Fourth Week: Sunday Evening
QuiCKEN our souls to call upon thy namej pour upon us the spirit of grace and supplication; and in our enlivened and enlarged experience, may we know that Thou art not only the gracious rewarder, but the Almighty helper of them that diligently seek Thee.
For such O God, is the ignorance of our minds, the vagrancy of our thoughts, the earthiness of our affections, and the unbelief of our hearts, that without Thee we can do nothing. But the preparation of the heart, and the answer of the tongue are from Thee; thy Spirit helps our infirmities; thy grace is sufficient for us. Unite our hearts to fear thy name; enable us to come even to thy seat; and may our fellowship be with the God of love.
May we approach Thee, not as the Eternal Jehovah, but as our Father and our Friend, our exceeding joy, the strength of our heart, and oui portion for ever. May we not only exercise that faith, by which we understand the worlds were made by the word of God. May we not only believe ii Thee as the God o ‘nature and providence, ii8 FOURTH WEEK.
but in Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent, and sent to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. We feel discouragements resulting from our guilty fears, anc find it hard to believe, that on our return Thou wilt meet us in peace. We therefore bless Thee, for the displaying of the exceeding riches of thy grace, in thy kindness towards us by Christ Jesus: and we rejoice in the blessed intelligence, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their iniquities unto them
These glad tidings we have this day been hearings and O Lord, Thou knowest how often we have heard the joyful sound; and Thou knowest the manner in which we have received it. We have reason to fear, that many have received it in vain; that their hearing has only added to their guilt; and that their sabbaths have been only employed in treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath. O, what would the spirits in prison, give for one of our opportunities, one of our offers of mercy. How many now sitting in darkness, and in the regions of the shadow of death, would exult at the entrance of that light, against which we shut our eyes, or which we behold with indifference.
Awaken, O Lord, in our consciences, the inquiry,how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?
May we believe the report we have this day heard; keep in memory what has jeen preached unto us, lest we believe in vain. May we hide thy word in our hearts, that we may not sin against Thee; and may the truth, as it is in Jesus, illuminate in us all that is dark, sanctify in us all that is unholy, establish all that is wavering, comfort all that is wretched, and accomplish in us all the good pleasure of thy goodness, and the work of faith lOURTH WEEK. ISf
with power, that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in us, and that we may be glorified in Him.
We sometimes hope, Thou hast commenced a good work in us; we hope that we have begun to see the evil of sin, to hunger and thirst after righteousness; that we asking the way to Zion, with our faces thitherward; and are praying, remem!)erme, O, Lord, with the favour Thou bearest unto thy people.
Command and enable us to go forward. Take us by the hand, and lead us on from strength to strength. Let the dawn break into the perfect day; and the blade become the full corn ir» the ear.
We live in a world of changes, but Thou art the same: may we know that Thou hast made with us an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure. We are pressing through a vale of tears; but we bless Thee for the opening glory at the end. Enable us to realize, as our own, a better, even a heavenly country. Prepare us for every part of our pilgrimage; uphold our goings in thy word; and let no iniquity have dominion over us.
May we rejoice as though we rejoiced not; and weep as though we wept not; and buy as though we possessed not; and use this world as not abusing it.
We would sympathize with those that are in distress. Give to them that mourn in Zion, beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.
Bless all the institutions which are established to diffuse the Scriptures, and to send forth missionaries. Remember those who have gone forth to preach among the Gentiles, the unsearchable riches of Christ. Preserve their health, their morals, their spi»’ituality, their zeal; let them be examples iSO FOURTH WEEK.
Df all they teach; and be Thou a liitle san tuary to them among the heathen. May all the events that take place, in the nations of the earth, subserve the spread of the Redeemer’s empire; and may we exult in the period, when the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.
And to God the Father, the Son, and Hoi) Ghost, be praises for ever and ever. Jlmen.