FOURTH WEEK.—LORD’S DAY. — Morning

ALMIGHTY GOD, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hast appointed the Sabbath for man, a day of rest for the exhausted body, and of refreshment to the weary spirit; we would approach Thee first in the simplicity of this family service, before assembling together in the midst of thy worshipping people. Give us grace so to improve our earthly Sabbaths, that at the last an entrance may abundantly be ministered to each of us into thine everlasting Sabbath, the rest that remaineth to the people of God.

We bless Thee for thy mercy to each of us through the night, and that we are all in safety before Thee this morning. Cause us to be in the Spirit on this Lord’s day, that we may worship Thee in spirit and in truth. Meet us in the sanctuary, and bless the company of our fellow-worshippers as well as ourselves. Bless also all thy ministers. Make thy word from their lips to be with power to every heart amongst us; let it come to us as a message from Thee; let the inward grace accompany and quicken each outward ordinance to-day, so shall we realise thy presence, and feel that God is with us of a truth.

O Father, we would remember all that are near and dear to us. We would ask thy mercy and grace upon them also. We pray for our Queen and country; for thy Church militant here on earth, at home and abroad; for thy faithful missionaries to the Jew and the heathen. May thy Word have free course and be glorified. Let not the enemy of souls have advantage over us. Let him not take away the word from our hearts, but help us all to believe and to be saved.

O Lord Jesus Christ, Thou only Mediator between God and man, who art the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever, the only Son of the Father, consecrated for evermore the Great High Priest, who art holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners, God over all, blessed for evermore, whose blood cleanseth from all sin, who art able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by Thee, our Hope, our All, who canst be touched with a feeling of our infirmities, have compassion on us, we beseech thee, and upon all who are out of the way. For thy name’s sake, pardon our iniquity, for it is great.

O eternal Spirit, proceeding from the Father and the Son, do Thou help our infirmities, and make intercession for us. Do Thou lead us into all truth, and sanctify us with its power.

O merciful God, may Christ in us, the hope of glory, be an anchor of the soul, sure and stedfast, to be realised in its fulness, in the day of the Lord Jesus. Lord, hasten it in thy time. Lord Jesus, come quickly. Amen.