A Prayer for a sick Person, when there appear- | him, from the sudden change of health to sick eth small Hope of Recovery.

(Visitation Office.)

ness, consider how few and evil all his days have been, and that there is no satisfaction in what have we to do in this world, but to devote any thing, but in knowing thee, O God. Lord ourselves wholly to thy service, and to make ready for the world to come? O, that we may all of us be mindful of this "one thing necessary," that we may finish our "work,” before we finish our course.'

O FATHER of mercies and God of all comfort, our only help in time of need; we fly unto thee for succour in behalf of this thy servant, here lying under thy hand in great weakness of body. Look graciously upon him, O Lord, and the more the outward man decayeth, strengthen him, we beseech thee, so much the Quicken thy servant, O Lord, into a powermore continually with thy grace and Holy Spi-ful and serious consideration of these things, rit in the inner man. Give him unfeigned now thou hast brought him into more intimate repentance for all the errors of his life past, acquaintance with them. Instruct and assist and steadfast faith in thy Son Jesus, that his him in this great work of preparation to die. sins may be forgiven and his pardon sealed in Show him how to do it, and help him with good heaven, before he go hence, and be no more success to perform it; that when the time of seen. We know, O Lord, that there is no his dissolution draweth near, he may have nowork impossible with thee, and that, if thou thing else to do, but to resign himself willingly wilt, thou canst even yet raise him up, and and cheerfully into thy hands, as into the hands grant him a longer continuance among us. of a merciful Creator, there to remain with. Yet forasmuch as in all appearance the time thee for ever in that blessed place where sin of his dissolution draweth near, so fit and pre- and sickness and death shall be no more. pare him, we beseech thee, against the hour Amen. of death, that after his departure hence in peace, and in thy favour, his soul may be received into thine everlasting kingdom; through the mediation of Jesus Christ thy Son, our Saviour. Amen.

A commendatory Prayer for a sick Person at the point of Departure.

[Visitation Office.]

O ALMIGHTY God, with whom do live the

A general Prayer for Preparation and Readi-spirits of just men made perfect; we humbly

ness to die.

commend the soul of this thy servant our dear brother into thy hands, as into the hands of a LORD," what is our life, but a vapour, faithful Creator, and most merciful Saviour; which appeareth for a little time, and then va-humbly beseeching thee, that it may be acceptnisheth away ?" Even at the longest, how able in thy sight. And teach us, who survive, short and transitory! and when we think our- by this and other daily instances of mortality, selves most secure, yet we know not what a to see how frail and uncertain our own condiday may bring forth; nor how soon thou may-tion is, and so to number our days, that we est come, before we are aware, to call us to our may seriously apply our hearts to that holy last account. and heavenly wisdom, which may bring us to Quickly shall we be as water spilt on the life everlasting; through Jesus Christ thy Son, ground, which cannot be gathered up again.our Lord. Amen. Quickly shall we be snatched away hence, and our place here shall know us no more.

Our bodies shall soon lie down in the grave, and our souls be summoned to appear before the tribunal of Christ, to receive our everlasting doom; and yet, O Lord, how do the generality of mankind live in this world, as if they were never to leave it! How unmindful are we all of our departure! how improvident of our time! how careless of our souls, and negligent in our preparations for eternity! so that thou mightest justly cut us off in the midst of our sins, and our unpreparedness to appear before thee. But, O God of all comfort and mercy, remember not our sins against thee, but remember thy own love to us in Jesus Christ, and thy tender mercies which have been ever of old. O, remember how short our time is, and "so teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom."

In the days of our health and prosperity, let us, from the example of our brother's weakness, remember our own approaching fate: and let

A Litany for a sick Person at the time of
Departure.

(From Bishop Andrews.)

O God, the Father of heaven,
Have mercy upon him:
Keep and defend him.

O God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
Have mercy upon him:

Save and deliver him.

O God the Holy Ghost, proceeding from the
Father and the Son,

Have mercy upon him:
Strengthen and comfort him.
O, holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity,
Have mercy upon him.

Remember not, Lord, his offences; call not to mind the offences of his forefathers; but spare him, good Lord, spare thy servant, whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood, and be not angry with him for ever.

From thy wrath and indignation; from the

THE CLERGYMAN'S COMPANION

fear of death; from the guilt and burden of with all the blessed saints, in thy heavenly
his sins, and from the dreadful sentence of the kingdom:
last judgment;

Good Lord, deliver him.

From the sting of conscience: from impatience, distrust, or despair; and from the extremity of sickness or agony, which may any ways withdraw his mind from thee;

Good Lord, deliver him.

From the powers of darkness; from the ilusions and assaults of our ghostly enemy; and rom the bitter pangs of eternal death;

Good Lord, deliver him.

From all danger and distress; from all terrors and torments; from all pains and punishments, both of the body and of the soul;

Good Lord, deliver him.

We beseech thee to hear us, Good Lord.
Son of God, we beseech thee to hear us.
of the world;
O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins

Grant him thy peace.

O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world;

Have mercy upon him.
O Saviour of the world, &c.
Unto thy gracious, &c.

}

as below, III.

Form of recommending the Soul to God, in her Departure from the Body.

(From Bishop Cosins.)

INTO thy merciful hands, O Lord, we com

By thy manifold and great mercies; by the manifold and great mercies of Jesus Christ mend the soul of this thy servant, now depart. thy Son; by his agony and bloody sweat; by ing from the body. Receive him, we humbly his strong crying and tears; by his bitter cross beseech thee, into the arms of thy mercy, inand passion; by his resurrection and ascen- to the glorious society of thy saints in heaven. sion; by his intercession and mediation; and Amen. by the graces and comforts of the Holy Ghost;

Good Lord, deliver him. In this time of extremity; in his last and greatest need; in the hour of death, and in the day of judgment;

Good Lord, deliver him.

We sinners do beseech thee to hear us, O Lord God; that it may please thee to be his defender and keeper; to remember him with the favour thou bearest unto thy people, and to visit him with thy salvation:

God the son, who hath redeemed thee; God God the Father, who hath created thee; the Holy Ghost, who hath infused his grace into thee; be now and evermore thy defence, assist thee in this thy last trial, and bring thee to everlasting life. Amen.

(From Bishop Taylor.)
I.

We beseech thee to hear us, Good Lord. bly recommend the soul of thy servant into O HOLY and most gracious Jesus, we hum. That it may please thee to save and deliver thy hands, thy most merciful hands: let thy his soul from the power of the enemy, to re-blessed angels stand in ministry about thy serceive it to thy mercy, and to give him a quiet vant, and protect him in his departure. Ámen. and joyful departure:

We beseech thee to hear us, Good Lord. That it may please thee to be merciful, and to forgive all the sins and offences, which at any time of his life he hath committed against

thee:

We beseech thee to hear us, Good Lord. That it may please thee not to lay to his charge, what in the lust of the flesh, or in the lust of the eye, or in the pride of life, he hath committed against thee:

II.

enter not into judgment with him; spare him LORD, receive the soul of this thy servant : whom thou hast redeemed with thy most premischief, from the crafts and assaults of the cious blood, and deliver him from all evil and devil, from the fear of death, and from everlasting condemnation. Amen.

III.

We beseech thee to hear us, Good Lord. That it may please thee not to lay to his his youth, nor any of the errors of his life; LORD, impute not unto him the follies of charge, what, in the fierceness of his wrath, but strengthen him in his agony, and carry or in vain and idle words, he hath committed him safely through the last distress. Let not against thee: his faith waver, nor his hope fail, nor his cha

We beseech thee to hear us, Good Lord.rity be diminished; let him die in peace, and That it may please thee to make him parta-rest in hope, and rise in glory. Amen. ker of all thy mercies, and promises, in Christ

Jesus:

O SAVIOUR of the world, who by thy cross

We beseech thee to hear us, Good Lord. and precious blood hast redeemed us; save and That it may please thee to grant his body help this thy departing servant, we humbly berest and peace, and a part in the blessed resur-seech thee, O Lord. Amen. rection of life and glory:

UNTO thy gracious mercy and protection

We beseech thee to hear us, Good Lord. That it may please thee to vouchsafe his we commit him. ( Lord, bless him, and keep soul the enjoyment of everlasting happiness, him. Make thy face to shine upon him, and

OUR Father which art in heaven: hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespassly concerned in this visitation, a constant supagainst us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. Amen.

observe thy law, and to take all possible care the treasures of a good life, which no disasters to promote thy honour, and our own salva- or calamities shall ever be able to take from tion; that when " we go the way of all earth, him. Grant this, O heavenly Father, through we may be comforted by thy presence," and Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. admitted into thy heavenly kingdom. Amen.

ASSIST us mercifully, O Lord, in these our supplications and prayers, and dispose the way of thy servants towards the attainment of everlasting salvation; that, among all the changes and chances of this mortal life, they may ever be defended by thy most gracious and ready help; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

The Lord bless us and keep us, the Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon us, and give us peace, now and for evermore. Amen.

A Prayer for a Person who by any calamitous Disaster hath broken any of his Bones, or is very much bruised and hurt in his Body.

(From Mr. Jenks.)

O LORD, the only disposer of all events, thou hast taught us that "affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground:" but that the disThou art just in all thou bringest upon us : asters which befall us are by thy appointment. and though thy " judgments are far above out of our sight," yet we know that they are right, and that it is in very faithfulness thou causest us to be afflicted." "Why then should a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins" Let these considerations prevail with thy servant to submit to thy disFOR THE SICK AND UNFORTUNATE IN pensations. Make him resolve to bear the ef

OCCASIONAL PRAYERS AND DEVOTIONS

EXTRAORDINARY CASES.

A Prayer for a Person whose Illness is chiefly brought on him by some calamitous Disaster or Loss, as of Estate, Relutions, or Friends, &c.

(From Bishop Patrick.)

O MOST gracious and glorious God, supreme Judge and Governor of the world, “in whom we live, and move, and have our being," and from whom all the blessings we enjoy, and "every good and perfect gift cometh," grant us, we humbly beseech thee, such a measure of thy grace, that whenever thou art pleased to remove any of thy blessings from us, we may bear it with a perfect resignation to thy divine will; and with all patience, humility,

and contentedness of spirit, consider how unworthy we are of the least of thy mercies.

fects of thy displeasure, and to consider it as
the just desert of his sins. O Lord, give him
patience and strength, and grace, proportion.
able to this great trial; and enable him so to
conduct himself under it, that, after the afflic
tion is removed, he may find cause to say, “it
was good for him to be afflicted." Thou that
hast torn and smitten, thou art able to heal
and to comfort. Be pleased to remember him
Cause him to "search
in this his low estate.
and try his ways, and turn to thee, and bring
forth fruits meet for repentance."

from the deepest affliction: O, let it be thy
gracious will to glorify thy power and mercy
fit to dispose of this "vile body," grant him.
in his recovery; or, however thou shalt think
O God, a mind entirely resigned to thy will,
and satisfied with thy dispensations. O, make
this calamity the messenger of thy love to his
soul, and the happy means of his conversion ;
through Jesus Christ. Amen.

We know, O Lord, thou canst raise him up

A Prayer for a Person that is afflicted with grievous Pains of his Body.

(From Mr. Jenks.)

More particularly, O Lord, we beseech thee to give this peaceableness, and contentedness of mind, to this thy servant, whom thou hast so sensibly afflicted, by taking so near and dear a blessing from him. O give him such a porcion of thy blessed Spirit, and such a lively sense of his duty, that he may have power to surmount all the difficulties he labours under, and freely to resign all his thoughts and desires O LORD, thou art a merciful God, and dost unto thee, submitting himself entirely to thy not willingly afflict the children of men; but good providence, and resolving, by thy gra- when necessity requires, thou chastisest us for cious assistance, to rest contented with what- our profit, that we may be partakers of thy soever thou in thy wisdom appointest for him. holiness. Remove, we beseech thee, this afThou knowest, O Lord, the weakness and frail-fliction from thy servant, or enable him to bear ty of our nature, and therefore be pleased to what thou art pleased to lay upon him. Lord, comfort him in this bed of sickness: establish all his desire is before thee, and his groaning him with the light of thy countenance: and is not hid from thee. Regard his affliction, grant that no repining thoughts may increase his illness, or discompose his duty towards thee, or his neighbour: but enable him to think wherein he hath offended thee, and carefully to amend his errors; to set his affections on things above, and not on things below, and to lay up for himself treasures in heaven, even

when thou hearest his cry. Enter not into judgment with him, nor deal with him according to his sins, but according to thy mercy in Jesus Christ. O gracious Father, sanctify to him what thou hast laid upon him, that his present affliction may work out for him an eternal weight of glory. Support him under his

pains, till it shall please thee to grant him ease | dried up like a potsherd," that we may not put and comfort. And, however thou shalt deal our trust in any of these transitory things, but with him, let him not repine at thy correction, in thee only, the living God, who art able to nor sin in charging thee foolishly. Make him sensible, that thou doest nothing but what is wise and just; nothing but what thy servant shall one day have cause to bless and praise thee for doing. And let this consideration teach him to glorify thee in the time of his visitation, by an humble submission to thy will, and a sincere reformation under thy providential dispensations; that thou mayest visit him in mercy and love, show him the joy of thy salvation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Prayer for One who is troubled with acute Pains of the Gout, Stone, Colic, or any other bodily Distemper.

(From Mr. Spinkes.)

save and to destroy, to kill and to make alive. Our brother, whom we now behold a specta cle of misery, was lately, like one of us, in perfect health. But now "thou makest his beauty to consume away, as it were a moth fretting a garment. Thine arrows stick fast in him, and thy hand presseth him sore; so that there is no soundness in his flesh, because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in his bones by reason of his sin.

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O, reject him not utterly, but take thy plague away from him. Return, O Lord, and that speedily; for his spirit faileth. O, leave him not in his distress; for though the world may forsake him, his sure trust is in thee. To thee, O Lord, does he cry; to thee doth he stretch forth his hands; his soul thirstBLESSED God, just and holy, who dost eth after thee as a barren and dry land. Lord, not willingly afflict the children of men; with- all his desire is before thee, and his groaning hold not, we beseech thee, thy assistance from is not hid from thee. Comfort him therefore this thy servant in the extremity of his pain. again now after the time that thou hast afflictHis sorrows are increased, and his soul is fulled him, and for the days wherein he hath sufof trouble. He has none to flee unto, for the fered adversity." ease and mitigation of his agonies, but to thee, O Lord. He freely owns that his sufferings are infinitely less than he has deserved; yet, since they pierce deep, and are become almost too heavy for him to bear, we presume to call upon thee for aid; and to entreat thee, not to punish him according to his deserts. "For if thou shouldest be extreme to mark what is done amiss, O Lord, who may abide it?" Spare him therefore for thy mercy's sake; and correct him “not in thine anger, lest thou bring him to nothing." Endue him with that pati- Lord. Amen. ence which may enable him cheerfully to sub

Put a stop, O Lord, we beseech thee, to this raging infection, and say to the destroying angel," It is enough." Protect us under the shadow of thy wings, that we may not " be afraid of any terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the sickness that destroyeth in the noon-day;" but that, with ease in our minds, and health in our bodies, we may serve thee cheerfully all the days of our life; through Jesus Christ our

any lingering Disease.

(From Mr. Jenks,)

mit to thy chastisement; and grant him an A Prayer for a Person in a Consumption, or unfeigned repentance for all his sins. Comfort his soul, which melteth away for very heaviness, and let thy loving mercy come unto him. Sanctify this thy fatherly correction to him, that it may be for thy glory, and his advantage. And when thy gracious ends in afflicting him shall be accomplished, which we know are not for "thy pleasure," but for his profit, give him, we beseech thee, a fresh occasion to rejoice in thy saving health; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Prayer for a Person in the Small-Por, or any such like raging infectious Disease.

O MERCIFUL God, thou hast long kept thy servant under thy chastening hand; thou hast made him acquainted with grief; and his sickness is even become his familiar companion: yet, O blessed Lord, grant that he may not be impatient under thy chastisement, who art pleased to wait so long for the return of a sinner: but let him remember that thou hast kind intentions, even in thy bitterest dispensations; that thou "chastenest him whom thou lovest, and scourgest every son whom thou receivest." Teach him, O gracious Fa

thy dealings; that he may humble himself under thy mighty hand; that he may think it good for him to have been afflicted, and patiently wait for thy loving kindness.

O GRACIOUS and merciful Father, the on-ther, to see love in thy rod, and justice in all ly giver of health, look down, we beseech thee, with an eye of compassion, upon thy miserable and disconsolate servant, from whom thou hast taken this great and valuable blessing; and, instead of it, hast filled every part of his body with a sore disease.

Teach him, O Lord, and teach us all from hence, to consider how soon the beauty of life is blasted like a flower. and our "strength

Yet, that his faith may not fail, nor his patience be overcome, give him ease and relaxa tion from his pain, and a happy conclusion of this long visitation. In the mean time, grant that he may neither despise thy chastening,