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FOR A FRIEND DANGEROUSLY ILL. 275

Christ; and through him, our Mediator and Lord, do we ascribe unto thee, the Source of all mercy, and the God of all consolation, the glory due unto thy name. Amen.

VII.

For a Friend Dangerously Ill.

The Lord will strengthen him upon his bed of languishing ; thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness.

Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.

(It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)

Therefore his sisters sent to him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.

When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not to death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified by it.

FATHER of Mercies, from thee To thee our inmost souls lie open.

cometh all hope.

Thou hearest the

prayers that are springing there, beyond all power of utterance, for our suffering friend. Thou knowest how ardently we desire that this sickness may not be unto death; that thy blessing may descend upon the means used for the restoration of thy servant, and give success to the efforts of human skill. Spare, O Lord, we beseech thee, and grant that strength may be restored.

Turn our sorrow into joy. Give unto us the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Let thy servant live and bless thy name.

But, O God, not our will, but thine, thy perfect will, be done. Be this the prayer of our hearts, as well as of our lips. Shed abroad within and all around us the peace of entire submission. May we all, and thy suffering servant especially, repose unwavering faith in thee. Being truly penitent for all offences, may a voice be heard from heaven whispering hope. Give the assurance of thine everlasting mercy. Encompass and sustain the spirit in the hour of darkness with thoughts of heaven. Enable us all to rise far above the clouds of this mortal state, to sit in heavenly places, with him who was made perfect through sufferings, and where thou art revealed working in all things to produce boundless and everlasting good. Let not the monitory voices of life and death fall upon heedless ears. May we gird on the armor of righteousness, and so be prepared to part with the near and the dear, and to follow them at thy bidding, supported by that faith in thy blessed Son which takes the sting from death, and despoils the grave of its victory.

Be with us, heavenly Father, in all temptations. May every fear be still, every murmur hushed, every heart exalted into holy communion with thee. Το thee may we leave all issues, with peaceful trust. And whether our blessings remain or depart, let our faith

in God abide; and by all events, whether joyous or sorrowful, may we grow in this saving grace, and to thee shall be the glory forever. Amen.

VIII.

Recovery from Sickness.

I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications.

Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.

The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of the grave gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow.

Then called I upon the name of the Lord: O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul.

Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful.

The Lord preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he helped me.

Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee.

For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.

I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living.

OUR hearts ascend in thankfulness to the Dispenser of all good. Thou hast redeemed thy servant from the grave. When brought very low, thou didst show thy healing grace, and give the hope of recovered strength. Thou hast lifted a burden from our

hearts. We rejoice that a dear friend has been spared to us. We pray that the life which is prolonged through thy blessing may be consecrated to thee. May it be given with redoubled diligence to the work of duty, and show its lifelong gratitude by a more thoughtful walking in the way of thy will.

We pray for ourselves. May we lay up thy warnings in our hearts. In the hours of returning gladness let us not forget the days of darkness that are gone for a while, but which in thy own time are to come again. By listening thoughtfully to the past, may we be prepared for the future. Admonished of the uncertainty of life, may the ardor of our attachments be chastened. Let us not lay up our hearts' treasure on earth, where decay and death corrupt, but may we rejoice in the imperishable possessions of truth and virtue, and feel that they are garnered safe above all the changes and uncertainties of this world.

And now, O Father, as we enter upon a new season of hope and joy, we would consecrate ourselves anew to thy holy service. Draw us closer to thee. Do thou reign supreme over our affections. Be thou loved with all our strength, and give us the unfailing joy of minds filled with thy Spirit, and growing in holiness for ever and ever. Prepare us for that time when the infirmities of our mortal bodies shall be thy instruments to sever our ties to this world. Receive us then to that world where sickness and sorrow are not known, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

IX.

A Prayer from Parents on the Birth of a Child.

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him.

Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord.

He maketh his servants to be the joyful parents of children. He hath put a new song in our mouth, even praise to our God.

I will be the God of your children from one generation to another.

OUR FATHER in heaven, we now look up unto thee with especial gratitude, with joyful devotion. Thou hast not only joined us twain together in the tenderest relation, but thou hast permitted us now to become parents. Thou hast presented to our hands and bestowed on our hearts this most precious treasure, a child of our own. We thank thee fervently for the opening and sweet delight of parental affection.

But, O Being of beings, this is thine offspring, rather than ours. Thou art the framer of the body and the father of the spirit, and thou art now and thou ever wilt be the life of the life; and thou lovest the child more than we, even in the utmost, can love; for thy name is Love, and thou art infinite. Through us, thou but reachest forth this image of thyself into existence. Making us nearest in earthly relationship, thou hast made us also nearest in endearing attach

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