Sivut kuvina
PDF
ePub

Remark to the Sick Person.-That many most excellent persons have suffered the greatest bodily pains and sickness, as Job, Hezekiah, Lazarus, and that under them all they put their trust in God. That as Christ healed the greatest distempers amongst the Jews, and as God sent an angel to strengthen Christ in his agony, so he will always send a remedy for the greatest of our sufferings, either by blessing the means used for our recovery, or by taking us away from our distress. That he never willingly afflicts us, and that what pain and misery he may send, it will prove beneficial to us. We are not to think that because God sometimes afflicts us very sorely, that therefore he is unmindful of us, but that in all circumstances "God's design is to

[ocr errors]

bring us happily to himself in another "world, and he will leave no means "unessayed for that purpose. If we

"have the same end in view, and look

66

up to him as carrying it on steadily for

66

us, we may be happy both here and "hereafter. If we have not, the conse

66

66

quence must necessarily be despon

dency, vexation, and fretfulness at the 26 ways of Providence."—(Adams's Private Thoughts.)

For one that is low spirited.

Collect for the Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany.

Read Psalms 4th, 43rd, 56th, and 69th. St. Matthew, 4th chapter, to 12th verse. St. Luke, 12th chapter, to verse 8th.— St. John, 11th chapter, to verse 46th, and 16th chapter.-Hebrews, 10th chapter, and 12th chapter to 14th verse.1st Epistle of St. John, 1st chapter, or the following texts:

3rd verses.

Hebrews, 12th chapter, 1st, 2nd and Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the

E

race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

Proverbs, 3rd chapter, 25th and 26th verses. Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked when it cometh, for the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.

Isaiah, 54th chapter, 7th and 8th verses. For a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment, but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer.

Remark to the Sick Person.-That in all distresses of mind, arising either from

fears, from misfortunes, from the death of friends, or from a sense of our own sins, our sure support and consolation is to be found in the assistance of God. The Gospel holds out great comfort to us by shewing us the power of Christ to help us under every difficulty. That God willeth not the death of any sinner. That Christ is the propitiation for our sins, and therefore that we ought not to be cast down, nor dejected in our minds, but to be thankful and to rejoice that we have such a friend as Jesus Christ to support and console us, and to remember that "no man need be miserable or un

6.

happy as long as there is a way open to "the throne of grace."--(Adams's Private Thoughts.)—"I never found a man so "invariably holy and devout, as not to "have experienced the absence of grace, "and felt some decay of spiritual fervour: " and from this severe trial no saint has "been exempt, to whatever degrees of rapture and elevation his spirit may

66

44

for it is written, cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.

Colossians, 1st chapter, 14th verse. In whom have we redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.

Revelations, 5th chapter, 9th verse. And they sang a new song saying, thou art worthy to take the book and open the seals thereof, for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by his blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.

Remark to the Sick Person.-That all men have sinned: but that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, and that there is no other name under heaven given amongst men whereby we can be saved. No other way of being saved from the punishment of our sins, but by believing in his merits and mediation, and in the atonement which he has made for the sins of the world." It is he that brought thee up from the pit of hell,

66

." reversed the sentence of thy damnation,

« EdellinenJatka »