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Answer. From the face of his enemy. Minister. O Lord, hear our prayers; Answer. And let our cry come unto thee,

Minister.

O Lord, look down from heaven, behold, visit, and relieve this thy servant. Look upon him with the eyes of thy mercy; give him eomfort and sure confidence in thee; defend him from the danger of the enemy; and keep him in perpetual peace and safety, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Hear us, Almighty and most merciful God and Saviour; extend thy accustomed goodness to this thy servant, who is grieved with sickness. Sanctify, we beseech thee, this thy fatherly correction to him, that the sense of his weakness may add strength to his faith, and seriousness to his repentance. That if it shall be thy good pleasure to restore him to his former health, he may lead the residue of his life in thy fear and to thy glory; or else give him grace so to take thy visitation, that after this painful life is ended, he may dwell with thee in life everlasting, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Then

Then let the Minister speak to the Sick Person in the following or fuch like man

ner.

Allow me now, dearly beloved, to

ask you a few questions.

1. Do you believe that Almighty God is ready graciously to pardon all such believers of the articles of the Christian Faith, as truly repent them of all their sins, and forgive others, and are ready to seek reconciliation, and satisfy for all injuries which they have done, and to shew mercy, and are in peace and charity with all their neighbours?

2. Do you believe that he is ready to do this only for the sake of our blessed Saviour and Redeemer Jesus Christ, and in regard to the merits of his death, who, by by dying on the cross for our sins, purchased all this mercy for all truly penitent sinners?

3. Are you truly sensible of his exceeding great love therein, and from the bottom of your heart, and are you thankful to him for the same?

Know therefore, that although you are a sinner, yet "Jesus Christ came into the "world to save sinners." 1 Tim. i. 15. Although you have been a lost sinner, yet

he is "come to seek and to save that which "was lost." Luke xix. 10.

Although you have sinned, yet you do not cover your sins, or justify them; but with grief of heart confess them, and condemn yourself for the same. And "if we confess our sins, God is faithful "and just to forgive us our sins." 1 John i. 9.

You confess them to him with a resolved aversion, and turn away from the same; having, by the help of his grace, already forsaken some; and studying and being resolved in heart to forsake all: And "whoso confesseth and forsaketh "his sins, shall find mercy.' Prov. xxviii. 13.

If you have sinned against your bre thren, you are ready to submit yourself, and seek to reconcile yourself to them, and to the utmost of your power to make them any reasonable satisfaction. And if a man has "first reconciled himself to "his brother, he may come to God with

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a good heart, and offer his gift." Matt. v. 24. "If he hath repented, and

given again that which he hath robbed, "his sin shall not be mentioned." Ezek. xxxiii. 15, 16.

Whilst with an humble, a contrite, and a returning heart, you are thus seeking

to

to the Father of mercies, to forgive you your trespasses, you do from your heart forgive all other persons, who have sinned against you, their trespasses: And "if we forgive men their trespasses, our heavenly Father will also forgive us." Matt. vi. 14.

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As you earnestly seek mercy, you are ready to shew it, and according to your ability to give alms to the needy. And "blessed are the merciful, for they shall "obtain mercy." Matt. v. 7. "And "mercy rejoiceth against judgment.". James ii. 13.

Upon such faith and repentance and satisfaction for injuries, and shewing mercy and forgiveness of others, when they are sincere and right, our most merciful God and Saviour will most graciously forgive us at the great day of judgment. "And he

"has committed the ministry of reconci"liation to his ministers," 2 Cor. v. 18. that upon appearance of the same, they may declare and deal it out, for the comfort of such truly faithful and penitent persons here in this world,

And now upon this profession which you have here made, of this Christian Faith, and repentance, and reparation of injuries, and of forgiveness of others, and of having charity towards all persons, and

of shewing mercy to the miserable, all which you declare is unfeigned, and from the bottom of your heart, do you desire to receive from the mouth of God's minister the benefit of absolution*, that is, to be comforted by an assurance that your sins are remitted in heaven, and that you are restored to the grace and favour of Godt?

If the Sick Person should heartily and humbly desire the benefit of absolution, the Minister may say to him, before he uses it, thus ;

I cannot, my beloved Brother, pronounce this assurance to you absolutely, but conditionally; that is, on the presumption that your faith and repentance are as sincere as you represent them: I can by no means pronounce it as a final judge; because Christ alone can discern whether your conversion be feigned or real; and consequently he only can abso

The foregoing sentences are copied from Mr. Kettlewell's Trial and Judgment of the Soul" Page 22. Edit. 1794.

+ Wheatley's Illustration of the Book of Common Prayer. Page 418. 8vo. Edit. 1759.

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