Jacobs ladder, or, The devout souls ascention to Heaven, in prayers, thanksgivings, and praises in four parts ... : with graces and thanksgivings : illustrated with sculptures / by Jo. Hall.

A Prayer in time of adversity.

FAther of pitty and Lord of com∣fort, thou that hearest the cry of the afflicted, look down in mercy on a distressed Sinner; thy hand O God is heavy upon me, for thou hast taken from me what I called mine, by reason that I did not call it thine; O Lord thou knowest my bleeding heart, my sorrowful eyes, and my mourning tears; thou seest how poor I am and what miseries I suffer, I am a scorn to my neighbours, and a derision to those that are round a∣bout me: my life is become a bur∣den

unto me because thou hast de∣prived me of the comforts thereof; my lovers and my acquaintance stand looking upon my misery, and my ••insmen stand asar off; Lord if it be thy pleasure thus to humble me, let it be thy goodness to give me pati∣ence to endure it; the pride of my heart & my forgetfulness of thee in the time of plenty did cry aloud for thy severest punishments, now, O now I feel thy just displeasure and groan un∣der the burden and weight thereof; yet thou, O Lord, canst ease me, thou canst restore me, hear Lord and have mercy, Lord be thou my helper, suf∣fer me no more to rely upon the arm of flesh, or to put my trust in uncer∣tain riches, but make me forever to depend upon thy bounty, forgive me, O Father, the sins which I have com∣mitted when I lived in prosperity, for I am sensible that they are a cause why at this time thou hidest thy face from me, and causest me to be trou∣bled: O give me a sight and sence of

the greatness of them and true con∣trition and sorrow for them; that so though the world forsake me, I may yet find favour and mercy in thy sight; without thy assistance this sore bur∣then is too heavy for me to bear, Lord either remove it from me, or make it easier for me to bear. Lend me thy gracious and helping hand, that as I am scourged with thy rod, so I may lean upon thy staff; let me never de∣spair of thy comfortable relief, but in all my miseries be thou my refuge, be pleased to endue me with patience from above, that I may give no ad∣vantage to the Tempter in my suffe∣ring, open the eyes and the charitable hands of those that should see and know mine adversity, and so enlarge their hearts, that they may admini∣ster relief and comfort to me in the midst of my necessities.

O thou that feedest the young ra∣vens which call upon thee, thou that didst bless the poulse to thy servant Daniel, be pleased to fill my hungry

Soul with the blessings of thy boun∣ty: grant that whatsoever I suffer in my body, my Soul may thereby draw near unto thee, in the misery of hun∣ger do thou satisfy me with thy grace in my scorching thirst do thou cause me with joy to draw water out of the wells of Salvation, in the pinch∣ing cold do thou warm my devotion, and in my poorest and meanest habit do thou cloth me with the Righte∣ousness of my Redeemer. O suffer me not to offend thee in my greatest want, but make me rely & depend up∣on thee. Teach me by this chastise∣ment the vanity of the World, and wean me from the fond delights thereof, and carry me so through the storms of this troublesom life, that in the end I may arrive at the happy ha∣ven of eternal peace and rest through thy own merits and passion, O Jesus Christ, my Lord and only Saviour.

Amen.