14. Nor is it enough for you to pray for your selves but according to the same Apostle's advice and as soon as you come to this place whether you are poor or rich send for or if you are able go your self to the Elders of the Church to pray over you as God's Ministers and to give you Ghostly Counsel as they are Guides of Souls desire them that you may have the daily Prayers of the whole Congregation for you that the Waters may be blessed to you and be sure you daily frequent the publick Prayers your self or as often as your Infirmity permits In all your Prayers for deliverance from your present affliction you must always remember to pray with resignation of your own will to the Divine Will as our Lord hath taught us Father if thou be willing remove this cup from me nevertheless not my will buâ— thine be done Luke xxii 42 This short affectual Heavenly Prayer I beseech you to have always in your Heart and in your Mouth and the oftner you repeat it endeavour to repeat it with more and more fervency committing your condition all your sorrows and the answer of all your Prayers wholly to God Committing your soul entirely to him in well-doing as into the hands of a faithful Creator 1 Pet. iv 19 Of the two Prayers which follow you may use daily one or both in whole or in part as they best suit with the temper of your Soul and with your particular condition A Prayer for Repentance when God is provoked to punish us O Holy Lord God I wretched Sinner humbly acknowledge that thou in thy Justice hast laid this Calamity on me for my sins Glory be to thee O Lord that thou hast not given me over as incorrigible that thou hast sent this Punishment to awaken and to humble me O may it have that blessed effect on me that from my very misery I may date my salvation Thou Lord hast stricken me with Sickness with Lameness and it is just I should bear thy Indignation because I have sinned against thee Blessed be thy infinite Goodness that my Punishment is not greater that Thou hast not suffered thy whole displeasure to arise O Lord God in the midst of Iudgment remember Mercy that Mercy which is over all thy Works that Mercy in which thou thy self delightest Behold a great a miserable sinner a fit Object of that Mercy here prostrate before thee Lord have mercy on me Ah Lord my spiritual Distemper is infinitely more mortal than my corporal O that it might be thy good pleasure to forgive the one and to remove the other O thou that art rich in Mercy give the Grace of true Repentance to all that come to the Waters and give it to me the greatest sinner of them all Lord give me Grace to examine all my mis-spent life in the bitterness of my Soul to confess my sins with a broken and contrite Heart to bewail them with utmost abhorrence to forsake them and do thou so order my steps in thy Word that for the time to come no wickedness may have Dominion over me that I may bring forth fruits meet for repentance I confess Lord that I have abused my members and made them Instruments of unrighteousness to sin Rom. vi 13 and thou hast most justly punished them for it O restore them to me again and I will endeavour all my life to make them Instruments of Righteousness to thy Glory Ah Lord it is the Cure of my Soul for which I pray more earnestly than for the Cure of my Body I go to the Bath for my bodily Health and bless it if it be thy will to my perfect Recovery and to the Recovery of all those that come thither with me But for the Health of my Soul I fly to the blood of Jesus to the Fountain set open for sin and for uncleanness I consult my bodily Physitian for my Distemper but with much greater concern I fly to thee O Lord who art the Sovereign Physician of Souls Heal my soul O God for I have sinned grievously sinned against thee and by my sins have provoked thee who art the God of Mercy to anger O Heal my backsliding and love me freely and take away mine iniquity and receive me gratiously and turn thine anger from me I humbly pray to thee O Lord for my Bodily Cure but because I know I may be eternally happy hereafter without Health of Body here I pray for it with a resolution to acquiess in thy good pleasure shouldst thou think fit to deny it But O my God when I pray for the Cure of my Soul I resolve I will not be denyed I will never give over importuning thee till thou givest me that Godly sorrow which worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of till thou hast begun to kindle thy love in my Heart Turn thou me O Lord and I shall be turned I will give thee no rest till thou hast turned me to thy self Turn me then O my God O Turn me O Pardon me O Succour me O Heal me O Save me for thy own infinite mercies sake and for the merits of Jesus thy beloved in whom thou hast made sinners accepted Amen Amen A Prayer for Amendment when God is pleased to Try us I Know Lord that thy Iudgments are right and that thou of very faithfulness hast caused me to be troubled for before I was afflicted I went astray but now have I learned to keep thy Word blessed be thy goodness for afflicting me True it is O my God that thou hast most seasonably sent me this affliction this Sickness Lameness because thou in thy propitious Wisdom didst see that I wanted it O may it have its most gracious and full influence on my soul that I may be bettered by it I humbly beg of thee O merciful Father that this affliction may strengthen my Faith which thou sawest was growing weak fix my Hope which was staggering quicken my Devotion which was languishing unite me to my first Love which I was forsaking rekindle my Charity which was cooling revive my Zeal which was dying confirm my Obedience which was wavering recover my Patience which was fainting mortifie my Pride which was presuming and perfect my Repentance which was daily decaying for all these and the like Infirmites to which my Soul is exposed O make thy Affliction my Cure Grant O my God that this Affliction thou hast in mercy laid on me may wean all my affections from the World which I was apt to grow too fond of rescue me from those occasions of evil of which I was in danger secure me from those temptations which were ready to assault me restrain me from those sins to which my nature most strongly inclin'd preserve me from all those abuses of Health I am apt to incur and purifie my Soul from all that dross and from all those vitious propensions which either my Repentance had left behind or which I have since contracted O my
God let thy Affliction produce my Amendment and all the happy effects in me which it is wont to do in thy Children and which thou in mercy doest design it should and then continue thy Affliction if it seem good in thy sight behold Lord Happy is the man whom thou thus correctest Job v. 17 What is best for me O my God I know not my Flesh desires a deliverance from this Distemper and if it be thy pleasure O Lord deliver me my Spirit desires that thou only wouldst choose for me do thou then O Heavenly Father choose for me choose for me because thou art my Father and out of thy Fatherly tenderness wilt be sure to choose what is the best for me I resign up my own will entirely to thine Father if thou be willing remove this cup from me nevertheless not my will but thine be done O my Father if it be thy blessed will the Waters should not be effectual to me make them effectual to all other Infirm Persons besides I will rejoyce in thy goodness for removing their Affliction I will acquiesce in thy goodness for continuing mine Hear Lord and have Compassion on me for the Merits and Sufferings of Jesus whose perfect Resignation may I always imitate Amen Amen Next to the great Duties of Repentance and Prayer I am to exhort you to Sacrifice of Alms-giving which is a Duty appropriate to the Rich or to those who have a Competence of the things of this World so that as hitherto I have united the Rich and Poor together because both are alike obliged to Repent and to Pray I must now seperate them and give distinct Exhortations to them both An Exhortation to the Rich. IF you are Rich or have wherewithal to relieve others then be sure to be rich in good works and according to your ability give alms Luke xi 41 and give them in this place to those poor Christians who come to the Bath for the Cure of the like Distempers as the Rich do but have nothing to sustain them or to defray the Charges of their Cure From what you feel your self learn to compassionate the like Miseries in others that Relief you would desire others should shew to you were you in want do you shew to the Poor Those Blessings that Ease that Health and that Patience you beg of God for your self beg of God for all others which you see are in the like distress and beg it as you would for your self and with a like concern Such Charity as this will be an unspeakable Comfort to you whatever your Distemper is there is a present Temporal Blessing promised to it and promised to Charitable persons in that very time when they most of all want it namely in the time of their trouble and on their sick Beds For Blessed is he that considereth the poor and needy the Lord shall deliver him in the time of trouble the Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness Psal. xli 1 3. Learn then of our most Compassionate Saviour to shew Mercy to the Sick and the Lame and to contribute all you can to their Healing lay aside mony for that very Use and pray to God to direct your Charity to those who most want it and who are most worthy to be relieved by this means you will be able Conscientiously to say with Job I was eyes to the blind and feet was I to the lame Job xxix 15 A Prayer for the Rich. ALL Glory be to thee O Lord God for that portion of the good things of this Life thou hast been pleased to vouchsafe me Thou Lord hast made me thy Steward of them and at the great day I must give an account to thee of my stewardship O make me a faithful Steward of them that I may give an account to thee with joy and not with grief Thou Lord hast made it an argument of my love to thee to open my bowels to my Brother in need Behold Lord I see many of my Brethren and Sisters here in need and destitute of those Conveniencies for using the Waters which thou in great goodness hast vouchsafed me and out of a grateful sense of thy infinite Love to me I desire to shew Love to them and to my power to contribute to their Comfort Support and Cure Glory be to thee who hast enabled me to do it O Blessed Saviour I see thee in every one of thy poor Members here lying at the Pool and thou hast none to help thee in O give me grace to undertake that merciful Office to open my Bowels and my Purse wide to help thee and do thou vouchsafe help to me in my time of need O my God do thou direct me in the distribution of my Alms to those who most want and who best deserve relief that I may dispose of them most agreable to thy will and to those who shall most glorifie thee for them O make me ever merciful as thou O Father in Heaven art merciful indulge me a share in that mercy with which thou hast promsed to bless the merciful and send me deliverance in the time of trouble Hear Lord forgive and save me for thy own infinite mercies sake for thy truth and promise sake and for the merits of Jesus thy beloved Amen Amen Ejaculations at the giving of Alms. BLessed be thou O Lord God for ever and ever for all things come of thee and of thy own do I now give thee 1 Chr. xxix Lord let these Alms be an odour of a sweet smell a sacrifice acceptable well peasing to thee through Iesus the son of thy love Phil. iv 18 If your own Charitable disposition incline you and your Spiritual Guide do also advise you to devote a particular Sum to Pious Uses you may express your Vow in this or the like manner O my God if thou wilt be with me in this place and keep me in thy way and deliver me from my Sickness Lameness and bless the Waters to me then shalt thou O Lord be my God and of that thou hast given me I will surely give here name the Sum to thee and to the Poor that they may be relieved by it and Glorifie thee for it An Exhortation to the Poor YOU that are Poor though you cannot exercise your Charity in giving to others yet you may and ought to do it in praying for them especially for your Benefactours The greater your Temporal Wants are the more they should teach you to depend on God and the fewer are your Temptations and your very Poverty if you make a sanctified use of it will teach you Poverty of Spirit Humility Heavenly-mindedness of lively Faith and a firm confidence in God who is your only Refuge and Help in your greatest need A Prayer for the Poor O Lord God the Refuge of all mankind but especially of the miserable look down with thine Eyeâ— of tenderest pity on my low and destitute
condition Thou Lord hast been pleased to deny me the good things the Conveniencies of this Life blessed be thy Name for it thou sawest I should abuse them and therefore hast in mercy with-held from me those occasions of sin But since thou art pleased beyond my poverty to lay this further Calamity this Sickness Lameness on me which has brought me hither O be thou also pleased to succour and to support me under it Ah Lord I come to my Remedy but have not wherewithal to apply it I come to the Waters but have none to assist me none to help me into the Bath O let thy infinite Love kindle a compassionate Charity in the Hearts of the Rich and incline some merciful persons to relieve me Send seasonable relief O my God to all other poor and needy persons who come hither calamitous like my self O bless the Waters to our Cure that being restored to our health and strength we may return to our Labour and according to thy Divine Appointment In the sweat of our brows may eat our bread Bless the Waters O Lord to all other infirm persons but especially bless them to my Benefactors Lord sanctifie my poverty to me that I may be humble and constant under it and submissive to the Disposals of thy most wise and gracious Providence O my God though I am poor in this World make me rich in faith I will gladly want Riches here so I may have Treasure in Heaven hereafter and be an Heir of the Kingdom which thou hast promised to those that love thee Lord pity me Lord hear me Lord help me Lord save me according to the multitude of thy Mercies and the Merits of my Saviour Amen Amen The Poor Man's Prayer for those that relieve him GLory be to thee O Lord for my Benefactors Glory be to thee who hast given them ability and inlarged their Hearts to relieve the poor and needy Glory be to thee for directing them in particular to relieve me O my God I earnestly beg of thee to shew mercy to them who have shewed mercy to me I have had the comfort of their Alms Blessed be thy Name O give them a plentiful recompence for it reward them sevenfold into their Bosom through Jesus thy Beloved Amen Amen Ejaculations for the Poor AS for me I am poor and needy but thou Lord carest for me and on thee Lord I cast all my cares Glory be to thee O Lord who deliverest the poor in his affliction O let it be thy pleasure to deliver me O Lord the poor committeth himself to thee for thou art the helper of the friendless and to thee poor as I am I wholly commit my self O be thou my Helper O be thou my Friend Thou O God hast of thy goodness prepared for the poor and the poor and needy shall give thanks unto thy Name O my Soul put thy trust in the Lord and by doing good dwell in the Land and verily thou shalt be fed Having thus allotted to you that are Rich and to you that are Poor your distinct Duties I must now again joyn you together and I most passionately beseech you if you have a concern for the eternal wellfare of your Souls any Honour for that most Holy Religion you profess any Reverence for the Pure All-seeing Eyes of God to take all imaginable care that you do not abuse the Bath by any Lasciviousness or Impurity which may defile your selves or others for this is the way to turn the means of your cure into an occasion of the more outragious sin and to provoke God to send you away with a dreadful Curse instead of a Blessing If after a due use of the Baths you find any benefit by them and that your Distemper is either removed or abated as you desired the Prayers of the Congregation at your first coming for God's Blessing on the Waters So it is most just you should desire the Congregation to give thanks for you and to render to God a publick acknowledgment for the Mercy he has vouchsafed you Be very careful that when you are well you do not forget you were sick but let that advice which our Lord gives to the impotent Man be deeply impressed on your mind say it often to your own Soul Sin no more lest a worse thing come unto thee Renew all those good Resolutions you made in the day of your distress be very watchful and jealous over your self for fear of Backslidings avoid all occasions of sin for the future and dedicate that Health to which God has in tender mercy restored you to his Glory A Thanksgiving ALL Praise all Glory be to thee my Lord and my God for hearing my Prayers in the time of my trouble for blessing the Waters to my Good to my Ease to my Cure O may I never forget this Blessing O may I ever give thee thanks for it Lord I am jealous over my own treacherous Heart that now thou hast abated freed me from my Calamity I shall grow cold in my Devotion and that the sense of my Duty will be apt to wear off with my affliction but my sure and only Trust is in the assistances of thy Grace O hold up my goings in thy paths that my foot-steps slip not O keep me as the Apple of the Eye O may I sin no more left a worse thing come unto me Praise the Lord O my Soul while I live will I praise the Lord as long as I have my Being I will sing Praises unto my God I called upon the Lord in my trouble and the Lord heard me at large therefore will I praise him Thou art my God and I will thank thee thou art the Lord and I will praise thee Praised be the Lord who hath not cast out my Prayer nor turned his mercy from me O give thanks unto the Lord for he is Gracious and his mercy endureth for ever I will not only praise thee O Lord in private but I will tell abroad what thou hast done for my Soul I will give thanks unto thee in the great Congregation I will praise thee amongst much people Accept O my God this my Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving and since the longer I live the more I experience thy most adorable and boundless Goodness the more devoutly may I daily praise thee the more intensely may I daily love thee through Jesus thy Beloved Amen Amen To this you may properly add the hundred and third Psalm IF after you have used the Waters you find no relief by them be not discouraged it may be God designs to effect your Cure some other ways it may be he sees it best for your spiritual good that your Distemper should continue and it is your Duty patiently to submit to his good pleasure If you are conscious to your self that you have truly repented of all your sins past and that the desire of your Soul is towards God you may be then assured that God chastened you because he loves