and make us all meet for that world, where they neither marry nor are given in marriage.a 16. Upon occasion of the ordaining of ministers. Let the things of God be committed to faithful men, who may be able also to teach others :b and make them such burning and shining lights,c as that it may appear that it was Christ Jesus who put them into the ministry ;d and let not hands be suddenly laid on any.e Give to those who are ordained, to take heed to the ministry which they have received of the Lord, that they fulfil it,g and to make full proof of it, by watching in all things.h Let those who in Christ's name are to preach repentance and remission of sins, be endued with power from on high ;i give them another spirit, and make them good ministers of Jesus Christ,k nourished up in the works of faith and good doctrine./ 17. Upon occasion of the want of rain.. Thou hast withholden the rain from us, and caused it to rain upon one city, and not upon another, yet have we not returned unto thee.m But thou hast said, when heaven is shut up, that there is no rain, because we have sinned against thee; if we confess thy name, and turn from our sins, thou wilt hear from heaven, and forgive our sin, and give rain upon our land.n more return to cover the earth ;a let fair weather therefore come out of the north, for with thee is terrible majesty.b 19. Upon occasion of infectious diseases. Take sickness away from the midst of us,c and deliver us from the noisome pestilence.d Appoint the destroying angel to put up his sword into his sheath, and to stay his hand,e 20. Upon occasion of fire. Thou callest to contend by fire,g we bewail the burning which the Lord hath kindled :h O Lord God, cease we beseech thee, and let the fire be quenched, as that kindled in Israel was at the prayer of Moses.k 21. Upon occasion of great storms. Lord, thou hast the wind in thy hands, and bringest them out of thy treasures,m even stormy winds fulfil thy word.n O preserve us and our hahitations, that we be not buried in the ruins of them as Job's children were.o! 22. Upon occasion of the cares, and burdens, and afflictions of particular persons: as 1. When we pray with, or for those that are troubled in mind, and melancholy, and under doubts and fears about their spiritual state. Lord, enable those that fear thee, and obey the voice of thy servant, but walk in darkness, and have no light, to trust in the name of the Lord, and to stay themselves upon their God :p And at evening time let it be light.q O strengthen the weak hands, confirm the feeble knees, say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not:r Answer them with good words, and comfortable words,s saying unto them, Be of good cheer, your sins are forgiven you: Be of good cheer, it is I: Be not afraid, I am your salvation. And make them to hear the voice of joy and gladness,w that broken bones may rejoice,x a Isa. 54 9. d Psalm 91. 3. h Lev. 10.6. 7 Prov. 30. 4. o Job 1.19. Isa. 35. 3.4. Mark 6. 50. b Job 37.22. c Exod. 23. 25. Zech. 14. 7. Let those who now remember God and are troubled, whose spirits are overwhelmed, and whose souls refuse to be comforted,a be enabled to trust in thy mercy,b so that at length they may rejoice in thy salvation; though thou slay them, yet to trust in thee.c Though deep calls unto deep, and all thy waves and thy billows go over them, yet do thou command thy loving-kindness for them in the day-time and in the night let thy song be with them, and their prayer to the God of their life, though their souls are cast down and disquieted within them, give them to hope in God, that they shall yet praise him, and let them find him the health of their countenance and their God.d O renew a right spirit within them, cast them not away from thy presence, and take not thy Holy Spirit from them, but restore unto them the joy of thy salvation, and uphold them with thy free Spirit,e that their tongues may sing aloud of thy righteousness, and show forth thy salvation.g O bring them up out of this horrible pit, and this 1 miry clay, and set their feet upon a rock, establishing their goings, and put a new song in their mouth, even praises to our God,h O comfort them again now after the time that thou hast afflicted them.i Though for a small moment thou hast forsaken them, and hid thy face from them, yet gather them, and have mercy on them with everlasting kindness.k O let thy spirit witness with their spirits, that they are the children of God ; and by the blood of Christ let them be purged from an evil conscience.m Lord, rebuke the tempter, even the accuser of the brethren, the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke him, and let poor tempted troubled souls be as brands plucked out of the burning. 2. Those that are under convictions of sin and begin to be concerned about their souls and their salvation, and to inquire after Christ. Those that are asking the way to Zion,a with their faces thitherward, that are lamenting after the Lord,b and are pricked to the heart for sin,c O show them the good and the right way, and lead them in it.d To those that are asking what they shall do to inherit eternal life,e discover Christ as the way, the truth, and the life, the only true and living way.g O do not quench the smoking flax, nor break the bruised reed, but bring forth judgment unto victory.h Let the great Shepherd of the sheep gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead them, and help them against their unbelief.k Let not the red dragon devour the man-child, as soon as it is born, but let it be caught up to God, and to his Chrone./ 3. When we pray with, or for those that are sick and weak, and distempered in body, that those who are sick and in sin may be convinced, those who are sick and in Christ comforted, Lord, thou hast appointed those that are sick to be prayed for, and prayed with, and hast promised that the prayer of faith shall save the sick; Lord, help us to pray in faith for the sick, and as being ourselves also in the body.m When our Lord Jesus was here upon earth, we find that they brought to him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and he healed all manner of sicknesses, and all manner of diseases among the people: and he hath still the same power over bodily diseases that ever he had ;n he saith to them, Go, and they go; Come, and they come; Do this, and they do it; and can speak the word, and they shall be healed.o And he is still touched with the feeling of our infirmitics. In the belief of this, we do by prayer bring our friends that are sick and lay them before him.q Lord, grane that those who are sick may neither despise the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when they are a Jer. 50. 5. d1 Sam. 12.23. h Matt. 12 20. 4. Rev. 12. 4, 5. o Mait. 8, 8, 9, b 1 Sam.7.2. c Acts 2. 37. ghn 14. 6. k Mark 9. 24. 71 Matt. 4. 23, 24. g Luke 5. 18. |