health, I may return to the world with great strength of spirit, to run a new race of a stricter holiness and a more severe religion; or, if I pass from hence with the outlet of death, I may enter into the bosom of my Lord, and may feel the present joys of a certain hope of that sea of pleasures in which all Thy saints and servants shall be comprehended to eternal ages. Grant this, for Jesus Christ's sake, our dearest Lord and Saviour. Amen. BISHOP JEREMY TAYLOR. An Act of Resignation O eternal God, Thou hast made me and sustained me; Thou hast blessed me in all the day's of my life, and hast taken care of me in all variety of accidents; and nothing happens to me in vain, nothing without Thy Providence; and I know Thou smitest Thy servants in mercy, and with designs of the greatest pity in the world. Lord, I humbly lie down under Thy rod: do with me as Thou pleasest; do Thou choose for me not only the whole state and condition of being, but every little and great accident of it. Keep me safe by Thy grace, and then use what instrument Thou pleasest of bringing me to Thee. Lord, I am not solicitous of the passage, so I may get to Thee. Only, O Lord, remember my infirmities, and let Thy servant rejoice in Thee always, and feel, and confess, and glory in Thy goodness. O be Thou as delightful to me in this my medicinal sickness, as ever Thou wert in any of the dangers of my prosperity. Let me not peevishly refuse Thy pardon, at the rate of a severe discipline. I am Thy servant and Thy creature, Thy purchased possession, and Thy son: I am all Thine; and because Thou hast mercy in store for all that trust in Thee, I cover mine eyes, and in silence wait for the time of my redemption. Amen. BISHOP JEREMY TAYLOR. For the Grace of Patience Most merciful and gracious Father, who, in the redemption of lost mankind by the Passion of Thy most holy Son, hast established a covenant of sufferings, I bless and magnify Thy Name, that Thou hast adopted me into the inheritance of sons, and hast given me a portion of my elder brother. Lord, the cross falls heavy and sits uneasy upon my shoulders; my spirit is willing, but my flesh is weak: I humbly beg of Thee that I may now rejoice in this Thy dispensation and effect of Providence. I know and am persuaded that Thou art then as gracious when Thou smitest us for amendment or trial, as when Thou relievest our wearied bodies, in compliance with our infirmity. I rejoice, O Lord, in thy rare and mysterious mercy, who by sufferings hast turned our misery into advantages unspeakable; for so Thou makest us like to Thy Son, and givest us a gift that the angels never did receive; for they cannot die in conformity to and in imitation of their Lord and ours; but, blessed be Thy Name, we can, and, dearest Lord, let it be Amen. BISHOP JEREMY TAYLOR. SO. Thou who art the God of patience and consolation, strengthen me in the inner man, that I may bear the yoke and burden of the Lord without any uneasy and useless murmurs, and ineffective unwillingness. Lord, I am unable to stand under the cross, unable of myself; but Thou, O holy Jesus, who didst feel the burden of it, who didst sink under it, and wert pleased to admit a man to bear part of the load, when Thou underwentest all for him,-be Thou pleased to ease this load by fortifying my spirit, that I may be strongest when I am weakest, and may be able to do and suffer everything Thou pleasest, through Christ, who strengthens me. Lord, if Thou wilt support me, I will for ever praise Thee if Thou wilt suffer the load to press me yet more heavily, I will cry unto Thee, and complain unto my God; and at last I will lie down and die, and by the mercies and intercession of the holy Jesus, and the conduct of Thy blessed Spirit, and the ministry of angels, pass into those mansions where holy souls rest and weep no more. Lord, pity me; Lord, sanctify this my sickness; Lord, strengthen me; holy Jesus, save me and deliver Thon knowest how shamefully I have fallen with pleasure; in Thy mercy and very pity, let me me. not fall with pain too. O, let me never charge God foolishly, nor offend Thee by my impatience and uneasy spirit, nor weaken the hands and hearts of those that charitably minister to my needs; but let me pass through the valley of tears, the valley of the shadow of death, with safety and peace, with a meek spirit, and a sense of the Divine mercies; and though Thou breakest me in pieces, my hope is, Thou wilt gather me up in the gatherings of eternity. Grant this, Eternal God, gracious Father, for the merits and intercession of our merciful High Priest, who once suffered for us, and for ever intercedes for us, our most gracious and ever blessed Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. BISHOP JEREMY TAYLOR. A Prayer when the Sick take Physic O most blessed and eternal Jesus, Thou who art the great Physician of our souls, and the Sun of Righteousness arising with healing in Thy wings, to Thee is given by Thy Heavenly Father the government of all the world; and Thcu disposest every great and little accident to Thy Father's honour, and to the good and comfort of them that love and serve Thee; be pleased to bless the ministry of Thy servant, in order to my ease and health; direct his judgment, prosper the medicines, and dispose the chances of my sickness fortunately, that I may feel the blessing and loving-kindness of the Lord, in the ease of my pain, and the restitution of my health; that I, being restored to the society of the living, and to thy solemn assemblies, may praise Thee and Thy goodness secretly among the faithful, and in the congregation of Thy redeemed ones, here in the outer courts of the Lord, and hereafter in Thy eternal temple, for ever and ever. Amen. BISHOP JEREMY TAYLOR. O holy and eternal Jesu, who didst pity mankind lying in sin and misery, and didst choose our sadness and sorrows, that Thou mightest make us to partake of Thy felicities; let Thine eyes pity me, Thy hands support me, Thy holy feet tread down all the difficulties in my way to heaven let me dwell in Thy heart, be instructed with Thy wisdom, moved by Thy affections, choose with Thy will, and be clothed with Thy righteousness; that in the day of Judgment I may be found having on Thy garments, sealed with Thy impression; and that, bearing upon every faculty and member the character of my elder brother, I may not be cast out with strangers and unbelievers. Amen. BISHOP JEREMY TAYLOR. Prayer O eternal God, most merciful Father, who hast revealed Thyself to mankind in Christ Jesus, full |