jefus Chrift, out of Obedience
to thy Will, and to the Glory of thy Majefty.-—
Thus may I walk before thee in Love, and have
my Coriverfatiort in Heaven, even while / fojourn
on Earth. Be merciful to allConditians of Men-
Pour down the chdiceft of thy Bleflings upon my
Benefactors— enlighteh thofe Who fit in Darknefs — •
comfort all that ate diftreffed — ftrengthen every
one that i* tempted — And grant to me, grant to my
Relations, grant to all my Fellow-creatures, what-
foever thou feeft needful for the Welfare of our
Bodies, and the Salvation of our Souls-; till,, thro'
the Multitude of thy Mercies, and the Merits' of
thy Son, We are conducted fafe to be ever with the
Lord ; in Whofe ^revaliiftg'-Name, and comprehen-
five Words, / conclude thefe wry imperfect Peti
tions, faying,

OUR

[ 35 J
r%UR Father, which art in Heaven (; Hallowed
^ be thy Name.^-Thy Kingdom come.— Thy
Will be done in Earth, As it is in Heaven.— Give
us this Day our daily Bread.~^-And forgive us our
Trefpafles, As we forgive them that trefpafs againft
us.— And lead us not into Temptation ; But deliver
us from Evil : — For thine is the Kingdom,And the
Power, and the Glory, For ever and, ever. Amen.
Always finifa your Devotions with thofe moft im
portant Words of the Apoftle, which conftiiute the
only Happinefs of a Chriftian, and are a Summary of
all /itf.ineftimable Blefjings yau have been imploring.
2 Cor. xiii. 14.
May the Grace of our Lord jefus Chrift, and the
Love of- God, and the Communion of the Holy
Ghoft, be with me [or us] this Day for Night],
and for evermore.

When you arife from your Knees, be careful not to
forget your Devotions — ; Tou are to live' over what
you have been praying — Tour Prayirs are to' be the
Rule of your Converfation— Tou ought therefore
often- to recallecJ your Morning Devotions -, and oc-
cafio&ally dart up, amidft your various Employments,
to the all-gracious Being, fome or other of thofe Peti
tions then offered.
When the Time for Evening Prayer approaches,
he particularly watchful dgainflYirosN'fm.t{% — Do not
go to your Knees, or betake yoUrfelves to God haftily^
or rudely — alloi fome little Time for fuch Reco'llecJion
as I recommended in /£<» Morning [Page 32.] re
membering always, that inattentive, lifelefs Prayer is
an Abomination to the Moft High ; is a Mockery
F 2 of

°f the Divine Majefty, rather than an acceptable Ser
vice  , Endeavour, therefore to have your Heart of
fered with an adoring' Senfe of God's moft glorious
Excellency, and with an humbling Conviction ofiydur
own Vilenefs— Endeavour to have an awakened,, ardent
Defire of obtaining the Blefflngs you afk ¦, accompa
nied with' a firm Faith, in the Promifes of God, and
the rich Merits of Chrift — that you may fo afk as
to receive a ; fo feek as to find ; fo knock, by an earneft
believing Importunity, that the Door of Divine Bounty
may be opened, and your. Soul be abundantly fupplied
with allfpiritual Blefflngs.
A Prayer J or the Evening.
(Extracted from Jenks'j Devotions).
f\ Lord, the great and glorious God !— Thou haft
^-' created all Things by thy Almighty Power —
Thou ordereft all Things by thy wife Providence ;
thy Mercy is everlafting, and over all thy Works —
Who can exprefs the exceeding Goodnefs of the
Lord, which is fo continually, ,fo abundantly de
fending on finful Mortals! — This Day, and every
Day of my Life, / have largely tailed of thy loving
Kindnefs — /have lived altogether on thy Fatherly
Care— Thou haft protected my Body, and kept my
Life from going down into the Pit. Thou haft fur
nifhed me with Food convenient for me — Thou
haft not left me deftitute of the Succours of thy
Grace, but haft given me all things needful both for
Life and Godlinefs — Give me alfo fuch a lively
Senfe of thy Mercies, that my very Soul may blefs
thee, and all that is within me may praife thy holy
Name — O, let thy never- ceafing Kindnefs enkindle
my Love, and lead me to Repentance.
» Mat. vii. 7. For

U 37 1
For 7 am afhamed, O moft merciful "God; /am
even confounded, to think, how little I have im
proved, how, greatly I have abufed the various In
ftances of thy bountiful Care— My. Heart has not
been whole with thee — my Thoughts have wan
dered from my God — my Affecl lions have been bent
upon earthly things — Who can tell how oft he
hath offended in his Thoughts, Words, and Deeds?
— r-Convince me thoroughly of my Wickedness, and
.make me deeply fenfible of my eyer-increafiug
Sins — But, 0 merciful Lord, blot out, as a Cloud,
my Tranfgreflions — fee all my Offences punifhed in
my Saviour, who was wounded for my Sins, and
bruifed for my Iniquities. — As the Chaftifement of
my Peace was upon him, fo let the , Merit' of his
Righteoufnefs be upon me, and by his a Stripes ,fct me
be healed.
Nor do I only beg for Pardon of my, Sins, but
alfo for Power againft them. — O let thy. Grace
be fufficient for me ; that / may grow in Godlinefs
as / grow in Years, and increafe in the Knowlege
of Chrift, as I draw nearer to his awful Tribunal— *¦
Let me not, O thou Searcher of Hearts, let me not
deceive myfelf in this moft important Concern —
make me a sincere Believer, and a real Chriftian
—Endue me with a living Faith, and quicken me
with inward Holinefs — O let me be in the Num
ber of thofe, who " worfhip God in the b Spirit, who
" rejoice in Chrift Jefus — and have no Confidence in
"the Flefh" — Since the Time of my Abode in this
tranfitory World is fo veryfhort, and fo uncertain ;
fince I am to be happy, or miferable eternally, when
I depart hence, and am no more feen — Let me
never fet up my Reft, nor flatter myfelf with the
Conceit of any long Continuance in this Tabernacle
of Clay — but let me wait all the Days of my ap
pointed Time, till my Change come : Wait in con-
flant
a Ifaiah liii. 5. b Philip, iii. 3.

[ 38 ] .
ftant Expectation of it ; wait in the Habitual Ex-
ercife of that unfeigned Faith, and the Daily Pra
ctice of thofe Holy Duties, whieh may make it un
to me, Chrift to live ", and Gain td die.
O God of the Families of all the Earth; have
Mercy on the whole Race. of Mankind — Pour thy
Spirit upon all People— let the whole Earth, in thy
good time, be filled with the Knowlege of thy glo
rious Gofpel, as the Waters cover the Sea; And
let all Flefh fee, let all Flefh partake of, the Salva
tion of God — Blefsi, in a particular manner, my
kind Acquaintance j let them know thee, the only
true God, and Tefus Chrift, whom thou haft fenr.
•Blefs my dear Relations 5 "be Thou their GO D^ and
let them be Thy Sons and Daughters,; O Lord Al
mighty—^ Forgive . all my Enerriiesi and reward aH
my Benefactors- — Have Pity upon all that are af-
jfiieted-, grant to their Bodies, Reft in Sl6ep, and to
their Sbiils,-Confblatibn in Chrift — O vouchfafe'this
¦unfpeakable Blefling tb all thy Servants, and to me,
Q Lord, who am lefs than the leaft of thy Mer
cies ; who defire to renounce myjhlf, and to find
Acceptance in thy Well-beloved Sonrr- who cannot
but condemn myfelf,- and therefore truft in the Ex
piation of his moft precious Blood, which fpeaketh
better Things in my Behalf, than my Lips can utter^
or my Heart conceive, and in whofe prevailing
Name, and comprehenfive Words, I fum up all my
own, and all my Fellow-Chriftians Wants, faying, b
Our
' Philip i. 21.
b The Prayers for the Maiming and Eveniiag, as I obfervedt
are ejftrafted from Jinks\ peyotibns ; a moft excellent and
ufeful little Book, in which are Confojations, fuited to event
Diflrefi ; Petitions accommodated to every . Exigence $ proper
Prcfervatives, fuggefted in Cafe of Temptation ; and indeed
ample Promifi-n made to all the fpiritual Wants of a Chri
ftian,-,- The general Character qf which I cannot give better, than

[ 39]
Out Father, tife
May the Grace of our Lord Jdibs Chf iftj &r>.
N. B. Tklfe Prayers may be read deliberately over
tn about Five or Six Minutes— but, as the Length
of them may make it difficult for thefe who cannot
read, to learn them by Heart, and, to retain them in
their. Memories, it may be convenient to add the two
following Jhort, but comprehenfive Forms, which
may berconfidered as an Abridgment of the former:'
.-? fThe F -r AY er for Morning , ahridg'd.
f\ Moft holy Lord God Almighty, / may Well
**-* be afhamed to appear before thee, for / was
born in Sin, and fyy . actual -Iniquities are more than
the Hairs of my Head. — I fall down . before thee,
con (effing my .great Guilt, by which I have daily de*
ferved to be caft into the" Fire that a can never be
quenched— But thou delighteft in Mercy, and haft
feht thine ohly Son to die for Sinners— yFor his Sake,
Father of everlafting Companions, pardon and ac
cept me ; for in Him,, and in Him alone, do I
hope,, and buft— And / intreat thee, O moft gra
cious God, to fanctify my Heart, and to fill ,it
with conftant Ldve to thee, and to all Mankind
—'Be with me, O Lord, in Life and in Death,
and at length bring me to perfect Holinefs and Joy
in thy Kingdom above — . B"e pleafed to blefs all the
thaH in the 'Words of the ingenioui Mr. jHervey, in his juflly-
cilebrai eA Meditations on the Tombs, Flovj&-<Sarden, Sec. , (See
Vol. I. Page 273. of the Third Edition) : " Jenis's Sookof
" Devotions has defervedly paffed through Eleven Editions j
"and is truly admirable for the Sublimity, Spirituality, and
" Propriety of the Sentiments, as well as for the pathetic Turn
(t of EJrprelfibn, wkh-&hrch they are cloathed"."
» MJarklx. 45. World

[ 4° ]
World with thy Gofpel [reward- my Benefactors
an Hundred fold] ; pity the Afflicted j and grant
to me, to thofe who are deareft to me, and to all
my Fellow-Creatures, whatever thou feeft needful for
the Welfare of our Bodies, and Salvation of pur
Souls, through Jefus Chrift. Amen.
The Prayer for Evening, abridged.
T Thank, thee, O moft great and gracious God,
¦*- with my whole Heart / thank thee, for all the
Mercies of myjJife, and particularly thofe of this
Day — Give me a more affebfing Senfe of thy unde
fended and wonderful Goodnefs. .Make me truly
penitent for the Sins of this Day, and all other Of
fences I have committed, and pardon them all, thro'
rhe Blood" of Chrift, thy dear Son— Give me
Strength to conquer Temptations for the Time to
come, and caufe me continually to grow in Grace —
Make me to know the true State of my Soul, and
let not the Deceitfulnefs of my own Heart betray
me into a falfe Peace — Grant me the Confolation Of
thy Holy Spirit — Wean my Heart, O Lord, more
and more; from this vain, empty World and make
me every Day more fit than before, for the Bufinefs
and Enjoyments of Heaven— / beg thy Blefling on
all /fhould pray for, and efpecially . on the Afflicted
—/commit myfelf unto thee, O God, this Night,
befeeching thee to give me Reft and Safety— or, if
my Soul fhould, this Night, be required at my Hands,
receive it to thy Mercy, through Jefus Chrift, my
Lord and Saviour. Amen.
Perfons of very weak Memories, and manyl Chil-\
dren of Five or Six Tears old, may be. taught, thefe.
abridg'd Prayers — But if even These fhould be re
jected as too long, which I hope will be the Cafe of
very

[ 41 1
very few, I would then recommend to fuch the Ufe of
the Lord's Prayer only, and the Beneditlion of St.
Paul ; namely } May the Grace of our Lord Jefus
Chrift, &c .  -No Man living, from the higheft to
the loweft, whether he be learned or unlearned, can
have a reafonable Excufe for the Qmiflion of daily ¦
Prayer ; fince that is to refufe God his proper Homage
—to ail contrary to the Example; and Command of
Chrift — and is, in EffecJ, to difown his Power over
us — his Goodnefs to us — his Juftice to punifhTranf
greffions — and to quefiion his Faithfulnefs in fulfilling
his Promises.
Every Night (before or after Prayers, ras it beft
fuit s you) examine your Confcience by this fhort Me
thod.
A Form of Self-Examination.
i. .Have I liv'd this Day in frequent * Remem
brance of the dying Love of my compaffionate Re
deemer ?
2. What Sins have I committed in Thought,
Word, or Deed ?
3. What Opportunity of doing good have I ne
glected ?
4. Have I omitted, or carelefly perform'd, my
religious Duties  'either of Morning or Evening
Prayer — laft Night's Self-Examination — reading
the Scriptures, or other good Books ?
* Thofe who really live by Faith in Christ (and none can
be Chriftians who do not), may often meditate on him in one
or other of the following Views ; 1. as a Prophet to teach
them; z. as a King, to govern them, and to fubdue their vicious
Inclinations; 3. as an High-priest to intercede for them
4. as a Sacrifice to atone; 5. as an Example to be imitated
6. as a Guardian to proteft ; 7. as Strength to fupport
8. as a Forerunner, who has pafs'd from Death to Life, and
prepared Manfions for the Faithful.
* G 5. Have

u> ]
$. 0ave 1 done anylnjuftteeto my N^iglibbu^irt
his Body, [Family*], [Goods], ©pRe'putatfon? ;
6. Am I willing to make him Amends as^ 1 am
able? ' ' ";
7. Am I ready heartily to forgive. thef| whohav*
tre/pafied againft me, as I myfelf defSrej that "God
fhould forgive roe my Trefpafles agatrrft Mtfti F ;
8'. Have I well confidered^ that"' ihe World of
Spirits muft foon open upon me (perhaps 'thjs very
Night) and* have 1 no Sin un repented of? unforfaken?
NV B. ' Sf* thefe few ggefttons, fitch others mai be
added, as your Station and Circumftances in ¦Bdfe
mty/reqmr-e.i
Never examine yourfelf flightly, and only as a
Thing of Courfe, but with as much Serioufnefs, as if
you w&e juft going to, /^?Rar of Qovt-^Tljmk how
many Thotifands have died fuddenly — Renew therefore
yam Applicaiimt to Christ for. the Pardon of thofe
Sins, wfojek. Attend: even ysm ¦ moft, innocent Days, if.
jou would not dare to die, and appear before God,
under- the Guilt of t&em^^—il ^Tik -Heart of Man,
fays the Prophet Jeremiah, is deceitful above alt
ThJpgs, an/d. de&erately wicked.% wba^ can know it $"
How important a Duty then is daily Self Examination,
that w£'m$y be more and more acquainted' with our
ow,$ Vilenefs* opi fee our Neied of - applying, to Chtjft,
that he may pmify\ om'ejwtMpt Hearts, and prepare
us for his Kingdom!

" Sleep, faid a very great Man,, is fo like Death,
" that. I dare not truft it. without recommending my-
'.' felf to the Gaftody of that ever-prefent Being, who
'* neither {lumbers nor deeps, and who is about my
<« Bed, an.dfpietliout^l tp.yWa.ys>' 'Such aGonfider-
» Jerem. xvii. 5. ation

C:43;]
ation fhould induce us, methinks, to ufe ejaculatory
Prayer ujito God much oftener than we da: Then we
fhould be enabled, thro' the Afliftance of his Holy
Spirit, to lie down on out Beds every Nignti with'
foch a Faith in thrift— iuch a Reftghatioh to hisWill
~fuch a fincere Reriehtaribe for our paft Sifts—
foch an ardent Love of G6i> auove M Things^— and
fuch a Bifpbution to an uhiverfal Charity1 towards all
Men, of every Rank, Party, and Denomination,
that We rfiight be teady to die wWlng-fy and cW^
fortably, were we certain, that our Souls wouffl be
required of us before the Morning".
Meditate in Bed on the Sixth Verfe of tht Thirty'-
firft Pfalm, confidering, at the fame time, there is a
Poflibihty, that you may never awake any more.
Into thy Hands I commend my Spirit r for thou
haft redeemed me*, O Lord, Thou God of Truth.
AJhort Prayer, to be faidbefore public Worjhip.
Give me, O Lord, a deep Reverence of thy Pre
tence—Let thy Holy Spitit help my Infirmities
 Let trie fo pray that I may obtain thy Btefling j
fo hear that my Soul may be fkved through the Me-
diation of Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen.
A port Prayer to be faid after public Worjhip.
¦DArdbn, O God, for Chrift- s Sate, tiegteat CoU*
*nefs of thefe my Devotions, and the atony pan
derings of my Thoughts-Make trie zDmr of thy
Word,. and not a Hearer only, left I deceive my
own Soul. Amen.
G 2 A Prayer

[ 44 J
A Prayer bef or* .Reading of the Scriptures. - ' -
TOLeffed God, who haft caufed all holy Scriptures
¦¦*-' to be written for our Learning, grant that 1 may
in foch wife hear them, read, mark, learn,
and inwardly digest them, that by Patience and
Comfort of thy holy Word, I may embrace and ever
hold fall the bleffed Hope of everlafting Life, which
thou haft given 'me in our Saviour , Jefus Chrift.
Amen. An occafional Prayer.
ALmighty and everlafting God, who art always
more ready to hear than I'to pray, and art wont
to give more than either I defire or deferve, pour
down upon me the Abundance of thy Mercy, for
giving thofe Things, whereof my Confcience is
afraid, and giving me thofe good Things, which I
am not worthy* to aflc, but through the Merits and
Mediation of Jefus Chrift, thy Son, my Lord and
Saviour. Amen*
- Our Saviour, we find, while on Earth, always
glorified God, and never fat down to Meat without
giving Thanks (See Mark vi. 41.) — And St. Paul,
tho' in Bonds, and in Prefence of a numerous Com
pany of Heathens, would not omit this Duty (See
AiJs xxvii. 35.) — Is it not .therefore an inexcusable
^Departure from the Example of Chrift, and his
Apoftles, to fall to our Food, as Beafts to our Fod
der, without, any devout Acknowlegement of that
* Here I believe it will not be improper to obferve, that every
Prayer in our Liturgy is offered up, according to the Declare*
tion of the Scriptures, in the Name of Jefus Chrift — Shall we
then prefurne to take Delight in our own Worth, who are not
judged worthy fo much as even to ask Pardon for our Sins, with
out the Mediation and Imerceffion of the Son <of God ?
bountiful

bountiful Being, " who openeth his Hand, and fillet h
" all things living with Plentebufnefs." — That the
.moft unlearned, therefore, may not want Words to
beg God's Blefling upon his. daily Food, and to
return him Thanks for it, the following Graces may
be conftantly ufed.
Now, as an Addrefs to Almighty God is one of
the moft ferious and folemn Things in the World,
let me intreat you to be very compOfed and reve
rential in the Performance of this Duty — Since to
perform it in a flight and negligent manner, muft be
fhocking to all good Men, and finful before God-
perhaps more finful than even the Omiflion itfelf. ,
Grace before Meals.
GRant, O Lord, that thefe thy good Creatures
may nourifh us, and that we may love and ferve
thee, thto' Jefus Chrift our Saviour.
Grace after Meals.
GOD's holy Name be bleffed andpraifed for thefe
and all his other Mercies thro' Jefus Chrift our
Lord. N. B. Let thefe Graces be reverently repeated. —
and if any Perfon who pretends to afk the Blefling
of the Almighty upon the Food you are to take to
gether, fhall prefume to do it in an irreverent
manner — ; Remember you are as much obliged
to repeat. the Grace in your own Mind, as if no-
thing hadpafs'd at the Table.
I here put an End to my particular inflections,
as to the [Patient's daily Devotion— and fhall only
take Leave to remind my Readers, in general, of a
very obvious, but never enough to be inculcated Re
mark— viz. That to attempt at leaft to <iiffipate
o that

[46]
tJi&t Cloud of Igndritee which has overlbreaui the
Geherdiiy -of 'oof Feltow-Cre&turesi.ana' to let in the
Light! of the (TdspEir upon their benighted Minds s
to contriBate 4s fk as in US lies* tofopprfefs Vke,
4nd pfoftlote prafliicdl Religion in oUf Neighbmr-
hood; is the common Concern, artd not confined to
a peculiar OliriER of Men.
It is in the Power of every private Chriftian to
fuggeft reUgimt Hints to hfe Relations* Friends^
Slnd others — Such HktSj jadhianfiy timed, may,
thro' the Graee of God, awaken the Careless, re
claim the l^ibfous, and fet forward an Univerfal
Reformatio*! — A Work this; of the utmoft im
portance both to the flourifhing of our Civil Con-
ftitution, and to the Maintenance of the Prote
stant Caufe*a-confc(JUehtly of the rpoft benenaal|
Inffednce to our prefent *id eternal Welfare-* J
Work which we cannot reafonahb/ hope to" fee ao->
complifhed, without the Concurrence of almoft every ¦.
Hand— and which (tfs in the Cafe of a fpreading
;€ohflagratf0B, or a prevailing Rebellion) calls alo«#|
for H-elp^fronr every Quarter.
By the preceding Essay Ihave given ftfCh Afi
fiftance as feemed more immediately- compatible" witn
ot Chara&er and Sfafion, as a Pmysiciak tb a
PtrBtic IniTrmaRY — M$f others in thdir refpee-;
the Spheres exert fhenrfelTeS in a more eminent Man
ner — may their Etidedtootifs be attended with more
abundant SutCefS-— -aWl may Ait, Rich aid Poor,
"High and Low,- facilitate 'thfe mommoas Defign, by
cultivating in themfeVeVa^irifofcing on others, a
Belief a in Chrift Jefus, by adding Virtue to their
* Faith— arid by the perfu*j$ve Elotpence of an
mblameabie Life, and e^erftplary ConVetfatibm
• Sirs, what muff I do to hefaVed? And they faid, BeUSvIi
in the Lord Jefus Chrifr, Afts X* id, * i .
h 2 Pet. 1. 5. F I N I S.

[47 3
& ,c Condescend to Men in low Estate,"
Is the Injunction of our great Mafttr, by his Apo
ftle, Row. xii. 1 6. — In Conformity to this humane
Advice, I have accomodated my Readers with a Set
of Prayers of the plaineft Sort, and moft eafy to
be underftood— I have alfo added Directions
more familiar and minute than would, be neceffary,
were they not intended to teach Perfons of the very
meaneft Capacity to Pray in fuch a manner as may
be improving to themfelves, and acceptable to God
through Chrift — But this very nee effary Caution I
would give once for all, that I am fur from placing
Religion in Praying — It is indeed the excellent
MEANS to obtain a moft noble and valuable
END — For the chief Defign of Prayer is to
procure the Grace of God — to fubdue our corrupt
Affections Cwhich it is impoflible for us thoroughly
to gratify) — ' and to enable us to live in this evil
World, foberly as to ourfelves ; — righteoufly as to
our Neighbour 5 — and godly as to our Heavenly
Father. — If it produces not thefe Effects, it is only
a Lip-Labour; a Tree without Fruit ; a fpecious
SELF-DECEIT.

§h.

¦'Si-

llil