I. "NOT MY WILL, BUT THINE, BE DONE! My God! my Father! while I stray Far from my home, on life's rough way,— Should grief and sickness waste away My Father! still I'll strive to say,— If Thou should'st call me to resign ASKING A BLESSING ON THE MEANS USED FOR THE RECOVERY OF A VERY SICK PERSON. O! Most blessed and eternal Jesus! The Great Physician, the compassionate High Priest, who disposest every great and little accident to the glory of God, and to the comfort of the souls of them that love and serve * I wish it to be distinctly understood that the pieces of Sacred Poetry, prefixed to the Prayers of Intercession in this Manual, are not intended to be sung. THEY ARE TO BE READ SLOWLY, in a devotional tone of voice, to sick persons -Editor. Lord! Speak the word only? Thee, be pleased, in Thy great pity, to look upon Thy servant here lying on a bed of sickness. Come into his heart, Thou that art precious to those who know and love Thee, and let him feel that Thou art there. Do thou, O Lord, look graciously upon Thy servant, and visit him with Thy salvation. Send him help from above, and deliver him from the snares and terrors of the wicked one. O, bring him nearer to Thyself; and give him a quiet conscience, and a sense of reconciliation with his God, through the alone merits of his Saviour. O, Jesus, Thou Lamb of God, Thou that takest away the sins of the world, cleanse him from sin. Purge his conscience from dead works to serve the living God. Lord, make him ever mindful that he is not his own, but that he has been bought with a price, even with the precious blood of the Son of God. O, may the consideration of God's love and mercy, in providing a ransom for the lost, so powerfully affect his heart, that he may be persuaded to glorify Thee in his body and in his spirit, which are Thine; and that, if spared yet a little, he may live, henceforth, not unto himself but unto God. * O, blessed Jesus! let the sense of Thy wonderful love, in dying for sinners, inflame the soul of this Thy servant with so strong a love for Thee, and such an ardent yearning for Thy glory, that he may be ready cheerfully to embrace even death itself, though armed with its utmost terrors, rather than forsake Thee. O, Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we implore Thy aid on behalf of our sick brother. To Thine ever watchful care we commend his body and his soul. O, Thou Heavenly Physician! Thou only can'st heal him. O, Thou merciful and Omnipotent Creator! Thou only can'st strengthen and comfort him. If Thou speak the word only, Thy servant shall be healed. But without Thy blessing, O Lord, the best skill of man is folly, and his strength but weakness. Be pleased, therefore, O Lord, if it be Thy will, to bless the efforts that are put forth, and the means that are used for the relief of the sufferings of the body, and for the restoration of the health of the sick. Lord! Speak the word only? But grant, O Lord, that, in all his distress, he, on whose behalf we pray, may patiently submit to Thy Heavenly guidance; and that, looking Heavenwards, he may be able to say, in humble confidence and faith, "Not my will, Lord, but Thine be done!" O God, guide, support, and bless him in this life; and, after this life is ended, oh, receive him unto Thy Kingdom, through Him who died and rose again, even Thine only and beloved Son, Jesus Christ, our blessed Lord and Saviour. Amen. "Afflicted saint!-to Christ draw near; Thy faith is weak; Thy foes are strong ;- PRAYER ON BEHALF OF A PENITENT SINNER,-SICK OR OTHERWISE. O Lord! Eternal, Immortal, Invisible! The only true God! To Thee shall all flesh come; to Thee shall all men cry; for whom have we in Heaven but Thee? Who is a Have mercy, Lord! O Lord, forgive ? God like unto thee? Glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders! Thou art the fount of every blessing; Thou art the source of every good thing, temporal and spiritual; for every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of Lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. We come to Thee, then, on behalf of this (sick) person. We come in obedience to Thy command which bids us come: "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy and eat; yea, come; buy wine and milk without money and without price." We come, Lord, pleading Thine own faithful word of promise," Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out." We come, knowing that Thou art a God that hearest prayer; and that Thine ears are ever open, ever attent unto the cry of such as be of a humble, penitent, and contrite spirit. We come to Thee with all confidence. Lord! In our times of need and necessity, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the Words of Eternal Life. Thy word is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword: and Thou art a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. All things are manifest in Thy sight; all things are naked and open unto Thine eyes, O God, with whom we have to do. Even now, therefore, we come with all humility. Thou knowest the aspirations and the thoughts of each soul that here bows in prayer before Thee. To Thee we lift up our hearts. With our hearts, as well as with our lips, we cry unto Thee, "Lord save us! we perish!" Especially, on behalf of this (sick) person, we present our humble petitions. He has gone astray. He has followed too much the devices and desires of his own foolish and wicked heart; but he confesses his iniquities, transgressions, and sins. They are a weighty burden, unbearable; in number more than the sands of the sea; in hue as deep as scarlet, and red like crimson. Behold, he was shapen in iniquity. Against Thee has he sinned, and done evil in Thy sight; but do Thou purge him, and he shall be be clean; wash him, and he shall be whiter than snow. |