For a Day of Thanksgiving: Morning

God, Thou art very great. Thou art clothed with honor and majesty; Thou coverest thyself with light as with a garment; ‘i’hou walkest upon the wings of the wind. When we reflect or the glory of thy majesty, we are filled with wonder at the vastness of thy condescension. For Thou condescendest even to behold things that are in heaven. What then is man, that Thou art mindful of him, or the son of man, that Thouvisitest him.

We rejoice, that we are under the governance of a Being, who is not only Almighty,but perfectly righteous, and wis(), and good; that all things, in our world, are appointed and arranged by thy paternal agency; that thy providence numbers the very hairs of our head, and that a sparrow falleth VOt to the ffround. without our heavenh’ Father.

Hitherto hath the Lord helped us. We bless I’hee for personal mercies If we are ci.lled, it is by thy word If we are renewed, it is by thy Spiiit. If we are justified, it is freely by thy i^race through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. It is in Thee we live, and move, and have our being”. Thy g-oodness lias been always near us, to hear our complaints, to sooth ov!r sorrow, and to command deliverance for us. And numberless are the inatances of loving’-kindness, that now, from ig-norance, or inattention, elude our notice; the iliscovery of which will awaken our songs, when we mina:!e with those who dwell in thy house above, and are still praising Thee.

^V thank Thee for relative benefits; for blessings on our fain I es, blessings on our churches, and blessings on our COUP. :y. We confess that we are not worthy of the least of all thy mercies, and of all the truth which Thou has showed unto thy servants. Sins of every kind and of every degree, have reigned among us: have spread through all ranks and orders; and continued, notwithstanding all warnings and cnrrections; and if ‘I’hou hadst dealt with us, after our sins, or rewarded us according to our iniquities, we should long ago, have had no name, nor place, among the nations of tht: globe.

But to the Lord, our God, belong mercies andforgivenes ses, though we have rebelled against Him. All thy dispensations towards us have said, with a tenderness that ought to penetrate our hearts — How shall 1 give Thee up! Oar privileges, never properly improved, and forfeited times without number, have been continued. We still behold oui sabbaths, and our ears still hear the joyful sound. Our constitution, liberties, and laws, have not been subverted, o! impaired. Thou h:»st given us rains, and fruitful seasons. Thou hast filled us with the finest of the wheat; our garners have been affording all manner of store; our oxen have been strong to htbwur; our sheep have brought forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets. Thou hast spread thy wing, and sheltered us from the pestilence that walketh in darkness, and the destruction that wasteth at noon-day. Civil discord has not raged in our land; our shores have not been invaded; we have not heard the confused noise of warriors, nor seen garments rolled in blood — it has not come nigh us Our enemies have often threatened to swallow us up, but the Lord has been on our side, and they have not prevailed against us. We are this day called upon to acknowledge thy goodness in ( )*

* Here let the particular causes for thankfulness be expressed

God is the Lord who halh showed us light; bind the sacrifice with cords, even to the horns of the altar. May we never convert our blessings into instruments of pr<” ■ocatloii, by making them the means of nourishing pride and presumption, wantonness and intemperance; and compel Thee to complain — Do ye thus requite the Lord, O foolish people, and unwise? Is not He thy Father, that hath bought thee? Hath He not made thee, and established thee?

For this purpose meet with us in thy house; and may the goings of our God and our King be seen in the sanctuary Be with the preacher, and with the hearers; and let the words of his mouth, and the meditation of their hearts be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, our strength, and out Redeemer. May public instruction awaken the ardour of our feelings: may our gratitude not only be lively, but practical and permanent. And by all thy mercies, may we present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto Thee, which is our reasonable service.

Bless the Lord, ye His angels, that excel in strength, that do His commandments, hearkening unto the voice of His word. Bless ye the Lord, all ye His hosts: ye ministers of His, that do His pleasure. Bless the Lord, all His works, in all places of His dominion; bless the Lord, O my soul. Jimtn.