First Week: Sunday Morning
O COME let us worship and fall down, let U8 kneel before the Lord our Maker, for he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand.
Yes, O Lord, we are thine; and Thee we are bound to serve. We grieve to think, hov, many af our fellow-creatures live without Thee in the world; and confess with shame, that other lords have had dominion over us: but henceforth, by Thee only, will we make mention of thy name. We hope Thou hast subdued the insensibility and indifference towards Thyself, so awfully natural to us; and awakened in us the inquiry, “Where is God my Maker that giveth songs in the night?” We hope we are disposed to acknowledge Thee in all our ways; but we feel our need of the exercises of devotion. We trust we hold communion with Thee every day; hut we find we-ek days, to be worldly days; and our allowed intercourse with secular concerns, tends to reduce our heavenly impressions, and to make us forgetful of our work, and our rest. We therefore bless Thee for the return of a day, sacred to our souls and eternity; a time of refreshing from the presence of the Lord; in which, by waiting upon Thee, our hearts are enlarged, and our strength is renewed; so that we can mount up with wmgs as angels, run and not be weary, and walk and not faint.
This is the day which the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it. O let our minds be withdrawn from the world, as well as our bodies. Let our retirement be devout. Let our meditation he sweet. Let our conversation be edifying. Let our reading be pious. Let our hearing be profitable; and on Thee may we wait all the day.
Afford us the supply of the spirit of Jesus Christ. None can need thy succours more than we. Thou knowest our infirmities: let thy strength be made perfect in our weakness. Our duties are far above our own power: let thy grace be sufficient for us. Our dangers are numberless, and we are utterly unable to keep ourselves from falling; hold Thou us up, and we shall be safe. The burdens we feel would press our lives vlown to the ground; lay underp’^ath us thine everlasting arms. Fears alarm us; cares corrode us; losses impoverish us; our very affections are the sources of our afflictions — surely man walketh in a vain show — surely we are disquieted in vain; all, all is vanity and vexation ot spirit. While in the world we have tribulation; in Thee may we have peace: and in the multitude of our thoughts within us, may thy comforts delight our souls.
Yet, O Lord, we would remember, that gratitude becomes us much more than complaint. Our afflictions have been ligh% compared with our guilt; and few, compared with the sufferings of others. They have all been attended with numberless alleviations: they have all been needful: all founded in a regard to our welfare: all designed to work to,i<ether for our good. We bless Thee for what is past, and trust Thee for what is to come: and cast all our care upon Thee, knowing that Thou carest for us.
Thou hast commanded us to pray for all men, that we may be boun 1 by our very devotions, as wihave opportunity to do good unto all men, especially unto them that are of the household of faith. May we always cherish and display benevolent dispositions towards our dependents, forgiving dispositions towards our enemies, peaceable dispositions towards our neighbours, and candid dispositions towards our fellow christians. May we be able to say with our Lord and Saviour whosoever shall do the will of my Father that is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. And pray with Paul, grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. May the goings of our God and King be seen, this day, in every Christian sanctuary. Go with W5 to thy house, and give testimony to the word of thy grace. May it ha.e free course and be glorified in the hearts and lives of those who shall hear it. May it enlighten the ignorant, awaken the careless, reclaim the wandering, establish the weak, comfort the feeble minded, and make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
Remember those who are, this day denied our advantages. Be a little sanctuary to them in the midst of their privations, and let them know that Thou art not confined to temples made with hands. And O forget not those who never enjoyed ou»’ privileges; never smiled when a Sabbath appeared; never heard of the name of a Saviour — and let thy way be known on earth, thy saving health among all nations. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil: for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen, B 2