FIFTEENTH WEEK.—LORD’S DAY. — Morning

O BLESSED God, Thou art indeed long-suffering and slow to anger. Thou hast not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. We have often provoked thy displeasure, yet Thou hast made goodness and mercy to follow us all our days. When Thou hast smitten us, it has been to make us wise, and to bring us to hearken to thy voice of love. Lord, sanctify to us all past afflictions. Pardon our forgetfulness of those lessons, and grant that the lasting effect of thy discipline may be to keep us humble, watchful, and weaned in spirit from earth and earthly affections. Have compassion on all in affliction this morning. Be with thine own children in the furnace, and bring them forth purified. Keep the hearts of sinners from becoming hardened under thy dealings. May they humble themselves before Thee in their darkness and trouble, and come to Thee in Jesus with a true repentance. Oh, let none mock Thee with a false profession of sorrow for sin. Thou art a holy God, and requirest truth in the inward parts. Nor will thy word of threatening fall to the ground. When Thou visitest for sin, Thou workest fearful things in righteousness. Great, O Lord, and dread are thy resources for the punishment of transgression. Who can stand before Thee when Thou art angry? Our hearts may well tremble in awe of thy righteous judgments.

But Thou art calling us this morning to gratitude and joy. The darkness of the night has not brought us terror, and our eyes have been opened to see the morning. We hail it in thy name, for it is the morning that saw our Lord arise. Oh, make this day a blessed time of privilege and profit to our souls. In our closets, in our family, in the sanctuary, meet us, and bless us. Teach us to worship Thee, and give us this day our portion of bread from heaven. Bless our pastor in his sacred work. Bless all ministers of the Gospel and all Christian teachers this day, and make their labours effectual to win souls. Pour out thy Spirit as on the day of Pentecost of old, and let thousands of saved souls be added to the Church.

We commend to Thee each member of this household as if by name. We commend to Thee all our kindred and friends. We pray Thee to bless the land we live in. Bless it with yearly harvests unblighted, and its people with grateful hearts. Bless our beloved Queen, and let her reign ever bring blessing to her subjects. Bless all lands. Let the people praise Thee, Lord; let all the people praise Thee. Let earth soon keep universal Sabbath, and ascribe to Thee, as we do now, dominion and glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.