TWENTY-SECOND WEEK.—LORD’S DAY. — Morning

OUR Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. We come gladly, gratefully, and humbly to thy throne on this Sabbath morning, and give Thee our heartiest thanks that Thou hast blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, and that we have awaked this morning to enjoy its rest and its sacred employments. How great is thy mercy to us, O Lord! Thou hast searched us and known us; Thou knowest our downsitting and uprising, and understandest our thoughts afar off. Thou compassest our path and our lying down, and art acquainted with all our ways. How much is there in us every hour to cause Thee displeasure, and to move thine holy anger against us. It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed. We acknowledge with deep shame and contrition our great sinfulness, and thy perpetual and measureless mercy toward us. Thou hast not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. As far as the east is from the west, so far hast Thou removed our transgressions from us.

And now, O Lord, graciously prepare us for the great duties of thy holy day. We would be spiritual worshippers, bowing down before Thee with heart and soul, reverencing thy majesty and thy glory, and rendering unto Thee the homage of creatures and the allegiance of subjects. Fill our hearts with true devotion towards Thee. We would praise Thee for thy great love to us in the blessings of thy providence and in the gift of thy dear Son. We would once more confess our sins, and seek thy gracious forgiveness. Give us a contrite spirit, and show to us again that love of Christ which shall heal us, and strengthen us, and sanctify us. We would be learners in thy blessed book of truth. Open Thou our eyes to see, and our ears to hear, and cause our hearts to perceive. May our conscience be quick and tender within us, to apply to us the condemnations or the consolations of thy truth, and to bind us to those duties to which Thou dost this day call us.

And we humbly beseech Thee to help all thy ministers to-day. Pour out upon them abundantly thy Holy Spirit. Teach them what they shall say unto thy people, and bless their word to all who hear them. Especially we pray that if any of those whom we love are in special need of the consolations or convictions of thy Word, that Thou wilt mercifully direct the Word to them with power, that they may rejoice in this Sabbath day. And now, O Lord, our Father, return Thou unto the many thousands of Israel as they rest this day from life’s journeyings and fightings. Glorify Thyself in the midst of them, and make thy chosen people joyful in Thee, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.