Whitsunday: Morning
O God, Thou hast established thy throne in the icavtns, and thy kingdom ruleth overall; and all nations before Thfc are as nothing. Yet, blessed be thy name, it is only in comparison with thy infinite greatness, that they are nothingnet in reference to thy condescension, and kindness, and care. Kven as individuals we have been the charge of thy providence; goodness and mercy have always attended us; and having obtained help of Thee, we continue to this day. Thou hast been mindful of our souh as well as our bodies; yea, Thou wast pleased to form a purpose of grace in our favour; and devise means the most glorious, to deliver us from the degradation, and misery, and perdition of sin; and to make us partakers of the hope of eternal life.
We bless Thee for the dispensation of religion, under which it is our exalted privilege to live. How superior are our advantages, to those enjoyed by many of thy people in earlier ages The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth cume by Jesus Christ. Prophets arid righteous men desired to see the things which we see, and did not see them; and to hear the things which we hear, and did not hear them; but blessed are our eyes for they see, and our ears for they hear. Instead of a portion of revelation, we have the sacred Scriptures complete. Instead of the blackness, and darkness, and tempest of Sinai, we have the milder glories, and the small still voice of Zion. We have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba Father.
We praise Thee for the establishment of the glorious gospel, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard Him; God also bearing them witness, with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles and gifts of the Kcly Ghost, according to His own will. We rejoice, that though His supernatural agency has ceased, with its necessity, the ministry of the Spirit continue.s, and that His saving influences are confined to no period of the church. All that have been enlightened and renewed since the fall, have been the subjects of His operation; and with Thee is the residue of the. Spirit.
We rejoice, that as there is no blessing we so much need,
* A festival observed in remembrance of the descent of the Holy Ghost upon the apost.es. — Acts ii 3.
SO there is no blessing we are so much encourag-eel to implore: for thy truth hussaid, if ye, being elil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Futh-r which is in heaven, give his Holy Spirit ujito them that ask Him.
O Thou God of all grace, fulfil the word unto thy servants, upon which Thou hast caused us to hope. Impart unto ustiiy Holy Spirit, to open the eyes of our understanding, to sanctify our affections, to comfort our hearts, to glorify Christ, by taking of the things of Christ, and showing them to us
May we never commit the sin against the Holy Ghost. — Never quench tlle Spirit Never resist the Holy Ghost Never grieve the Holy Spirit. But may we pray in the Holy Ghost and worship God in the Spirit; and be lead by the Spirit; and be filled with the Spirit.
May we always view the commands in connexion with thy promises; our duties and trials, in connexion with our resources. Great is our work; great is oiu’ warfare; and far greater than we ever yet felt it to be, is our weakness But our sufficieneyis of God; and Thou hast said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee — not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit saith the Lord
Let the goings of our God and our King, be seen in the sanctuary; and when thy truth is dispensed, let it come to, those who hear it, not in word only, but in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and with much assurance.
And bless, not only the gates of Zion, but all the dwelling places of Jacob May every family contain a church in the house. Pour thy blessing upon our seed, and thy Spirit upon our offspring; and may the rising race grow up, the ornaments, examples, and benefactors, of their day and generation.
To Thee we commend all who have the rule over us; we implore thy favourable regards to the privileged country in which we live. Humble us before Thee for our sins, especially our neglect and abuse of our religious advantages. Withdraw not from us the blessings we have forfeited; and inflict not upon us the judgments we have deserved. But spare us according to the greatness of thy iT.ercy.
And from our land of vision, may the light break forth upon all those who are in darkness, and the region of the shadow of death.
Bless all missionary exertions. Let the various societies T employed in this work of faith, and labour of love view each other with pleasure, and rejoice in each other’s suc-Cessi and if not in immediate and personal co-operation, yet in accordance, and tendency, and desig-n, may they stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving- tog-ether for the fiiith of the g-ospel. Let those who re-main at home, hold forth the word of life in their own circles, and be concerned to evang-elize the districts in which they reside. But O, let there not be a deficiency of those, who offer themselves to the help of the Lord, among the heathen, and say. Lord send me. Let it be said, as it was in the beginning- of the gospel — The Lord gave the word, great was the company of them that published it.
And be with those that are already engaged. We know that Paul can only plant, and Apollos wat“”- but Thou canst give the increase.
Pour thy Spirit from on high, and the wilderness shall become a fruitful field. Our Father, &c. Jmen.