of our condition in it for our best advantage." "O happy affliction," exclaims one, "where the infirmity is not to death, but to life, that God may be glorified by it! O happy fever, that proceeded not from a consuming, but a calcining fire! O happy distemper, wherein the soul relisheth no earthly things but only savoureth divine nourishment." Remember, that if Jesus is yours, the time will come when all the pains which rack your body, all the sickness which wastes your outward frame, shall cease. In heaven, the inhabitant shall no more say "I am sick;" for there shall neither "be pain nor sorrow any more at all." Pray that all your bodily sufferings may be sanctified to the present and everlasting benefits of the soul. PRAYER. Almighty God, it is in thee that we live, and move, and have our being. Thou hast fashioned us by thy power, and hast hitherto upheld us so that we have not slept the sleep of death. It is of thy mercies that we have not been utterly consumed and cut down as cumberers of the ground. We acknowledge thy right to do with us as thou dost please. Thou who hast given us life and health canst take that life and health away. Thou dost afflict, but not willingly, the children of men. And when thou with rebukes dost correct them for their iniquity, thou makest their hearts to consume away like the moth. In tender mercy, O Lord, look down upon thy servant before thee, whose strength thou hast weakened by the way. In thy righteous providence thou hast brought him into a season of bodily sickness. Thou hast laid thy hand upon him. Shut out for a time from the world, with all its engagements and enjoyments, and confined to his habitation, kindly vouchsafe to notice him in this season of adversity. Thou hast promised that the cry of the humble, and the prayer of the destitute shall not be despised by thee, for thou art the hearer and the answerer of prayer. Thy blessed word encourages the afflicted soul to draw near to the footstool of mercy, and promises that those who call upon thee in the day of trouble, shall be heard and delivered. O condescend to visit this chamber of sickness, and by thy precious presence cheer and support the mind of thy afflicted servant. Grant unto him resignation to thy holy sovereign will. Convince him that thy judgments are right, and that in faithfulness and mercy thou dost afflict him. If it be thy blessed will give effect to the means employed for restoring him to his wonted health and strength. Give efficacy to the medicines administered for this purpose, and may we use the means in humble dependence upon thee, knowing that all will be useless, if thou dost not sanctify them. If this affliction should be continued and increased, or even terminate in death, may he passively and patiently yield himself to thee with whom are the issues from death. O grant that his principal anxiety may be, not whether he shall live or die, but that he may derive benefit from this affliction. May the spiritual interests of his Lord be promoted by the sickness of his body. May it be so sanctified to him, that he may see more of the evil of sin, more of the vanity of the world, and more of the value of the Saviour. In this season of seclusion may he be led to search into his heart and see what evil is within him. Bring into view by the Holy Spirit's influence, his past life, that he may mourn over all that was wrong either secretly or openly; and being conscious of sin may he look to the dear Redeemer for his precious blood to pardon, his perfect righteousness to justify, and his purifying grace to sanctify him. Should he be brought up again from the gates of death, may he live entirely to thy service and glory, and spend the rest of his days in holiness and devotion. If thou hast otherwise determined, prepare him for the whole of thy will concerning him. Furnish him with sufficient grace to walk fearlessly through the valley of the shadow of death, and through thy infinite goodness be found at last at the right hand of the Judge of quick and dead, and dwell in thy presence where there is fulness of joy; at thy right hand where there is neither pain, sickness, nor death, for ever more. May this affliction be sanctified to all connected with thy servant, that they may, while in health and strength, prepare seriously and diligently for the hour of sickness and death, by repenting and returning to the Lord. That they may not have a Saviour to seek when they want a Saviour to enjoy. Bless all that are afflicted. Comfort all the distressed. Sanctify all that are suffering pain of body or anguish of mind. Prepare the dying for death, and may their light afflictions, which are but for a moment, work out for them a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. All these mercies we ask in the prevailing name of Jesus, our Advocate and Redeemer. Amen. "Diseases are thy servants, Lord, Yet I may plead with humble cries, My strength consumes, my spirit dies, Crush'd as a moth, beneath thy hand, Our feeble powers can ne'er withstand, WATTS. CHAPTER IV. Frailty and Liability to Death. SCRIPTURE PORTION. Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? Are not his days also as the days of an hireling? As a servant also desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work; so am I made to possess months of vanity. My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope. O remember that my life is wind: mine eyes shall no more see good. The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not, Job vii. 1-8. Now my days are swifter than a post; they flee away, and see no good. They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hasteneth to the prey, Job ix. 25, 26. What is my strength, that I should hope? and what is mine end, that I should prolong my life. Is my strength the strength of stones? or is my flesh of brass? Job vi. 11, 12. Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not, Job xiv. 1, 2. For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days He |