hearts of thy people are melted, and they sing of mercy and of judgment, and glorify thy name.  But, O Lord, a look, such as thou gavest to Peter, will melt our hearts and restore our backsliding souls.  The announcing of our pardon by the same power, will make them overflow with love.  If thou but call us by name, as thou didst her who sought thee at thy sepulchre, with the same power we shall recognize our Saviour and worship him.

“O Lord our God, ever faithful to thy promises, thou hast said, ’Whatsoever ye ask in my name, believing that ye receive, I will do it.’  O Lord, I ask not the life of this child on this ground.  I have through life asked one thing of thee, and that will I seek to obtain while life and breath remain, and reason and grace; I will seek it, seek it with importunity, holding fast by thy promise to do it, and believing that it shall be according to my petition.  Make good to me this thy promise, in a spiritual and eternal sense.  Be my God, and the God of my children, and of my children’s children, to the latest generation.  Let my children according to the flesh, be thine by regeneration of the Holy Ghost:  it is a great boon; but hast thou not said, ‘Open thy mouth wide, I will fill it?’ Father, do as thou hast said:  this is my one petition, and I cannot be said nay.  I ask for myself, my children, and my children’s children, to the latest generation, the life which Christ died to purchase, and lives to bestow, that we may be made one with him, and our life hid with him in God.  Amen, and Amen.

“But, O my Father, thou hast said, ’Be careful for nothing; but in every thing, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.’  I ask, with submission to thy holy will, if consistent with thy glory, his good, and the good of the parents, the life of this child; that thou mayest spare him for our comfort, but first for thine own glory; that thou mayest give the different branches of this family a joyful meeting, a full feast of grateful thanks to thee for all thy mercies; and our hearts may rejoice before thee for the abundance of comfort.  Shouldst thou, in thy adorable wisdom, otherwise determine, thy blessed and thy holy will be done.  Wash the soul of this child in the blood of Jesus, clothe him with thy righteousness, sanctify him by thy Spirit, and fit him in every respect for thy kingdom.  And O, my divine Redeemer, I renew my petition which thou didst so evidently grant in the case of our dear Isabella:  take him in thine arms of mercy; soften and shorten the parting pangs, and carry him gently through the dark valley, and give him an abundant entrance into thy heavenly kingdom, to join the hosannas of thy little children, of whom thy kingdom is partly made up:  and O, sanctify the affliction to all concerned; direct our discipline according as thine all-seeing, heart-searching eye sees we need; that it may bring forth the peaceable fruits of righteousness, and ‘the fruit of affliction be to take away sin,’ and the glory of all redound to thee, Father, Son, and blessed Spirit.  Amen, and Amen.”