of our exposure to the sudden stroke of death, dost call upon us seriously to consider the shortness of our time here upon earth, and remindest us that in the midst of life we are in death, so teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Give us grace to turn unto Thee with timely repentance, and thus to obtain, through the merits of our Saviour, that pardon to-day, for which to-morrow it may be too late to seek; that so being strengthened by Thy good Spirit against the terrors of death, and daily advancing in faith and godliness, we may at all times, be ready to give up our souls into Thy hands, O gracious Father, in the hope of a blessed immortality; through the mediation and by the merits of JESUS CHRIST our Lord. Amen.

FATHER of mercies, and GoD of all comfort,

our only help in time of need, look down from Heaven, we humbly beseech Thee; behold, visit, and relieve, all who are suffering under the grievous sickness which Thou hast brought upon us, [and especially Thy sick servants for whom our prayers are desired.] Look upon them with the eyes of Thy mercy; comfort them with a sense of Thy goodness; preserve them from the temptations of the enemy; give them patience under their affliction; and, in Thy good time, restore them to health, and enable them to lead the residue of their life in Thy fear, and to Thy glory: Or else give them grace so to take Thy visitation, that, after this painful life ended, they may dwell with Thee in life everlasting; through JESUS CHRIST our Lord. Amen.

To the foregoing may be added, the Prayer "In time of great sickness and mortality," and the Proper Prayers for Ash Wednesday, at the discretion of the Muister; as also the following after the Collect of the day

GOD, who at the prayer of David Thy servant didst stay the hand of the destroying angel, when it was lifted up against Jerusalem, and on the

repentance of Nineveh, didst spare that sinful city, vouchsafe, in like manner, to bow down Thine ear to our prayer, and to accept our repentance. Withdraw Thy chastisements from us, O LORD, and whilst Thou preservest our bodies from disease, so cleanse our hearts from all sinful affections, that, evermore striving to please Thee in newness of life, we may by Thee be defended from all evil; for the sake of Thy ever blessed Son JESUS CHRIST Our Lord. Amen.

PRAYERS

FOR VARIOUS OCCASIONS.

m

A

¶ A Prayer to be used on visiting Seminaries of Learning.

LMIGHTY God, the author of all being, and the foun. tain of all wisdom and knowledge; who hast formed our bodies and endued us with reasonable souls; regard with thy favour and visit with thy blessing this institution [or school] established for the promotion of sound learning and Christian education. Secure to it the patronage needful to the carrying of its good designs into effect. Inspire its teacher [or teachers] with a due sense of his solemn charge, and a suitable degree of wisdom and strength for its fulfilment. Bless the pupils with health, and give them a proper estimate of the advantages they here enjoy. Grant them docility and diligence in the pursuit of knowledge, submission and tractableness under discipline, and a readiness of mind to follow the counsels of wisdom and experience. Inspire them with due respect for their teachers; and fill their young hearts with an ardent love for thee, their Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier. Guard their inexperience, keep them from self-conceit, and shield their virtue from the assaults of the world, the flesh, and the devil. Thus preparing them to fulfil their course with honour, fidelity and success in this life, and to attain the glorious destiny to which thou hast called them in the life to come, through the merits of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

[This prayer may be prefaced and concluded by any suitable Collects from the Liturgy.]

A Prayer to be used at any Missionary Meeting, in connection with one or more of the prayers in the Friday's Meditations and Devotions for the Clergy.

GOD, the fountain of all wisdom and strength, look favourably upon thy servants now assembled to consult for the increase of thy kingdom among sinful men. Animate us with true zeal for thy glory, and true love for the souls of men. Give us a spirit of self-sacrifice and endurance in thy service, free from all self-conceit and vainglorious boasting. Humble us under a sense of our feeble and imperfect efforts. Make thy Spirit our sole reliance for success, and dispose us, when we have done all, to feel that we are unprofitable servants, having only done that which it was our duty to do. Grant this, O Lord, for the sake of thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

¶ A Prayer to be used, with others from the Liturgy, on laying the Corner-Stone of any edifice for a Literary or Charitable Institution.

ALMIGHTY God, without whom all our purposes are

ineffectual and all our efforts vain, grant thy presence and blessing to thy humble servants assembled together to lay, with all solemnity, the corner-stone of an edifice to be devoted to thy honour and the benefit of thy creatures. Inspire our hearts with a humbling sense of our dependence upon thee at all times and in all undertakings. May the foundation of this institution rest upon thy favour. Open the hearts and hands of thy people to give of their abun dance for carrying the design into effect. Prosper every effort for its advancement, and every person engaged in its erection and support. May its blessings be enjoyed by many, and conveyed to the remotest generation. Above all, may it be an effectual, though humble, means of advancing thy name and praise among this people. All which we ask through the merits and for the sake of thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

To be read by the Pastor with the sick, afflicted, &c., and to be pointed out by him for their private perusal: taken from Thompson's Pastoralia.

The following portions of Scripture may be advantageously read to, or by the sick; with suitable observations and explanations by the Minister.

The Book of Job. Eccles. xi.; xii. Isa. xxvi.; xxxv.; xxxviii.; xlii.; xliii.; liii. The Book of Lamentations. Hosea vi. Micah vi.; Mal. iv. Matt. xx.; xxvi.; xxvii.; xxviii.* John xiv.; xv.; xvi. Rom. v.; viii. 1 Cor. xv. 2 Cor. i.; iv.; v.; Phil. iii. 1 Thess. iii.; iv.; v. 2 Thess. i. Heb. xi.; xii.; xiii. 1 Peter, the whole Epistle. 2 Peter iii.

iv.; v. xxiii.

vi.; xii.

James ii.

Rev. ii.;

iii.; xxi.

The Psalms are to all a valuable treasury of devotion; but to the sick most especially, on account of their ejaculatory character, which admits of their being used in the intervals of pain, or when the body is too feeble to sustain the fatigue of a more connected prayer. The Psalms most applicable to the devotions of the sick are the following; vi.; xiii.; xxiii ; xxxi.; xxxii.; xxxviii.; xxxix.; xli.; lv.; lvii.; lxxi.; lxxvii.; lxxxviii.; xc.; cii.; cxxx.; cxlii.; cxliii.

Portions of Scripture which may be profitably read to or by the relatives and friends of deceased persons; the Minister adding suitable explanations of their occasion, etc.

2 Sam. xii. Job i.; ii.; xix. Eccles. vii.; xii. Isa. xxv.; xxvi.; lvii.; lxi. Ezek. xxxvii. Dan. xii. Hos. xiii. Matt. xxviii. Mark xiv.; xx.; xxi. Rom. v.; vi. 1 Cor. Phil. iii. 1 Thess. iv. Heb. xi.; xii.

xvi. Luke xxiv. John xi.;
XV. 2 Cor. i.; iv.; v.; vi.
Rev. v.; viv.; xv.; xix.; xx.; xxi.; xxii.

Portions of Scripture which may be profitably read to or by recovered persons; the Minister adding a suitable comment.

2 Sam. xxiv. Job. xlii. Isa. xxxviii. Jonah ii. Zech. viii. Luke xvii. John v. Phil. ii. Heb. vi.; x. 2 Peter ii.

Psalms for the devotions of the recovered, beside those in the above office-xviii.; xxviii.; xxxi.; xxxiii.; xxxiv.; xl.; lxvi.; lxxxi.; cvii. cxiii.; cxvi.; cxvii.; cxviii.; cxix.; cxxi.; cxxxviii.; cxlv.; cxlvi. cxlvii.; cxlviii.; cxlix.; cl. Isaiah xii. is also a psalm of this character.

*These three last chapters of St Matthew narrate the history of our Lord's sufferings; and as it is peculiarly incumbent on the sick to consider Him that endnred such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest they be weary and faint in their minds, the parallel chapters in the other Evangelists may be added. Mark xiv.-xvi. Luke xxii-xxiv. John xviii.-xxi.