1732

31-TEND in me on the Death of my Wife, and *mosa-i emmy her Memoricht. Mag 8, 1752.

LET në mes meil Father, who lorest zem at pansies, ad turnest away thy anger In de viner ivi dvr with pity upon my sorrows, shi ghar that the from which it has pleased Thee to ICS TOT DE MIT IVIŠA By ecoscience, enforce my Pittaus of a lene be, and impress upon me such mandy power and goodness, that I may place 1 Cem they, and endeavour to please Thee in L DI CHA TON Diatre Giant, 0 Lord, HE SÌ ftless and unavailing sortw. fur that I may consider from whose hand all good ani eri » Jesired, and may remember that I am punishAL VE DT SUN., Di biçe ir comfort only by repentance. Souls ( nevena God that by the assistance of thy Holy Sara & my spent and be comforted, obtain that peace viad de voi am give, pass the residue of my life nium resYMO Di cheerful obedience; and when I STILL TAKSE Thee to call me from this mortal state, reST NË 2 ty basis with faith and confidence, ADĚ İMİŞ ÖGT mercy and everlasting happiness, for the side of Jesus Christ our Lord Amen.

April 25, 1752.

O Loka, our heavenly Father, almighty and most merciful God, in whose hands are life and death, who givest and takest away, castest down and raisest up, look with mercy on the affliction of thy unworthy servant, turn away thine anger from me, and speak peace to my troubled soul. Grant me the assistance and comfort of thy

Iz. The four following prayers.

Holy Spirit, that I may remember with thankfulness the blessings so long enjoyed by me in the society of my departed wife; make me so to think on her precepts and example, that I may imitate whatever was in her life acceptable in thy sight, and avoid all by which she offended Thee. Forgive me, O merciful Lord, all my sins, and enable me to begin and perfect that reformation which I promised her, and to persevere in that resolution, which she implored Thee to continue, in the purposes which I recorded in thy sight, when she lay dead before me, in obedience to thy laws, and faith in thy word. And now, O Lord, release me from my sorrow, fill me with just hopes, true faith, and holy consolations, and enable me to do my duty in that state of life to which Thou hast been pleased to call me, without disturbance from fruitless grief, or tumultuous imaginations; that in all my thoughts, words, and actions, I may glorify thy Holy Name, and finally obtain, what I hope Thou hast granted to thy departed servant, everlasting joy and felicity, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

May 6, 1752.

O LORD, our heavenly Father, without whom all purposes are frustrate, all efforts are vain, grant me the assistance of thy Holy Spirit, that I may not sorrow as one without hope, but may now return to the duties of my present state with humble confidence in thy protection, and so govern my thoughts and actions, that neither business may withdraw my mind from Thee, nor idleness lay me open to vain imagination; that neither praise may fill me with pride, nor censure with discontent; but that in the changes of this life, I may fix my heart upon the reward which Thou hast promised to them that serve Thee, and that whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are just, whatever are pure, whatever are lovely, whatever are of good report, wherein there is virtue, wherein there is praise, I may think upon and do, and obtain mercy and everlasting hap

ALMIGHTY God in whose hands are all the powers of man; who givest understanding, and takest it away; who, as it seemeth good unto Thee, enhetenest the thoughts of the simple, and darkenest the meditations of the wise, be present with me in my studies and inquiries.

Grant, O Lord, that I may not lavish away the life which thou hast given me on useless trifles, nor waste it in vain searches after things which Thou hast hidden from me.

Enable me, by thy Holy Spirit, so to shun sloth and negligence, that every day may discharge part of the task which Thou hast allotted me; and so further with thy help that labour which, without thy help, must be ineffectual, that I may obtain, in all my undertakings, such success as will most promote thy glory, and the salvation of my own soul, for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen.

After Time negligently and unprofitably spent.

November 19.

O LORD, in whose hands are life and death, by whose power I am sustained, and by whose mercy I am spared, look down upon me with pity. Forgive me, that I have this day neglected the duty which Thou hast assigned to it, and suffered the hours, of which I must give account, to pass away without any endeavour to accomplish thy will, or to promote my own salvation. Make me to remember, O God, that every day is thy gift, and ought to be used according to thy command. Grant me, therefore, so to repent of my negligence, that I may obtain mercy from Thee, and pass the time which thou shalt yet allow me in diligent performance of thy commands, through Jesus Christ. Amen.

1753.

On Easter Day.

April 22.

O LORD, who givest the grace of repentance, and hearest the prayers of the penitent, grant, that, by true contrition, I may obtain forgiveness of all the sins committed, and of all duties neglected, in my union with the wife whom Thou hast taken from me; for the neglect of joint devotion, patient exhortation, and mild instruction. And, O Lord, who canst change evil to good, grant that the loss of my wife may so mortify all inordinate affections in me, that I may henceforth please Thee by holiness of life.

And, O Lord, so far as it may be lawful for me, I commend to thy fatherly goodness the soul of my departed wife; beseeching Thee to grant her whatever is best in her present state, and finally to receive her to eternal happiness. All this I beg for Jesus Christ's sake, whose death I am now about to commemorate. To whom, &c. Amen.

This I repeated sometimes at church.

VOL. IX.

1754

F Lacr.Flentibus lacrymis.]
March 28, in the morning.

dry wert pleased to take from me IV ER VI. SI me my sorrows and reflections. Star. tu 1 my renew and practise the resolutions vinci I made when thy afflicting hand was upon me. Let the remenice of thy judgments, by which my viher way, awaken me to repentance; and the we try mercy, by which I am spared, strengthen my ige and crabience in Thee, that, by the assistance and condo of thy Holy Spirit, I may so pass through things temporal, as finally to gain everlasting happiness, and to pass, by a boly and happy death, into the joy which Thou hast prepared for those that love Thee. Grant this, 0 Lord, for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen.

The melancholy of this day hung long upon me.
Of the resolutions made this day, I, in some measure,
kept that of breaking from indolence.

March 28, 1754, at night.

ALMIGHTY God, vouchsafe to sanctify unto me the reflections and resolutions of this day; let not my sorrow be unprofitable: let not my resolutions be vain. Grant that my grief may produce true repentance, so that I may live to please Thee; and when the time shall come that I must die like her whom Thou hast taken from me, grant me eternal happiness in thy presence, through Jesus

Christ our Lord. Amen.