now weigheth down his spirit within him. May he think of Him, who, though "being in the form of GOD," yea, and “equal with GOD," yet suffered in the flesh the hiding away of Thy face from Him, and cried, "My GOD, my God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" If it please Thee that he should suffer this bowing down of spirit, yet let him never be tempted to despair; save him from faithless and rebellious thoughts; let him never fall from Thee. If his heart be troubled with fear, yet grant him strength and faith to say, "Nevertheless, though I am sometime afraid, yet put I my trust in Thee." May he believe that this affliction is permitted by Thee, to prove his faith and his love, and is no sign of Thy displeasure. Teach him to remember that, "whom the LORD loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth." And when this short and weary life is over, give him, we beseech Thee, an inheritance with the saints in light ; for the sake of JESUS CHRIST, our Mediator and Redeemer. Amen.

XXXVII.

FOR THE DESPONDENT.

O HOLY JESU, we fall down before Thee, and beseech Thee to have mercy upon Thine afflicted servant. Lift from him, if it might be, the heavy burden of his affliction. Thou wast "despised and rejected of men, a Man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief." Thou hast "borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows." "We have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities." Thou knowest every pain and pang that rends the heart. Thou knowest the heaviness which boweth down Thy

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O Thou, whose soul was

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servant's soul. ceeding sorrowful, even unto death," look in mercy upon his great sorrow. Pardon in him all faithless thoughts and fears, and dispel them by Thy grace. Lift from above his head the dark cloud of despair, and let the bright sunshine of Thy love shine round about him. Teach him to trust Thy word, and to believe in Thy promises, and let him not be cast down overmuch by the feelings of his own weak and sinful heart. Teach him to look from his own wounds to Thy blessed Cross, and may he find healing, and comfort, and peace, as and when Thou seest fit. May he remember that it is not his own feelings, but Thy promises, which are the pledge of everlasting salvation. And, if he may not know here joy and peace in believing, may he nevertheless enter at length into the joy of his LORD, and the perfect peace of Paradise; there to dwell with Thee, who livest and reignest, with the FATHER and HOLY SPIRIT, one GOD evermore. Amen.

XXXVIII.

FOR ONE FEELING LONELINESS.

O MOST gracious FATHER, who hast given to Thy servant a heavy burden to bear alone, Strengthen him, we pray Thee, to be able to bear it with humble patience. If it be Thy will that he should have little earthly comfort and support, fill his soul with heavenly consolations: if Thou allottest to him many long and weary hours of sickness, let him feel evermore Thy presence with him. Teach him that he is never really alone, since Thou art near. Give him the power to meditate upon Thee, and to spend his hours of loneliness in blessed

communing with Heaven. May a bright hope gild the clouds of his darkest days, and may he feel that, though heaviness may endure for a night, yet joy cometh in the morning, even the fulness of joy which is in Thy presence for evermore. Hear us, O merciful FATHER, for the sake of Him who was a "Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief," our blessed Redeemer, JESUS CHRIST. Amen.

XXXIX.

IN SUDDEN DANGER.

O MOST gracious FATHER, we fly unto Thee for mercy in behalf of this Thy servant, now lying under the sudden visitation of Thy Hand. If it be Thy will, preserve his life, that there may be place for repentance; but if Thou hast otherwise appointed, let Thy mercy supply to him the want of the usual opportunity for the trimming of his lamp. Stir up in him such sorrow for sin, and such fervent love to Thee, as may in a short time do the work of many days; that among the praises which Thy saints and holy angels shall sing to the honour of Thy mercy through eternal ages, it may be to Thy unspeakable glory that Thou hast redeemed the soul of this Thy servant from eternal death, and made him partaker of the everlasting life, which is through JESUS CHRIST Our LORD. Amen. (American Prayer-Book.)

XL.

BEFORE AN OPERATION.

O LORD, in whose all-wise Hands are life and death, and health and sickness, by whose bless

ing the skill of man can alone prevail, We beseech Thee, have mercy upon Thy servant, and prosper the means that shall be taken for his recovery. Strengthen him, O LORD, to bear such trial as is appointed him; and enable him humbly and trustfully to commit himself into Thy Hands, to do with him as shall seem to Thee best. Help him, in the hour of pain and peril, to keep before him the memory of our crucified Redeemer; and by His Agony and Bloody Sweat, by His Cross and Passion, good LORD, deliver him. O LORD, forsake him not. O LORD, support him in his need. O LORD, make Thou all his bed in his sickness; and may this and all things work together for his eternal good; through our LORD and SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST. Amen.

XLI.

FOR THE IMPENITENT.

our un

O Gon, whose mercy is as great as our worthiness, We implore Thee, for the sake of JESUS CHRIST, be merciful to this Thy servant. Waken in him a deep sense of sin, and an earnest repentance. Turn him, O LORD, that he may be turned unto Thee. Make him to see and to long for the one thing needful. Make him to know the things that belong unto his peace. May he feel the awful reality of death, and of a heaven or hell after death. Fix in his mind, O merciful FATHER, Thy blessed promise to those that truly repent, "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow." Wash away, we pray Thee, the stains of his sins, that they may be remembered no more. Make him so truly

penitent, that, if it please Thee to raise him up again, he may lead a new life, in Thy fear and to Thy glory; or else, so prepare him against the day of death, that he may depart hence with a sure trust in Thy blessed SoN, and a peaceful hope of the resurrection at the last day. Hear us, O FATHER, for the sake of Him who died to save us from eternal death, Thy SON, JESUS CHRIST Our SAVIOUR. Amen.

[Some of the Confessions (see pp. 66-69) are appropriate for the Impenitent.]

XLII.

TO BE USED WITH THE FRIENDS OF ONE WANDERING IN MIND, AND UNABLE TO PRAY FOR HIMSELF.

(If previously of a good life.)

MERCIFUL LORD, whose thoughts are not as our thoughts, neither Thy ways as our ways,. We humbly bow before Thy wisdom which hath stricken this Thy servant. We know that Thou of very faithfulness hast caused him to be troubled. O LORD, let it be Thy pleasure to deliver him. make haste, O LORD, to help him. Thy servant can no longer take delight, nor find comfort, in the offering of prayer and praise. He may not now draw nigh to Thee in the holy Communion of his SAVIOUR's all-prevailing Sacrifice; yet, O FATHER, Thou hast not left him nor forsaken him. Thou still watchest over him with Thy Fatherly love. Hear, we pray Thee, Thy dear SON's holy intercessions for him. Yea, O FATHER, we sinners would ourselves make intercession for him, unworthy though we are to be heard. For JESUS' sake hear us when we pray for our afflicted