Now to God the Father, &c.



THREE PRAYERS USED BY THE DEAN FOR STELLA IN HER LAST SICKNESS, 1727



I.

Almighty and most gracious Lord God, extend, we beseech Thee, Thy
pity and compassion toward this Thy languishing servant; teach her
to place her hope and confidence entirely in Thee; give her a true
sense of the emptiness and vanity of all earthly things; make her
truly sensible of all the infirmities of her life past, and grant to
her such a true sincere repentance as is not to be repented of.
Preserve her, O Lord, in a sound mind and understanding during this
Thy visitation; keep her from both the sad extremes of presumption
and despair. If Thou shalt please to restore her to her former
health, give her grace to be ever mindful of that mercy, and to keep
those good resolutions she now makes in her sickness, so that no
length of time nor prosperity may entice her to forget them. Let no
thought of her misfortunes distract her mind, and prevent the means
toward her recovery, or disturb her in her preparations for a better
life. We beseech thee also, O Lord, of Thy infinite goodness, to
remember the good actions of this Thy servant; that the naked she
hath clothed, the hungry she hath fed, the sick and the fatherless
whom she hath relieved, may be reckoned according to Thy gracious
promise, as if they had been done unto Thee. Hearken, O Lord, to
the prayers offered up by the friends of this Thy servant in her