PRAYER ON BEHALF OF A PERSON WHO HAS LED AN IRRELIGIOUS LIFE, BUT WHO NOW, IN FEAR AND TREMBLING, EARNESTLY DESIRETH TO OBTAIN PARDON AND

PEACE.

*

O, Eternal and most gracious Father, who hast declared in Thy Holy Word that Thou desirest not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should turn from his wickedness and live, enter not into judgment with Thy servants, O Lord, for in Thy sight shall no man living be justified.

When we look upon our Saviour, O Lord, and then upon ourselves, we are astonished at the wonders of His love. It surpasseth our knowledge and comprehension. "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to the propitiation for our

* Suitable Collects, 13, 14, 15, or 16

Prayer on behalf of a person who has led an irreligious life, &c.,

sins; ""that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign, through righteousness, unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ, our Lord."

We come to Thee, then, our gracious Heavenly Father, acknowledging our transgressions, and with our sins ever before us. We come to Thee in the name of One whom Thou hearest always, in the name of Him whose tender supplication, on behalf of those who mocked amid His sufferings, even now resoundeth in this chamber,"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do!"

We come to Thee, O thou gracious God, with a broken spirit: "A broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise." To Thee, O God, belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against Thee: "neither have we obeyed the voice of the Lord, our God, to walk in His laws which He set before us."

O God! The Scriptures tell us that judgment came upon all through the offence of one; and that everyone of us shall give an account of himself unto God, in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ. But, thanks be unto Thee, O Heavenly Father, the Judge on the Great White Throne, at the day of Judgment, will be none other than that dear Redeemer, who shed His precious blood for us, that we might not suffer the pains of death eternal.

O, our Heavenly Father, what joy should we feel, knowing that we can approach Thee in the name of Him who died for us,-of Him who is now interceding at Thy right hand for all who pray to Thee for forgiveness-pleading no merits of our own, but only the merits and sufferings of the Redeemer.

We come to Thee, then, O Lord, on behalf of our brother, who, now, in fear and trembling, earnestly desireth to obtain pardon for his sins, and peace for his soul. He comes to Thee, O God, in the lowest prostration of soul and body. He comes to Thee with a heart full of grief and sorrow for those many great and grievous sins which he has, from time to time, committed against Thy Divine Majesty, provoking most justly Thy wrath and indignation against him. He earnestly repents, and is heartily sorry for these his misdoings. The burden of

Prayer on behalf of a person who has led an irreligious life,&c.

them is intolerable. Have mercy upon him; have mercy upon him, most merciful Father: for Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ's sake, forgive him all that is past; and grant that he may ever, hereafter, serve Thee in newness of life, to the honour and glory of Thy name; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

AMEN.

PRAYER ON BEHALF OF THE SAME, WHEN STRUCK DOWN WITH SUDDEN ILLNESS.

"Seek ye the Lord, while yet His ear
Is open to your call:
While offered mercy still is near,

Before His footstool fall.

"Let sinners quit their evil ways,
Their evil thoughts forego;

And God, when they to Him return,
Returning grace will shew."-Logan.

PRAYER.
*

O, most mighty God, and merciful Father, who sufferest not Thy servants to be tried above that they are able, but who, with the temptation also, makest a way to escape, that they may be able to bear it, have mercy upon a sinner thus suddenly brought, as it were, face to face with an offended God. Strengthen, we beseech Thee, this our brother in this trying illness, that he may bear it without murmuring, and that he may meekly submit to whatever Thou mayest be pleased to lay upon him. Sanctify this sickness unto him, O Lord; and, in Thy good time, save and deliver him.

Behold, O God, a creature, liable every moment to death, prostrate before Thee, begging, for Christ's sake, that faith and patience to which Thou hast promised mercy, peace and pardon. Discover to him, O Thou searcher of hearts, the charge that is against him; that he may know and confess, and bewail, and abhor, and

* Suitable Collects, 13, 14, 15 or 16.

Prayer on behalf of a person who has led an irreligious life,

forsake, and repent of all the evils of which he has been guilty.

And, O, Thou blessed Jesus, our Advocate and Mediator, who art able to save for ever them that come unto God by Thee, we put our brother's cause into Thy hands. Let Thy power defend him: let Thy blood and merits plead for him. Supply all the defects of his repentance. Procure for him a full discharge from all his sins; blot them for ever out of the book of God's remembrance; and write his name in the Lamb's Book of Life.

O, Thou advocate with the Father!-Jesus Christ, the Righteous! Let Thy glory be magnified by saving a sinner; by enlightening a heart overwhelmed in darkness, by pardoning innumerable transgressions, iniquities and

sins.

Enable, O Lord, our brother, who earnestly desireth to obtain the pardon of his sins, to work out the salvation of his soul in fear and trembling, that, through the merits of Jesus Christ, he may escape the awful doom prepared for the ungodly. We thank Thee, O Lord, that Thou hast given him time and the will to think of, and to prepare for death; and that Thou hast not suddenly brought him face to face with death and judgment.

*

O, Jesus! Thou hast made known to us another death besides that which separates the body and the soul! Thou hast made known to the world what it is to die in sin!

Thanks be to God, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the Righteous! Thanks be to God, we know that there is no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus! They believe on the name of the Son of God; and they know that they have eternal life. They know that, if their earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, they have a building, of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens.

O, Gracious and merciful God, grant unto Thy servant,

* Should there be a pause, Collect 39, may here be added.