be yet continued among us, living a godly and comfortable life; happy in himself, and a blessing to those with whom he is connected. May it please thee to moderate his sufferings. Do thou direct us to the best methods for his relief, and be mercifully pleased to give success to them. May he patiently submit to what he may have to bear; and under the sharpest pains which he may endure, enable him to adore and bless thee, for not dealing with him according to the full desert of his sins.

But what we most of all request is, that this affliction may be accompanied with the grace of thy Holy Spirit; that true repentance, a lively faith in Christ, and an ardent desire after holiness, may be wrought in his heart. Hear this prayer for him, O Lord, that he may be made fit either to live or to die; so that whatever be the issue of this sickness, it may end in the glory of thy name, and be made to contribute to the good of his soul.

And, O Lord, teach us, who are in health, to profit by what we see others suffer. Let the sight of an afflicted fellow-creature, fill us with thankfulness for the comforts we at

present enjoy, and excite us to provide against the hour of trial that may one day come upon ourselves. O may we seek thee while thou art to be found. May we seriously attend to the voice of Christ; and like Mary, choose that good part, which shall never be taken from us.

These mercies for our afflicted brother, and for ourselves, we humbly ask in the name, and through the mediation of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; to whom with the Father, and the Holy Spirit, be ascribed endless praises. Amen.

If this Prayer be deemed too long for the Patient, the following shorter one may be used in its stead.

O thou, who dost not willingly afflict, nor grieve the children of men, be pleased to look down with compassion upon this poor sufferer, and sanctify his present affliction to him. Be pleased to support him under all that he may have to endure; and make the want of ease, of rest, and other comforts of health,

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so beneficial to his better part, the soul, that may have reason hereafter to say, that it was good for him to be afflicted.

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We pray thee to give him grace to submit to thy will, and may all his complaints be silenced by the remembrance of his sins. O Lord, if it seem good unto thee, give success to our endeavours for his recovery. And accompany thy blessing on the means of health, with that still greater blessing, the grace thy Holy Spirit; that in the days of returning strength he may live the life of a new creature. O forgive his sins; give him grace to repent of them; and may the sincerity of his repentance be made manifest by his denying all ungodliness and worldly lusts,

We beg that, if it be consistent with thy will, his life may be spared; but if this illness should prove to be a sickness unto death, O Lord, prepare him for the awful change which awaiteth him. Suffer him not, we most humbly beseech thee, to be called hence, till he savingly know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou didst in mercy send into the world, to save sinners. Hear us, O

Lord, for the sake of thy dear Son, to whom with thyself, and Holy Spirit, be everlasting praises ascribed. Amen.

To be used with one, who appears to be at the Point of Death.

O most gracious God, since thy throne of grace is still open to us, we humbly beg to be heard in behalf of our brother, who is now brought down to the gates of the grave. O Lord, we have done with praying for his life; all that we have to request is, that thou wouldest succour him in this trying hour, and fit him for the great change that is about to take place.

Forgive, O merciful Lord, all his transgressions, for the sake of that blessed Saviour, who shed his blood for the remission of sins. May his last moments be spent in penitence and faith. O may his soul be with thee, whenever it shall be separated from the body; and may he be supported under what he now

suffereth, by a well-grounded hope of being soon joined to the church in heaven,

Permit us, O God of all comfort, to request that his passage out of time into eternity, may be easy. O let not his bodily pains be extreme, nor his mind be oppressed with doubts and fears. Take away, O Lord, the bitterness of death, by giving him a foretaste of the glory of heaven. But above all we beg, that, suffer whatever he may in this hour, either in body or mind, his precious soul may be saved. O grant us this request, even should it seem good unto thee, not to bestow the other blessings which we have asked for our poor departing brother.

And O have mercy on the living, as well as the dying; and teach us, by every instance of mortality, so to number our days, as to apply our hearts unto wisdom. All which we ask in the name of Jesus Christ, thy dear Son, our Lord, in whom may we be found, living and dying. Amen.

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