Wednesday Evening (Fourth Week)

MOST BLESSED GOD, Thou hast again in the multitude of Thy mercies permitted us to meet together around Thy holy footstool. Giver of all grace, draw Thou near to us in Thy great kindness; enable us to end another day with Thee, and to retire to rest this night in the conscious possession of Thy friendship and love.

What are we that we should be permitted to speak unto such a glorious and infinite GOD! We are dust and ashes— creatures of a day—who might long ere now have been righteously spurned from Thy presence. Blessed be Thy great and holy name for all the manifold proofs of Thy love; Thy ways are not as our ways; had they been so, we must all of us have perished without hope:—it is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed. LORD give to each of us this night to know the blessedness of being at peace with Thee—of taking hold on that everlasting covenant which is well-ordered in all things and sure, looking away from our guilty selves and our guilty doings, to Him who has done all for us, and left nothing for us to do, but to receive a free, everlasting salvation as the gift of Thy grace.

Give us a deep and abiding sense of our vileness and unworthiness. May sin and all sin be hated; may every bosom-traitor which has usurped the throne of our affections be cast down, that GOD Himself may be our all in all. May we seek to imbibe more of the spirit, and copy more of the example of our Divine Redeemer. May we feel it to be our joy to serve Him, our privilege to follow Him, our sorrow to vex and grieve Him. Take us and use us for Thy glory;—sanctify our affections—elevate our desires;—may we have more of the character of holiness and breathe more of the atmosphere of Heaven. Keep us from being over careful and over troubled about earth’s many things;—enable us to be more solicitous about the one thing needful;—may we be covetous only of the solid and durable riches of eternity.

Bless our beloved relatives; may they all be enabled to claim a common kindred with the one Elder Brother on the Throne. Set Thine own mark on each one of us; though we may be separated from each other now, may Thy blessed Angels gather us together at last in the same bundle for the Heavenly Garner.

Let none put off preparation for death till a dying hour:—a present hour is all that we can call our own;—may we be living in that state of holy preparedness for death, that when the silver cord by which life is suspended is broken, we may awake up in Thy likeness in glory everlasting.

Look down on Thy church everywhere throughout the world—purify her more and more—may no weapon formed against her prosper;—may her ministers be men of GOD, and may her saints and people shout aloud for joy. Do Thou satisfy Zion’s poor with bread. May every afflicted one receive out of the wells of Thine own consolation, and be led meekly to say “ The LORD’S will be done.”

Graciously take the charge of us during this night. We commend us all to Thy fatherly protection and care—whether we wake or sleep may we live together with Thee. And all we ask is for the LORD JESUS CHRIST’S sake. Amen.

Our Father, &c.

The Grace of our Lord, &c.