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if it be thy will, and to our friends, in safety and peace. When the sea of life is past, and its storms are spent, then, O merciful God, land us on the calm and happy shore of thy heavenly kingdom.

WE

AFTER RETURNING FROM A JOURNEY OR VOYAGE. VE thank thee, O God, merciful Father, that, through thy great goodness, we are permitted to meet again around our own domestic altar. For thy protecting care of us, while we were away, and for this our safe return, we praise and bless thee. For all the comforts, pleasures, and duties of this our earthly home, we devoutly thank thee. But we know that we are strangers with thee, and sojourners, as all our fathers were; that our days on the earth are as a shadow, and here there is no abiding. O be thou with us, to lead and uphold us through the remainder of our pilgrimage, and at last receive us to our home in thine eternal heavens.

FOR CHRISTMAS DAY.

GOD, our Father, through whose mercy the dayspring from on high hath visited us, to give light to those who sat in darkness, and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace; we bless thee that unto us was born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord; and we pray that he may be also born in us spiritually, in faith, love, and obedience, and live and dwell in us continually, that we may in all things do thy will as he did, and at last become heirs with him in thy heavenly and everlasting glory.

FOR A NEW YEAR.

BLESSED be God, who has brought us safe to the beginning of another year. Make us sen

sible, O thou eternal and holy One, how short and uncertain is our mortal life. Pardon our misspent time, and make us henceforth careful to redeem it. Grant that we may begin this new year with new resolutions of serving thee more faithfully. Make us wise unto salvation; that we may consider, in this our day, the things that belong to our peace ; and that we may pass the time of our sojourning here in thy fear and love; and be ready to depart hence, whenever thou shalt say unto us, Return, ye children of men.

FOR A SICK CHILD.

HEAVENLY Father, we beseech thee to pity

the troubles of the child whom thou hast visited with illness, and pity our sorrows, who are afflicted for it. Ease it of its pains, and strengthen it in its weakness. Raise it up again, if it shall please thee, to grow in years and stature, in wisdom and virtue; and thereby to comfort us, and glorify thee. We believe that thou knowest best what is fit both for it, and for us, and wilt do what is fit for both; and, therefore, we leave it to thy wise disposal. But let it be thine, O Lord, in life or death; and either preserve it to be thy true and faithful servant on earth, or take it to the blessedness of thy children in the kingdom of heaven.

L

FOR A SICK PERSON.

OOK graciously, O God, on thy servant, whom thou hast brought low with illness. Grant unto him a strong sense of his entire dependence upon thee; that, whether the means used for his relief succeed, he may ascribe the glory to thee alone, or whether thou thinkest fit to deny them their intended effects, he may humble himself under thy mighty hand, and bear the rod, knowing who hath appointed it. We pray thee to preserve thy servant to us, for he is dear to us. Nevertheless, not our will, but thine be done. If it be thy will that he should live, may his whole life praise thee. If his sickness be unto death, may his soul be prepared to meet thee, and our souls lie resigned at thy feet.

SAN

IN BEREAVEMENT.

ANCTIFY to thy servants, O God, the loss of one of our number by death. Look with pity upon our sorrows; and grant that the affliction which it has pleased thee to bring upon us, may awaken our consciences, and soften our hearts, and impress upon us such convictions of thy holiness and power, that we may place in thee our only felicity, and strive to please thee in all our ways. And give us grace constantly to look forward to that life which is beyond death, and over which death has no power, revealed to us by thy dear Son Jesus Christ.

IN ANY AFFLICTION.

Give

MERCIFULLY regard us, O Lord, in our present trouble, and make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us. Strengthen us to bear the cross which is laid upon us. us grace to look to the example of our blessed Master, who, for the joy which was set before him, endured a heavier cross than ours. By the sadness of our countenances may our hearts be made better; and may we so improve thine afflictive dispensations, that they may all tend to our final happiness and glory.

END OF PETITIONS AND THANKSGIVINGS.

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The Service shall begin with the following Sentences; the Minister standing, if convenient, at the head of the Coffin.

I

AM the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord; he who believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth in me, shall never die. St. John xi. 25, 26.

WE brought nothing into this world, and it is

certain we can carry nothing out. The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. 1 Tim. vi. 7. Fob i. 21.

WHILE the child was yet alive, I fasted and

wept; for I said, Who can tell whether God will be gracious to me, that the child may live? But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me. 2 Sam. xii. 22, 23.

Then followeth the Psalm.

PSALM XC.

LORD, thou hast been our dwelling-place in all

generations.

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